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Dfinition
Deforestation is the permanent destruction of indigenous forests and woodlands. The term does not include the removal of industrial forests such as plantations of gums or pines. Deforestation has resulted in the reduction of indigenous forests to four-fifths of their preagricultural area. Indigenous forests now cover 21% of the earth's land surface.
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Deforestation In The Amazon Rainforest
DID YOU KNOW?

The World Resources Institute regards deforestation as one of the world's most pressing land-use problems. An area of forest equal to 20 football or rugby fields is lost every minute. South Africa's climate is such that less than 0,5% of its surface area is covered with indigenous forest great care should be taken to conserve the little we have.
HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?

Deforestation is brought about by the following: Conversion of forests and woodlands to agricultural land to feed growing numbers of people. Development of cash crops and cattle ranching, both of which earn money for tropical countries. Commercial logging (which supplies the world market with woods such as meranti, teak, mahogany and ebony) destroys trees as well as opening up forests for agriculture. Felling of trees for firewood and building material; the heavy lopping of foliage for fodder; and heavy browsing of saplings by domestic animals like goats. To compound the problem, the poor soils of the humid tropics do not support agriculture for long. Thus people are often forced to move on and clear more forests in order to maintain production.
CONSEQUENCES OF DEFORESTATION
Alteration of local and global climates through disruption of: a) The carbon cycle. Forests act as a major carbon store because carbon dioxide (CO2) is taken up from the atmosphere and used to produce the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins that make up the tree. When forests are cleared, and the trees are either burnt or rot, this carbon is released as CO2. This leads to an increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration. CO2 is the major contributor to the greenhouse effect. It is estimated that deforestation contributes one-third of all CO2 releases caused by people.
CONSEQUENCES OF DEFORESTATION
b) The water cycle. Trees draw ground water up through their roots and release it into the atmosphere (transpiration). In Amazonia over half of all the water circulating through the region's ecosystem remains within the plants. With removal of part of the forest, the region cannot hold as much water.
The effect of this could be a drier climate.

Soil erosion With the loss of a protective cover of vegetation more soil is lost. Silting of water courses, lakes and dams This occurs as a result of soil erosion. Extinction of species which depend on the forest for survival. Forests contain more than half of all species on our planet - as the habitat of these species is destroyed, so the number of species declines (see Enviro Facts "Biodiversity"). Desertification The causes of desertification are complex, but deforestation is one of the contributing factors (see Enviro Facts "Desertification")
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Use wood sparingly. To learn how to make a low-cost. The "Wonder Box" is a cheap, simple way to save fuel, whether wood or electricity. Plant indigenous trees.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Raise awareness about the potential hazards that will accrue if deforestation continues unabated. Whenever in a group, converse on this topic and let people know. Send e-mails to your friends and acquaintances, telling them about the practice of deforestation and its harmful effects. Ask them to forward it to others, to make everyone aware of the problem. Make placards saying Plant More Trees, Do Not Waste Paper, Stop Cutting Trees, and the like. Try to get them placed at venues like the neighboring community, schools, colleges, restaurants, etc. Do not waste paper at all. Instead, try to recycle paper as much as you can. Try to imbibe the same sense in those around you, including your parents, children, siblings, friends, and so on.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Plant as many trees as possible. You can enlist the help of those around you and plant trees in the public places, like parks, gardens, play areas, etc. If possible, plant some of them in your house too. Make notes against deforestation and stick them on your desk in the office or pin it on the notice board in your school. This way, you will make people realize how important it is to stop deforestation. If possible, try to arrange conferences and meeting to enlist support, of even strangers, for the cause. You can also get a local celebrity to tell people why and how to stop deforestation. Try to convince the local counselor to introduce the idea of implementing legislations in parliament, which would prevent the continued practice of deforestation.
Commonly known as acid rain
Occurs when emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and other industrial processes undergo complex chemical reactions in the atmosphere and fall to the earth as wet deposition (rain, snow, cloud, fog) or dry deposition (dry particles, gas).
Rain and snow are already naturally acidic, but are only considered problematic
when less than a pH of 5 (see ph scale). The main chemical precursors leading to acidic conditions are atmospheric concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). When these two compounds react with water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and sunlight in the atmosphere, the result is sulfuric (H2SO4) and nitric acids (HNO3), the primary agents of acid deposition. Airborne chemicals can travel long distances from their sources and can therefore affect ecosystems over broad regional scales and in locations far from the sources of emissions.
Watershed bedrock composition: Certain rocks, such as granite, weather slowly and do not produce neutralizing chemicals. Watersheds that contain these rocks are more vulnerable to acidification Land use history: Various management techniques, such as clear cutting, can change a forest ecosystems capacity to neutralize acid inputs Disturbances: Insect defoliation, fires, and other types of disturbances can stress ecosystems making them less resilient to acidification Vegetation type: Different plant species respond in different ways to acid deposition and also contribute differently to ecological processes that regulate acidification Landscape features: Elevation, edges (e.g., the edge between a forest and field), the presence or absence of vegetation, and the steepness and directional face of a slope all affect acidification
Soil depth: Shallow soils are often more sensitive to acidification than deep soils
Base nutrient reserves: Elements such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium are base nutrients that help buffer acid input. Higher amounts of these nutrients increase an ecosystems capacity to neutralize acids
Sulfuric Acid Deposition

Sulfur is stored in various organic substances such as coal, oil, and peat. These longterm pools of stored sulfur are released into the air as a result of fossil fuel combustion and natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions. Sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere, which is converted to sulfuric acid, is identified as one of the major causes of acid deposition.
Nitric Acid Deposition

Nitrogen exists in several different forms and is an essential element to plant and animal growth. Nitrogen is only considered a pollutant when it exists in high enough concentrations to cause acid deposition or ecosystem eutrophication (excessive nutrient enrichment). Nitrogen in the form of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is very reactive in the atmosphere, becoming nitric acid which is a key contributor to acid conditions.
Acid deposition may cause significant stress to lakes, streams, and forest ecosystems, especially to those at higher elevations. Acidification is classified in two forms:
Episodic acidification is characterized by short intense acidic events

Winter snowmelt and heavy rains can deliver large loads of acid to ecosystems in a short period of time. These can have significant biological effects that include the loss of biodiversity and changes in community structure.
Chronic
acidification
Generally refers to streams, lakes, and soil ecosystems that have lost their ability to neutralize acidifying events. Base nutrients such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium, and other types of neutralizing chemicals buffer changes in ecosystem acidity. However, when ecosystems are exposed to excessive, long-term acid deposition these chemicals become depleted. This can make the system more vulnerable to episodic acidification events and may lead to chronic surface water acidity.
Base Nutrient Depletion: Acidification of soils causes the removal of nutrients (a
process known as leaching) from terrestrial ecosystems. Aluminum Toxicity: The release of the heavy metal aluminum from the soil due to increased acid deposition can create unsuitable living conditions for many freshwater fish species. Nitrogen Saturation: Nitrogen saturation occurs when excessive additions of nitrogen overwhelm an ecosystems capacity to store nitrogen. Eutrophication (nutrient enrichment): When nitric acid enters terrestrial and aquatic systems from the atmosphere, a portion of this added nitrogen eventually reaches coastal areas, with the potential to create eutrophic conditions.
MANGROVE DESTRUCTION
Mangrove forests are made up of diverse, salt-tolerant
trees and other plant species which have adapted to inter-tidal zone of sheltered tropical shores, "overwash" islands, and estuaries. Mangrove trees have specially adapted aerial and saltfiltering roots and salt-excreting leaves that enable them to survive where other plants cannot and literally live in two worlds at once, acting as the interface between the land and the sea.
Mangrove forests continue to disappear all over the world. They were estimated to cover 18.1 million km2 worldwide (Spalding, l997) but a more recent estimate indicates that the figure may now be
below 15 million km2 About 90% of the global mangroves are growing in
developing countries and they are under the condition of critically endangered and nearing extinction in 26 countries. The world mangrove
experts are of the opinion that the long term survival of mangroves is at
great risk due to fragmentation of the habitats and that the services offered by the mangroves may likely be totally lost within 100 years. Source: (www.fao.org/forestry/mangroves).
Causes of Mangrove Destruction

Mangroves are destroyed by manmade activities, which pose significant threats and they are detailed briefly as follows:
Urbanization: Coastal mangroves have been cleared for human
Inhabitation in many areas.

Agriculture: The history of restriction of Sundarbans is nothing but
the history of conversion of mangrove forests for agricultural purposes. The mangrove areas are deforested and reclaimed with rainwater to drain the salt content of the soil and these areas are protected from seawater intrusion by constructing embankments. Once the salt is leached to a sufficient level, the land is cultivated either with paddy or coconut.
Aquaculture practices: A large scale destruction of mangroves was
made for aquaculture in several countries. One major issue associated with the farms located in mangrove habitats is acidification of pond waters that kills aquatic organisms.
Cutting for timber, fuel and charcoal: Mangroves are cleared for
timber, charcoal and firewood. Because of higher calorific value, the mangrove twigs are used as firewood.
Prevention of freshwater flow and tidal flow: Mangroves are best
developed in areas that receive freshwater runoff and tidal water flushing. Embankment construction or siltation at the river mouths restricts the inflow of tidal water in mangrove swamps.
Commonly known as acid rain
Occurs when emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and other industrial processes undergo complex chemical reactions in the atmosphere and fall to the earth as wet deposition (rain, snow, cloud, fog) or dry deposition (dry particles, gas).
Rain and snow are already naturally acidic, but are only considered problematic
when less than a pH of 5 (see ph scale). The main chemical precursors leading to acidic conditions are atmospheric concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). When these two compounds react with water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and sunlight in the atmosphere, the result is sulfuric (H2SO4) and nitric acids (HNO3), the primary agents of acid deposition. Airborne chemicals can travel long distances from their sources and can therefore affect ecosystems over broad regional scales and in locations far from the sources of emissions.
Watershed bedrock composition: Certain rocks, such as granite, weather slowly and do not produce neutralizing chemicals. Watersheds that contain these rocks are more vulnerable to acidification Land use history: Various management techniques, such as clear cutting, can change a forest ecosystems capacity to neutralize acid inputs Disturbances: Insect defoliation, fires, and other types of disturbances can stress ecosystems making them less resilient to acidification Vegetation type: Different plant species respond in different ways to acid deposition and also contribute differently to ecological processes that regulate acidification Landscape features: Elevation, edges (e.g., the edge between a forest and field), the presence or absence of vegetation, and the steepness and directional face of a slope all affect acidification
Soil depth: Shallow soils are often more sensitive to acidification than deep soils
Base nutrient reserves: Elements such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium are base nutrients that help buffer acid input. Higher amounts of these nutrients increase an ecosystems capacity to neutralize acids
Sulfuric Acid Deposition

Sulfur is stored in various organic substances such as coal, oil, and peat. These longterm pools of stored sulfur are released into the air as a result of fossil fuel combustion and natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions. Sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere, which is converted to sulfuric acid, is identified as one of the major causes of acid deposition.
Nitric Acid Deposition

Nitrogen exists in several different forms and is an essential element to plant and animal growth. Nitrogen is only considered a pollutant when it exists in high enough concentrations to cause acid deposition or ecosystem eutrophication (excessive nutrient enrichment). Nitrogen in the form of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is very reactive in the atmosphere, becoming nitric acid which is a key contributor to acid conditions.
Acid deposition may cause significant stress to lakes, streams, and forest ecosystems, especially to those at higher elevations. Acidification is classified in two forms:
Episodic acidification is characterized by short intense acidic events

Winter snowmelt and heavy rains can deliver large loads of acid to ecosystems in a short period of time. These can have significant biological effects that include the loss of biodiversity and changes in community structure.
Chronic
acidification
Generally refers to streams, lakes, and soil ecosystems that have lost their ability to neutralize acidifying events. Base nutrients such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium, and other types of neutralizing chemicals buffer changes in ecosystem acidity. However, when ecosystems are exposed to excessive, long-term acid deposition these chemicals become depleted. This can make the system more vulnerable to episodic acidification events and may lead to chronic surface water acidity.
Base Nutrient Depletion: Acidification of soils causes the removal of nutrients (a
process known as leaching) from terrestrial ecosystems. Aluminum Toxicity: The release of the heavy metal aluminum from the soil due to increased acid deposition can create unsuitable living conditions for many freshwater fish species. Nitrogen Saturation: Nitrogen saturation occurs when excessive additions of nitrogen overwhelm an ecosystems capacity to store nitrogen. Eutrophication (nutrient enrichment): When nitric acid enters terrestrial and aquatic systems from the atmosphere, a portion of this added nitrogen eventually reaches coastal areas, with the potential to create eutrophic conditions.
What is Air Pollution?

Air is the ocean we breathe. Air supplies us with oxygen
which is essential for our bodies to live. Air is 99.9% nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor and inert gases. Human activities can release ? substances into the air, some of which can cause problems for humans, plants, and animals. There are several main types of pollution and well-known effects of pollution which are commonly discussed. These include smog, acid rain, the greenhouse effect, and "holes" in the ozone layer. Each of these problems has serious implications for our health and well-being as well as for the whole environment.
Black Carbon Pollution

Black carbon pollution is the release of tiny particles
into the air from burning fuel for energy. Air pollution caused by such particulates has been a major problem since the beginning of the industrial revolution and the development of the internal combustion engine . Mankind has become so dependent on the burning of fossil fuels (petroleum products, coal, and natural gas) that the sum total of all combustion-related emissions now constitutes a serious and widespread problem, not only to human health, but also to the entire global environment.
Indoor Air Pollution

Many people spend large portion of time indoors - as much
as 80-90% of their lives. We work, study, eat, drink and sleep in enclosed environments where air circulation may be restricted. For these reasons, some experts feel that more people suffer from the effects of indoor air pollution than outdoor pollution. There are many sources of indoor air pollution. Tobacco smoke, cooking and heating appliances, and vapors from building materials, paints, furniture, etc. cause pollution inside buildings. Radon is a natural radioactive gas released from the earth, and it can be found concentrated in basements in some parts of the country.
Outdoor Air Pollution

SMOG Smog is a type of large-scale outdoor pollution. It is caused by chemical reactions between pollutants derived from different sources, primarily automobile exhaust and industrial emissions. Cities are often centers of these types of activities, and many suffer from the effects of smog, especially during the warm months of the year. For each city, the exact causes of pollution may be different. Depending on the geographical location, temperature, wind and weather factors, pollution is dispersed differently. However, sometimes this does not happen and the pollution can build up to dangerous levels. A temperature inversion occurs when air close to the earth is cooler than the air above it. Under these conditions the pollution cannot rise and be dispersed. Cities surrounded by mountains also experience trapping of pollution. Inversion can happen in any season. Winter inversions are likely to cause particulate and cabon monoxide pollution. Summer inversions are more likely to create smog. ACID RAIN Another consequence of outdoor air pollution is acid rain. When a pollutant, such as sulfuric acid combines with droplets of water in the air, the water (or snow) can become acidified . The effects of acid rain on the environment can be very serious. It damages plants by destroying their leaves, it poisons the soil, and it changes the chemistry of lakes and streams. Damage due to acid rain kills trees and harms animals, fish, and other wildlife.
GREEN HOUSE EFFECT The Greenhouse Effect, also referred to as global warming, is generally believed to come from the build up of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is produced when fuels are burned. Plants convert carbon dioxide back to oxygen, but the release of carbon dioxide from human activities is higher than the world's plants can process. The situation is made worse since many of the earth's forests are being removed, and plant life is being damaged by acid rain. Thus, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air is continuing to increase. This buildup acts like a blanket and traps heat close to the surface of our earth. Changes of even a few degrees will affect us all through changes in the climate and even the possibility that the polar ice caps may melt.
OZONE DEPLETION Ozone depletion is another result of pollution. Chemicals released by our activities affect the stratosphere , one of the atmospheric layers surrounding earth. The ozone layer in the stratosphere protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Release of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) from aerosol cans, cooling systems and refrigerator equipment removes some of the ozone, causing "holes"; to open up in this layer and allowing the radiation to reach the earth. Ultraviolet radiation is known to cause skin cancer and has damaging effects on plants and wildlife.
Preventing air pollution?

In many countries in the world, steps are being taken to stop the damage to our environment from air pollution. Scientific groups study the damaging effects on plant, animal and human life. Legislative bodies write laws to control
emissions. Educators in schools and universities teach students, beginning at very young ages, about the effects of air pollution. The first step to solving air pollution is assessment . Researchers have investigated outdoor air pollution and have developed standards for measuring the type and amount of some serious air pollutants. Scientists must then determine how much exposure to pollutants is harmful. Once exposure levels have been set, steps can be undertaken to reduce exposure to air pollution. These can be accomplished by regulation of manmade pollution through legislation. Many countries have set controls on pollution emissions for transportation vehicles and industry. This is usually done to through a variety of coordinating agencies which monitor the air and the environment.
Prevention is another key to controlling air pollution.
The regulatory agencies mentioned above play an essential role in reducing and preventing air pollution in the environment. One of the most dangerous air pollutants is cigarette smoke. Restricting smoking is an important key to a healthier environment. Legislation to control smoking is in effect in some locations, but personal exposure should be monitored and limited wherever possible.
Land pollution can you think of any examples?
WATER POLLUTION
Over two thirds of Earth's surface is covered by water; less than a
third is taken up by land. As Earth's population continues to grow, people are putting ever-increasing pressure on the planet's water resources. In a sense, our oceans, rivers, and other inland waters are being "squeezed" by human activitiesnot so they take up less room, but so their quality is reduced. Poorer water quality means water pollution.
We know that pollution is a human problem because it is a
relatively recent development in the planet's history: before the 19th century Industrial Revolution, people lived more in harmony with their immediate environment. As industrialisation has spread around the globe, so the problem of pollution has spread with it. When Earth's population was much smaller, no one believed pollution would ever present a serious problem. It was once popularly believed that the oceans were far too big to pollute. Today, with over 8 billion people on the planet, it has become apparent that there are limits. Pollution is one of the signs that humans have exceeded those limits.
What is water pollution?

Water pollution can be defined in many ways. Usually, it means
one or more substances have built up in water to such an extent that they cause problems for animals or people. Oceans, lakes, rivers, and other inland waters can naturally clean up a certain amount of pollution by dispersing it harmlessly. If you poured a cup of black ink into a river, the ink would quickly disappear into the river's much larger volume of clean water. The ink would still be there in the river, but in such a low concentration that you would not be able to see it. At such low levels, the chemicals in the ink probably would not present any real problem.
However, if you poured gallons of ink into a river every few
seconds through a pipe, the river would quickly turn black. The chemicals in the ink could very quickly have an effect on the quality of the water. This, in turn, could affect the health of all the plants, animals, and humans whose lives depend on the river.
Thus, water pollution is all about quantities: how
much of a polluting substance is released and how big a volume of water it is released into.
A small quantity of a toxic chemical may have little
impact if it is spilled into the ocean from a ship. But the same amount of the same chemical can have a much bigger impact pumped into a lake or river, where there is less clean water to disperse it.
Water pollution almost always means that some
damage has been done to an ocean, river, lake, or other water source.
Causes of water pollution?

Most water pollution doesn't begin in the water
itself. Take the oceans: around 80 percent of ocean pollution enters our seas from the land. Virtually any human activity can have an effect on the quality of our water environment. When farmers fertilise the fields, the chemicals they use are gradually washed by rain into the groundwater or surface waters nearby. Sometimes the causes of water pollution are quite surprising. Chemicals released by smokestacks (chimneys) can enter the atmosphere and then fall back to earth as rain, entering seas, rivers, and lakes and causing water pollution. Water pollution has many different causes and this is one of the reasons why it is such a difficult problem to solve.
Sewage
With over 8 billion people on the planet, disposing of sewage waste is a major problem. In developing countries, many people still lack clean water and basic sanitation (hygienic toilet facilities). Sewage disposal affects people's immediate environments and leads to water-related illnesses such as diarrhoea that kills 3-4 million children each year. In developed countries, most people
have flush toilets that take sewage waste quickly and hygienically away from their homes.
Yet the problem of sewage disposal does not end there. When you flush the toilet, the waste has to go somewhere and, even after it leaves the sewage treatment works, there is still waste to dispose of. Sometimes sewage waste is
pumped untreated into the sea. Until the early 1990s, around 5 million tons of sewage was dumped by barge from New York City each year. The population of Britain produces around 300 million gallons of sewage every day, some of it still pumped untreated into the sea through long pipes. down harmlessly in the environment: 90 percent of sewage is water. In practice, sewage contains all kinds of other chemicals, from the pharmaceutical drugs people take to the paper, plastic, and other wastes they flush down their toilets. When people are sick with viruses, the sewage they produce carries those viruses into the environment. It is possible to catch illnesses such as hepatitis, typhoid, and cholera from river and sea water.
In theory, sewage is a completely natural substance that should be broken
Nutrients
Suitably treated and used in moderate quantities, sewage can be
a fertilizer: it returns important nutrients to the environment, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which plants and animals need for growth. The trouble is, sewage is often released in much greater quantities than the natural environment can cope with. Chemical fertilizers used by farmers also add nutrients to the soil, which drain into rivers and seas and add to the fertilizing effect of the sewage. Together, sewage and fertilizers can cause a massive increase in the growth of algae or plankton that overwhelms huge areas of oceans, lakes, or rivers. This is known as a harmful algal bloom It is harmful because it removes oxygen from the water that kills other forms of life, leading to what is known as a dead zone.
Waste water
A few statistics illustrate the scale of the problem that waste water (chemicals washed down drains and discharged from factories) can cause. Around half of all ocean pollution is caused by sewage and waste water. Each year, the world generates 400 billion tons of industrial waste, much of which is pumped untreated into rivers, oceans, and other waterways. However, there have been
major improvements in waste water treatment recently. Factories are point sources of water pollution, but quite a lot of water is polluted by ordinary people from nonpoint sources; this is how ordinary water becomes waste water in the first place. Virtually everyone pours chemicals of one sort or another down their drains or toilets. Even detergents used in washing machines and dishwashers eventually end up in our rivers and oceans. So do the pesticides we use on our gardens. A lot of toxic pollution also enters waste water from highway runoff. Highways are typically covered with a cocktail of toxic chemicalseverything from spilled fuel and brake fluids to bits of worn tyres (themselves made from chemical additives) and exhaust emissions. When it rains, these chemicals wash into drains and rivers. It is not unusual for heavy summer rainstorms to wash toxic chemicals into rivers in such concentrations that they kill large numbers of fish overnight. It has been estimated that, in one year, the highway runoff from a single large city leaks as much oil into our water environment as a typical tanker spill. Some highway runoff runs away into drains; others can pollute groundwater or accumulate in the land next to a road, making it increasingly toxic as the years go by.
Chemical waste
Detergents are relatively mild substances. At the opposite end of the spectrum are highly toxic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). They were once widely used to manufacture electronic circuit boards, but their harmful effects have now been recognized and their use is highly restricted in many
countries. Nevertheless, an estimated half million tons of PCBs were discharged into the environment during the 20th century. In a classic example of transboundary pollution, traces of PCBs have even been found in birds and fish in the Arctic. They were carried there through the oceans, thousands of miles from where they originally entered the environment. Although PCBs are widely banned, their effects will be felt for many decades because they last a long time in the environment without breaking down.
Another kind of toxic pollution comes from heavy metals, such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. Lead was once commonly used in gasoline (petrol), though its use is now restricted in some countries. Mercury and cadmium are still used in batteries (though some brands now use other metals instead). Until recently, a highly toxic chemical called tributyltin (TBT) was used in
paints to protect boats from the ravaging effects of the oceans. Ironically, however, TBT was gradually recognized as a pollutant: boats painted with it were doing as much damage to the oceans as the oceans were doing to the boats.
Radioactive waste
People view radioactive waste with great alarmand
for good reason. At high enough concentrations it can kill; in lower concentrations it can cause cancers and other illnesses. The biggest sources of radioactive pollution in Europe are two factories that reprocess waste fuel from nuclear power plants: Sellafield on the north-west coast of Britain and Cap La Hague on the north coast of France. Both discharge radioactive waste water into the sea, which ocean currents then carry around the world.
Oil pollution
When we think of ocean pollution, huge black oil
slicks often spring to mind, yet these spectacular accidents represent only a tiny fraction of all the pollution entering our oceans. Even considering oil by itself, tanker spills are not as significant as they might seem: only 12% of the oil that enters the oceans comes from tanker accidents; over 70% of oil pollution at sea comes from routine shipping and from the oil people pour down drains on land. However, what makes tanker spills so destructive is the sheer quantity of oil they release at once in other words, the concentration of oil they produce in one very localized part of the marine environment.
Plastics
If you've ever taken part in a community beach clean, you'll know
that plastic is far and away the most common substance that washes up with the waves. There are three reasons for this: plastic is one of the most common materials, used for making virtually every kind of manufactured object from clothing to automobile parts; plastic is light and floats easily so it can travel enormous distances across the oceans; most plastics are not biodegradable (they do not break down naturally in the environment), which means that things like plastic bottle tops can survive in the marine environment for a long time. (A plastic bottle can survive an estimated 450 years in the ocean and plastic fishing line can last up to 600 years.) While plastics are not toxic in quite the same way as poisonous chemicals, they nevertheless present a major hazard to seabirds, fish, and other marine creatures. For example, plastic fishing lines and other debris can strangle or choke fish. (This is sometimes called ghost fishing.)
Alien species Most people's idea of water pollution involves things like sewage, toxic metals, or oil slicks, but pollution can be biological as well as chemical. In some parts of the world, alien species are a major problem. Alien species (sometimes known as invasive species) are animals or plants from one region that have been introduced into a different ecosystem where they do not belong. Outside their normal environment, they have no natural predators, so they rapidly run wild, crowding out the usual animals or plants that thrive there. Common examples of alien species include zebra mussels in the Great Lakes of the USA, which were carried there from Europe by ballast water (waste water flushed from ships). The Mediterranean Sea has been invaded by a kind of alien algae called Caulerpa taxifolia. In the Black Sea, an alien jellyfish called Mnemiopsis leidyi reduced fish stocks by 90% after arriving in ballast water. In San Francisco Bay, Asian clams called Potamocorbula amurensis, also introduced by ballast water, have dramatically altered the ecosystem. In 1999, Cornell University's David Pimentel estimated that alien invaders like this cost the US economy $123 billion a year. Photo: Invasive species: Left: Water hyacinth crowding out a waterway around an old fence post. Photo by Steve Hillebrand. Right: Non-native zebra mussels clumped on a native mussel. Both photos courtesy of US Fish & Wildlife Service Photo Library. Other forms of pollution These are the most common forms of pollutionbut by no means the only ones. Heat or thermal pollution from factories and power plants also causes problems in rivers. By raising the temperature, it reduces the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water, thus also reducing the level of aquatic life that the river can support. Another type of pollution involves the disruption of sediments (fine-grained powders) that flow from rivers into the sea. Dams built for hydroelectric power or water reservoirs can reduce the sediment flow. This reduces the formation of beaches, increases coastal erosion (the natural destruction of cliffs by the sea), and reduces the flow of nutrients from rivers into seas (potentially reducing coastal fish stocks). Increased sediments can also present a problem. During construction work, soil, rock, and other fine powders sometimes enters nearby rivers in large quantities, causing it to become turbid (muddy or silted). The extra sediment can block the gills of fish, effectively suffocating them.
How can we stop water pollution? There is no easy way to solve water pollution; if there were, it wouldn't be so much of a problem. Broadly speaking, there are three different things that can help to tackle the problemeducation, laws, and economicsand they work together as a team. Education Making people aware of the problem is the first step to solving it. In the early 1990s, when surfers in Britain grew tired of catching illnesses from water polluted with sewage, they formed a group called Surfers Against Sewage to force governments and water companies to clean up their act. People who've grown tired of walking the world's polluted beaches often band together to organize community beach-cleaning sessions. Anglers who no longer catch so many fish have campaigned for tougher penalties against factories that pour pollution into our rivers. Greater public awareness can make a positive difference. Laws One of the biggest problems with water pollution is its transboundary nature. Many rivers cross countries, while seas span whole continents. Pollution discharged by factories in one country with poor environmental standards can cause problems in neighbouring nations, even when they have tougher laws and higher standards. Environmental laws can make it tougher for people to pollute, but to be really effective they have to operate across national and international borders. This is why we have international laws governing the oceans, such as the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (signed by over 120 nations), the 1972 London Dumping Convention, the 1978 MARPOL International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, and the 1998 OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic. The European Union has water-protection laws (known as directives) that apply to all of its member states. They include the 1976 Bathing Water Directive, which seeks to ensure the quality of the waters that people use for recreation. Most countries also have their own water pollution laws. In the United States, for example, there is the 1972 Water Pollution Control Act and the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act. Economics Most environmental experts agree that the best way to tackle pollution is through something called the polluter pays principle. This means that whoever causes pollution should have to pay to clean it up, one way or another. Polluter pays can operate in all kinds of ways. It could mean that tanker owners should have to take out insurance that covers the cost of oil spill cleanups, for example. It could also mean that shoppers should have to pay for their plastic grocery bags, as is now common in Ireland, to encourage recycling and minimize waste. Or it could mean that factories that use rivers must have their water inlet pipes downstream of their effluent outflow pipes, so if they cause pollution they themselves are the first people to suffer. Ultimately, the polluter pays principle is designed to deter people from polluting by making it less expensive for them to behave in an environmentally responsible way.
Water pollution can you think of any examples?
Land Pollution
Land pollution is basically about the contamination of
the land surface and soil of the Earth.
Land pollution basically is about contaminating the
land surface of the Earth through dumping urban waste matter indiscriminately, dumping of industrial waste, mineral exploitation, and misusing the soil by harmful agricultural practices. Land pollution includes visible litter and waste along with the soil itself being polluted. The soil gets polluted by the chemicals in pesticides and herbicides used for agricultural purposes along with waste matter being littered in urban areas such as roads, parks, and streets.
Solid Waste: Semisolid or solid matter that are created by human or animal activities, and which are disposed because they are hazardous or useless are known as solid waste. Most of the solid wastes, like paper, plastic containers, bottles, cans, and even used cars and electronic goods are not biodegradable, which means they do not get broken down through inorganic or organic processes. Thus, when they accumulate they pose a health threat to people, plus, decaying wastes also attract household pests and result in urban areas becoming unhealthy, dirty, and unsightly places to reside in. Moreover, it also causes damage to terrestrial organisms, while also reducing the uses of the land for other, more useful purposes. Some of the sources of solid waste that cause land pollution are: Wastes from Agriculture: This comprises of waste matter produced by crop, animal manure, and farm residues. Wastes from Mining: Piles of coal refuse and heaps of slag. Wastes from Industries: Industrial waste matter that can cause land pollution can include paints, chemicals, and so on. Solids from Sewage Treatment: Wastes that are left over after sewage has been treated, biomass sludge, and settled solids. Ashes: The residual matter that remains after solid fuels are burned. Garbage: This comprises of waste matter from food that are decomposable and other waste matter that are not decomposable such as glass, metal, cloth, plastic, wood, paper, and so on. Soil Pollution: Soil pollution is chiefly caused by chemicals in pesticides, such as poisons that are used to kill agricultural pests like insects and herbicides that are used to get rid of weeds. Hence, soil pollution results from: Unhealthy methods of soil management. Harmful practices of irrigation methods. Land pollution is caused by farms because they allow manure to collect, which leaches into the nearby land areas. Chemicals that are used for purposes like sheep dipping also cause serious land pollution as do diesel oil spillages.
What are the Consequences of Land Pollution?
Land pollution can affect wildlife, plants, and humans in a number of ways, such as: Cause problems in the respiratory system Cause problems on the skin Lead to birth defects Cause various kinds of cancers The toxic materials that pollute the soil can get into the human body directly by: Coming into contact with the skin Being washed into water sources like reservoirs and rivers Eating fruits and vegetables that have been grown in polluted soil Breathing in polluted dust or particles
How can Land Pollution be Prevented? People
should be educated and made aware about the harmful effects of littering Items used for domestic purposes ought to be reused or recycled Personal litter should be disposed properly Organic waste matter should be disposed in areas that are far away from residential places Inorganic matter such as paper, plastic, glass and metals should be reclaimed and then recycled
SOIL POLLUTION
Contamination of soil by human and natural activities which cause harmful effects on living beings
Sources of soil pollution

Industrial wastes
Urban wastes Agricultural wastes Radioactive pollutants Biological agents
Industrial wastes

Paper mills Chemical industries Tanneries Textiles Oil refineries Fertilizers Pesticides Coal & mineral mining industries & so on
Effects
Alters the biological properties of soil Disturbs human food chain Serious effects on human life
Urban wastes
Sources Plastics Glasses Garbage and rubbish materials Rubber Street sweepings Fuel residues Discarded manufactured products Effects Nondegradables harm the environment
Agricultural practices
Sources
Modern agricultural methods Use of fertilizers Pesticides Herbicide Weedicides Farm waste Debris Eroded soil containing inorganic chemicals
Radioactive pollution
Sources
Explosions of nuclear dusts Radioactive wastes Effects accumulates thereby creates soil pollution
Typical examples of radioactive pollution

Radio nuclides of Th, U, K,C Explosion of nuclear weapons Nuclear reactor wastes like Ru, I, Ba,La Cs etc., Effects Rain water carries the harmful wastes into the soil Nuclear wastes emits gamma radiations
Biological Agents
Source Human excreta
Animal excreta Birds excreta

CONTROL
OF SOIL POLLUTION
1. CONTROL OF SOIL EROSION
TREE PLANTING
VARYING CROPPING METHODS SUBSTITUTING ANIMAL MANURES
INSTEAD OF CHEMICAL MANURE
2. CONTROL OF UNWANTED MATERIALS PROPER DUMPING OF

UNWANTED WASTES CONSTRUCTIONS CAN BE CARRIED OVER DUMPED FIELD
OTHER METHODS TO CONTROL SOIL POLLUTION

PROPER HYGIENIC CONDITION
PUBLIC AWARENESS RECYCLING & REUSE OF WASTES BAN ON TOXIC CHEMICALS
PRODUCTION OF NATURAL FERTILIZERS

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Mesralam.clanteam.

Deforestation In The Amazon Rainforest

DID YOU KNOW?

HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?

The effect of this could be a drier climate.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

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Commonly known as acid rain

Sulfuric Acid Deposition

Nitric Acid Deposition

Episodic acidification is characterized by short intense acidic events

Base Nutrient Depletion: Acidification of soils causes the removal of nutrients (a

Causes of Mangrove Destruction

Urbanization: Coastal mangroves have been cleared for human

Inhabitation in many areas.

Aquaculture practices: A large scale destruction of mangroves was

Commonly known as acid rain

Sulfuric Acid Deposition

Nitric Acid Deposition

Episodic acidification is characterized by short intense acidic events

Base Nutrient Depletion: Acidification of soils causes the removal of nutrients (a

What is Air Pollution?

Black Carbon Pollution

Indoor Air Pollution

Outdoor Air Pollution

Preventing air pollution?

Prevention is another key to controlling air pollution.

Land pollution can you think of any examples?

Over two thirds of Earth's surface is covered by water; less than a

We know that pollution is a human problem because it is a

What is water pollution?

Thus, water pollution is all about quantities: how

Causes of water pollution?

In theory, sewage is a completely natural substance that should be broken

Water pollution can you think of any examples?

the land surface and soil of the Earth.

Land pollution basically is about contaminating the

What are the Consequences of Land Pollution?

How can Land Pollution be Prevented? People

Sources of soil pollution

Typical examples of radioactive pollution

Source Human excreta

Animal excreta Birds excreta

1. CONTROL OF SOIL EROSION

INSTEAD OF CHEMICAL MANURE

2. CONTROL OF UNWANTED MATERIALS PROPER DUMPING OF

OTHER METHODS TO CONTROL SOIL POLLUTION

PRODUCTION OF NATURAL FERTILIZERS

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