Life On Land

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Oil

Oil is the leading energy source for transportation. It is estimated that the U.S. alone consumes about 19.88 million barrels per day as noted in 2017. Although, Oil is refined to gasoline, fuel oil, and petroleum gas it is very detrimental to the earth’s environment. Oil extraction causes environmental degradation and oil combustion can cause respiratory complications.

Coal

The coal industry is mainly used for the production of electricity around the world. In the U.S. we produce about 11% of all the world’s Coal. The combustion of coal is very dangerous as it produces pollutants that induces Acid Rain. Also, Acid Rain is highly destructive to vegetation and top soil (top soil helps with the production of agriculture and food for wildlife).  Acid Rain can contain chemicals such as sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen oxide, and Mercury; these chemicals are highly toxic to the environment.

Not only is acid rain caused by pollutants from the combustion of coal but mining of coal is detrimental to the environment and ecosystems. Rivers and bodies of water can be contaminated or destroyed by the waste in mines. It is also estimated that 32% of green house gasses in the U.S. are created by the combustion of Coal. 

Natural Gas

Natural Gas is mainly responsible for producing electricity and heat for buildings and offices. As of 2015 the U.S alone produces about 17.6% of the world’s natural gas and consumes about 21.6% of it. The reason natural gas is potentionaly harmful is that it is composed of methane; and methane is 20x more potent than carbon dioxide as a Greenhouse gas. 

Natural Gas is one of the cleaner fossil fuels however, the transportation and extraction of this gas can potentially disrupt ecosystems and pollute the oceans as well. That is why we must work as a community to find even better ways to use resources to produce energy.

Citation

Piccirilli Dorsey, Inc. “Fossil Fuels.” EESI – Environmental and Energy Study Institute, www.eesi.org/topics/fossil-fuels/description.

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Land Pollution is another type of pollutions which harms the soil, climate, endangers wildlife, and has an environmental impact. 

1. Soil Pollution is caused by overuse in fertilizer. This creates the problem where the soil becomes eroded and results in the soil to become less fertile. 
2. Land Pollution directly and indirectly affects the climate pattern
3. Land Pollution causes the destruction of wild life. This in turn forces the animals in the kingdom to adapt to new environments or die trying.
4. Deforestation leads to irregular rain cycles. These rain cycles affect the environment in many ways including green cover, droughts, and flash floods.

Citation:

“Effects of Land Pollution.” Land Remediation Expo, www.landremediationexpo.com/news/blog.asp?blog_id=67.

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Air Pollution is caused by particles that mixes with the wind. Car emission, Chemicals from factories, dust, and pollen are all considered air pollutants. Breathing these pollutants is especially harmful to infants and older people. Many lung diseases are caused by air pollution.

The reason air pollution is harmful to organism that breathe air is that it can poison them if the air is polluted with toxic materials. 

Citation:

“Air Pollution.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 28 Dec. 2018, medlineplus.gov/airpollution.html.

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Water is the source of life for almost every animal. Every living organism needs water to survive however, when water is polluted with sewage and trash it becomes contaminated. The water then becomes undrinkable by an organism. 

For example polluted water pours down the Mississippi River down to the Gulf of Mexico contaminating about 8,000 mile dead zones. 

Eutrophication and Dead Zones: Dead zones occur when contaminated water from sewage and chemical runoffs from farms make their way to larger bodies of water like the Gulf of Mexico. The Chemicals from farms are fertilizers which should encourage the growth of plants but they also grow algae called Eutrophication. When the aquatic plants die from the contaminated water, they decompose which use up oxygen. Crustacean animals no longer have oxygen to live in these zones. That is why these places are called dead zones because slowly organism die due contaminated ecosystems. 

Algae: The growth of some algae from thriving in these toxic environment also release toxic chemicals which affect the fish, turtles, and dolphins in this ecosystem. It’s dangerous to these aquatic animals because they become poise and the algal toxin can lead to the animals dying. Water Pollutants are very harmful to aquatic life.

Drinking Water: Water becomes contaminated from human and animal waste, mining, fertilizers and pesticides, and industrial waste. It’s very important to protect our drinkable water because we only have 3% left, and only less than 1% is not frozen in ice caps. This means that all living organisms must share less than 1% of the water. 

Risk: The health risk to humans can be gastrointestinal disease which can be fatal when we drink contaminated water. 

Citation:

Walls-Thumma, Dawn. “How Can Water Pollution Affect Animals, Homes and Health?” Home Guides | SF Gate, 27 Dec. 2018, homeguides.sfgate.com/can-water-pollution-affect-animals-homes-health-79201.html.