P is for Pollution

“Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species -- man -- acquired significant power to alter the nature of the world. ”
                                       -Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

Hello friends!
     Pollution. What comes to mind when you hear this word? A stream infested with multi-colored oils? Thick, gray smoke fuming up into the air? Garbage leaking into oceans and other bodies of waters? If you pictured any of these horrible sights, then you are on the right track! Pollution stands for the third letter of the HIPPO acronym, and it is probably the most well-known form of environmental harm. Don't know that much about it? No worries! You are reading the right blog.
     So let's start with the basics. Pollution can come in several different forms, including water, air, and soil pollution. Each form can be traced back to a different source. For example, water pollution is usually caused by pesticides and/or herbicides running off of farmlands and into streams or by factory wastes that are dumped into nearby bodies of water. Air pollution, on the other hand, results from toxic fumes released from industrial factories or the burning of compounds, such as plastics, that release dangerous compounds into the air.     
     I think at this point in the game we shouldn't be surprised that humans are once again the cause of this environmental problem. Even though it's great that we have advanced in society and developed easier ways to create things, we have failed to pay attention to the after effects of our actions. The pollution that is caused by our actions not only invades the air and water but also harms all wildlife. I emphasize all wildlife because even animals that are not being directly exposed to the pollution will still be harmed. Take, for example, a bear that eats a fish. If the fish was exposed to polluted waters, and the bear eats the fish, it will then be exposed to the same toxins that the fish encountered. The same scenario holds true for plants that are sprayed with pesticides. If an animal eats insects that eat those plants, what does this mean for the animal? Oh, and don't forget to include us in this equation as well (after all, we eat plants and animals too...).
     I would like to take this opportunity to refer back to a role model of mine: Rachel Carson. She is the author of the book Silent Spring, written in the 1960s in an effort to prevent the use of DDT, a pesticide, in the United States. Carson saw how this pesticide was leaking into streams and bodies of water, and she noticed that the bird populations in the area were actually disappearing due to what she believed was the pollution of DDT. Silent Spring was extremely influential, and it caused an uproar that inspired people to start worrying about their impact on the environment. However, this doesn't mean that Rachel Carson was praised by everyone. She experienced a lot of ridicule from critics as well. Clearly her passion for the environment led to change, for John F. Kennedy was impacted by the book enough to actually ban DDT in the United States. It's amazing how one voice can bring about such big changes.
     To wrap things up, I'd like to share a quote said by Rachel Carson in Silent Spring about the pesticide. I really feel like it can relate to any type of pollution, and I find to be very powerful:
      “As crude a weapon as the cave man's club, the chemical barrage has been hurled against the fabric of life - a fabric on the one hand delicate and destructible, on the other miraculously tough and resilient, and capable of striking back in unexpected ways. These extraordinary capacities of life have been ignored by the practitioners of chemical control who have brought to their task no "high-minded orientation," no humility before the vast forces with which they tamper.” 
     You see, my friends, we have the potential to harm our earth, but we have the equal potential to save it. The problem with society is that we are constantly looking for the easiest, efficient way to get things done. Factories want the quickest means to generate their product- but they don't want to deal with the clean up afterwards. Yes, it is easier to let toxic waste flow out into a pond instead of bothering to invent a creative way to safely dispose of it. But the overall effects of this action will be much more detrimental in the long run despite the efficiency of polluting. We are talking the destruction of unique species, and the entire habitat that they live in. 
     Together we can prevent pollution by raising awareness and being cautious about our actions and the products we buy. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides some great tips on reducing our personal effects on the environment when it comes to pollution. I know, I know, I'm becoming repetitive when I say that you have the power to make a difference and impact how we are all treating the environment. But it's true. If we continue to spread the word and lead by action, we can preserve our earth and protect each link in the chain of nature.

Peace. Love. Save the Tigers.