English
December 3, 2012
water pollution In Our Planet
Think about all the bodies of water on our planet. Every ocean, river, lake, and stream, is important to the way our world functions. Unfortunately, our society has done very little to preserve these water sources and as a result, our rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans are suffering from many forms of pollution. Every oil spill, discarded water bottle, and contaminated sewer continually add to our already-polluted waters, and very little is being done to fix this problem. The biggest issue being studied today is storm water runoff. The collection of sediments, chemicals, and debris, are a serious pollution concern. Many solutions and technologies have already been developed, but storm water run-off regulations, which are basic guidelines that all states follow when constructing storm drains and other run-off structures, limit the actions needed to reduce the run-off pollution. In order to fix the mess our society has made with urbanization and waterway pollution, storm water regulations must be changed to allow for new solutions and technologies that deal with sediment pollution and storm water run-off.
Every household needs water because it is a basic necessity. We use it for laundry, cooking, lawns and plants, personal hygiene, drinking, dishes, and so on. For this very reason, we need to make sure that the water we use is of good quality. The contamination of water sources affects all aspects of life from heath care to limitations of commercial water use. If we used the same murky water for cleaning as we do for drinking, then our health would be in very bad shape, causing a large chain of disastrous events such as illnesses and disease outbreaks. The government puts a lot of emphasis on maintaining the cleanliness of commercial water. There are hundreds of regulations regarding the use and treatment of commercial water sources, but for some apparent reason, water pollution is still a big issue. Almost every household has some problem with hard or soft water. Hard water is water with excess nutrients and minerals, whereas soft water is the reverse. Because of this, families are buying filters or bottled water, causing a different chain of events regarding litter pollution. No matter the reason for why we use water, it will affect something else, which is why we need to make sure the quality of our water should be in the best shape possible. Also, a major reason our water sources are deteriorating quickly is the public’s lack of awareness. The average American can say very little about our issue of water pollution, and even less about ways to prevent it. This makes it more difficult for the people to practice safe water management habits. When the people know nothing about the contamination of water sources, it will be even harder for them to be corrected.
The Essay on Water Pollution 16
Water Pollution People keep on throwing trash and industrial wastes into our clean water. If this continues, the quality of our water will deteriorate, and without it everything dies, including us. Water pollution is destroying our world, but fortunately we can count on special treatments for this kind of problem. What is water pollution? "It is the contamination of water by foreign matter such as ...
Starting with the basics, water pollution is defined as a body of water that is “adversely affected due to the addition of large amounts of materials” (Krantz, 1996).
This means that when a body of water is inadequate for its original intended purpose, it is deemed “polluted”. There are hundreds of ways for this to happen. One example is a direct form of pollution such as an oil spill. When the Exxon Valdez spilled millions of barrels of oil into the Alaskan Prince William Sound, it destroyed every habitat within that area as well as killing off many species of local aquatic wildlife (Exxon Valdez, 2010).
Another direct form of water pollution is litter. This is a very obvious and preventable problem that can clog up waterways and greatly affect plant and animal life. In areas such as cities, sewer backup can cause major damage to federal budgets, urban developments, and human health. Overflows of sewage intake can be caused by increased rainfall or poor sewage systems, but the most detrimental reason is the violation of sewage laws by humans. In the last three years, over 9,400 out of 25,000 sewage systems have reported traces of untreated human waste, chemicals, and other hazardous materials in our lakes, rivers, and other waterways which can cause serious damage to the environment and the heath of nearby communities (NY Times, 2009).
The Essay on Water Pollution 6
Water is a necessity to life on earth. All organisms contain it, some drink it, and others inhabit it. Plants and animals require water that is moderately pure, and they cannot survive if their water is affluent with toxic chemicals and/or harmful microorganisms. If severe, water pollution can kill large numbers of fish, birds, and other animals, in some cases killing all members of a species in ...
But not all areas experience the same issues. Different parts of the United States are affected with different water problems. The west coast is currently researching the best uses of the limited amount of water sources, while the east coast is studying storm water management and sediment runoff.
The most common and serious form of pollution, is sediment runoff. It causes billions of dollars in environmental damage annually. In a natural habitat, rainfall is taken in by meadows and forests, with little to no runoff. The nutrients are absorbed by plants and the streams and ponds provide clean, fresh water sources to wildlife. In an urban setting, fields of grass and trees are replaced by flat pavements, poorly managed watersheds, and faulty dams. Buildings and roads are built up, and natural habitats are destroyed or contained. Storm water drains are constructed, but can be easily backed up or littered, causing extra, unnecessary water pollution. After a large rain storm, particles from soil and rock erode into land surfaces and waterways which is then carried and transported by wind and precipitation. These particles can carry anything from excess nutrients like phosphorus to endocrine disrupters. There are many factors that cause sediment pollution. Rainfall, erosion (30% is natural, 70% is brought upon by humans) , soil content, melting snow, slope of land, and farmland are a few to name. This causes many serious problems such as endangering fresh water supplies and killing of large fish communities. The sediment in the water can limit the amount of sunlight into streams and rivers which is essential to fish and plant life. This results in changes in feeding habits and decreases the overall productivity of water sources (Hangsleben, 2006).
Another preventable problem is the runoff of fertilizers and pesticides into our waterways which can also contaminate our water sources. This form of runoff is a result of agricultural practices. A large portion of the United States is dedicated to farm land and the production of natural resources or produce. Farmers use a large amount of fertilizer, pesticides, and other chemicals to keep their crops healthy, but during rainfalls and watering cycles, it all runs off into our waterways. This is not confined to rural districts though: suburban areas have also been known to produce high amounts of water pollution by the fertilizing of lawns and personal gardens. By improving water source management, agricultural practices and construction regulations, the amount of pollution can be decreased dramatically.
The Term Paper on Rain Water Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is the accumulation and storage of rainwater for reuse before it reaches the aquifer. Uses include water for garden, water for livestock, water for irrigation, etc. In many places the water collected is just redirected to a deep pit with percolation. The harvested water can be used for drinking water as well if the storage is a tank that can be accessed and cleaned when ...
One of the most interesting and eco-friendly methods to reducing sediment runoff is a rain garden. Rain gardens are growing increasingly popular in communities all over the United States. Many countries are becoming involved in this effective BMP or best management practice, including Europe, which has an entire area in the center of Sheffield, UK, made up of environmentally friendly gardens. This was all in an effort to regenerate the city’s heritage: industrialism run on the power of water (Dunnett, 2007).
Rain gardens capture storm water runoff, and the sediments and nutrients are “filtered” by the plants. This leaves clean water to freely flow into the surrounding area. A rain garden can be thought of as a cycle. Everything benefits from each other. The plants flourish from the nutrients and sediment in the storm water; the runoff is no longer polluted and will not harm the environment or human health; wildlife benefit from a new, natural habitat; and the garden itself can be very pleasing to a community area. It doesn’t require much maintenance, and is very easy for an average person to build. There are many other BMPs that do not require a lot of effort, such as planting trees on a hill and grass alongside roads, to name a few, but can have positive impacts on various elements of water pollution and communities’ well-being.
The Essay on Oscar Claude Monet Water Garden
Oscar Claude Monet Oscar Claude Monet was born on November 14, 1840 in Paris, France. Monet spent most of his childhood in Le Havre, France. In Le Havre, Monet studied drawing and painted seascapes with a French painter Eugene Louis Boutin in his teens. By 1859 Monet committed himself a career to be an artist. Monet spent a lot of time in Paris around 1859. By 1860 Monet met a pre-impressionist ...
Many people do not seem to realize how important water is to our survival and progress. Every country, business, community, and individual use it, and it affects all aspects of life. When the quality of water decreases, everything it affects fall behind it. That’s why it is crucial that our world start managing our water consumption and handling. There is no single source we can target, so it will not be an easy issue to tackle. This can not be possible until local, state, and national storm water regulations are altered to allow for changes in our lifestyle. With the interest of money, most storm water regulations are very strict, not authorizing conservation practices or environmentally friendly systems; anything that can decrease a local community’s budget. All the researchers in the world can come up with the best management practices ever developed, but if they aren’t allowed to take effect, what good will they do? The world is too afraid to change. If there is some chance that something can go wrong, most people won’t even consider it, but if no one strives for a change, nothing will ever be improved. We need to take a chance on our strive to improve the Earth. Our environment is in danger because of us, and it is up to us to fix it.
