Pollution

By Sarah Malik
What is Pollution?
Pollution is the presence in or
introduction into the
environment of a substance
which has harmful
or poisonous effects.
Types of pollution
There are several types of pollution. The three main types
are:
I. Land

II. Water

III. Air
Land Pollution
Cause
 Deforestation - Cutting
down whole forests causes the
destruction of ecosystems and
the wildlife that live there.
 Landfills - the smell
produced by landfills is
generated by the
decomposition of waste.
 Overhunting and
Overgrazing - this can be
caused by overpopulation,
drought, lack of animal
control etc.
Effects
 Deforestation - loss of
trees can cause climate change,
desertification, soil erosion,
fewer crops, floods etc.
 Landfills - they bring
hazards such as smell, smoke,
noise, bugs, and even water
supply contamination.
 Overhunting and
Overgrazing - overhunting
decreases biodiversity.
Overgrazing results in reduced
ground cover, increased
erosion, reduces plant growth
etc.
Land Pollution
Visual Examples
Water Pollution
Cause
 Overfishing – some
significant causes can be poor
fishing management, continuous
increase in population,
unsustainable fishing etc.
 Oil spills – its usually caused
by accidents involving tankers,
pipelines, refineries, drilling rigs
etc.
 Solid waste – some causes
of solid waste pollution can
be improper waste
management, overpopulation,
debris from construction and
demolition etc.
Effects
 Overfishing – it disrupts the
marine food chain and increases the
amount of waste and debris in water
bodies.
 Oil spills – the effects can include
a variety of diseases to people who
consume the sea food, marine life is
affected due to ingestion of oil during
feeding etc.
 Solid waste - solid wastes such
as plastics and electronic waste,
break down and leach harmful
chemicals into the water, making
them a source of toxic or
hazardous waste. This affects
both marine life and humans
who consume the sea food.
Water Pollution
Visual Examples
Air Pollution
Cause
 Ozone Layer Depletion – it is
mainly caused by Chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) which is released by
refrigerators or air-conditioners. CFCs
are broken down in the atmosphere
and react with ozone and destroy it.
 Smog and Acid rain – smog is
formed by mixing air with pollutants
and exhaust gases resulting from
human activities. Acid rain is caused
by the release of sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere.
 Greenhouse effect and global
warming – human activity is mainly
the cause of increased greenhouse gas
emissions, such as burning fossil fuels
increased the levels of carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere increasing global
warming.
Effects
• Ozone Layer Depletion – direct
exposure to ultra-violet rays may
lead to skin and eye cancer in both
animals and humans. It also effects
the plants by decreasing growth,
flowering and photosynthesis rate.
• Smog and Acid rain - smog may
lead to irritation in eyes, respiratory
diseases, allergies etc. Acid rain may
lead to corrosion to steel structures
such as bridges, absorbs nutrients
from soil like nitrogen and
magnesium that plants need to
grow, and impacts on human health.
• Greenhouse effect and global
warming - They cause climate
change by trapping heat, and they
also contribute to respiratory
disease from smog and air pollution.
Air Pollution
Visual Examples
CONSERVATION
Why is there a need for conservation?

As a species ourselves, we
need to maintain the
environment around us in
order to keep the world as
we know it alive. Forests
provide us with oxygen,
while oceans and land give
us food. If these
ecosystems are destroyed,
they will be gone forever.
What are the ways of conservation
• Practice recycling – it’s a great way to
reduce your carbon foot print.
• Choose reusable goods – these reduce
the waste that goes into oceans and
landforms.
• Conserve energy at home – turning off
unnecessary lights, unplugging appliances
not in use etc., are ways we can reduce
our carbon footprint little by little.
• Walk short distances, use bikes or
carpool – cars are one of the biggest
contributors to depleting fossil fuels, so
try to find alternative modes of
transportation whenever possible.
Thank
You