Introduction
Water pollution is one of the most relevant global problems that pose significant risks to sustainable development and the quality of life around the world. Namely, this issue results in the deterioration of the marine ecosystem, leads to a large number of diseases, and causes notable economic damage. Water waste generally includes multiple toxic metals, plastic, petroleum, and other harmful chemicals. Hence, it is evident that humanity needs to drastically improve its water protection regulations and decrease the amount of industrial waste. Ultimately, global pollution of water resources has had devasting effects on the environment, including the irreversible destruction of the ocean ecosystem and biodiversity, and it is critical to address this problem.
Problem Context (From Outline – revised – not in word count)
Water is crucial to all living things, and it is essential to the social and economic development of human beings. However, despite a consensus on the importance of water resources, people have yet to abandon their destructive habits of polluting rivers, dams, lakes, seas, and oceans with harmful items and substances (Beaumont et al.). Human activity, including industrial and personal waste, is the most significant cause of the water population. Ironically, people are also critically dependent on water, so it is illogical why they pollute their water sources. Moreover, the effects of water pollution are devastating to all living things, including plants, animals, and whole ecosystems. Lastly, vulnerable and lower-income communities that live near the polluted water resources are the groups most disproportionately affected by water pollution (Landrigan et al.). In summary, humanity needs to find effective ways of addressing this problem to mitigate the mentioned threats.
Plastic Waste
The problem of plastic waste deserves additional attention due to its evident negative effect on marine ecosystems. Beaumont et al. transparently show that it is immensely challenging to remove plastic from water bodies due to its disintegration into microplastics. As the authors note, this form of waste generally contains small pieces (0.1 μm–5 mm) of discarded items (Beaumont et al. 189). It is particularly dangerous for ocean wildlife since a large number of marine species accidentally consume plastic, leading to multiple diseases and even extinction (Beaumont et al. 190). While the situation is still reversible at present, many agricultural and fishing industries might face bankruptcy in the near future. Moreover, since seafood constitutes around 20% of global food consumption, water waste can lead to a food crisis that will disproportionately affect low-income communities and nations that depend on fishing (Beaumont et al. 190). Ultimately, these examples transparently reflect the threat of plastic and water waste to humanity.
Scope of the Problem and Health Issues
The scope of the problem is significantly more extensive than many people assume. As mentioned before, ocean pollution can result in a food crisis, the destruction of marine ecosystems, and species extinction. However, global water waste directly affects people as well, leading to multiple diseases and worsened quality of life. The research by Landrigan et al. thoroughly describes the adverse effects on people’s health. For instance, when women consume contaminated seafood during pregnancy, it significantly increases the risks of autism in children due to exposure to methylmercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (Landrigan et al. 2). It can damage the cognitive abilities of infants, reducing their IQ and leading to learning disorders. Consequently, these chemicals affect the adult population, resulting in respiratory diseases and neurological complications (Landrigan et al. 10). In summary, most people do not fully understand the scope of the problem, and it is critical to raise public awareness to convey the dangers of water waste.
Recommendations to Prevent Water Pollution
Having examined the topic, the next step is to propose recommendations for preventing water pollution. This approach generally concerns two parties – governments and individuals, both of which can help resolve the problem of water waste. First, the governments are critical stakeholders in this process because they can regulate the intensity of industrial manufacturing and its impact on marine ecosystems (Beaumont et al. 190). Most authors emphasize that “legislation and governance” should be the primary driver that prevents water waste and promotes more responsible behavior from business organizations (Beaumont et al. 190). Moreover, it is critical to note that even though many organizations profit from unregulated pollution, this strategy will damage their earnings in the long term. For instance, Beaumont et al. (193) found that the annual loss from water waste constitutes around $500-2500 billion dollars. In this sense, governments should implement additional regulations to preserve the ocean ecosystems, protect people’s health, and ensure the stable growth of business organizations in the long term.
Consequently, individuals can also help prevent water waste by changing their behavior. It is no secret that organizations typically follow their customers’ preferences due to the economic laws of supply and demand. Therefore, if people abandon their habits, such as the dominant usage of plastic in households, businesses will also stop using this material in manufacturing to maintain their profits (Beaumont et al. 194). On the other hand, individuals can adopt more ecologically friendly behavior, such as recycling. In their article, Landrigan et al. acknowledge that the most effective way to battle water waste is the “transition to a circular, more efficient, and less wasteful economy and embracing the precepts of green chemistry” (38). This objective is impossible to achieve without the efforts of both the government and individuals who need to understand the importance of water preservation. Ultimately, a gradual positive change is necessary to change the public perception of water pollution and minimize the amount of industrial waste.
Conclusion
Global pollution of water bodies continues to have an adverse effect on marine ecosystems, people’s health, and the agricultural/fishing industries. Experts predict that the situation will only worsen unless governments and individuals put active effort into the prevention of water waste. Adopting recyclability and a circular economy is the most efficient way to preserve oceans. However, is critical to change the overall public perception and educate people about the dangers of industrial waste to achieve this objective.
Works Cited
Beaumont, Nicola J., et al. “Global Ecological, Social and Economic Impacts of Marine Plastic.” Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 142, 2019, pp. 189–195., Web.
Landrigan, Philip J., et al. “Human Health and Ocean Pollution.” Annals of Global Health, vol. 86, no. 1, 2020, pp. 151–183., Web.