Poison in Our Water, Killing us Slowly

Do YOU know how much garbage is being dumped in the Ocean each year??

 If you want to learn about your impact on the earth's water, and what you can do about it, read on.  If not, for goodness sakes read on so you may be more enlightened.

1. There are many many types of water pollution.

Groundwater Pollution:  Groundwater pollution is often caused by pesticide contamination from the soil, the water in aquifers that we humans get our water to drink from becomes contaminated, poisoning the people that drink it.

Microbiological Pollution: This is a natural form of water pollution caused by microorganisms, viruses and bacteria can be spread if the water is not treated.  Cholera often comes from this in poorer countries.

Surface Water Pollution:  When water found on the exterior of the earth's crust, rivers, lakes, oceans is contaminated is is called Surface Water Pollution.

Oxygen Depleting Pollution:  Microorganisms living in water feed on biodegradable substances.  But when too much biodegradable material is in the water, the overall number of microorganisms increases and uses up the oxygen, causing a depletion. Anaerobic microorganisms begin to take over, some being harmful to people and the environment, producing  toxins such as sulfides and ammonia.

Nutrients Pollution:  Nutrient rich fertilizers and waste water can cause an unwanted surplus of weed and algae growth.
This can be damaging as the algae uses up the oxygen in the water, leaving none for the surrounding marine life.

Suspended Matter Pollution:  These are pollutants that have molecules that are to big to mix with the water molecules.  They can settle to the bottom of a lake bed forming a thick harmful layer of silt. 

Chemical Pollution:  Many agricultural practices involve the use of herbicides and pesticides.  These dangerous chemicals run off into water sources and poison the aquatic life.  Infected fish can POISON those that have eaten them, such as birds, animals, and HUMANS.  Oil spills also fall into this category, that are terrible detrimental to the local environment.  Fish's gills get clogged and they suffocate, birds are unable to fly, humans loose sources of revenue and are unable to support their families, the ecosystem is devastated.
2.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines point source pollution as “any single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged, such as a pipe, ditch, ship or factory smokestack”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines nonpoint source pollution as "Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground."

3. Water pollution can come from the runoff of waste water, such as water containing miracle grow, a substance we are using in our action project, making it unclean for the life living in it.  Pollution can be come from plastic, such as the two liters we are using for our bio-bottle, getting thrown into surface water, becoming suspended matter pollution.  Also, the fertilizers that could be strewn into the water, could fall under the chemical, nutrient, and oxygen depleting pollution categories, further harming the environment. 

4.  As cited from the Water Pollution Guide at http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/health.html, three major effects and consequences of water pollution are.

• "Heavy metals from industrial processes can accumulate in nearby lakes and rivers. These are toxic to marine life such as fish and shellfish, and subsequently to the humans who eat them. Heavy metals can slow development; result in birth defects and some are carcinogenic.
• Industrial waste often contains many toxic compounds that damage the health of aquatic animals and those who eat them. Some of the toxins in industrial waste may only have a mild effect whereas other can be fatal. They can cause immune suppression, reproductive failure or acute poisoning.
• Microbial pollutants from sewage often result in infectious diseases that infect aquatic life and terrestrial life through drinking water. Microbial water pollution is a major problem in the developing world, with diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever being the primary cause of infant mortality."

 5.  One can help prevent water pollution by minimizing their use of tap water, turn it off when it doesn't need to be on! They can watch what they flush down the toilet, don't flush pills!  One can use environment detergents and bathroom items.  Don't use fertilizers and pesticides in your garden, they aren't necessary. 
But pollution STILL HAPPENS, so we need to know how to counter it after the fact.  Septic tanks are used and ozone can be used as well.