Types, sources and causes of environmental pollution. What harm does man do to the planet?

It's lunchtime, but there's no food at home, so you get behind the wheel and drive to the nearest grocery store.

You walk among the stalls hoping to buy something. In the end, you choose chicken and a prepared salad and return home to enjoy your meal.

Let's look at how a seemingly harmless trip to the store impacts the environment.

First, driving a car contributed to carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. The electricity in the store is nothing more than the result of burning coal, the mining of which has devastated the Appalachian ecosystem.

The salad ingredients were farmed and treated with pesticides, which then entered waterways, poisoning fish and aquatic plants (which help keep the air clean).

The chicken was raised on a very remote poultry farm where animal waste is thrown away large number toxic methane into the atmosphere. When delivering goods to the store, many types of transport were involved, each of which caused its own harm environment.

Even the smallest human actions initiate changes in the environment. How we heat our homes, power our electrical appliances, what we do with our garbage and the origins of our food all place enormous pressure on the environment.

Looking at the problem at a societal level, it can be noted that human behavior has significantly impacted the environment. The earth's temperature has increased by one degree Fahrenheit since 1975, the amount polar ice decreased by 9 percent in just one decade.

We have caused enormous damage to the planet, much more than you can imagine. Construction, irrigation, and mining significantly spoil the natural landscape and disrupt the flow of important ecological processes. Aggressive fishing and hunting can deplete species, and human migration can introduce alien species into established food chains. Greed leads to catastrophic accidents, and laziness leads to destructive practices.

10. Public projects

Sometimes public works projects don't actually work to benefit the public. For example, dam projects in China that were designed to produce clean energy have devastated everything around them, causing cities and public places to environmental waste floods occurred, which significantly increased the risk of natural disasters.

In 2007, China completed 20 years of construction of the world's largest hydroelectric dam, called the Three Gorges Dam. During the implementation of this project, more than 1.2 million people had to leave their usual habitats, as 13 large cities, 140 ordinary towns and 1,350 villages were flooded. Hundreds of factories, mines, dumps and industrial centers were also flooded, plus the main reservoirs were heavily polluted. The project altered the ecosystem of the Yangtze River, turning the once mighty river into a stagnant basin, thereby wiping out much of the native flora and fauna.

Redirected rivers also significantly increase the risk of landslides along banks that are home to hundreds of thousands of people. According to forecasts, about half a million people living along the river are planning to be resettled by 2020, as landslides are inevitable and the ecosystem will continue to be depleted.

Scientists have recently linked dam construction to earthquakes. The Three Gorges Reservoir was built on top of two major fault lines, with hundreds of minor tremors occurring since its opening. Scientists have suggested that the catastrophic 2008 earthquake in the Chinese province of Sichuan, which killed 8,000 people, was also caused by the accumulation of water in the area of \u200b\u200bthe dam, located less than half a mile from the center of the earthquake. The phenomenon of dams causing earthquakes is associated with the water pressure created under the reservoir, which, in turn, increases the pressure in rocks and acts as a softener for fault lines that are already under tension.

9. Overfishing

“There are a lot of fish in the sea” is no longer a completely reliable statement. Humanity's appetite for seafood has devastated our oceans to such an extent that experts fear for the ability of many species to rebuild their populations on their own.

According to the World Wildlife Federation, global fish catches exceed the permissible limit by 2.5 times. More than half of the world's fish stocks and species have already been depleted, and one quarter of species are overdepleted. Ninety percent of large fish species - tuna, swordfish, cod, halibut, flounder, marlin - have lost their natural habitat. According to forecasts, if the situation does not change, the stocks of these fish will disappear by 2048.

It is worth noting that the main culprit is advances in fishing technology. Today, commercial fishing vessels are mostly equipped with fish-finding sonar. Once they find the right spot, fishermen release huge nets, the size of three football fields, that can sweep up all the fish in a few minutes. Thus, with this approach, fish populations could be reduced by 80 percent in 10-15 years.

8. Invasive species

Throughout the entire era of the founding of the world, man himself was a distributor invasive species. Even though it may seem like your beloved pet or plant is doing much better in its new location, the natural balance is actually being disrupted. Invasive flora and fauna have been proven to be the most destructive thing humanity has done to the environment.

In the United States, 400 of the 958 species are listed as endangered because they are considered at risk due to competition with invasive alien species.

Invasive species problems mostly affect invertebrate animals. For example, in the first half of the 20th century, the Asian fungus destroyed more than 180 million acres of American chestnut trees. As a result, more than 10 species dependent on chestnuts have become extinct.

7. Coal mining industry

The biggest threat posed by coal mining is climate change, but it also threatens local ecosystems.

Market realities pose serious threats to coal, especially in the United States. Coal is a cheap source of energy - one megawatt of energy produced by coal costs $20-30, as opposed to one megawatt produced by natural gas - $45-60. Moreover, one quarter of the world's coal reserves are located in the United States.

Two of the most destructive forms of the coal mining industry are mining coal from mountaintops and using gas. In the first case, miners can "cut down" more than 305 meters of a mountain peak in order to reach a coal deposit. Extraction using gas occurs when the coal is closer to the surface of the mountain. In this case, all the “inhabitants” of the mountain (trees and any other creatures living in them) are exterminated to extract valuable minerals.

Every practice of this kind creates a large amount of waste along the way. Vast damaged and old forest areas are being dumped into nearby valleys. In the US alone, in West Virginia, it is estimated that more than 121,405 hectares of hardwood forests have been destroyed by coal mining. By 2012, it is said that 5,180 square kilometers of Appalachian forest will cease to exist.

The question of what to do with this kind of “waste” still remains open. Typically, mining companies simply dump unwanted trees, dead wildlife, etc. into nearby valleys, which in turn not only destroys natural ecosystems, but also affects the drying out large rivers. Industrial waste from mines finds refuge in river beds.

6. Human disasters

Although most of the ways in which humans harm the environment develop over several years, some events can happen in an instant, but that instant will have far-reaching consequences.

The 1989 oil spill in Prince Williams Sound, Alaska, had devastating consequences. About 11 million gallons of crude oil were spilled and killed more than 25,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 seals, 250 eagles, about 22 killer whales, and billions of salmon and herring. At least two species, the Pacific herring and the guillemot, did not recover from the disaster.

It's too early to assess the damage to wildlife caused by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, but the scale of the disaster is unlike anything seen before in American history. For several days, more than 9.5 million liters of oil per day leaked into the Gulf - the largest spill in American history. By most estimates, damage to wildlife is still lower than the 1989 spill due to lower species density. However, despite this, there is no doubt that the damage from the spill will continue for many years to come.

5. Cars

America has long been considered the land of cars, so it's no surprise that one-fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States come from cars. There are 232 million cars on this country's roads, very few of which are powered by electricity, and the average car consumes about 2,271 liters of gasoline annually.

One car emits about 12,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in the form of exhaust fumes. In order to clear the air of these impurities, 240 trees will be needed. In America, cars emit about the same amount of carbon dioxide as coal-burning factories.

The combustion process that occurs in a car engine produces fine particles nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and sulfur dioxide. In large quantities, these chemicals can be detrimental to performance. respiratory system person, causing coughing and suffocation. Cars also generate carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas produced by burning fossil fuels that blocks the transport of oxygen to the brain, heart and other vital organs.

At the same time, oil production, which is necessary to create fuel and oil to move a car, in turn, also has a serious impact on the environment. Land-based drilling is displacing native species, and offshore drilling and subsequent transportation has created an incredible amount of problems over the years, with more than 40 million gallons of oil spilled around the world since 1978.

4. Unsustainable agriculture

In all the ways humanity harms the environment, there is one common theme: we are failing to plan for the future. But nowhere is this more evident than in our method of growing our own food.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, agricultural practices are responsible for 70 percent of the pollution in the country's rivers and streams. Chemical runoff, contaminated soil, and animal waste all end up in waterways, of which more than 173,000 miles are already in poor condition. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides increase nitrogen levels and decrease oxygen levels in water.

Pesticides used to protect crops from predators threaten the survival of some species of birds and insects. For example, the number of bee colonies on US farmland fell from 4.4 million in 1985 to less than 2 million in 1997. When exposed to pesticides, bees' immune systems are weakened, making them more vulnerable to the enemy.

Large-scale industrial agriculture also contributes to global warming. The vast majority of meat products in the world are produced on factory farms. On any farm, tens of thousands of livestock are concentrated in small areas to save space. Among other things, when unprocessed animal waste is destroyed, harmful gases are released, including methane, which, in turn, has a significant impact on the process of global warming.

3. Deforestation

There was a time when most of the land on the planet was covered with forests. Today, forests are disappearing before our eyes. According to the United Nations, 32 million acres of forest are lost annually, including 14,800 acres of primary forest, that is, land not occupied or affected by human activity. Seventy percent of the planet's animals and plants live in forests, and, accordingly, if they lose their home, they themselves will be at risk of extinction as a species.

The problem is particularly acute tropical forests With humid climate. Such forests cover 7 percent of the world's land area and provide homes for about half of all species on the planet. At current rates of deforestation, scientists estimate that tropical forests will be wiped out in about 100 years.

Deforestation also contributes to global warming. Trees absorb greenhouse gases, so fewer trees mean more greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere. They also help perpetuate the water cycle by returning water vapor to the atmosphere. Without trees, forests will quickly turn into barren deserts, which will lead to even more severe fluctuations in global temperatures. When forests burn, trees release carbon into the atmosphere, which also contributes to the problem of global warming. Scientists have calculated that trees Amazonian forests processed the amount of greenhouse gases equivalent to 10 years of human activity.

Poverty is one of the main causes of deforestation. Majority tropical forests are in third world countries, and politicians there regularly stimulate the economic development of weak regions. Thus, loggers and farmers are slowly but surely doing their job. In most cases, deforestation occurs due to the need to create a farm plot. A farmer typically burns trees and vegetation to produce ash, which can then be used as fertilizer. This process is called slash-and-burn farming. Among other things, the risk of soil erosion and flooding increases as within a few years nutrients disappear from the soil, and the land is often unable to support the planted crops for which the trees were cut down.

2. Global warming

The average temperature of the Earth's surface has increased by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 130 years. Ice caps are melting at an alarming rate—more than 20 percent of the world's ice has disappeared since 1979. Sea levels are rising, causing floods and having a significant impact on the catastrophic natural disasters that are increasingly occurring around the world.

Global warming is caused by the greenhouse effect, in which certain gases release the heat received from the sun back into the atmosphere. Since 1990, annual greenhouse gas emissions have increased by about 6 billion tons worldwide, or 20 percent.

The gas most responsible for global warming is carbon dioxide, which accounts for 82 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Carbon dioxide is produced by burning fossil fuels, mainly when running cars and when factories are powered by coal. Five years ago, global atmospheric concentrations of gases were already 35 percent higher than before the Industrial Revolution.

Global warming could lead to development natural disasters, large-scale food and water shortages, and devastating impacts on wildlife. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, sea levels could rise by 17.8 - 58.4 cm by the end of the century. And since most of the world's population lives in coastal areas, this is a very big danger for both people and ecosystems .

1. Overcrowding

"Overpopulation is the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about," says Dr. John Guillebaud, a professor of family planning and reproductive health at University College London. “If we ourselves cannot reduce the population through humane methods of family planning, nature will do it for us through violence, epidemics and famine,” he adds.

Over the past 40 years, the world population has grown from 3 to 6.7 billion. 75 million people (equivalent to the population of Germany) are added annually, or more than 200,000 people daily. According to forecasts, by 2050 the world population will exceed 9 billion people.

More people means more waste, more demand for food, more production of consumer goods, more needs for electricity, cars, etc. In other words, all the factors that contribute to global warming will only get worse.

Increasing demand for food will force farmers and fishermen to increasingly harm already fragile ecosystems. Forests will be removed almost entirely as cities continually expand and new areas for farmland are needed. The list of endangered species will become longer and longer. In rapidly developing countries such as India and China, increased energy consumption is expected to increase carbon emissions. In short, than more people, the more problems.

When the last tree is cut down, when the last river is poisoned, when the last bird is caught, only then will you understand that money cannot be eaten.
Cree prophecy

Man appeared on a unique planet, where there was plenty of clean water and clean air - everything that is so necessary for life. Centuries passed, and it seemed to people that it would always be this way, that the gifts of nature were inexhaustible. But lately we have noticed more and more that the air has become completely different from what it was before - it is becoming difficult for us to breathe. What have our water sources - rivers and lakes - become? They have become shallow, overgrown with mud and become so dirty that even “purified” water has to be drunk with caution...

What did we enter the 21st century with? What awaits us?

The environmental forecast, based on facts, is extremely disappointing. Scientists believe that humanity has reached such a level of technical development, at... in which his unbridled economic activity is capable of irreversibly changing the natural environment on Earth, as a result of which an ecological apocalypse will occur, that is, the death of all life on our still blue and green planet.

Formally, here in Russia, and in other countries, measures are being taken to protect natural environment, international symposia are held, agreements are signed between countries. For example, in 1972, agreements were signed between the USSR and the USA on cooperation in the field of environmental protection. But there are no visible improvements. On the contrary, the severity of the environmental problem is increasing every year: the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing, and the amount of free oxygen is decreasing; tropical forests are being destroyed before our eyes, disappearing rare species animals and plants, fertile lands are declining, and supplies of clean fresh water are decreasing. In a word, nature is degenerating. And if nature deteriorates, people begin to suffer from diseases...

One of the most important components of the natural environment is the atmosphere. According to researchers, industrial enterprises and thermal power plants annually emit earth's atmosphere many billions of tons (!) of harmful chemical compounds, ash and dust. In countries with a high level of industrial development, pollution emissions approximately double every 12 years. Over 40% of all pollution comes from road transport.

Atmospheric pollution has no boundaries. Today, within the troposphere, air is polluted throughout the entire Earth. Compared to 1965, pollution has approximately tripled. According to geochemists, more than 300 billion tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere every year from the burning of oil, coal, gas and wood! With an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide, the thermal balance of the planet changes: the Earth absorbs more infrared (thermal) radiation, the outflow of heat into space decreases and increases average temperature ground layer of air. Consequently, “thermal” pollution causes climate change on a planetary scale.

Some of the warming that is currently observed is causing the melting of ice in Antarctica and Greenland, which inevitably leads to a rise in sea levels. In the future, this process may become irreversible, and then an increase in ocean level by 5-6 m (due to increased melting of continental glaciers) will pose a serious threat to the population living in low-lying coastal regions of the Earth.

In cities, pollution is usually 5-10 times greater than in rural areas. This is facilitated by industrial and industrial landfills. household waste, formed around cities. Such landfills have become a real disaster for surrounding nature and people. They are a source of pollution not only of the atmosphere, but also of soil, water basins, and even groundwater.

Recently, danger has begun to come even from rural areas and connections with widespread use In agriculture, it is called a pesticide - highly toxic chemicals that are used to control crop pests. Air currents and waterways distribute these substances throughout the Earth. Suffice it to say that DDT has even been found in the stomachs of chinstrap penguins.

Pollution of water sources poses an equally serious danger to humanity. It's about not only about the purity of our rivers, lakes and reservoirs, but also about the purity of the salty sea water. For some reason, it is considered normal to release spent fuel oil directly over the side of the ship. Every year, its waste from all ships amounts to tens of thousands of tons (this is in addition to the 10 million tons of oil leaking into the World Ocean as a result of oil tanker accidents). You can imagine what this leads to if every ton of fuel oil or oil spreads on the water surface as a thin film over an area of 12 km2, and yet the ocean is the main supplier of oxygen! Space images taken from orbital stations show: many thousands of square kilometers of the coastal waters of the World Ocean and seas are covered with a dark oil film...

The famous French aquanaut scientist Jacques Yves Cousteau (1910-1997) was concerned about the results of his research into the deep sea: due to the constant pollution of the World Ocean, there was a real threat of the complete destruction of many of its inhabitants. Over the past 50 years alone, more than a thousand species of marine fauna have disappeared.

If pollutants are present in the atmosphere, iodine and soil, they will inevitably accumulate in plants and animals. A person eats plant and animal foods. Consequently, many harmful substances such as lead and mercury enter the human body through food.

Currently, it is very difficult to find a place on Earth that is not exposed to human influence. But by changing natural natural conditions, a person often does not take into account how this will affect his own health. In an effort to obtain immediate economic benefits, people do not think at all about the irreparable harm they cause not only to themselves, but also to future generations.

Thus, thoughtless human economic activity leads to negative changes in the entire environment and ultimately to the complete devastation of nature. In turn, a polluted environment—a dying nature—becomes the cause of mass diseases of people with chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, and disorders of the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

All living beings on Earth have always been exposed to ionizing radiation, the source of which is natural radioactive isotopes. They create the natural radioactive background of the planet, to which humans have adapted quite well.

But in 1945, in connection with the first tests nuclear weapons Radioactive substances created by people themselves appeared in the atmosphere. And along with air and water, the man began to swallow them. Radioactive isotopes of strontium and uranium turned out to be especially dangerous for living organisms. Over the years, they accumulate in human bone tissue, which becomes a source of ionizing radiation, causing leukemia - a serious incurable disease.

Currently, there are about 500 nuclear power units operating at nuclear power plants around the world. And if disasters like the Chernobyl one on April 26, 1986 are repeated, then the possibility of contamination of the entire Earth with the most dangerous strontium-90 cannot be ruled out...

As we see, the problem of nature conservation has acquired global significance these days. To cope with the looming threat, people around the Earth must look at their planet as one. Therefore, to successfully solve a global environmental problem, it is impossible to do without space sensing. To timely identify hotbeds of pollution, their localization and neutralization, special patrol observations of the Earth from space are needed. Such observations are already being established.

Space methods for operational monitoring of the state of the natural environment are very effective. And only thanks to this further development space research should be recognized as an absolutely necessary matter. But to completely solve the environmental problem, it will be necessary to launch an offensive along the “entire front.”

First of all, it is necessary to take urgent measures to reduce environmental pollution. A promising way is to establish waste-free technology at industrial enterprises. technological process. But even if we create a waste-free land-based industry, it will still not bring the desired result: the pollution of the planet will continue to some extent. There is only one way out: to relocate all our industrial production to space.

Some supporters of the environmental movement, the so-called “greens,” believe that space technology has a detrimental effect on the natural environment: it pollutes the earth’s atmosphere harmful products burning rocket fuel and destroys the ozone layer. Of course, this happens to some extent. But a complete rejection of further space research will not save the nature of our planet from destruction. The most favorable development strategy should be based on a reasonable combination of conflicting demands: on the one hand, to preserve the earth’s nature, on the other, to ensure not only human survival, but also his further progress.

Russian scientist-philosopher Arkady Dmitrievich Ursul put forward a hypothesis about the division and future of social production into terrestrial and cosmic ones. The first should be predominantly agricultural, the second industrial. If it is not possible to create closed technological cycles completely, then it is important to develop such an option so that space production waste does not pollute nearby space - near-Earth space, and does not affect the Earth’s atmosphere and its nature.

Currently, our planet is undergoing intensive accumulation of radioactive waste, which are formed at nuclear power plants. This waste poses a mortal threat to humans and the earth's biosphere. Burying containers with radioactive isotopes in deep exhausted mines and on the ocean floor is not the best option. All this for the time being. Trouble can strike at any time and will be worse than Chernobyl!

A solution has long been asking: the place of nuclear energy is space! And while it continues to operate on Earth, we should better think: where to put radioactive waste? There are projects for space disposal of this very dangerous waste. For example, moving beyond the limits using missiles solar system- into interstellar space. But from an environmental point of view, the best option is to burn radioactive waste in the plasma shell of the Sun.

Removal industrial production beyond the Earth and the creation of orbital industrial complexes in space is a task that humanity must begin to solve in the second half of the 21st century. Only from the standpoint of space exploration can we solve the environmental disaster that is approaching us and save the nature of the Earth. There is no other way.

“All wealth begins from the earth, and the earth loves care,” says a Russian folk proverb. Wise meaning These words are clear to everyone: a person must, in a fatherly way, take care and protect nature - our priceless wealth, the source of all our earthly blessings.

The AiF project “Explaining What’s Happening” is dedicated to clarifying simple and at the same time complex questions about the life of Voronezh residents in society. The project is being implemented within the framework of the program “Improving media coverage of the problems of socially oriented NPOs and social (charitable) projects of representatives of the real sector of the economy (including support for NPOs).”

From April 15 to June 5, All-Russian days of protection against environmental hazard. AiF correspondent talked with Victoria Labzukova, head of the department of events in the field of ecology and environmental management of the VROO Center for Environmental Policy, and learned shocking facts. per day ordinary family An average of 1.5 kg of garbage is generated, about 10 kg per week and 40 kg per month. Now remember the arithmetic and multiply this figure by the number of families living in your high-rise building. And then on the number of high-rise buildings in the city. And then on the number of cities on the planet...

Victoria Labzukova spoke about the Center’s project - environmental studies“Water Lesson”, “Cleanliness Lesson”, “Ecological Problems of the City” - shared how communication with schoolchildren can help the environment in the future.

Garbage Pest

“When throwing another plastic bottle or piece of paper into the trash bin, few people think about where it ends up? When you look at photographs of huge landfills for disposal of household waste, you begin to come to a simple idea. If we do not collect waste separately, the number of landfills will increase,” says Victoria Labzukova. - Why not return the paper and plastic bottle separately? Plastic takes about 200 years to decompose, although a bottle may not decompose during this period. Who knows? Everything that can be submitted separately must be submitted. Another problem is waste batteries and mercury lamps, which many residents throw away with household garbage. But this waste is considered hazardous and causes irreparable harm to the environment when it ends up in a waste disposal site.”

When you put it away yourself, the next time you think about whether to throw the piece of paper or not. Photo: Environmental Policy Center

- How to properly handle household waste?

In our opinion, one of the most competent ways of waste management is their separate collection. IN major cities This is easier - there are points that accept recyclable materials. You can donate glass, cardboard, waste paper, textiles, plastic bottles, and polyethylene. It is desirable that such points be within walking distance for any resident of our city and region.

- What to do if you do not live in the regional center and want to dispose of waste separately?

We are doing everything we can. We go to the districts of the Voronezh region, negotiate with the heads municipalities on holding an action to collect secondary material resources. Participants of the action in advance - the population, educational institutions, business entities begin to collect waste paper and plastic bottles. On the day of the event, all separately collected waste is transferred to specialized organizations. For this purpose, such organizations specially go to the area on the day of the action. During the campaign, waste batteries - batteries, accumulators from mobile devices - are also collected.

- What happens to the batteries that we sell at promotions?

Collected used batteries are sent for disposal. The only plant in Russia that recycles used batteries is located in Chelyabinsk. Few people know that you have to pay money to neutralize batteries. Last year, the cost of this service was 110 rubles per 1 kg of batteries. In 2015, together with the environmental department, the collection of used batteries was organized. For this purpose, containers for collecting batteries were installed in all district administrations, as well as in universities, schools, and libraries. About 500 kg of batteries were collected. In carrying out the campaign, we were supported by partner organizations who paid for the transfer of batteries for neutralization.

If you think that construction near your home, dumping or cutting down trees is illegal, you can contact the Environmental Policy Center for help.

- What to do with used mercury lamps?

According to the decree of the Voronezh administration, companies managing apartment buildings, must accept waste mercury lamps from residents of these houses. You can take your used light bulb to your property management company or homeowners association. There is, however, one requirement - the light bulb must be in the package so that it does not break. And management companies must transfer spent mercury lamps to specialized organizations licensed to collect this type of waste. If your management company rejected you, you can report this to the administration of the Voronezh city district or contact us.

If you live in the private sector, the mercury lamp must be transferred directly to a specialized organization. The problem is that such organizations, as a rule, are located in an industrial zone, which is not very convenient to get to. But if you throw away a mercury bulb in your household trash, it will end up in a landfill. During the burial process, the light bulb will most likely break, thereby releasing mercury compounds into the soil and water, causing great harm to nature.

Children's lessons for adults

Schoolchildren are taught rational environmental management and waste management rules. Photo: Environmental Policy Center

- Is it possible to develop this habit in society - to think about what you throw away?

Every person must start with himself. Now each of us can, for example, stop using plastic bags and use paper or buy fabric bags. Paper bags can be returned with waste paper, and fabric bags last much longer than a regular bag.

Vending machines for accepting plastic and aluminum containers have long appeared in Moscow. Perhaps they will appear here too. Solving issues in the waste management system requires an integrated approach, and this cannot be done without the support of our government. Nowadays, legislation in the field of waste management is changing greatly. Soon, I hope, we will come to a more civilized approach. For our part, our organization carries out a lot of educational work in this direction.

- How can you tell an entire city about an ecological lifestyle?

The Center for Environmental Policy organizes and conducts various environmental activities and promotions, both in the city and in the region. For example, dedicated to significant environmental dates - Water Day, Earth Day, Bird Day, Forest Day, etc. We invite people to participate different ages, but most of the activities are aimed at working with the younger generation. We conduct environmental lessons “Water Lesson”, “Cleanliness Lesson”, “Ecological Problems of the City”. All meetings are held in an interesting game form. The children learn rational environmental management, waste management rules, and rules of behavior in nature. We also organize excursions for school students to enterprises that collect secondary material resources.

- Why do you focus specifically on lessons for children?

It’s easier to communicate with children; they perceive with interest new information and try to apply the acquired knowledge in everyday life. Children tell their parents and relatives about what they learned during classes. Again, students who take part in cleanup days develop a more caring attitude towards nature. When you put it away yourself, the next time you think about whether to throw the piece of paper or not. And the relatives will have the thought: “My child cleaned up here, I won’t litter here.”

Eco-active lifestyle

It's easy to take care of the environment - you can stop using plastic bags or start making birdhouses. Photo: Environmental Policy Center

- Where to go if you want to become an environmental activist?

There are initiative groups of citizens and movements that are not indifferent to environmental issues. They create their own pages on various social networks, for example, VKontakte, and inform about their events there. The Center for Environmental Policy is ready to share its experience. We have ready-made presentations and handouts. We need volunteers who could carry out the environmental activities we have developed.

And there are people who, without waiting for help, try to do something themselves to improve environmental situation. Thus, in Voronezh an active group of citizens appeared who purchased containers for collecting plastic bottles and installed them in the courtyard areas of apartment buildings. The containers have phone numbers written on them to call when they are full. This initiative has found a great response from the townspeople; calls are received several times a day. From this we can conclude that Voronezh residents are ready to collect waste separately. Such initiatives, of course, should be supported by the government of our region.

- What to do if you notice illegal dumping or cutting of trees?

You see some kind of violation. For example, it seems to you that construction near your house is illegal, or you discovered a garbage dump, or noticed that trees are being cut down. You can contact our organization, call, write to email or leave information in the VKontakte group. To do this, you need to indicate the exact address where, in your opinion, the environmental violation is occurring, leave your coordinates, it is advisable to record the fact of the violation and forward it to us. It happens that they call anonymously, report that something is happening somewhere and hang up. It is important to leave your contacts so that we have the opportunity to contact and clarify necessary information. In turn, we send an appeal to the executive authorities, whose competence includes resolving these issues.

Regarding the cutting down of trees in the city, you can contact the environmental department directly. There they will tell you whether there is permission to cut or not. If there is no permission, the necessary measures will be taken to suppress this fact.

Our organization cooperates with social movements, initiative groups of citizens who are not indifferent to problems related to environmental protection, and we also actively interact with authorities to solve these problems.

Pollution is the introduction of pollutants into the natural environment that cause adverse changes. Pollution can take the form of chemicals or energy such as noise, heat or light. Components of pollution can be either foreign substances/energy or natural pollutants.

Main types and causes of environmental pollution:

Air pollution

Coniferous forest after acid rain

Smoke from chimneys, factories, vehicles or from burning wood and coal make the air toxic. The effects of air pollution are also clear. The release of sulfur dioxide and hazardous gases into the atmosphere causes global warming and acid rain, which in turn increases temperatures, causing excessive rainfall or droughts around the world, making life more difficult. We also breathe every contaminated particle in the air and as a result, the risk of asthma and lung cancer increases.

Water pollution

Caused the loss of many species of flora and fauna of the Earth. This happened due to the fact that industrial waste dumped into rivers and other water bodies, cause an imbalance in aquatic environment, resulting in severe pollution and death of aquatic animals and plants.

In addition, spraying insecticides, pesticides (such as DDT) on plants, contaminates the groundwater system. Oil spills in the oceans have caused significant damage to water bodies.

Eutrophication in the Potomac River, USA

Eutrophication is another one important reason water pollution. Occurs due to untreated waste water and the runoff of fertilizers from the soil into lakes, ponds or rivers, causing chemicals to leach into the water and prevent penetration sun rays, thereby reducing the amount of oxygen and making the reservoir unsuitable for life.

Pollution of water resources harms not only individual aquatic organisms, but also the entire water supply, and seriously affects the people who depend on it. In some countries of the world, due to water pollution, outbreaks of cholera and diarrhea are observed.

Soil pollution

Soil erosion

This type of pollution occurs when harmful substances enter the soil. chemical elements, usually caused by human activity. Insecticides and pesticides suck nitrogen compounds from the soil, making it unsuitable for plant growth. Industrial waste also has a negative impact on the soil. Since plants cannot grow as required, they are unable to retain soil, resulting in erosion.

Noise pollution

This pollution occurs when unpleasant (loud) sounds from the environment affect a person's hearing organs and lead to psychological problems including tension, high blood pressure, hearing loss, etc. It can be caused by industrial equipment, airplanes, cars, etc.

Radioactive contamination

This is very dangerous look contamination, it occurs due to malfunctions nuclear power plants, improper storage nuclear waste, accidents, etc. Radioactive contamination can cause cancer, infertility, loss of vision, birth defects; it can make the soil infertile, and also negatively affects air and water.

Light pollution

Light pollution on planet Earth

Occurs due to noticeable excess illumination of an area. It is common, as a rule, in large cities, especially from billboards, gyms or entertainment venues at night. In residential areas, light pollution greatly affects people's lives. It also interferes with astronomical observations, making the stars almost invisible.

Thermal/heat pollution

Thermal pollution is the deterioration of water quality by any process that changes temperature surrounding water. The main cause of thermal pollution is the use of water as a refrigerant by power plants and industries. When water used as a refrigerant is returned to the natural environment at a higher temperature, the change in temperature reduces the oxygen supply and affects the composition. Fish and other organisms adapted to a particular temperature range can be killed by a sudden change in water temperature (or a rapid increase or decrease).

Thermal pollution is caused by excess heat in the environment creating undesirable changes over long periods of time. This is due to the huge number of industries, deforestation and air pollution. Thermal pollution increases the Earth's temperature, causing dramatic climate change and the extinction of wildlife species.

Visual pollution

Visual pollution, Philippines

Visual pollution is an aesthetic problem and refers to the effects of pollution that impair the ability to enjoy the natural world. It includes: billboards, open garbage storage, antennas, electrical wires, buildings, cars, etc.

Overcrowding a large number objects causes visual pollution. Such pollution contributes to absent-mindedness, eye fatigue, loss of identity, etc.

Plastic pollution

Plastic pollution, India

Includes the accumulation of plastic products in the environment that have adverse effects on wildlife, the habitat of animals or people. Plastic products are inexpensive and durable, which has made them very popular among people. However, this material decomposes very slowly. Plastic pollution can adversely affect soil, lakes, rivers, seas and oceans. Living organisms, especially marine animals, become entangled in plastic waste or suffer from chemicals in plastic that cause disruptions in biological functions. People are also affected by plastic pollution by causing hormonal imbalance.

Objects of pollution

The main objects of environmental pollution are air (atmosphere), water resources(streams, rivers, lakes, seas, oceans), soil, etc.

Pollutants (sources or subjects of pollution) of the environment

Pollutants are chemical, biological, physical or mechanical elements (or processes) that harm the environment.

They can cause harm in both the short and long term. Pollutants come from natural resources or are produced by humans.

Many pollutants have toxic effects on living organisms. Carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide) is an example of a substance that is harmful to humans. This compound is absorbed by the body instead of oxygen, causing shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and in severe cases can lead to serious poisoning, and even death.

Some pollutants become dangerous when they react with other naturally occurring compounds. Oxides of nitrogen and sulfur are released from impurities in fossil fuels during combustion. They react with water vapor in the atmosphere, turning into acid rain. Acid rain has a negative impact on aquatic ecosystems and leads to the death of aquatic animals, plants, and other living organisms. Terrestrial ecosystems are also affected by acid rain.

Classification of pollution sources

According to the type of occurrence, environmental pollution is divided into:

Anthropogenic (artificial) pollution

Deforestation

Anthropogenic pollution is the impact on the environment caused by human activities. The main sources of artificial pollution are:

industrialization;
invention of automobiles;
global population growth;
deforestation: destruction of natural habitats;
nuclear explosions;
overexploitation of natural resources;
construction of buildings, roads, dams;
creation of explosive substances that are used during military operations;
use of fertilizers and pesticides;
mining.

Natural (natural) pollution

Volcanic eruption

Natural pollution is caused and occurs naturally, without human intervention. It can affect the environment for a certain period of time, but is capable of regeneration. Sources of natural pollution include:

volcanic eruptions, releasing gases, ash and magma;
forest fires emit smoke and gaseous impurities;
sandstorms raise dust and sand;
decomposition of organic matter, during which gases are released.

Consequences of pollution:

Environmental degradation

Photo on the left: Beijing after the rain. Photo on the right: smog in Beijing

The environment is the first victim of air pollution. An increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere leads to smog, which can prevent sunlight from reaching the earth's surface. In this regard, it becomes much more difficult. Gases such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide can cause acid rain. Water pollution in terms of oil spills can lead to the death of several species of wild animals and plants.

Human health

Lung cancer

Decreased air quality leads to several respiratory problems, including asthma or lung cancer. Chest pain, sore throat, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory diseases can be caused by air pollution. Water pollution can cause skin problems, including irritation and rashes. Similarly, noise pollution leads to hearing loss, stress and sleep disturbance.

Global warming

Male, the capital of the Maldives, is one of the cities facing the prospect of being flooded by the ocean in the 21st century

The release of greenhouse gases, especially CO2, leads to global warming. Every day new industries are created, new cars appear on the roads, and trees are cut down to make way for new homes. All these factors, directly or indirectly, lead to an increase in CO2 in the atmosphere. An increase in CO2 entails the melting of polar ice caps, which increases sea levels and poses dangers to people living near coastal areas.

Ozone depletion

The ozone layer is a thin shield high in the sky that blocks ultraviolet rays from reaching the ground. Human activities release chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere, which contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer.

Badlands

Due to the constant use of insecticides and pesticides, the soil can become infertile. Various types of chemicals formed from industrial waste, get into the water, which also affects the quality of the soil.

Protection (protection) of the environment from pollution:

International protection

Many are particularly vulnerable because they are exposed to human influence in many countries. As a result, some states are coming together and developing agreements aimed at preventing damage or managing human impacts on natural resources. These include agreements that affect the protection of the climate, oceans, rivers and air from pollution. These international environmental treaties are sometimes binding instruments that have legal consequences in the event of non-compliance, and in other situations they are used as codes of conduct. The most famous include:

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), approved in June 1972, provides for environmental protection for current generation people and their descendants.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was signed in May 1992. The main goal This agreement is to "stabilize the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system"
The Kyoto Protocol provides for the reduction or stabilization of the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere. It was signed in Japan at the end of 1997.

State protection

Discussions of environmental issues often focus on the government, legislative and law enforcement levels. However, in the broadest sense, environmental protection can be seen as the responsibility of the entire people, not just the government. Decisions that impact the environment will ideally involve a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, indigenous groups, environmental groups and communities. Environmental decision-making processes are constantly evolving and becoming more active in different countries.

Many constitutions recognize the fundamental right to protect the environment. In addition, in various countries There are organizations and institutions involved in environmental protection issues.

Although protecting the environment is not just a responsibility government agencies, most people consider these organizations to be paramount in creating and maintaining basic standards that protect the environment and the people who interact with it.

How to protect the environment yourself?

Population and technological advances based on fossil fuels have severely impacted our natural environment. Therefore, we now need to do our part to eliminate the consequences of degradation so that humanity continues to live in an environmentally friendly environment.

There are 3 main principles that are still relevant and more important than ever:

use less;
reuse;
recycle.

Create a compost heap in your garden. It helps to recycle food waste and other biodegradable materials.
When shopping, use your eco-bags and try to avoid plastic bags as much as possible.
Plant as many trees as you can.
Think about ways to reduce the number of trips you make using your car.
Reduce vehicle emissions by walking or cycling. Not only are these great alternatives to driving, but they also have health benefits.
Use public transportation whenever you can for daily transportation.
Bottles, paper, used oil, old batteries and used tires must be disposed of properly; all this causes serious pollution.
Do not pour chemicals and waste oil onto the ground or into drains leading to waterways.
If possible, recycle selected biodegradable waste, and work to reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste used.
Reduce the amount of meat you consume or consider a vegetarian diet.

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Do not forget that harm to nature is caused not only by harmful emissions from production, mountains of garbage, pollution of rivers and seas, deforestation, destruction of animals and plants, but also by our weekend trips to barbecue or pick mushrooms. Naturally, the harm to the environment caused by a fire we make is not comparable to what a chemical plant or a landfill for household waste “gives” to nature, but it is still noticeable.

Have you ever noticed how a mother, walking with her child in the park, suddenly exclaims “ugh, what disgusting!” Is he diligently pressing something with his foot? The child is receptive and will quickly learn that a butterfly fluttering in a clearing is cute and beautiful, but something crawling underfoot is disgusting and not worthy of life. A lesson learned in childhood will remain for life: “I myself determine what and who is worthy to live and grow on this earth.”

Lately, nature has increasingly made it clear to us that it is offended by our stupid activities: snow will fall where it has never been seen before - in Africa or southern Asia, rain will flood Europe, or drought will leave vast regions without crops.

Recently, more and more people are beginning to understand that we must learn to live in harmony with nature, to obey the laws of ecology - the science of our common house.

The term “ecology” was proposed in 1866 by the German scientist Ernst Haeckel, who defined it as the science of the relationship of all living things to the environment. In Greek, “oikos” means dwelling, house, place of residence, and “logos” means word, teaching.

Let’s not delve into the scientific jungle; the essence of ecology can be formulated in one way: in a short phrase: “Man, do no harm.” But, unfortunately, we do much and sophisticated harm, causing irreparable harm to nature. We are already accustomed to the fact that every summer television shows a lot of fires that destroy thousands of hectares of forests. And most fires are the work of man.

An unextinguished cigarette butt or ember, a transparent glass bottle thrown onto dry grass (the effect of a magnifying glass) in dry windy weather can in a few minutes turn a calm green forest into a fiery hell in which a lot of living things will die.

Scientists have calculated that 1 hectare of forest absorbs at least 5 tons of carbon dioxide per year, releasing 10 tons of oxygen during the same time. For example: in one hour, a hectare of forest will absorb all the carbon dioxide released by the breathing of 200 people.

Convincing numbers, aren't they? And many similar examples can be given.

Do not forget that in city parks and squares there are perhaps not much fewer living creatures than in the wild forest, but they are much more vulnerable and are entirely dependent on human whim. Our ancestors long ago formulated the basic principles of human behavior in relation to nature. Let's follow them too.

Try not to keep wild animals at home. In most cases, turning them into pets will not work. Most often, your inept “care” is disastrous for them. If you decide to help a wild animal, think about whether you can do it without harming it.

Under no circumstances should you bring grown chicks or young animals from the forest. In the vast majority of cases, they are not abandoned by their parents; the parents are simply busy looking for food.

You should not approach animal holes and bird nests if they contain young animals, which usually give themselves away by squeaking.

If your dog is poorly trained, in the spring and early summer do not let it off the leash in the park, forest, or vacant lots where there may be bird nests or young wild animals. Try not to create unnecessary noise during this period, which scares away birds and animals. Cubs that do not have time to run away after the adults may get lost and die.

Treat the smallest inhabitants of the forest with care. Don't cut the webs, just walk around them. Do not destroy anthills or step on ant paths.

Unnecessarily, do not turn over stones, snags, old logs, or break mossy stumps. A large number of living beings live under them and in them. If you want to make sure of this, sit aside for a while. The anxiety caused by your steps will subside, and lizards will crawl out onto the stumps, centipedes will rush about their business, beetles will appear, birds will fuss, a mouse will crawl out of its hole - the forest will begin to live its normal life.

For nature, all living beings are important and necessary; they all have their own niche and complex relationships with others. There are no “vile and nasty” people among them, so there is no need to put pressure on anyone or step on anyone. Tomorrow, a scary-looking hairy caterpillar will turn into a beautiful butterfly and pollinate flowers.

Try not to unnecessarily disturb the forest soil. Do not forget that a passing car compacts it with its wheels, leading to the death of many living beings. Exhaust gases also do not benefit the forest. It is advisable to walk through the forest along existing paths, without unnecessarily creating new ones. If you go off-road, try not to break or trample plants.

There is no need to pick plants just to admire them. To do this, just bend over to a flower, which in its natural environment will always look better than in your hands. If there is a need to pick plants - for example, when collecting medicinal herbs, do not do a “total weeding”, pick them little by little in different places, trying not to harm other plants.

When collecting mushrooms, berries, and nuts, try not to cause unnecessary harm to nature. Don't destroy everything around to get to the coveted mushroom or berry cluster. Don’t pick every last berry and nut - there are many other people who have their sights on them besides you. Do not forget that in nature all plants are needed, this applies to fly agarics, and toadstools, and to various tinder fungi.

By the way, collecting our beloved birch sap is by no means harmless to trees. It’s difficult to give up this delicacy, but don’t overdo it, and be sure to cover up the wounds on birch trees, preferably with garden varnish, or with regular plasticine.

It is clear that the harm that a particular tourist, hunter or mushroom picker can cause to nature is usually small, but if possible we should try to minimize it to the limit. Nature generously shares its gifts with us, but also waits for itself careful attitude and worries. Don't forget the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: