How environmental pollution affects human beings

How environmental pollution affects human beings

By Dr. Kyle Muller

We continually listen to news about how environmental pollution affects our environment, causing the decrease in the ozone layer, the loss of biodiversity and the alteration or modification of ecosystems, among other effects, forgetting that we ourselves can also be harmed. That is, environmental pollution not only affects the environment that surrounds us but also does it in our body, affecting our well -being and our health. Do you want to meet How environmental pollution affects human beings? In ecology, we give you the answer.

What is environmental pollution

Environmental pollution consists of Issuance of physical, chemical or biological agentsor a combination of all of them, to the natural environmentwhich are toxic or harmful to the environment.

Its origin It is mainly due to the action of man for reasons such as:

  • The exploitation of natural resources.
  • Indiscriminate felling.
  • The emission to the atmosphere of greenhouse gases.

Although many believe it began from the industrial revolution, the truth is that environmental pollution is prior to this period. In fact, the first registration of environmental pollution due to the action of the human being DATA OF THE YEAR 1540 and is located in the Peruvian Andes of South America. It is a glacier known as Quelccaya that shows remains of metal elements, such as bismuth, due to mining activity and silver production in the Inca empire after the Spanish conquest. The investigations explain how the wind could drag the contamination northwest of Peru reaching the Quelcaya glacier.

Causes of environmental pollution

The Environmental pollution It is due to many factors among which we will highlight:

  • The use of fossil fuels: The exploitation of coal, oil and natural gas is a source of pollution, not only at the atmospheric level but also affects the environment in which the activity takes place.
  • The use of pesticides and chemicals: Some products used in the field of agriculture such as fertilizers, pesticides and pesticides release greenhouse gases and in turn, contaminate the soil and even contaminating some water sources and remaining in nature for years.
  • Industrial and domestic waste and dumping: The incorrect management of waste and waste causes the accumulation of trash remains in landfills or on beaches, rivers and other natural places. In addition, the massive consumption that exists in our society promotes the generation of waste and the creation of industrial factories that are born with the aim of causing carefree of environmental protection.

How environmental pollution affects human beings - causes of environmental pollution

Effects of environmental pollution on humans

Environmental pollution has harmful effects on our health, depending on the type of pollution we are exposed, we can suffer from allergies or virtually insignificant irritations to diseases that, in the worst case they can become mortal. To pollution we explain the Effects of environmental pollution on humans:

  • In the case of the air pollutionpeople are exposed to the inhalation of gases and other particles, many of which are carcinogenic, so that they pass to their respiratory system and, due to their size or characteristics, many of them fail to be expelled, so they accumulate in our body giving rise to respiratory problems, fatigue, irritations in the eyes or in the mucous, cough or the development of respiratory diseases and chronic cardiovascular diseases.
  • On the other hand, the Water pollution It causes the entry of chemical or microbial contaminants in our body, since all human beings need this valuable resource to survive and hydrate, causing problems in our health in the short or long term such as liver damage or infections in the digestive system.
  • The effects caused by Soil pollution They are similar. Pollutants are absorbed by plants through their roots and can reach human beings due to the intake of these plants affecting their health. There are studies in which it has been detected that exposed people for example dioxin in the soil have suffered from diabetes, endocrine and even cardiovascular problems.

It is necessary, to emphasize that the urban population is more prone to suffer these effects due to its greater exposure to environmental pollution.

How environmental pollution affects human beings - effects of environmental pollution on humans

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Kyle Muller
About the author
Dr. Kyle Muller
Dr. Kyle Mueller is a Research Analyst at the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department in Houston, Texas. He earned his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Texas State University in 2019, where his dissertation was supervised by Dr. Scott Bowman. Dr. Mueller's research focuses on juvenile justice policies and evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing recidivism among youth offenders. His work has been instrumental in shaping data-driven strategies within the juvenile justice system, emphasizing rehabilitation and community engagement.
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