Ways to Prevent and Reduce Air, Water, and Land Pollution

Lory, a development economist, did research projects on energy/anti-pollution topics for a national research agency in the Philippines.

This entire planet is our home. We are the only species that systematically destroy our own habitat.

— Marianne Williamson

Pollution Is Our Problem

Pollution prevention is a major global concern because of its harmful effects on people's health and the environment. Because we are all inhabitants on Earth, everyone is a stakeholder, and every person has something to contribute to advance effective pollution prevention and awareness. Environmental protection is a natural extension of caring for ourselves, loving our children, and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.

If We Heal the Earth, We Heal Ourselves

We should all, therefore, accept personal responsibility for the success of our local environmental protection programs by actively participating in making our atmosphere pollution-free. And, although we can each help combat pollution in our immediate environments, we can do more by working to change legislation and policy on a larger scale.

Averting the onset of pollution in any area, be it in air or water or on land, could be the simplest preventive solution. If there are no pollutants, there will be no pollution. And yet, this is easier said than done. Certain bad habits are entrenched and industrial development as we know it seems to involve an expectation of pollution. Even the most simple preventive approaches are often quite complicated, expensive, and difficult for a small business to implement.

Still, there are small changes we can make on the individual level that make a difference, both in the short and long term.

NASA reports that in the next ten months, the earth will get hotter by four degrees. Glaciers are melting at rapid rates. Our climate is changing drastically and it's getting worse.

Ways to Prevent Pollution

Every action or inaction of any person has an effect on the environment—be it good, neutral, or negative. By becoming aware and doing the right thing, we choose to be part of the solution. Here are some things you can do:

Stop Smoking

• Stop smoking or don't throw your butts on the ground. Cigarette butts are not biodegradable and contain extremely toxic soluble chemicals. One butt thrown on the ground can remain for up to 25 years, leaking chemicals like arsenic, ammonia, acetone, benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, lead, and toluene into the environment.

Use Eco-Friendly Transportation

• Drive an electric or hybrid car, or at least choose one that uses unleaded gasoline.
• Keep your car in good running condition to avoid emissions.
• Share a ride or carpool.
• Choose to walk or ride a bicycle whenever possible.

Dispose of Waste Responsibly

• Never use open fires to dispose of waste, especially chemicals and plastic.
• Adopt the 3 Rs of solid waste management: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
• Use sustainable, reclaimed, or recycled building materials.
• Start composting leaves and clippings from your yard and food scraps from your kitchen to reduce waste while improving your soil.
• Take care to properly dispose of your pet's waste.

We have a moral and spiritual bond to the planet that God made the source of all living things that our own survival depends upon. Many urban dwellers have lost their spiritual bond to the earth when they lose a connection to the natural environment. They can lose their inner peace too.

— Father Shay Cullen

Choose Renewable Sources of Energy

• Use the power supplied abundantly and freely by wind and sun. Hang your laundry to dry to minimize your use of gas or electricity, and open a window or put on a sweater rather than turning on the air conditioner or heater.
• Consider investing in solar panels or other renewable energy sources for your home or business.

Promote Conservation as a Consumer

• Buy local foods and goods. In this manner, the use of fuel for transporting goods can be minimized.
• Look around your house or place of business for ways you could conserve water.
• Use and buy products that are eco-friendly or made with biodegradable materials. Avoid plastic.
• Always bring a bag when you shop.

One person alone cannot save the planet’s biodiversity, but each individual’s effort to encourage nature’s wealth must not be underestimated.

— United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Avoid Disrupting the Ecosystem

• Get rid of your lawn: Plant bee-friendly, drought-tolerant, native plants instead.
• Plant more trees. They clean the air, provide oxygen, and beautify your surroundings.
• Say a big "NO" to pesticides and GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

Make Reducing Pollution a Community Goal

• Join an Earth Day celebration (every April 22nd), and consider making its tenets an everyday practice.
• If you own a business, make sure you have considered the environmental impact of your business practices. If you work for someone else, take the time to assess your company's environmental impact and try to implement positive change.
• Do not litter. Better yet, start an anti-litter campaign to educate your community.

How Will You Pledge to Reduce Pollution?

Rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise.

— Pope Francis in Laudato

Stopping Pollution Doesn't Have to Be Overwhelming

The good news is that there is hope. The seeming insurmountability of the situation does not stop environmental protection advocates from pursuing their goals for a pollution-free earth. Kudos to Greenpeace and similar organizations all over the world as they bear the torch.

The daunting size of the problem shouldn't stop you, either. Everyone can help by educating themselves and doing what they can to adopt good and healthy practices, starting with the items on this list. It is also important that we share and help raise awareness about what we know.

By doing what you can, educating yourself, and sharing your awareness, you can make a significant impact.

What do you think?

The pollution of the planet is only an outside reflection of an inner psychic pollution: millions of unconscious individuals not taking responsibility for their inner space. [...] Are you polluting the world or cleaning up the mess? You are responsible for your inner space; nobody else is, just as you are responsible for the planet. As within, so without. If humans clear inner pollution, then they will also cease to create outer pollution.

— Eckhart Tolle

This content reflects the personal opinions of the author. It is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and should not be substituted for impartial fact or advice in legal, political, or personal matters.

Comments

Nichollete on May 03, 2020:

I had a project this was off the charts helpfull

fvbvbb on April 06, 2020:

it is the worst

harry potter on April 02, 2020:

this is our earth so we have to take care of it!

Taco on February 29, 2020:

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Taco's on February 28, 2020:

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Me on February 24, 2020:

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tabassum200@gmail.com on February 04, 2020:

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student on December 11, 2019:

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Mownika on November 29, 2019:

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Rose on November 29, 2019:

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Ethan Louis Pasno on November 25, 2019:

I Love all the facts and it also helps me answer questions.

Hi on October 30, 2019:

Cool.

Kishan yadav class 8 on October 28, 2019:

We know that pollution is harmfull but we are ignore in india but it is not good

Unknown on October 09, 2019:

Didn't help me much

Flammes on June 02, 2019:

Really interesting!!excellent

Nandini Rayappa on June 02, 2019:

It was very helpful for me to write in my project

Kavita on May 28, 2019:

It is worst worst worst

Muhammad zafar on May 23, 2019:

I read the statement about POLLUTION

it is a fruitful for Teachers and students.

ali on May 06, 2019:

excellento

Benit on May 06, 2019:

Nice

@thezia_awan Instagram on May 02, 2019:

It's really helpful for me when I present in the front of the more people

Divyansh on April 30, 2019:

I m nature loving person... I m not only one in my country who loves nature... But when we eat outside we r not doing such things... As using glass plate plastic spoons because we n not carry heavy wait and who can clean again and again.... We r eating in train food which is not a re

Benit on April 15, 2019:

I love it....

kelly kiel on March 04, 2019:

people are good at talking and holding up campaign but tend to be lazy to act and do the work .As a nation or country i believe that if we work together as one we can get ride of pollution and make it a better nation and world of the up coming generation .

Falak on January 22, 2019:

It did n' t help me.

'

larkly on December 14, 2018:

this did not help me much.

nature on December 12, 2018:

why i don't know ,the teachers are always ask students to write essay on environmental pollution thinking that they will learn something from that ,but why they don't teach them how to prevent environmental pollution or showing them how to prevent pollution experimentally.....??????????? why........... are you agree with me

Vijayshree .R on November 22, 2018:

Shall I write this in essay?

Student on November 20, 2018:

This helped me in project

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This is helpfull essay and having new things which I have been gained.

AJ on November 14, 2018:

Very nice

Hannah, studying 8th standard on November 13, 2018:

Hmm I think people who voted I don't care don't wanna care for themselves and their families

student on November 08, 2018:

this helped me too

student on November 01, 2018:

This really helped me in my essay

tom on October 27, 2018:

good article

Mano on October 07, 2018:

It was a real i am very sad that our earth are in danger position because of pollution

AMO on September 25, 2018:

this is a very moving artical.

Your friend on August 28, 2018:

This really helped me in my project.....

Its really amazing.........

I love it ........

And from the start I really like my garden and always keep it green...

human being on July 26, 2018:

i m shocked after reading this article.we should care about,re environment.This article is very helpful.And we should keep are environment clean.

Aman on July 03, 2018:

The scenes of destruction are very horrible and I think it's all because of us

pelagia shorwa on June 27, 2018:

much obliged to you ......this is so lucrative

Pratima jaiswar on June 26, 2018:

We all will plant a tree every day to save many lives

Human being on May 24, 2018:

this page has helped me a lot to complete my project on pollution and also i would like to say that to everyone whom so ever will read this ,please reduce pollution because we are the next generation and we will have suffer. i m a girl of grade 9th and i also know how much pollution is there on our earth. i request u all try to reduce pollution because i think your children will be the next generation .

As you can see in today's India people are fighting for water and so many things.

PLEASE REDUCE POLLUTION....

Aasma garg on May 21, 2018:

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aman on May 20, 2018:

it is very good article . must follow to protect our mother earth.

Hi!! URGENT on April 08, 2018:

Actually i need your help!! i really don't have any idea for my project.My project is we need to create something new/make a renovation of the thing that has already exist about how to prevent or controls (water/soil/air) pollution.For example my friend are making a vacuum cleaner with bottle.The function is to vacuum the rubbish in the water(to prevent water pollution).I really need your brilliant idea what is the best project that i can do based on the suitable pollution.

itsyeboi on March 28, 2018:

carpool more

Metoo on March 16, 2018:

Stop making plastic return to glass or something...........

??? on March 16, 2018:

this help slightly with a project

-???

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Excellent thinking

helpful on February 15, 2018:

helpful, helped me write my assignment

evidence tenda on February 07, 2018:

Oooh this encouraged me to do my geography project

AMERICA on January 26, 2018:

This is a bunch of tree hugging hippie crap. It was informational but y'all are full of crap.I care about the earth but i ain't walking everywhere or riding a bike.I will use my car and laugh at y'all people walking.y'all are the kind of hippie democrats that go around talking about global warming and saying "oh we're killing polar bears".well polar bears have been living o this earth for a lllloooonnnggg time and the have been just fine. I don't mind you saying ways to prevent pollution but your trying to control what we do. a'MERICA

Adip Dutta on January 22, 2018:

This helped me a lot to do my science project

air pollu on January 15, 2018:

very thank full to you

Vivi_Gio on January 14, 2018:

This really helped me on my project,thank you

Harshita cbaubey on January 10, 2018:

This help me to make an project on steps to reduce pollution. Thank you ☺️

you don't need to know on November 26, 2017:

This really helped me with my essay about pollution and ways to stop it essay. Thanks! :)

Ankur on November 24, 2017:

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FROM :ANKUR

TO :YOU

William Murphy on November 19, 2017:

Say "no" to GMOs? That's a great way to make the problem WORSE. GMOs generally provide more food and more nutrition while using less land, less water and less pesticide in growing it. Stop the anti-science fear-mongering and say YES to GMOs.

TRAN LE QUYNH NHI on October 23, 2017:

So interesting

Naveen Rawat on October 18, 2017:

Thanks very much

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Crazers on January 16, 2017:

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Mylis on December 17, 2016:

Awesome article, perfect for spreading awareness about pollution. The video is good too.

Chesney Lewis on December 07, 2016:

I think you all should just recycle

Osama on November 22, 2016:

Nice article!!!

mimi on November 21, 2016:

very nice article, also good quotes

shashanka on November 17, 2016:

Hi,

One simple idea to reduce pollution.

It is to create local public/government transport system using animals like horses and camels instead of the conventional vehicles.

In ancient times, civilizations used animals as means of transport.

This is an eco friendly natural way.

Animals as means of transport reduce accidents as well as the animals are conscious beings.

Some people may object as this may lead to abuse of the animals.

For that, the only solution I feel is to learn to treat them and use them with love and gentle care.

I am trying to meet all leaders/business men to spread this idea. This idea may and hopefully will save the planet, people and all living beings.

Regards....

Veronica Brown on November 06, 2016:

Thank you a lot Soapboxie it really helped a lot. Not only would I learn much about it, I can spread the good news to everyone. Thanks again; really helpful.

Jackson Barry The First on November 01, 2016:

GMO is good for reducing polluting dammit! They use less fertilizer to make more food. GMO's are one of the greatest tools in our arsenal. Weed resistant and pest resistant plants mean less herbicide and insecticide and those are the real killer of the environment. Not to mention less tillage of soil means less use of diesel fuel. GMO's are wonderful if you say otherwise you're wrong.

sanshiya on October 31, 2016:

thank u for the answer......

malavika on October 29, 2016:

Nice article! helpful and informative. Gud luck for your great work.

Akshith on October 17, 2016:

Nice

soroya mark on October 12, 2016:

thanks guys........... i pass my exam........cause of this page thanks once again.......