Land
Basic Definition
·• “Land pollution is the destruction and contamination of the land through the direct and indirect actions of humans” (“Land Pollution”).
• “The deposition of solid or liquid waste materials on land or underground in a manner that can contaminate the soil and groundwater, threaten public health, and cause unsightly conditions and nuisances” (Nathanson, 2017).
Causes:
• Deforestation, soil erosion, agricultural chemicals, agricultural activities, industrialization, mining, overcrowded landfills, human sewage, construction activities, nuclear waste.
• “Human activities lead to ten times more erosion than natural causes” (Scheid, n.d.).
• Chemicals found in contaminated soil can cause birth defects, breathing disorders, skin diseases, cancers, contaminating land grown food, can affect air quality, unappealing to tourists, open dumps become a breeding ground for rats, mosquitoes, and flies which are disease carriers.
• Loss of topsoil, shifting habitat, increased risk of wildfires, change in climate patterns, environmental imbalance
• “The length of the fire season has increased by 20% and area affected has doubled since 35 years” (Zielinski, 2015).
• “In the U.S. in the 1600s, 46% of the land was covered by forests. By 2016 it was 33.9%” (Scheid, n.d.).
• “One third of the world soil is degraded due to farm chemicals. Fertilizer application has increased four fold since 1960s” (Fertilizer and Pesticides, n.d.).
Effects on Land:
Effects on Humans:
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Proper waste disposal, treating waste, disposing it in the safely. Reusing materials, products that are not reusable can likely be recycled, limiting the use of non-biodegradable materials, reducing use of pesticides and fertilizers, organic gardening, consumer purchase of organic foods from said organic gardening, avoid littering/properly disposing trash, conservation, sanitary landfills.
Potential Solutions:
• “You can pitch in by starting a recycling campaign and connecting with local, federal, and state governments to enlist help on starting land conservation programs in your area” (Scheid, n.d.).