The health of earths environment is depleting rapidly due to the fact that we continue to take and take, but never give back.
On- going problems like Polluted water, a ruptured Ozone layer and Global warming are hindering our planet from maintaining healthy living conditions. It is important to note that there exists a direct relationship between environmental health and the health of the humans.
Therefore, maintaining a healthy environment is the solution to many health hazards. Research has been conducted that yields the conclusion that the majority of the environmental issues are solely to be blamed on various human activities and practices.
The two main causes of natural destruction are fossil fuels from transportation and the pollution from energy generation. The most discussed and blamed economic factor is industrialization. This relatively old trend has a huge impact on the human health and lives. Earth’s surface and the environment surrounding is important to human health.
The nature of soil, water, air, temperature, wind, cloud, rainfall, humidity etc. determines man’s health and welfare. Pollution of the environment result from a wide range of human activities: uncontrolled disposal of human excreta and refuge, industrial discharges, smoke from coal or oil burning, fumes from motor vehicles, misuses or overuse of insecticides and fertilizers.
In both rural and urban areas of developing countries, the age old issues of access to safe water, poor domestic hygiene and dependence on traditional low grade fuels for cooking and heating continue to pose particular problems to the health of under privileged women. Rapid urbanization exposes women to other hazards in addition, such as inadequate housing, exploitative and employment.
Exposures of women to pesticides and other toxins has not been addressed in depth. Industrial expansion results into congestion. The pressure is building up on big cities in the developed world. But the process is more complicated in third world countries. Congestion of cities leads primarily to air and water pollution that are starting points for many diseases.
Due to congestion, the quality of air and water is greatly affected. The situation today is that more than one thousand million people are trapped in the vicious circle of poverty, disease,and malnutrition.
The environmental component in communicable diseases such as, malaria, filariasis, trypanosomiasis, and the efforts to control these diseases through environmental interventions have come under considerable attention. But the large scale use of pesticides to protect crops and kill disease carrying insects, and the increasing use, particularly in developing countries of growth promoting substances, have led to increasing concern about chronic toxic effects in human beings.
With the advance of civilization, comes rising populations,with overcrowded cities and towns, choking the environmental sanitation. Industrial growth has contributed to pollution through various sources of energy production like petrol, coal, and nuclear materials.
The increasing use of chemical substances in the fields, factories and homes, has added to the dangers of man’s environment. Environmental pollution is the biggest menace to the human race on this planet today. It means we are adding impurities to our environment.
The environment consists of earth, water, air, plants and animals. If we pollute them, then the existence of man and nature will be hampered. It is true that trees are being cut down rapidly. Our earth is becoming warmer. If pollution continues, the day is not far when our earth will be a boiling pan and become a desert. Or it will be covered with sea water causing destruction of mankind. Pure air is always needed for inhaling. If we breathe pure air, our health improves.
On the other hand, impure air causes diseases, impairs our health, and can lead to death. Smoke pollutes the air. It is the root of air pollution. The smoke which is discharged from industries, automobiles and kitchens is the mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane etc. These are all poisonous gases. These cause lung-cancer, tuberculosis and other respiratory illnesses, which take a heavy toll on life. Another form of pollution is sound pollution.
The harsh sounds of buses, cars, trains and airplanes affect our power of hearing. It has been reported that there are two villages named Biraspalli and Devadas Palli near Dum Dum airport in Calcutta where a large number of people have lost their power of hearing. This is because of the frequent sounds of planes coming in and going out of Dum Dum Airport.
The water of rivers and seas is being constantly polluted all over the world by various dangerous chemicals and biological wastes. Mills and factories discharge harmful waste into many rivers and seas. The water of the Ganges flowing by the side of both Varanashi and Calcutta is extremely polluted and contains all sorts of dangerous bacteria. It is strange and laughable that large numbers of the Indians regard this water as holy. They even drink this water for salvation.
There is no doubt that the fish that live in such waters are poisonous as well. Reckless application of chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides pollutes the soil. Vegetables and fruits are quite injurious today, because they contain the poison of insecticides and pesticides. If the air we breathe, the water we drink and the soil which produces our crops of vegetables and fruits, become more and more impure, then our chances of good health and longevity will be compromised. Environmental pollution is a serious menace to our existence.
Realizing the danger, we must plant trees in large numbers to absorb impure air. Impure water from industries can be sent back for purification and then used for irrigation purposes. Pesticides affect more than the environment; they also affect the animals and humans living in the environment. There are alternatives to this major problem.
We, as the caretakers of earth, must act fast. Pesticides are toxic chemicals that poison the earth and its environment. Pesticides main use is to kill pests that destroy food crops. They are also used in forests, lakes, city parks, lawns, hospitals, schools, and homes. There are five types of pesticides; insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and rodenticides. Ever since Ford put out the first main line production car, there has been a market for gasoline.
Since then, the automobile has made a humongous impact on the United States, as well as the entire world. This new invention allowed the average citizen to commute to work without the hassle of mass transit and horses. However, with this new supply of automobiles came the demand for the fuel they required to run. It was not known back then that the consumption of these fuels could actually hurt the environment.
The earth at this time, is at a state of downfall in which the only people to blame is us. Global disasters and environmental issues are a huge sign of the earth’s deterioration. For instant, global warming, deforestation, and pollution are the planet’s worse enemies, therefore human beings are reckless in their decision-making to encounter this matter. Personally, I believe the real problem is ignorance and lack of acceptance to this horrifying issue. What other severe problem that we can face nowadays that putts our future children’s lives in jeopardy? We need to take action and responsibility to save our planet.
First things first, as we all know how our community, including myself, tend to satisfy their needs by what we call “over consumption” of goods and services. These old habits need to be adjusted. Even thought it will be challenging but we need to adapt ourselves to respect the environment in order to reduce the amount wasted per each individual or every household.
The fact of the matter is that everything we do and everything going on around us contributes to our overall health so we need to save the environment before we can save ourselves.
P.S. Please consider turning off the lights whenever you exit a room or leave your house to save energy 😉
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