Pollution Essay
Essay Writing Task
Why is this happening?
What can governments do to reduce pollution caused by the amount of rubbish we produce?
Pollution Essay
Why Are We Producing More And More Rubbish?The problem of rubbish is not a new phenomenon; however, the quantity now being produced is cause for concern. Part of this is because we are now more enlightened as to how we dispose of rubbish and the effects it has on environmental pollution. Traditionally in the UK, landfill sites and incineration plants have been the two most widely used methods of eliminating rubbish. Both methods have some advantages, but they also cause additional problems and negatively impact our environment through air pollution, soil pollution, and land pollution.
For example, landfills are already overcrowded and causing problems, for example, releasing harmful gases like carbon dioxide and in some cases toxic substances, causing water pollution through run-off, and other things which are harmful to the natural environment.
Much residential and commercial rubbish ends up at landfill sites. The packaging materials most likely to end up as litter are those which blow away easily in the wind, such as light plastic bags. Once in the environment, these can take many years to degrade, if they degrade at all. They can also become entangled around the necks of animals or ingested, causing choking or blockages in their digestive systems. Incinerating rubbish also causes various problems. The main one is that it creates air pollution, contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming. It also produces toxic substances which can contaminate the soil and water.
The increasing quantity of rubbish required to be disposed of can be linked directly to the major changes in lifestyle and culture within the country. The UK population has adopted a ‘throw away’ or ‘disposable’ culture concerning many things. Mending or repairing everyday objects are no longer common activities, and in fact, manufacturers design many products in a way that is now no longer feasible or economically viable to repair them. Cellular phones are an ideal example, where technology is replaced and superseded so rapidly that many people buy a new phone every year or at least every other year.
Many products are now heavily packaged, partly due to marketing and branding concerns and also because they are produced in other countries and need to be transported great distances before appearing on retail shelves across the country. This packaging is not simply brown paper, which could be used to wrap something else in, or a generic box that could be recycled or used again, it is generally product specific and consumers usually dispose of it in their household trash.
The amount of industrial waste packaging is astounding. these are the packaging materials and processes used in manufacturing and distributing products to consumers. It includes all packaging related to product assembly, distribution, storage, sale, and use.
In my opinion, it is not up to the government to design solutions. People must be conscious of the consequences of their decisions, and manufacturers must take responsibility for their marketing actions. If people wish to consume, then they should do so responsibly and try to reuse or recycle their packaging materials to avoid depletion of natural resources. Manufacturers could easily design reusable packaging, or incentivize consumers to dispose of it in a controlled manner.
Being aware of the problem is the most important step. We have already seen many recycling schemes set up in this country; however, the UK has now slipped backward and recycles less than it did ten years ago. Countries such as Austria recycle much more than the UK.
New technology is always being developed for disposing of rubbish, but one of the most helpful things we could do as a population, is to try and reduce pollution by creating less rubbish we send to traditional landfill and incineration plants, through our actions, and being more aware of how our consumption directly impacts our environment.
How would you answer this pollution essay writing question about producing more and more rubbish?
- - Is rubbish a problem in your country?
- - Should governments be responsible for solving rubbish problems?
- - Or should people just produce less rubbish and recycle more at home?
FAQ
What are useful phrases and expressions to include in a Pollution Essay
Phrases to express the magnitude or severity of the problem
Phrases to describe the effects of pollution
Phrases to describe what needs to be done about the problem
What vocabulary is useful for describing pollution or environmental problems?
How does rubbish contribute to air and noise pollution?
One of the main ways that rubbish contributes to air and noise pollution is through the burning of waste. When rubbish is burned, it releases harmful gases and toxic substances into the air. These can cause a range of health problems, including respiratory problems and cancer. They can also lead to smog and acid rain. In addition, burning rubbish creates a lot of noise, which can be disruptive and stressful.
Another way that rubbish contributes to air and noise pollution is by emitting greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are released when organic waste decomposes. This process generates methane, a gas that is around 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of its ability to trap heat in the atmosphere.
Which would reduce air pollution more, less waste in landfill or incinerating less waste?
It depends on a number of factors, including the type of waste being incinerated and the efficiency of the incineration process. In general, however, incinerating less waste is likely to have a greater impact on reducing air pollution.