Kysie Marie P.

Talatayod August 10, 2021

11- HUMSS Earth and Life Science

Activity 1

List down some potential factors of pollution in your place. Could these kinds of pollution
affect your life?

By definition, pollution refers to any matter that is "out of place". In other words, it is what happens
when toxins, contaminants, and other harmful products are introduced into an environment, disrupting
its normal patterns and functions. When it comes to our atmosphere, pollution refers to the introduction
of chemicals, particulates, and biological matter that can be harmful to humans, plants and animals, and
cause damage to the natural environment.

Whereas some causes of pollution are entirely natural – being the result of sudden changes in
temperature, seasonal changes, or regular cycles – others are the result of human impact either
anthropogenic or man-made. More and more, the effects of air pollution on our planet, especially those
that result from human activity, are of great concern to environmental organizations, given the long-
term effect they can have.

Being here at the province of Cebu for months now, animal digestion is by far, one factor of natural
air pollution, leading to the release of methane, another greenhouse gas. In some areas within the
province, vegetation emits significant amounts of volatile organic compounds on warmer days. These
react with primary anthropogenic pollutants – specifically nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and carbon
compounds, to produce low-lying seasonal hazes that are rich in ozone.

By far the greatest contributing to air pollution are those that are a result of human impact . These are
largely the result of human reliance on fossil fuels and heavy industry, but can also be due to the
accumulation of waste, modern agriculture, and other man-made processes.

The combustion of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum and other factory combustibles is a major cause
of air pollution. These are generally used in power plants, one possible source is the Cebu CFBC
Powerplant , manufacturing facilities which are not limited to this place but are mostly seen in NCR
region, and waste incinerators, as well as furnaces and other types of fuel-burning heating devices.
Providing air conditioning and other services also requires significant amounts of electricity, which in
turn leads to more emissions.

Landfills are also known to generate methane, which is not only a major greenhouse gas, but also an
asphyxiant and highly flammable and potentially hazardous if a landfills grow unchecked. Population
growth and urbanization have a proportional relationship with the production of waste, which in turn
leads to greater demand for dumping grounds that are far removed from urban environments. These
locations thus became a significant source of methane production, let us consider the Inayawan Landfill
Seewage Treatment Plant Office.

For some time, scientists have been aware that the Earth has several self-regulating mechanisms. When
it comes to the Earth's atmosphere, these mechanisms allow for the sequestration of carbon and other
pollutants, ensuring that the balance of its ecosystem remains unaffected. Unfortunately, the growing
impact humanity has had on the planet is threatening to permanently alter that balance.
Basically, we are adding pollutants to the air, as well as the oceans and land masses, faster than the
Earth's natural mechanisms can remove them. And the results of this are being felt in terms of acid rain,
smog, global warming, and a number of health problems that can be directly attributed to exposure to
these harmful pollutants. If we intend to go on living on planet Earth, then sustainability and less
pollution need to be our goals as responsible citizens of our community!