Difference between Water Pollution and Land Pollution
Pollution - a word which has got lots of relevance in current scenario. Literally pollution means contamination of the natural environment by the presence of pollutants. Pollution can be broadly categorized into Air, Water and Land pollution. Each one has its own impact on the mankind.
Contamination of the natural water resources like streams, lakes, rivers, oceans, groundwater mainly by human activities is the foremost cause for water pollution. Water is one of the essential things for sustaining life on earth. Pollution of water can create adverse effects on the quality, ecological functions and thus a major threat to public health, biodiversity and agriculture. In the same way land pollution is the contagion of land or soil through the activities of man or other variation to the innate soil environment.
Major Causes
Urbanization andindustrialization can be counted as the main reason for the water and land pollution. The industrial waste and sewage are mainly disposed into the nearby river, lake or oceans. On the other hand the increased uses of non cyclic materials like plastic and the increased usage of artificial fertilizers degraded the soil quality thus leading to the contamination of land. Water pollution is also caused due to oil spillage. Ships those transport oil and other derivatives accidentally spills oil into the sea thus making a thick oil layer that averts emission of carbon dioxide and absorption of oxygen.
Effects
According to the studies these pollutions can create unexpected effects on environment. The use of pesticides and fungicides for a prolonged period causes retention these things in the topsoil. When this topsoil gets washed away, the remaining of these pesticides and fertilizers washes along with it and gets mixed with the water and thus polluting the water. On drinking this water or by consuming the fishes or other such creatures living in this water, the poisonous things enter our body. This can cause many diseases including cancer. Becausemost petroleum products are poisonous, the fishes and other such things get contaminated with chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Preventive Measures
You can contribute by abolishing the use chemical based cleaners, repairing your car leaks, preventing dumping of toxic waste, and by ensuring disposal of hazardous waste at hazardous waste collection centers. Various countries have set standards in legislation in the form of concentration levels that are believed to be low enough to protect public health. There are many international treaties for the prevention of pollution (E.g. Montreal Protocol). Consciousness among people, regarding the drastic effects of pollution around the world, can also help in dropping the intensity of pollution. This awareness can be created through various media like newspapers, television, radio, fliers, seminars, etc.
Similarities and Differences
- It is high time that we take this issue seriously, or it could have adverse effects on our future generations.
- Organize events to raise awareness in your community. Join and support a local, national or international environmental group.
- Promote recycling of hazardous wastes.
- Discourage disposal of poisonous wastes into the water resources.
- Restrain from the use of chemicals and fertilizers in your home and yard.Promote the use of green cleaning practices. Ensure safe disposal of household chemicals and fertilizers.
- Promotereuseof materials.A material is reclaimed if it is processed to recover a usable product, or if it is regenerated.
