Thursday, 13 July 2017

Recycling To Avoid Environmental Pollution

July 13, 2017 0 Comments
After all done, I'm pasting the
recycling symbol paper



We've all heard the saying "reduce reuse recycle", but it is still an important topic that WAY too many of us overlook. We live in a culture that doesn't understand the dangers of having so many non-reusable and wasteful products and habits in our lives. Reducing, reusing, and recycling are important for many reasons. For starters, one of the most personal reasons: eco-friendly habits save us money. In addition to saving money, eliminating waste usually leads to an elimination of harmful chemicals in our home, as well. 
♥  So I have decided to create a recycling bin at a shop lot area. I have used 3 recycle boxes with 3 different colours as follow: blue colour for papers, yellow colour for plastics and brown colour glasses. The total costing for my project is Rm0 because all the things that I have used are recycled papers and boxes. 




♥   At the same time Government has done for us so many     good service such as this recycling bin in most of the     shopping malls so I highly recommend each individual to use the service that has done for us.
Be a part to preserve our environment.
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Saturday, 8 July 2017

WHO: Environmental Pollution Kills Millions of Children Every Year

July 08, 2017 0 Comments


From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.
Environmental pollution kills 1.7 million children under the age of five every year worldwide. This is according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO warns that child deaths will increase greatly if pollution continues to worsen.
Dr. Margaret Chan is the WHO Director-General. In a press release statement, Chan said, "A polluted environment is a deadly one – particularly for young children."
She explains that "their developing organs and immune systems, and smaller bodies and airways, make them especially vulnerable to dirty air and water."
The most common causes of death among children aged one month to five years are diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia. This is according to the WHO. The organization also says reducing environmental risks can prevent such deaths. This means providing access to safe water and sanitation, limiting exposure to dangerous chemicals, and improving waste management.
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Experts say air pollution is the most dangerous

July 08, 2017 0 Comments
However, of all the environmental pollutants, air pollution is being called the most dangerous.
The WHO estimates that air pollution is responsible for about 6.5 million premature, or early, deaths every year. That number includes nearly 600,000 deaths of children under age five. Most of these deaths take place in developing countries.
However, WHO environment and health chief Maria Neira tells VOA that air pollution is a leveler between rich and poor. Everybody, she says, needs to breathe.
Due to air pollution in Madrid, a traffic policeman wears a mask while directing traffic, Dec. 29, 2016.
Due to air pollution in Madrid, a traffic policeman wears a mask while directing traffic, Dec. 29, 2016.
"You can be a very rich child, your parents very rich, but living in a place, in a city, which is very polluted. And then there is very little you can do because we all need to breathe. So, even if you are rich or poor, you still need to breathe and this is very pernicious. Air pollution is everywhere."
A group of school children walk on street with face mask in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015.
A group of school children walk on street with face mask in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015.
Neira says one of the most important ways to reduce air pollution is to produce cleaner fuels for cooking and heating.
"Almost half of the world population is using dirty fuels for cooking, heating, and lighting at home. And, this is affecting very much mothers who are staying and cooking at home, but the children who are around mothers—they are exposed as well.”
She says early exposure to harmful pollutants can lead to increased risk of chronic respiratory disease, asthma, heart disease, stroke and cancer later in life.
Cleaning up how the world cooks, heats and lights homes and other buildings is a big-picture goal. The WHO is advising government departments and industries such as construction and the health sector to work together to clean up the environment.
But what about the here and now? What can individuals do to limit their family’s exposure to air pollution?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has these suggestions:
  • Avoid walking where there is a high volume of vehicle traffic.
  • Equip homes with air filters and air conditioning units.
  • Limit your time outside if you live in an area that issues warnings about air quality.
  • Wear high-quality rated face masks tightly to the face when air quality is poor.
  • If you live or commute in a very polluted area, remove your clothes and wash immediately after entering your house.
Some of these suggestions, however, may not work for some people -- for example:
  • those living in areas troubled by high levels of pollution,
  • those who cannot stay home from work or school,
  • and those who do not have money for protective equipment.
Therefore, the WHO stresses that governments around the world need to take the lead on ensuring that children grow up in a clean environment.
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Sources of Environmental Pollution

July 08, 2017 0 Comments

Fossil Fuel Sources of Environmental Pollution

Soil Pollution
In modern industrialized societies, fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) transcended virtually all imaginable barriers and firmly established themselves in our everyday lives.
Not only do we use fossil fuels for our obvious everyday needs (such as filling a car), as well as in the power-generating industry, they (specifically oil) are also present in such products as all sorts of pRef. 14)
lastics, solvents, detergents, asphalt, lubricating oils, a wide range of chemicals for industrial use, etc. (
Combustion of fossil fuels produces extremely high levels of air pollution and is widely recognized as one of the most important “target” areas for reduction and control of environmental pollution.
Fossil fuels also contribute to soil contamination and water pollution. For example, when oil is transported from the point of its production to further destinations by pipelines, an oil leak from the pipeline may occur and pollute soil and subsequently groundwater. When oil is transported by tankers by ocean, an oil spill may occur and pollute ocean water.
Of course, there are other natural resources whose exploitation is a cause of serious pollution; for example, the use of uranium for nuclear power generation produces extremely dangerous waste that would take thousands of years to neutralize.
But there is no reasonable doubt that fossil fuels are among the most serious sources of environmental pollution.
Power-generating plants and transport are probably the biggest sources of fossil fuel pollution.
Common sources of fossil fuel pollution are: 
Industry:
  • Power-generating plants
  • Petroleum refineries
  • Petrochemical plants
  • Production and distribution of fossil fuels
  • Other manufacturing facilities
Transport:
  • Road transport (motor vehicles)
  • Shipping industry
  • Aircraft
Fossil fuel combustion is also a major source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and perhaps the most important cause of global warming. Learn more about the causes and effects of global warming here.

Other (Non-Fossil Fuel) Sources of Environmental Pollution

Among other pollution sources, agriculture (livestock farming) is worth mentioning as the largest generator of ammonia emissions resulting in air pollution.
Chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers are also widely used in agriculture, which may lead water pollution and soil contamination as well.
Trading activities may be another source of environmental pollution.
For example, it’s been recently noted that packaging of products sold in supermarkets and other retail outlets is far too excessive and generates large quantities of solid waste that ends up either in landfills or municipal incinerators leading to soil contamination and air pollution.
Residential sector is another significant source of pollution generating solid municipal waste that may end up in landfills or incinerators leading to soil contamination and air pollution.
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Friday, 7 July 2017

Biological & Non-Biological Decomposition of Environmental Pollutants

July 07, 2017 0 Comments

Biological Decomposition of Environmental Pollutants


Santos divides environmental pollutants into biodegradable and non-biodegradable ones, and describes them as follows.


Biodegradable Pollutants


Fruit Peel is biodegradable
Biodegradable pollutants are the ones that can be broken down and processed by living organisms, including organic waste products, phosphates, and inorganic salts.
For example, if a pollutant is organic, it can be used by a living organism to obtain energy and other material from carbohydrates, proteins etc.
Therefore, biodegradable pollutants are only “temporary nuisances” that can be neutralized and converted into harmless compounds.
However, it is important to remember that they can become serious pollutants if released in large amounts in small areas, thus exceeding the natural capacity of the environment to “assimilate” them.

Non-Biodegradable Pollutants


Non-biodegradable pollutants are the ones that cannot be decomposed by living organisms and therefore persist in the exosphere for extremely long periods of time.
They include plastics, metal, glass, some pesticides and herbicides, and radioactive isotopes.
In addition to that, fat soluble (but not water soluble) non-biodegradable pollutants, ex. mercury and some hydrocarbons, are not excreted with urine but are accumulated in the fat of living organisms and cannot be metabolized.

Non-Biological Decomposition of Environmental Pollutants

Plastic may look beautiful but it is not biodegradable

Non-biological decomposition of non-biodegradable pollutants requires a combination of many factors, such as wind, water and climate to work together to achieve neutralization of pollutants.
Some of the most dangerous pollutants such as radioactive isotopes can decompose by themselves but it will take them thousands of years.
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Household (Indoor) Air Pollution

July 07, 2017 0 Comments


Around 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using solid fuels (i.e. wood, charcoal, coal, dung, crop wastes) on open fires or traditional stoves. Such inefficient cooking and heating practices produce high levels of household (indoor) air pollution which includes a range of health damaging pollutants such as fine particles and carbon monoxide.
In poorly ventilated dwellings, smoke in and around the home can exceed acceptable levels for fine particles 100-fold. Exposure is particularly high among women and young children, who spend the most time near the domestic hearth.
According to WHO, 4.3 million people a year die from the exposure to household air pollution.
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