The cities highlighted in this website are all coming up with solutions to solve their pollution problems. There are many types of pollution but the three most common are air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution. There are several different ways to help reduce pollution in these cities.
First, we're going to talk about air pollution. Air pollution causes several negative effects, such as: damage to plant and forest health, bad soil nutrients, toxins appearing in the food chain, and the addition of too much nitrogen, which causes oxygen levels to go down, resulting in harm to fish and other marine life. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas pollutant that is warming the Earth. Although living things release carbon dioxide when they breathe, carbon dioxide emissions are mainly attributed to cars, planes, power plants, and burning fossil fuels such as gasoline and natural gas. In the past 150 years, these activities have put enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to raise its levels higher than they have been ever.
Another pollutant that causes climate change is sulfur dioxide, a gas that makes up smog. Sulfur dioxide and similar chemicals are known causes of acid rain.They also reflect light when they are released into the atmosphere, which keeps sunlight out and causes Earth's temperature to drop. Volcanic eruptions can release massive amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which also causes cooling that could actually last for years. Volcanoes used to be the main source of sulfur dioxide being released into the atmosphere, but today people are the main source.Other greenhouse gases that raise air pollution levels are chemicals such as: methane from swamps, gas emitted by livestock, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were once used in refrigerators and other products until they were banned because of the negative effect thay had on Earth's ozone layer. As far as the United States, which would help reduce pollution in Fresno, the Clean Air Act was passed on December 17, 1963. It's a federal law designed to help reduce the amount of emissions being released into the atmosphere by cars and other sources. The Clean Air Act has lowered the levels of six common pollutants: particles, ozone, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, and as well as other pollutants. From 1970 to 2014, the total amount of emissions has dropped 69%, which in turn has had a positive effect on the health of citizens and the GDP.
Next is water pollution. Not only can the water on Earth's surface be polluted, but also the water underground can too. Things like trash being thrown into water or an oil spill can pollute surface water, but things such as common weedkillers draining into the ground, thus polluting the water underground. Sewage and waste disposal is a major cause of water pollution. As of 2013, about 780 million people didn't have access to safe drinking water and about 2.5 billion people don't have proper sanitation facilities. When waste is flushed down the toilet, it goes to a sewage treatment plant but there is still some waste that needs to be disposed of. Sometimes, it is released right into the ocean without being treated first.
Lastly is air pollution. One main cause of land pollution is agricultural activities. Farmers usually use fertilizers and pesticides that are very toxic to get rid off insects, fungi and bacteria from their crops. However with the overuse of these chemicals, they result in contamination and poisoning of soil.
There are many ways people can help clean up their environment to get rid of pollution. They can reduce the usage of your electrical appliances by buying appliances that are environment friendly and energy efficient. One of the best ways to conserve electricity is by turning off lights and appliances not in use. You can also wash clothes in a washing machine using both warm and cold water instead of using hot water, and try solar power for heating water instead of an electrical appliance. Next, they should drive less. You can drive your car less and use other means of transportation instead. Many countries recommend repairing leaking air conditioners in cars that destroys the upper layer of ozone layer. You must also be careful while filling your car with gas and see that it doesn't spill out the tank.
There are many ways people can help clean up their environment to get rid of pollution. They can reduce the usage of your electrical appliances by buying appliances that are environment friendly and energy efficient. One of the best ways to conserve electricity is by turning off lights and appliances not in use. You can also wash clothes in a washing machine using both warm and cold water instead of using hot water, and try solar power for heating water instead of an electrical appliance. Next, they should drive less. You can drive your car less and use other means of transportation instead. Many countries recommend repairing leaking air conditioners in cars that destroys the upper layer of ozone layer. You must also be careful while filling your car with gas and see that it doesn't spill out the tank.
You can also use energy-efficient motor oil. Also, one can reduce their usage of chemicals and pesticides.It is always wise to get rid off household chemicals and pesticides that directly pollute the environment. Instead one can make their own solutions for cleaning using distilled vinegar, lemon and baking soda. There are many ‘green’ cleaning products available in the market that are environmentally friendly. Next, people can reduce their carbon footprints by lowering the temperature of their water heater, wash dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher, reduce use of the air conditioner or heater and buy energy efficient lights to lower the energy consumption. Lastly, people can grow their food locally. Planting food locally helps reduce transportation of food items that require pesticides and preservatives. Preservatives directly pollute the air. It has been proven that organic food is more sustainable then food that has been preserved using harmful pesticides and chemicals, thereby casing harm to the entire global ecosystem.