Another bad result of air pollution is the acid rain. Acid rain damages property, pollutes water resources and can harm forests, wild life and agriculture. Acid rain has killed off many of North America's lakes and rivers. It can also erode many metals and stones. It has been responsible for the destruction of many historic buildings. Air pollution may result in dangerous climate changes. Some air pollutants cause more global warming while others can cause temporary global cooling.
Paints, scents, detergents and insecticides release tiny particles called aerosols. These particles block out a little bit of the sun's rays from getting to the earth in some areas. Hence, this can have a cooling effect on the climate in these areas. While gases like carbon dioxide or the so called greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere for years and cause warming in the world. Scientists believe that, worldwide, the aerosols cause about half as much cooling as greenhouse gases cause warming. It is important to consider both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Tobacco smoke, cooking, heating appliances, paints, furniture, etc. cause pollution inside buildings. Exposure to harmful indoor pollutants can be serious.
Another kind of pollution is land pollution which deals with dumb and other harmful substances. Landfills are a main source of pollution. Most are infested with disease or with animals carrying disease. Many contain harmful chemicals that seep into the land or gases that cause explosions or fires.
Another equally serious form of pollution is water pollution. Water pollution mainly comes from industrial plants, farms and sewage systems. Industries illegally dump tons of toxic waste into our water supply and authorities are slow to act. Farmers who use pesticides also contribute to the problem. The pesticides reach rivers through runoff where they are absorbed by fish and then carried to humans. Even treated water is not safe. Many cities use chlorine to treat contaminated water. However, when chlorine combines with some organic materials, it forms dangerous byproducts, which are proven carcinogens.
There are many different forms of pollution prevention including emission control devices and incremental changes in existing technology such as eliminating CFCs. Another solution is knowing how to turn pollution efforts into profits. This idea needs consumer commitment, pollution control, life cycle costing, waste reduction and energy efficiency. Companies conducting business tend to minimize cost when they come to pollution control. The main goal is to reduce wastes and environmental overhead cost to be competitive in the market.
