By Sydney Cohen – Water pollution is a huge problem all around the world. There are many ways to prevent this from happening and it all starts with educating yourself on the matter. People don’t realize how much they depend on water use for their survival or how to prevent water pollution.
The Causes of Water Pollution
Water pollution has many causes. Most often, pollutants enter our lakes, rivers, oceans, and waterways through runoff resulting from improper disposal of chemicals, fertilizers, wastewater, and sewage that enter our groundwater and water systems.
Additionally, people frequently throw out garbage and litter, disregarding proper disposal methods. These larger pollutants enter our lakes, rivers, groundwater and ocean water, causing much harm to animals and plants that suffocate in large pieces of plastic, and releasing chemical substances into the water as they degrade.
Human waste is also a large contributor, as solid waste, sewage, and runoff from septic systems frequently contaminate ecosystems when they enter rivers or other bodies of water during heavy rainstorms.
Read more about the specific types of water pollution here.
Water Pollution Prevention
We all know how the pollution of our water is a major issue, especially as we ramp up our production of potentially harmful substances. Not only does water pollution result in contaminated water, but it also hurts the wildlife that depends on safe water for survival. Water pollution-related problems have been growing at a rapid pace and this in turn leads to more waterborne diseases.
STOP Polluting Water!
The best way to stop water pollution is to stop polluting! There are a number of things we can do to reduce water pollution.
Less Chemicals = Less water Pollution
Homeowners like to keep the yard looking green and healthy which creates water pollution. Fertilizers and pesticides inevitably run off shrubs and lawns and into water. Select landscaping that is suitable to the climate also for pollution prevention and also so that your plants will be cheaper to care for. As a bonus, you will waste less water keeping those plants alive. No matter where you live, there are bound to be attractive plants that can thrive with minimal help from added chemical treatment.
Non-toxic cleaners and phosphate-free chemicals can reduce water pollution. Many companies now sell biodegradable industrial cleaning products and pesticides. Spending extra money on environmental products automatically increases pollution prevention – it is a worthwhile investment. The chemicals that cause water pollution should be avoided by not buying more harmful products, especially chemical cleaners.
Many household chemicals are becoming a serious problem. Millions of people a month are dumping toxic chemicals down the drain. Many are flushing them down the toilet into a sewer or just down the street. If you don’t dispose of them properly, the effects increase water pollution. Your community may have a recycling center that can take old paint, used motor oil, and other industrial chemicals and recycle them. They can even be dropped off at specific sites on hazardous waste collection days where people are encouraged to dispose of hazardous waste properly.
Organic Food Reduces Water Pollution
Eating organic reduces the amount of water pollution. Organic produce results from a growing process that is significantly less harmful to the environment. Organic food can be grown without chemicals. Not only does this benefit the environment, but it also works to protect our own health. We need to choose to eat food in our life that has less impact on the environment. We need to think of factors such as the fuel used to transport crops, power for farm equipment, and industrial chemicals used in non-organic food production.
Avoid Plastic Containers to Reduce Water Pollution
Plastic shopping bags and plastic rings cause inordinate litter in the nation’s lakes and seas that harm animals. Buy some reusable cloth or plastic grocery bags instead. Use reusable, water-efficient, insulated containers to hold drinks, and make filtered water at home.
Leaking Vehicles Cause Water Pollution
A toxic oil spill that leaks from motor vehicles will end up in the storm drains and then in the local water system. This runoff into drains is a problem that is easy to treat; just be diligent about maintaining and repairing your vehicles.
Raise Awareness About Water Pollution
There are organizations active in your area working on water pollution cleanup in rivers and oceans and watershed protection. Search for an environmental organization that’s active, volunteer to help them raise awareness or make a donation every year to support their causes.
Take Action to Prevent Water Pollution!
Many cases of illegal waste disposal, household litter and trash dumping go unreported and often aren’t cleaned up. Report people who pour oil, fat or grease in storm drains, throw bags and trash in a river, and so on, in order to reduce pollutants in our waterways and transboundary water system.
Clean water is a basic human right that we must all work together to protect. We are lucky enough to have clean drinking water, but many people around the world don’t have access to safe drinking water and they need our help. Let’s make sure that every person has clean drinking water and clean washing water by making an effort in our communities, educating others about how their actions affect us all, volunteering and donating what we can today.
Join me in taking these steps so that we may reduce the number of pollutants entering rivers for future generations!
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