Land Pollution Is Not The Solution

Rishit Podder

 Land Pollution
We talk about water and air pollution all the time but land pollution as well as a big impact on the environment as it is continuously polluted and vulnerable. Land pollution simply means degradation of the earth’s surface as a result of human activities like mining, littering, deforestation, industrial, construction and agricultural activities. Land pollution can have a huge environmental impact in the form of air pollution and soil pollution which in turn can have an adverse effect on human health. There are many causes of land pollution, but the main concern is deforestation and soil erosion. Deforestation results in dry land which mean that it can never be fertile again. The problem with that is that the land will eventually become unstable for farming and other crops. In addition, the land will also become polluted by heavy metals such as lead and mercury. It is estimated that over 50 percent of all earth's surface water has been polluted by these pollutants, and they are responsible for more than half of global emissions. The effects of deforestation are devastating. The destruction of forests, wildlife habitats and ecosystems is a major threat to our planet. The damage caused by deforestation is irreversible.


Another main cause of land pollution is agricultural activities. Our population has been increasing constantly over the last decade, resulting in the demand for food to increase. Farmers use highly toxic chemicals to get rid of the insects and bacteria off their crops. Too much of anything is never good, when these chemicals are being overused, they result in contaminating the soil. It is estimated that about 1 million people living in the United States who suffer from this problem of land pollution. The effects of this problem are devastating to our ecosystem and to our health. The environmental protection agency reports that more than one-third of all U.S. water supplies are polluted by industrial waste; this includes oil, gas, and other pollutants.


There are many more ways that we have seen that can lead to land pollution such as Overcrowded landfill, Nuclear waste, and Sewage Treatments. Land pollution impacts our environment and our health in a huge way. When deforestation is committed, the trees covering over the other plants is compromised, leading to an imbalance of water that plants get. Trees and plants help balance the atmosphere, and without them, we are subject to many concerns such as global warming, the greenhouse effect, irregular rainfall, and many more disasters. We must take action to stop this problem and protect our natural resources from further destruction.


What are some solutions to help prevent land pollution?
How can we get our community to understand how this has been negatively impacting us?

Comments

Anonymous said…
I definitely agree that land pollution is overlooked compared to air pollution and water pollution, even though it is just as important. One way to reduce land pollution is to reduce our reliance for fossil fuels and minerals underneath the surface. Extracting fossil fuels and minerals requires mining, which in turns creates air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution. Reducing mining would help alleviate those 3 types of pollution. Also, reducing suburban sprawl would reduce deforestation, which in turn would reduce land pollution. You gave the statistic which mentioned that 24 billion tons of top soil is lost every year, which is very important to agriculture. Growing crops requires fertile soil, and topsoil is necessary. I think one easy way to spread this message of land pollution would be through social media. But while people do contribute to land pollution, a lot of it comes from corporations, which means giving the message to them would have the greatest benefit.
March 23, 2019 at 10:31 AM
Anonymous said…
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March 24, 2019 at 1:16 PM
Anonymous said…
I totally agree with the horrible effects of land pollution and it’s growing impact on earth’s and humans’ health, however I did not know that deforestation is essentially irreversible. I think that, in fact, this is a common misconception. Some may be quick to answer that deforestation can simply be solved with planting new trees. However, this option takes decades to come to fruition while it takes days for deforestation to take place. Thus, effects of deforestation are essentially irreversible simply because it takes so much time to counteract those same effects. This must be taken into consideration as the detrimental effects of deforestaion are exponential. We must be more decisive in our choices to prevent the Earth’s deterioration, especially when choosing to deforest or not.
March 24, 2019 at 1:17 PM
Anonymous said…
The impacts of land pollution are severe; however, I believe that as of right now, it is unrealistic to expect the United States to change its ways. Due to politicians being funded by an abundance of large corporations, they in return promote laws that help that corporation flourish. Flint Michigan is an excellent example of this. The mayor unnecessary began the construction of new water lines to Flint in order to benefit the companies that funded his race for office. This resulted in the complete devastation of Flint, and to this day it still has traces of lead in the water. The mind set of our government is not in a place of aiding the enviorment, but rather in the place of profit. Once we can transition out of this era, I am sure that we will be able to finally see an improvement in our enviorment. Future generations need to be the ones to promote the enviorment’s well being, and our movement is already being seen through the global enviormental protest that happened a few weeks ago.
March 24, 2019 at 4:31 PM
Anonymous said…
Land pollution is something that grows as the earth develops into versions that support human development, and it will always be an issue. In the long run, all this pollution will one day do way more harm to us, but we continue to keep testing how much the earth truly can endure until chaos erupts as of now. Land pollution may be a contributor to illnesses that we don’t even know are caused by it. There’s really not much we can do about it at the rate we’re going at right now, but using organic fertilizers may be the way to reduce the chemical runoff as a whole. Also, if everything is built naturally in a way where it is either recyclable or compostable then the issue would be decreased as well, but I know that’s a really long stretch and may be something one can only dream of. There may be awareness out there about it, but really as humans not many of us are doing much about it. We’re just sitting here waiting for maybe everything to magically fix itself.
March 24, 2019 at 9:47 PM
Anonymous said…
Land pollution is definitely an issue, especially because the human population continues to grow. As the population continues to grow, we will naturally be forced to modify our land to sustain the growing population. As you mentioned, we lose an austounding 24 billion tons of topsoil each year, which is definitely not sustainable in the long run. While a lot of the blame falls on large companies, individuals are still responsible. As you mentioned, farming and littering are a major issue causing land pollution. Littering can easily be cut down on by people simply disposing of their trash properly. To curb soil pollution people can begin to switch over from using inorganic fertilizers to organic fertilizers. For people to take this issue seriously, we need to stress the fact that land pollution not only damages the natural landscape, but our food and water supply..
March 25, 2019 at 6:42 PM
Anonymous said…
Land pollution is sad because it not only endangers human and animal life and habitat, but it also ruins nature and beautiful areas. While air pollution affects everyone, land pollution only immediately affects the local area until the situation is irreversible. I think when people discuss air pollution, land pollution needs to be part of the talk. The land environment is just as important as air, if not more. We need land for everything we do: food, living, recreation, water, and more. Without this, humans and wildlife won't be able to survive. We need to stop this problem before it is too late.
March 25, 2019 at 8:34 PM
Anonymous said…
Land pollution not only affects animals and the ecosystems but also humans which is when it is brought up as an import issue. Of course it has every right to be worried but it only gets on important people’s agendas when it’s irreversible or near it. Like you said about the trees, trees being cut down may not be seen as important in small areas but when it creepily becomes a large issue to the point of greeenhosue gases and climate change affecting us, the ideas to reverse it become top priority. Why couldn’t we have thought if the repercussions before and not need to find ways to reverse? We really need to talk about issues before every type of pollution takes over the earth including land, air, noise, etc. and makes an uninhabitable place for anything.
March 26, 2019 at 3:31 PM
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
March 26, 2019 at 3:32 PM
Anonymous said…
It is totally agreeable that we focus more heavily on air and water pollution and not land. We definitely should pay more attention to land pollution because it effects the animals and us humans. For land pollution, I understand that deforestation is really harmful but what I think is worse it that people don’t think much about it. We can plant trees to replace the ones cut down and I know that it will take another many decades for it to grow. However, people don’t even bother to plant more trees becuase it will take too long. Also, we can definitely reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Using these will definitely make the crops flourish and look better, but it doesn’t mean its 100 percent good for us.
March 26, 2019 at 7:55 PM
Anonymous said…
Land pollution most definitely does not get as much attention as air and water pollution, because many people don’t really think about it. Not only that, but many of them are simply unaware how bad it is, and the effects it has on them. Pollution of all causes is often a result of carelessness. More often than not, the repercussions aren’t taken into consideration until it is too late. This is the case with land pollution, as well as air and water pollution. And, after the effects have set in, we look for ways to reverse them instead of just working on preventing them in the first place.
March 27, 2019 at 8:10 AM
Anonymous said…
I believe the most effective way to create a change in environmental awareness and effort is to educate the population on how to properly take care of their surroundings. We can also do things such as improve waste managements systems and find solutions to chemical waste and raise fines on littering. All these things combined can create motivation and give people more reason to protect the environment.
March 27, 2019 at 11:38 AM
Anonymous said…
I think that the best way to solve the problem of land pollution you talked about is education and spreading knowledge and awareness among people. People tend to be ignorant of the environment in modern times, and do not realize the impact and degradation caused by just them, not counting the rest of the people in the world. Through government funded awareness campaigns and education campaigns, maybe this problem could be reduced, but it would definitely be impossible to get rid of it completely, as world technology is not yet that advanced, and many countries do not have the resources to do so.
March 27, 2019 at 3:45 PM
Anonymous said…
I did not know about the significance of land pollution and how it could deadly impact the environment. I do think that we should start taking action in fixing this issue. The fact that deforestation is irreversible scared me because if a land is all destroyed for farm, there would be no turning back to the forestry. In my opinion, there are a lot of people who do not acknowledge what deforestation could bring to a certain land. Deforestation is something that takes decades to go back to the original state when it takes only couple of days for deforestation to occur. I think it would be essential for us to start spreading the need to stop the deforstation and instead attempt in planting more trees in order to increase the amount of forests on the Earth.
March 27, 2019 at 8:51 PM
Anonymous said…
Land pollution is something I feel that most people are unaware as many I’ve realized just think pollution is through air. I think bringing awareness on the ways land pollution occurs would be the first place to reduce it. Also agriculture is seen as a positive a way to provide food for everyone. the fertilizers and pesticides used are one of the main reasons for land pollution. To reduce land pollution is to use less chemicals, use organice products and remember to reduce.
March 28, 2019 at 10:29 AM
Anonymous said…
Land pollution is a present and a threat to the way our modern ecosystem works... We need to find greener ways to be productive in every day life. Dissolvable plastic bags are one current option, as well as those weird seaweed bubble water pockets. Furthermore, it is needed to refurbish the agricultural practices that we use such as pesticides and fertilizers. Pollution affects every part of our life, and the only things at this point that will survive are super bugs and animals with traits to live through our terrible reign on this Earth. Pollution stops one person at a time; reduce, reuse, recycle.
March 28, 2019 at 11:19 AM
Anonymous said…
I feel like land pollution is often overlooked. everyone likes to focus on air pollution because it can lead climate change, but land pollution can too. Deforestation is a big problem for animals who live there, soil erosion, and air quality. Land pollution will effect our agriculture and therefore it will effect our food sources. As the problem continues, people will begin to realize the weight of land pollution as it begins to effect them. Hopefully, we will not have to deal with this. We need to put the breaks on the things we do that damages our land, because there is only so much. Providing subsidies to corporations who use sustainable practices can help.
March 28, 2019 at 11:22 AM
Anonymous said…
The pollution of land has drastic consequences especially concerning the survival of animals and humans and the quality of soil and water. Environmental protection agencies indicate that the effects can even be more devastating if wastes in landfills are not separated into reusable, recyclable, or organic waste. Since the advent of industrialization, human activities have gradually destroyed and degraded land, causing diseases to humans and animals and reducing the capacity to support ecosystem and various life forms. Land pollution has many long lasting effects and if we don’t do something about it, land pollution will get out of control. Small steps like the three R’s will help reduce this problem.
March 28, 2019 at 11:26 AM
Anonymous said…
Before reading this, I didn’t realize that land pollution was a big deal at all. I think the reason for this is that different forms of pollution, such as water and air pollution, are provided way more significance in people’s minds. This needs to change because as you mentioned, land pollution is a serious issue that can have/is having drastic effects on the environment and the natural habitats of many species of flora and fauna. As the population grows, more land must be cleared to make way for human living, but at the very least we can implement more green initiatives in our daily lives.
March 28, 2019 at 9:43 PM
Anonymous said…
Land pollution is overlooked as it usually does not directly affect people. Contaminated water and polluted air affect people much more personally, as they do not wish to drink polluted water or breathe polluted air. Polluted land, on the other hand, while it may be just as harmful, does not spark nearly as much concern. The only way for significant change to occur is for people to realize how serious and damaging it is. We need to decrease dependence on mining minerals and fossil fuels so that less land will have to be disturbed. In addition, the use of degradable items will help with waste issues, as they can be broken down into substances instead of sitting in a landfill for hundreds of years.
March 29, 2019 at 3:45 PM
Amogh Gokhale said…
Land pollution is something I had never even heard of before. But it makes sense why it is a big problem, and how many people don't seem to know about it. Water pollution presents a much more immediate threat, while land pollution is a slow, building threat that can be monumental if not dealt with. It is necessary for us to quickly dial back on clear-cutting, and work on restoring land to its original state.
March 29, 2019 at 3:48 PM
Anonymous said…
I think land pollution has been highly overlooked because it is not having any direct consequences on our lives yet. One of the main issues is that our population depends excessively on fossil fuels for industrial use, causing high amounts of land pollution with gas emissions and chemical pollutants. We need to recognize that our consumption of fossil fuels needs to be decreased for sustainability. Reducing mining can also help reduce some of these land pollutants. Since countries are built upon large corporations and businesses, it is hard to have these people recognize the detrimental environmental effects of these practices, and we need to work towards making people aware how important land pollution is.
March 29, 2019 at 8:12 PM
Anonymous said…
I don't think there is an easy solution to land pollution. Obviously, we can stop cutting trees, stop creating trash, etc., but that's not viable to live an easy, comfortable, American life. Since no one wants to give that up, we must treat the symptoms. Regular trash can safely rot in landfills, but what happens when the landfills fill up? One option is to start using more biodegradable or recyclable materials for everything (so instead of styrofoam cups, paper cups). Somethings can never be biodegradable (like batteries), so what do we do with those? There's no easy answer for that.
March 29, 2019 at 10:06 PM
Anonymous said…
In order to prevent land pollution we could reuse materials such as cloth, plastic, and glass instead of disposing of them. By recycling, we could reduce the amount of solid waste going to landfills. This effort would also save our natural resources. We could also improve the fertility of the land by reforesting. In addition, by avoiding the use of chemicals on land, we could prevent the increase in toxicity of the land.
March 29, 2019 at 10:26 PM
Anonymous said…
Land pollution will be our most dangerous problem if we continue at the rate of deforestation and chemical use on our land. People might not see land as a resource, but it is and we are destroying this limited resource at an alarming rate. To conserve our land, we have to reduce the amount of trees cut down, reduce our carbon footprint, and reduce our amount of waste produced. Imagine if we didn’t and we literally run out of land and space for future generations. We should remember the three r’s: reduce, reuse and recycle. These three steps will help save us from destroying the very land we walk on.
March 29, 2019 at 10:51 PM
Anonymous said…
Land pollution has so many causes and effects that its incredible how damaged Earth’s surface has become. Thankfully though, awareness is being spread and change is happening, but it must happen faster. The worlds population continues to increase and with it the necessity for food and goods. Agriculture, mining, and deforestation are the way we access vital recourses, but we are actually working against ourselves. All these methods of obtaining food and resources deplete the ground of nutrients so that even renewable resources, such as trees and crops, can no longer grow. It’s a difficult situation because as the population grows, resources/food need to be obtained in a cheap and quick way, and unfortunately that doesn’t go hand in hand with sustainability which is why new technologies are needed that make human necessities easy and cheap to access without harming nature. The environment must be able to replenish what is lost so that we can interact with the environment in a cyclical manner.
March 30, 2019 at 6:46 PM
Anonymous said…
Education is the key to getting attention when it comes to anyone of these global catastrophes whether they are slow and quick. People tend to overlook this form of pollution due to the fact that it just is it’s always under our feet you hear about the trees being chopped down you seen the Lorax you’ve heard about how the water went South in the trees the truffle trees were gone in the air was too polluted for the birds but you don’t hear about how the land was affected. It’s just not something people talk about enough.
March 31, 2019 at 10:17 AM
Anonymous said…
We as a whole must definitely be more careful and cautious in protecting our Earth and its environment. Land pollution has caused a myriad of harmful effects on our environment. These human activities such as mining not only hurt the Earth, but we hurt ourselves in the process. Mining overtime can cause soot buildup in ones lungs and can cause irreversible effects on ones respiratory system, also with chances of a mine collapsing on the human. Deforestation can not be stopped so easily, as more trees are cut down than they are being planted. To stop this damage on our environment, we must reduce our carbon footprint and reduce usage of things such as mining or industrial activities. How many people who would be willing to do this, however, is slim especially when trying to keep an American lifestyle.
March 31, 2019 at 6:57 PM
Anonymous said…
One of the biggest problems with pollution, is that its kinda permanent. Every piece of plastic that we manufacture is stuck in our world for what we can only assume is forever. There is trash in the oceans, trash on land and trash in space. Human beings create so much trash, and there is no full proof solution to fixing it. Reusing is always great and recycling helps. However those materials are still part of the world. Personally I think that if we were to cease all plastic production and instead turn to reclaiming plastic to reuse, we could solve a big problem. Aside from plastic, we input more trash and pollution that’s we can take out.
April 8, 2019 at 11:39 AM
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