Archive for December, 2008

Antarctica is one of the least polluted places on earth. When pollution in Antarctica is found, it can usually be traced to somewhere else in the world. Pollution has been found there in the snow that is known to be coming from other places in the world and this is a great find.

Prevention of pollution in Antarctica is important. Methods used and tested here are easy to monitor because of the fact that pollution found in Antarctica is not directly from within Antarctica. Studying the prevention of pollution in Antarctica can help the whole world advance in the area of pollution prevention.

How Pollution Gets Here

The pollution in Antarctica is not usually caused by people in Antarctica. It is brought there through other means. Oil tankers passing by have leaked oil into the water and led to pollution of the land. Snow falling from the sky has actually been recorded as polluted. The pollution in the snow is something that comes from the pollution in other parts of the world.

Antarctica is a clear sign of proof that pollution is a global issue. No matter what one country may be doing to reduce pollution if nobody else is doing anything then pollution will remain because it travels.

With the knowledge gained through studying pollution in Antarctica the hope is that the world can be taught about the effects of their pollution on everyone else.

Top Concerns

The top concerns about pollution in Antarctica are the effects that it has upon the wildlife. The continent is home to many different species. The pollution found in Antarctica is also found in concentrated amounts in the bodies of the wildlife that lives here.

This alarming fact means these poor animals see a negative impact form what the rest of the world is doing. Another concern is the fact that oil spills are a main concern. Cleaning up an oil spill is difficult and the process may never fully restore the area in which it occurred.

Prevention of pollution in Antarctica is taken very seriously because innocent wildlife is seeing some severe effects as a result. With an ecosystem like this being destroyed because of the actions of people in other parts of the world it is not hard to see why prevention of pollution in Antarctica is something of great concern.

Human Impacts Program
The Human Impacts Program is a multi- disciplinary research program in Antarctica; focus is on the prevention of pollution in Antarctica. The program works to undersatnd and minimize the effects of pollution through vigorous assessment and testing.

The program pays strong attention to any activity that occurs in Antarctica to judge whether it may cause pollution or not. Any possible polluting activities are then reevaluated until the risk is eliminated or reduced. Any pollution found is then assessed to see what effects it has and how it can be prevented in the future.

This program is a tool for the whole world to learn about prevention of pollution and the effects that it has on animals and nature.

Introduction

Sound early education forms the very basis of a well-informed and conscientious individual who behaves with maturity and responsibility towards his surroundings.

In today’s fast-paced world, where rapid business and economic growth is leading to a vast range of repercussions on the environment and the surroundings around, it has become all the more important to impart adequate knowledge to the younger generations about ways to protect the environment and encourage healthier practices.

The Significance

The initiative to take up environmental education in schools has been taken on with full force, both by the school authorities as well as the administration.

The main aim of the environmental education in schools is to primarily teach the students to learn to protect the planet, promote environmental stewardship and in the process teach students how to economize on and maximize the potential of the resources available.

The methods adopted for the environmental education in schools vary in accordance with the geographical location and also the category of students being dealt with. However, there are two main categories of methods in which environmental education in schools is basically conducted. The first and foremost method is to conduct formal education based on syllabus and course books. Such books will generally cover all the basic as well as advanced concepts of environmental education. The elementary course material for environmental education in schools also covers details of how the industry is negatively affecting the environment around and what are the steps and precautions required to avoid and prevent the same.

The second and often more effective method of conducting environmental education in schools is to follow the method of practical teaching, in which a series of games, experiments and other fun-filled activities are organized in order to demonstrate the importance of a healthy environment in life.

Such activities generally include themed songs, plays, skits, poems and drawings, along with other art and craft activities which have a focus to enhance the learning of the concepts of environmental education amongst the students.

Apart from the basic sense of environmental awareness, there are various other concepts that are taught by the modules on environmental education in schools. A few instances of the same include the greenhouse effect, air and noise pollution, local and legislative controls that have been laid down to protect and manage the environment.

Most important of all, the main concept being taught through environmental education in schools is to teach the students about the basic correlation between the environment and human life and how a negative impact on one can actually harm the other.

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Noise pollution is often forgotten in the many efforts to prevent pollution. This is not because it is not as important, but it is something that many simply do not think about.

Noise pollution may not cause as many major health issues as other forms of pollution and its effects are not always visible, but it does have some serious effects. Prevention of noise pollution helps to ensure that peace and quiet is possible for everyone and the benefits of that are priceless for people suffering from noise pollution.

Technology’s Role

Technology’s role in the prevention of noise pollution is great. Through technology much can be done to curb the sources of noise pollution.

Some things technology has been able to do for the prevention of noise pollution include constructing noise barriers which allow for a blocking of noise. Creating new traffic patterns to route noisy traffic out of populated areas is another thing technology has done for the prevention of noise pollution.

Other methods of noise pollution prevention through technology include building designs to contain noise, the creation of quieter engines in vehicles and new technologies to make industrial operations quieter.

Governmental Standards

The government helps to ensure the prevention of noise pollution through the creation of regulations and laws. This is done at all levels of the government.

Most cities have noise ordinances that stipulate loud noises and nuisances. This includes the use of construction equipment being limited to certain hours and regulations on car stereo systems.

OSHA which is a major regulating power for businesses helps to protect workers from noise pollution through regulations about safety equipment use. This included wearing hearing protection while engaging in certain jobs. Businesses are required to follow all rules set by OSHA or risk being fined.

Importance in Prevention of Noise Pollution

Noise pollution prevention is important to protect everyone. Noise is an aggravation, but more than that it can lead many problems for a person exposed to it.

People who are exposed to noise pollution may experience aggression, panic attacks, high blood pressure, hearing loss and high stress levels. Noise is a trigger to these problems and when the noise is loud and constant it can take a toll on a person.

Noise pollution may not be as far reached as other types of pollution but that does not make it any less important. People still suffer from noise pollution and it is time that noise stops being just a nuisance and is taken as a serious problem. It must be addressed and controlled or prevented.

Malaria is a long-time plague of human beings in tropical areas where specific mosquito populations carry the infectious organism. Much of North America and the developed world lives in places where it routinely freezes, effectively culling populations of mosquitoes that carry the disease. If the average temperature of the world were to rise 6.4C/11.5F as some climatological models predict, the range of the mosquitoes that carry malaria could reach just about everywhere.

It has already been noted that countries that suffer from malarial disorders are only about one-fifth as economically productive as countries where the disease is unknown. This is largely due to the way the disease leaves adults ill and in constant pain. Though it accounts for about three million deaths each year, most of these are in the poorest parts of Africa and among often malnourished children. For the most part, the disease causes what sociologists call “morbidity” rather than “mortality.”
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Water pollution causes a lot of problems for humans, animals and the environment. Pollution levels are on the rise again despite stricter laws and regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). One of the recent water pollution issues affecting Americans is the closing of beaches as a result of polluted beaches and beach water. All across the United States many beaches on the oceans, bays and the Great Lakes were closed due to pollution being washed onto the beaches from neighboring cities and towns in the form of sewage, debris and other pollutants. Sewage spills and overflows nearly tripled in occurrence in recent years and many closings were blamed on sewage. Because of the recent water pollution issues regarding beaches, a Beach Protection Act was recently passed in the United States House of Representatives and is awaiting action in the Senate. This bill would increase federal funds for the purpose of detecting sources of beach water pollution and cleaning them up. People can do their part in keeping the beaches and beach water clean by not littering, picking up trash and wastes, maintaining their septic systems, cleaning up after their pets, putting plastic pants on babies and properly disposing of toxic household items as well as used motor oil and boating wastes.

Another one of the very important recent water pollution issues affecting the quality of water comes from giant livestock farms and feedlot. These farms house hundreds of thousands of animals such as pigs, cattle, and chickens in relatively small areas and produce a huge amount of waste. Pollution that results from these massive feed lots seriously affects the health of humans as well as fish and the ecosystems around the farms. One of the recent water pollution issues in regards to the giant feedlots revolves around the huge amounts of nitrates that are dumped into the groundwater. High levels of nitrates in the drinking waters has a devastating effect on humans and leads to an increase in methemoglobinemia, also called blue baby syndrome, which can kill infants. Animal wastes also contain disease causing pathogens. This is a very one of the most serious recent water pollution issues that we face as a nation.

Another very serious one of the recent water pollution issues is the aging sewer system that leak sewage and wastes into the ground waters. It is estimated that every year enough sewage is leaked into the water systems around the world to fill the Empire State Building and Madison Square Garden. In some counties in the United States sewers discharge untreated sewage into creek, rivers and lakes where children swim and play. Treatment plants are not able to keep up with the flow of sewage and more than one billion gallons of sewage gets discharged into the environment as a result. Rain water also causes the sewers to overflow and sends them right into nearby rivers and streams affecting drinking water as damaging health to humans and animals alike.

When fuel is burned in automobile engines at high temperatures, nitrogen oxides emissions are created. More than half of all nitrogen oxides emissions in the United States of America are caused by both on-road and non-road mobile sources which are a major polluter of nitrogen oxides emissions. Because of these facts, it is understandable that there is an immediate need for the control of nitrogen oxides emissions.

By the ability of nitrogen oxides to travel long distances, they are the cause of a wide variety of environmental and health concerns far from the sources of their emissions. The control of nitrogen oxides emissions is needed. When nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and sunlight are combined, the product is smog and ozone depletion. On high smog days, you will have difficulty seeing objects far away as well as having trouble breathing. In addition, the control of nitrogen oxides emissions is needed because they are a contributing factor to the formation of particulate matter in the atmosphere through chemical reaction with atmospheric gasses.

Nitrogen oxides also known as NOx is a generalized term for a family of colorless and odorless gasses, all containing various levels of, which are highly reactive. Nitrogen dioxide, another common chemical known for pollution, along with many air particles combine into a layer of brownish red tones. This filmy layer often can be seen over many large cities.

Particulate Matter also known as PM are tiny particles or liquid droplets that become suspended in the air containing a wide range of chemicals. Larger particles become visible as smoke or dust and settle from their suspension in the air rapidly. The most harmful to human health are the smallest particles, which can be suspended for long periods. These smallest particles can penetrate deep into lungs. Particles directly emitted into the air come from a variety of sources including buses, trucks and cars. In addition to vehicle pollution, other sources may include construction sites, factories unpaved roads and different wood burning items.

Particulate Matter 2.5 known as PM2.5 but often referred to as “PM fine” are particles that have a diameter less than 2.5 microns and make up the majority of particulate matter from mobile sources. PM fine particles are not usually visible with your eyes because they are so small are significant contributors to haze in the atmosphere. Because they can penetrate deeper into the lungs than larger particles, the smaller the particles the more harmful to humans.

Particulate filters are an anti-pollution filter device designed to trap particles in the exhaust from diesel engines before they enter the atmosphere.

Most North Americans are now familiar with the term “factory-farmed meat.” Though somewhat rhetorical in its use, it is an accurate way to describe the process that has become “conventional” ranching and animal husbandry. There are, of course, many concerns from a humane treatment standpoint, but the pollution concerns from such operations are equally, if not more, compelling.

Consider what happens when you put several thousand cows together who are not part of the same herd. First and foremost, you get a lot of animal waste – enough to fill entire “lagoons” with the stuff. This is rarely, if ever, given much in the way of treatment before being put into the nearby environment. Such lagoons often overflow into river systems during storms, especially in states and provinces without regulation.

The practice of “finishing” these animals on grains allows them to fatten up before slaughter. It also changes their intestinal pH, allowing them to be susceptible to dangerous organisms such as E. coli and others. These grains are also far more likely to be contaminated with heavy metals and PCBs than pasture.
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Types of ecosystem covers every environment where species interact. They may relate to the specific environment that contains a specific diversity of plant and animal life. Types of ecosystem include the living and non living influences, from flora, fauna and fungi to the influences of their surroundings. Things such as humidity, elevation, salinity, and drainage will impact on the conditions of the living organisms right down to bacteria.

To study types of ecosystem the interaction between all the species that inhabit the area, even if they only move through the area on a seasonal basis must be considered. The physiognomic-ecological classification system has been implemented to identify and define the types of ecosystem in order to help protect them. The classification system takes into account all the living organisms and how they interact with the non living organisms and the overall environmental conditions the ecosystem exists within.

The living organisms in the types of ecosystem will include the larger animals, mammals, insects, plants, and fungi right through to the smallest bacteria and moulds. The environment and non living aspect of types of ecosystem include the landscape, from the formation and types of rocks, soils, underlying water table, climate, elevation, exposure and location.

In most types of ecosystem the number and condition of the living organisms will help in forming a classification for the type of ecosystem. The location of the landscape will also effect the ecosystem’s classification. There are many types of ecosystem and the definition of the ecosystem must fit each one. A desert landscape with its flora and fauna, the marine environment and the mountain landscape all are individual ecosystems. Human interaction will effect an ecosystem and must be taken into account in the protection of any fragile ecosystem.

As with any environmental factors effecting life on earth, studies of different types of ecosystem will include the life cycle of the trees, grasses, fungi and moulds. Each living species within the ecosystem must be taken into account. All types of ecosystem need to include climate, culture, environmental impact and symbiotic relationship between living and non living organisms. It is this relationship and the number and diversity of the life forms involved that give all types of ecosystem their unique value in our world.

All types of ecosystem are named after their particular areas. An ecosystem may vary from one side of a mountain to the other, from one part of a stream to another. Any change in soil type, drainage, salinity or even human encroachment can change the types of ecosystem. Types of ecosystem can be as varied as any type of terrain imaginable, from city landscape to arid Iceland.

India is one of the top nations with the most air pollution. The larger cities in India are places where cramped quarters and traffic congestion meet. This combination is a perfect atmosphere for extreme problems with air pollution. The health effects have been recorded from the past and the results are alarming.

Prevention of air pollution in India is something that can actually help the world. Such a crowded nation being able to control their air pollution problems can be of significance to other countries. The methods used and the regulations placed can be modeled to help other countries begin to get control over air pollution.

1984 Bhopal Disaster

In 1984 India experienced the worst short term civilian pollution crisis in the world. The Bhopal Disaster was caused by an industrial vapor leak from the Union Carbide factory.

The leak had immediate and long felt effects. Two thousand people died as an immediate result with anywhere from 150,000 to 600,000 people injured. Due the nature of the incident an exact number of injured was never able to be determined. Of the injured that day another six thousand people died as a result of their injuries.

This major event had far reaching effects in India and helped to open the eyes of the government and the people about the issue of prevention of air pollution in India.

Government Role

The government of India is very clear on what they need to do for the prevention of air pollution in India. The challenges have not always been proven easy to overcome, but the government has done many great things to forward the prevention of air pollution in India.

The Air Act of 1981 was a major stepping stone. It created the framework for the prevention and control of air pollution. This led to the deterioration of air quality being reviewed and launched investigations to get the sources of air pollution in India.

Measures, actions and standards were put into effect to help reduce pollution and work towards clean air for all of India.

Prevention Measures in Use

Currently there are many measures in place to prevent air pollution. Business regulation is a main factor and likely one of the most stringent areas of control due to the 1984 disaster. Business face stiff regulations to help keep the people of India safe.

Buses in the public transportation system use compressed natural gas instead of fuel to keep them moving. This creates a major reduction in the air pollution in India’s major cities.

The movement towards clean air in India is going strong. There is no sign of any changes back to the way India used to be because the value of clean air is too much to let go of ever again.

Many of us talk about environmental pollution, and many of us have the same idea about what environmental pollution entails: orange sludge collecting in rivers, clouds of yellow smog wafting over valleys, trash littering a formerly green field. But these evocative images just aren’t sufficient if we really want to take on the task of ending or curbing environmental pollution in our local regions, and in the world at large. In order to fight environmental pollution, we need to know the major types of environmental pollution: how to recognize them, what problems they present, and what we can do against them.

Major Types Of Environmental Pollution #1: Air Pollution

Air pollution is any major source of irritating smoke, chemical residue, or other vapor released into the air that makes it a significant health risk to human life–or simply unpleasant to experience. Common sources of air pollution include smokestacks, jet engines, or other fossil fuel-burning technologies. Air pollution can even be much simpler: for example, some four million people die every year from air pollution caused by improperly ventilated cookfires in sub-Saharan Africa.

Major Types Of Environmental Pollution #2: Water Pollution

Water pollution is any type of contaminant released into the water supply. The classic image of this is the pipe outside a victory dumping waste into a river or lake, but water pollution can also happen through illegal trash dumping near a water source, or simply by pesticides seeping through the soil and into the groundwater, where they gradually pass into the rivers and the sea.

Major Types Of Environmental Pollution #3: Soil Contamination

Speaking of pesticides: soil contamination is any type of waste or poison that slowly leaches into the soil, rendering it unable to support life or growth. Many agricultural chemicals are linked to this type of environmental pollution, especially pesticides, veterinary medicines, and non-organic fertilizers.

Major Types Of Environmental Pollution #4: Noise And Visual Pollution

These types of environmental pollution are often not taken as seriously as others–after all, loud noises and aesthetically offensive advertising and industrial development won’t slowly poison your body or cause species of animals to go extinct on a massive scale. However, these aesthetic types of environmental pollution do significantly reduce people’s quality of life over time. If you don’t feel like going out to work or walking in your neighborhood because you’re surrounded by TV ads, billboards, and angry music played from a thousand radios, your quality of life goes down and your ability to thrive within your environment goes down with it.

There are of course other types of environmental pollution–as many types as there are industrial projects with unsustainable methodologies. Once you can spot them, it’s time to begin the more difficult task: ending them, cleaning them up.