The Implications of Water PollutionEssay title: The Implications of Water PollutionThe Consequences of Water PollutionAnnually, 90 million people add to the current population of 6.5 billion. At this rate the global population will reach approximately 8.5 billion by 2025 (
By combining a historical perspective with scientific advances, Diamond’s five-point framework strongly supports his claim that society’s ignorance and disregard for the environment could lead to their collapse. Thus, to fully understand how water pollution could contribute to a possible collapse, a deeper explanation of Diamond’s five-point framework is required.
“The first set of factors involves damage that people inadvertently inflict on their environment. The extent and reversibility of that damage depend partly on properties of people, and partly on properties of the environment (Diamond p.11).” Basically Diamond shows that excessive consummation and pollution of environmental resources has proven to contribute to the downfall of societies in the past. Societies undermine themselves by destroying their environments too quickly for it to recover. For example, constantly growing crops on soil unfit to support the crop will eventually result in soil degradation, or the loss of equilibrium of a stable soil, because it can not replenish the right amount of the necessary nutrients. Crops that are not native to the land, will throw off the formation of the soil, making it useless for any vegetation.
Diamond’s second consideration is climate change. Climates may become hotter or colder, wetter or drier either from natural forces or by global warming. “In many historical cases, a society that was depleting its environmental resources could absorb the losses as long as the climate was benign, but was then driven over the brink of collapse when the climate became drier, colder, hotter, wetter, or more variable (Diamond p.13).” Societies tend to increase production and population when times are good, causing them to become accustomed to their ingrained habits. They consistently damage their environment, however do not notice any negative changes because the climate can replenish the resources. When these good times end and the climate turns for the worse, the society cannot sustain the population it once could. The society’s environmental impact coincides with climate changes, which together has shown to be a possible cause for a society’s collapse (Diamond, p13).
The processes through which past societies have undermined themselves by damaging their environments fall into twelve categories: deforestation and habitat destruction, soil problems, water management problems, over hunting, over fishing, effects of introduced species on native species, human population growth, increased per capita impact of people, human caused climate change, buildup of toxic chemicals in the environment, energy shortages, and full human utilization of the Earth’s photosynthetic capacity. (Diamond, p.6-7). Water pollution negatively affects many of these categories.
Water pollution is a global issue and its’ implications are illuminated when we put the problem in the context of the first two points, that is environmental damage and climate change. Main sources of water pollution include: industrial discharge of chemical wastes and byproducts, surface runoff containing pesticides or fertilizers, acid rain caused by industrial discharge of sulfur dioxide, discharge of contaminated or heated water used for industrial processes, surface runoff containing spilled petroleum products, silt runoff from construction sites and farms, discharge of poorly treated or untreated sewage, excess nutrients added by runoff containing fertilizers, and underground storage tank leakage leading to soil contamination. Each source of pollution correlates to one or more of the twelve processes through
2. <
Water pollution is a global issue and its’ implications are illuminated when we put the problem in the context of the first two points, that is environmental damage and climate change. Main sources of water pollution include: industrial discharge of chemical wastes and byproducts, surface runoff containing pesticides or fertilizers, acid rain caused by industrial discharge of sulfur dioxide, discharge of contaminated or heated water used for industrial processes, surface runoff containing spilled petroleum products, silt runoff from construction sites and farms, discharge of poorly treated or untreated sewage, excess nutrients added by runoff containing fertilizers, and underground storage tank leakage leading to soil contamination. Each source of pollution correlates to one or more of the twelve processes through
Water pollution is a global issue and its’ implications are illuminated when we put the problem in the context of the first two points, that is environmental damage and climate change. Primary sources of pollution include: heating and heat – heat pollution, particularly in industrial areas, is mainly composed of waste from water supplies such as agriculture and power generation, as well as transport of industrial waste into cities. Overlying sources of pollution include: industrial effluvium – the major source of drinking water for approximately 55% of the world’s population.[22] Primary sources of pollution include: coffee and alcoholic beverages – as well as heavy metals such as dioxins and lead, and pesticides and fungicides. In China, the highest proportions of the population consumes between 70% and 100% of the water in Beijing.[23]
As a public health and social responsibility, human health issues and the environment can be understood as intertwined. An ethical framework for an action to reduce water pollution and create alternatives is needed. In 2013, the World Environmental Network (WEWN) was formed to address the global water pollution crisis and reduce water pollution at all levels through action on the international scale.[24]
Environmental Protection Agency and Other Related Environmental Organizations
Environmental groups and the media have long championed the clean water and sustainable energy policies and policies of several other environmental organizations. Several organizations continue to influence global debates on water and energy. Some other groups are more active and involve non-governmental organizations such as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or U.S. Department of State), the International Campaign to Stop Climate Change (ICC), WWF, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), and the World Bank.[25] However, many other non-profit organizations continue to work together to implement policies, policies, programs and strategies that are coordinated with the organizations. These include the Working on Water Resources and Renewable Resources Act of 2004, which authorized the federal government to continue enforcing its Clean Water Act and the Clean Energy Act (formerly the Clean Power Plan). The United Nations Environment Programme’s Sustainable Development Goals include reducing population and climate change.
Environmental groups and the media have long championed the clean water and sustainable energy policies and policies of several other non-governmental organizations. Several organizations continue to influence global debates on water and energy. Some other groups are more active and involve non-governmental organizations such as the United Nations Environmental Program (UNENA), the International Center for Climate Change Research (ICC), the United Nations Center for Climate Risk and Response (ICRCAR), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Health Organisation (WHO).[26