Pollution is everywhere. It can be found in towns, in the countryside, on the beach and even in the mountains. However it is also in the air that we breath and in the water that we drink from the tap. Human pollution isn’t just what you throw in the bin. Here are 10 types of pollution that could leave you dispirited…
Human pollution is a very vast field. We all know that humans pollute with carbon emissions from cars, our excessive plastic waste and cigarette butts thrown away without thinking. However there are is also “hidden” pollution that is less talked about. Human pollution takes many forms and it is time to get to know them all so we can combat it better.
1/ Digital pollution
An intangible type of pollution which has equally as devastating effects. The internet is thought of as one of human’s most significant types of pollution. The digital world is like a country as it is the third biggest consumer of electricity after China and the USA (1,500 kilowatts-hour per year). The digital world consumes 10 to 15% of global electricity. Although these figures vary, they still remain very alarming.
2/ Light pollution
Light pollution describes the presence of abnormal nighttime lighting which artificially lights plant and animal life and affects the human health. You are all aware that moths are attracted by the light. However the same goes for sea birds and the light emitted from boats and lighthouses. Scientists have observed that artificial nighttime lighting disorientates migratory birds making them lose their sense of direction. As a result these birds are suffering a higher mortality rate.
3/ Noise pollution
Human pollution also includes noise. Beeping horns, airplane engines, motorways and nightclubs can end up perturbing nighttime birds. Animals have mechanisms which allow them to analyse natural sounds like the wind, storms, rain or the sounds of other animals. However today human activities are producing new sounds which can affect animal life cycles. In the case of certain marine mammals the intensity of the noise can have a fatal effect. Intercommunication between these animals could be altered. However humans are not exempt from the effects of noise pollution either.
4/ Visual pollution
This type of pollution is not the most dangerous. It is mostly proves to be an aesthetic judgement. Advertising posters and modern city architecture (bus shelters, tourism infrastructure) can all be considered visual pollution. Nevertheless you should not excluded the plastic or electricity waste when thinking about how these constructions are manufactured.
5/ Soil pollution
Plastic waste which contain particles that contaminate the soil, chemical pesticides and chemical herbicides are not the first type of human pollution we think about.
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