Friday, May 15, 2009

Pollution & Solution

After years and years of evolution,
From nothing to radio to television.
Improving lifestyle, increasing pollution,
Will we ever find the solution?

We always want the easy way out,
We pick a shortcut without a doubt.
Is this the fairest way to go?
What about others that couldn't follow?

With car and factory comes air pollution,
Isn't the CO2 in our air sufficient?
Public transport are there for a reason
Factories must apply air filter installation.

With boat and factory comes water pollution,
Not all will be cured after filtration.
Remove waste product appropriately,
A little extra work will make everyone happy.

With irresponsible comes land pollution,
Rubbish-filled land is not an illusion.
The quote "Reuse, Reduce and Recycle",
It is something that is not impossible.

With construction and cars comes sound pollution,
Building and racing as a competition.
Do things slow and steady bringing peace,
It helps to keep you in one piece.

How do we lessen all these pollutions?
It's not like we do not have the solutions,
All it takes is teamwork and unity,
For together we can make it a reality.


Poem by Timothy

Friday, May 8, 2009

the major air pollutants and their sources.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless gas that is produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels including petrol, diesel, and wood. It is also produced from the combustion of natural and synthetic products such as cigarettes. It lowers the amount of oxygen that enters our blood . It can slow our reflexes and make us confused and sleepy.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the principle greenhouse gas emitted as a result of human activities such as the burning of coal, oil, and natural gases.

Chloroflorocarbons (CFC) are gases that are released mainly from air-conditioning systems and refrigeration. When released into the air, CFCs rise to the stratosphere, where they come in contact with few other gases, which leads to a reduction of the ozone layer that protects the earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Lead is present in petrol, diesel, lead batteries, paints, hair dye products, etc. Lead affects children in particular. It can cause nervous system damage and digestive problems and, in some cases, cause cancer.

Ozone occur naturally in the upper layers of the atmosphere. This important gas shields the earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. However, at the ground level, it is a pollutant with highly toxic effects. Vehicles and industries are the major source of ground-level ozone emissions. Ozone makes our eyes itch, burn, and water. It lowers our resistance to colds and pneumonia.

Nitrogen oxide (Nox) causes smog and acid rain. It is produced from burning fuels including petrol, diesel, and coal. Nitrogen oxides can make children susceptible to respiratory diseases in winters.

Suspended particulate matter (SPM) consists of solids in the air in the form of smoke, dust, and vapour that can remain suspended for extended periods and is also the main source of haze which reduces visibility. The finer of these particles, when breathed in can lodge in our lungs and cause lung damage and respiratory problems.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is a gas produced from burning coal, mainly in thermal power plants. Some industrial processes, such as production of paper and smelting of metals, produce sulphur dioxide. It is a major contributor to smog and acid rain. Sulfur dioxide can lead to lung diseases.

Chemical Pollution

In some parts of the world, the bodies of whales and dolphins washing ashore are so highly contaminated that they qualify as toxic waste and have to be specially disposed of. There are many different sources of chemical pollution, including:

* domestic sewage
* industrial discharges
* seepage from waste sites
* atmospheric fallout
* domestic run-off
* accidents and spills at sea
* operational discharges from oil rigs
* mining discharges and
* agricultural run-off.

However, the chemicals that are probably of most concern for everyone are the persistent pollutants: those substances that enter marine food chains and are eventually passed along the chain to the marine top predators in increasing amounts.Persistent pollutants include pesticides, such as DDT, and industrial chemicals, most famously the PCBs.

Water : Our treasure

Water is a big component of our human body. Human cannot survive without water for more than approximately 3 days to 1 week. This shows how essential water is to human beings. However, we have not treat the water source with enough care and drinkable water is slowly depleting. This is due to our irresponsible behavior of throwing waste into river streams and the sea, cause a lot of damage to our water resource.

According to CNN, only 1% of the worlds water is drinkable. This shows how precious water is to us human beings. In Malaysia, water pollution is generally high. Based on a report done by the Department of Environment, sewage treatment plants are the main culprit for water pollution in Malaysia. After treating the sewage, the waste is dumped back into the river, polluting the river.
The polluted river water is where we get our drinking water and this will cause serious health problems if not filtered properly. At ports, the sea is highly polluted. This is due to the dumping of waste by ships. Oil spillage is one of the major water pollution caused by ships. Oil is lighter than water and thus, it floats on the surface of the water. This reduces the air underwater and caused the fishes in the sea to be lack of oxygen and dies. When the fish dies, it will rot and cause the water to be further polluted and the condition of the water will be getting worst.

Water has many uses and we need it in our daily life. We use it to drink, to cook, to bath and so on. If water is polluted until it is unusable one day, we, or the generation to come will suffer. We must work together to protect what is precious to us, just like the quote "united we stand, devided we fall."

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Pollution

Pollution. What is pollution? According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary pollution is “the action of polluting esp. by environmental contamination with man-made waste.” The United States runs on power. Much of the United States’ powers come from various nuclear power plants all across the country. Some power plants are getting old and are not up to date. These power plants are emitting various gasses and chemicals into the air. Transcendentalists believe that people should coexist with nature. They believe that nature is an entity of equal importance to us, and not just our supply of resources. The problem is that the gasses and other pollutants released are harming our environment. There are many solutions to this problem. Some solutions that might have been made by the transcendentalists would be to shut down nuclear power plants completely. Another solution would be to update the current problems or find better power sources.
The first solution a transcendentalist would have would be to totally abolish the use of nuclear power plants. This idea is pretty basic in its nature. If all the nuclear power plants in America were shut down, there would be less cases of pollution. Though it may not seem it, the best way to deal with pollution, is with “simplicity, simplicity, simplicity,” as Thoreau says in “Walden.” By merely closing all the nuclear power plants in the United States there is no chance for pollution to spread. This idea is the perfect transcendental idea. If people went away from technology and escaped back to reality they would find that problems could be solved very easily. Many transcendentalists believed in “simplicity” and the carefree life. Some transcendentalists believed in nature as our future and our offspring.
Another possible transcendental solution would be to update current situation. Some transcendentalists would believe in modernizing and renovating the existing power plants so that they would be more efficient and nature friendly. Nature needs to be taken care of and so instead of totally disposing of nuclear power plants, they could be made to friendly to Mother Earth. As Emerson says in “The Over-Soul”, “the only prophet of that which must be, is that great nature...” Nature is essential to the survival of the human race. Why should society kill something that it requires? Humankind ought to learn that by killing nature it is only killing itself. Nuclear power plants should be renewed rather than destructed.
Briefly, the transcendentalists would have had many solutions for the problem of nuclear pollution to the environment. Two of these solutions would have been to close the power plants or revise the current power plants to make them more energy and nature conservative. These two solutions would work best with the problem.

Solution of Pollution.

Nowaday , The technologies we are using release different types of pollution on land, water resources and air. All the governments are allocating a lot of research funds to develop new technologies that will eliminate or at least reduce the pollution being generated today without causing any hardship to our lifestyles. Even if such a technology is developed and implemented, it will create new types of pollution itself. Also anyone who has studied human behavior knows that there is really no end to human desires. If a technology to control the pollution in satisfying one desire is discovered and successfully implemented, then we will have another desire that generates much more pollution. Therefore it is impossible to control pollution by developing new technologies to reduce the pollution being caused by existing technologies. As human population keeps on increasing, so does pollution. The following are essential to control pollution: 1. Limit the population, and 2. Adopt simpler lifestyles that will create less pollution in the first place.
The idea that some future technology is going to eliminate pollution, change mankind, empower generations, bring the world together and save the environment is just more of the hyped promise of the technology revolution. Pollution is the everyday problem that affects our life and future.
In conclusion, pollution is really a big problem in the world beacuse it is causing ozone depletion, nature dying and many different illnesses. People are creating new projects that will be good for the humanity. But If we dont take conscience about these problems, maybe in the future we will have more problems. So we need to try to avoid pollution.

10 ways to reduce air pollution.


1. Modify Your Transportation - Your car is a significant source of air pollution, so switching to a more gas-efficient vehicle will be a big help. Or you can buy an electric car.





2. Conserve Energy - Your home energy consumption translates into air pollution, therefore any energy conservation or efficiency improvements you make will help.





3. Reduce Waste - Manufacturing of unnecessary or disposable goods often produces air pollution, so reduced purchasing of disposables will help. In general, follow the solid waste mantra - "Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle" - and this will reduce air pollution as well from transporting, treating, or disposing of unnecessary wastes.





4. Eliminate Toxic Chemical Use at Home - A surprising number of household or home shop chemicals are toxic and volatile. Many release vapors into the air, inside the home and out. This can be serious health threat to your family, and contributes to community-wide levels of air pollutants.




5. Car-pool - By car-pooling, you can reduce the amount of petrol/diesel needed to run a vehicle. I notice, most of us Malaysians tend to hold the “one person, one car” concept. This is a very bad concept to follow, not to mean that if you can afford a car, you can buy a few to show off your wealth. Just lay low, start thinking about the amount of carbon dioxide your cars produce, and car-pool with some of your colleagues!



6. Cut Back or Eliminate Lawn Mowing - Gasoline-powered lawn mowers and similar yard equipment can produce much higher rates of air pollution than an equivalent horsepower in a car, due to engine inefficiencies and the lack of catalytic converters. You can help reduce these emissions by converting a large portion, or all, of your lawn to trees, shrubs and easy-care perennials. Then use a non-motorized push-style lawnmower to cut your remaining lawn. Modern versions of these push mowers are easy to use, and will help you get a little exercise and fresh air, without the fumes.




7. Plant leafy trees and shrubs - Deciduous trees and shrubs (the kinds that drop leaves in the fall) are excellent air filters to help reduce smog and cool the air on hot summer days.





8. Stop smoking - Cigarettes is the cause of lung cancer, but yet, theres still millions & millions of people in the world who is living on this. Leave the world with more fresh air and stop smoking. It will definitely benefit both your health and the planet.




9. Limit Your Family Size - Every person uses natural resources, which results in air pollution. Our human population is rapidly rising to levels which make it increasingly difficult to control air pollution while sustaining a healy
hy environment. If each couple limited themselves to no more than 2 children, our world’s population could stabilize and support everyone without conflict or suffering.




10. Get Involved and Talk to Your Legislators - Many of our current governmental regulations are not strong enough to address our air pollution problems. Citizens need to contact their legislators and ask for better policies. Other Air Pollution Sections