One of the most critical problems that our world is facing each day is pollution. For the past decades, pollution has always been seen as a destruction that is destroying the planet where we live, little by little. Some people have noticed it, some people did not, and some just don’t really care.
We all know that natural sources like volcanic eruptions, wildfires, or dust storms are also some of the causes of pollution, but we cannot blame them because we humans have no control over them. What we should be mindful of is our activities that we do everyday, because those activities are responsible for the pollution: to burning fossil fuels, construction and demolition, deforestation, or improper waste management, we can say that almost every human in this earth has at least contributed to the pollution we are experiencing up until today. Overpopulation is also one factor that affects pollution. According to research, the world's population increases 1.1% per year. This overpopulation is also one big problem that affects pollution because as the number of people increases, the higher chances of building a person that is not disciplined enough to know what to do and what should he or she avoid to help the earth, to help the environment.
The earth's pollution is so frightful that up until to date, 2.4 billion people still do not have any access to clean water resources as humans are continuously polluting essential resources, such as air, water, and soil which requires a hundred-to-one shot in order to fix it again. Having said that, as a concerned youth of this generation, I will share a number of ways young people like us can do to be a change maker who will create a big impact on our environment for the rest of our lives.
Even at home, everyone should learn how to conserve energy because even if it is not obvious, there is an absolute connection between energy use and the environment. It is due to the fact that energy consumed is directly proportional to the amount of toxic released. It also reduces our monthly electricity bill which can help reduce air pollution because a lot of countries still depend on non-renewable sources of energy such as gas and coal that releases air pollutants in the air once burned. This means that if we consume less power, we are also reducing the amount of toxic fumes released by power plants, as well as protecting the earth’s natural resources and ecosystems away from destruction.
Everyone in our world is already familiar with these golden rules, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Reduce also applies on our tip number 1, but to add, reducing and recycling our wastes help us to maintain our waste regularly so that it will not add on the mountains and mountains of waste in collection facilities. Reducing and recycling also allows us to reuse our things from before, but with a different use in the present.
We need to maintain our vehicles and make it a habit to check and keep engines finely-tuned and tires should be well inflated. This checking and maintaining of our vehicles should be done regularly because a vehicle in a poor condition consumes more fuel, producing more pollution.
Burning leaves, woods, and garbage, as well as the smoke that comes from cigarettes produces carbon monoxide which is harmful to our environment. The smoke that comes out from these things also releases irritants and cancer causing compounds that can cause respiratory problems and other health issues. Not only does it harm the environment, but also the living things in it.
If it is not necessary to travel using a private vehicle or if your destination is near, try to walk, bike, or use public transportation. This will reduce our carbon footprint and conserve energy as well as reducing fuels when traveling with a private vehicle.
Plastic products are one of the big problems we face each year. Plastics are often not thrown out properly which can block drainage systems. Many plastics end up in oceans and rivers, which destroys the ecosystem. Because most plastics are made from oil products, the release of toxic emissions from these products when extracted here on our earth causes pollution and also destroys our environment.
Solar panel is a lifelong investment a person or a family can make. Not only does it improve home efficiency and reduce monthly electricity bills, it also helps reduce water pollution produced by coal-burning plants and the amount of harmful and radioactive waste produced by nuclear plants.
There is always a possible alternative to everything. Instead of using plastic bags, just use eco bags or reusable ones. For plant lovers out there or in Filipino terms, “Plantitas” and “Plantitos”, planting is also a really great help to reduce pollution because plants and trees convert carbon dioxide into oxygen which acts as a carbon sink.
As we progress through the 21st century, humans are continuously changing the world in anomalous ways. Despite everything we face, we should always choose to be different, to be a changemaker. We should always choose to do better. We should always choose to think green. We should always choose to save the earth.
SOURCES:
· Society, N. G. (2011, August 18). pollution. National Geographic Society. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/pollution/?msclkid=7f8b1ea3ae4411eca778938da267d112
· How To Prevent Pollution | 25 Ways to Reduce Pollution. (n.d.). ConsumerNotice.org. Retrieved March 28, 2022, from https://www.consumernotice.org/environmental/pollution-reduction/?msclkid=9771ac2aae4411ecb358602abeac981d
· US EPA, R. 01. (n.d.). Actions You Can Take to Reduce Air Pollution | Ground-level Ozone | New England | US EPA. Www3.Epa.gov. Retrieved March 28, 2022, from https://www3.epa.gov/region1/airquality/reducepollution.html#:~:text=On%20Days%20when%20High%20Particle%20Levels%20are%20Expected%2C
