Serious pollution comes from Human-made chemicals or natural materials released by Human activities. Pollutants are found earthwide in air, water, and on land. Pollutants disrupt the environment and damage the health of all life.
Human behaviors such as driving less and buying locally are important. However, individuals and communities don’t hold a candle to the sheer magnitude of pollution produced by just a few Humans and their organizations.
Uniquely Earth.
Who does the most polluting?
1. Military:
US Navy is one of the largest and most toxic polluters.
War causes incredible spikes in pollution.
Earth fact: militaries are never held accountable for the messes they create and leave behind.
2. Banks and Wall Street:
New studies establish strong links between large banks and the coal industry, one of the largest contributors to climate change, and the nuclear industry, one of the most dangerous contributors to pollution.
JP Morgan Chase, Citi, and Bank of America top the list of banks that support the dirtiest and most dangerous industries.
3. Industries:
* Power-generating plants (coal-burning is the most damaging)
* Petroleum refineries
* Petrochemical plants
* Production and distribution of fossil fuels
* Manufacturing facilities
4. Transport:
* Road transport (motor vehicles: trucks and automobiles)
* Shipping industry
* Aircraft
Two-Faced Liars, You Think?
Increasingly, giant corporations, banks, military, media, and government do a lot of climate speak. Many talk about how they are going carbon neutral in their own operations and how they want to help Earth transition to a low-carbon economy. Their words and their deeds do not match up to each other.
Besides heavy investment in the dirtiest polluters, they go so far as to create organizations with double-speak titles and double-speak spokes-Humans so as to appear to support similar positions as most Humans, but corporations, banks, military, media, government are all engaged in massive deception.
Understanding Human deception is part of the PAR-TY!
Ocean Dead Zones
There are about 200 dead zones in the oceans of Planet Earth. When nitrogen, phosphorous, and other nutrients run into oceans, tiny plants called phytoplankton grow, die, and then sink to the bottom. Dead phytoplankton increase bacteria and decrease oxygen in the water. These oxygen depleted areas are called dead zones because marine creatures cannot survive in them. Also, millions of animals die each year from entanglement in, or ingesting plastic.
Toxic to Land and Groundwater
The following pollutants or sources result in toxic substance releases:
- Radioactive particles from nuclear waste cause health affects for wildlife as well as Humans.
- Landfills release carbon dioxide and methane into the air and harmful chemicals into groundwater.
- Underground storage tanks leak petroleum, and dangerous fuel additives like MTBE into soil and groundwater.
- Mines contribute to habitat destruction, and land, water, and air contamination.
- Hazardous waste sites contain chemicals that are poisonous to Humans and other animals.
- As Human farmers apply pesticides, insects become resistant, requiring more and more application. Meanwhile, non-targeted wildlife populations decline, especially endangered aquatic species.
- Forests are being destroyed for cattle grazing and agriculture. This has numerous impacts;
- Often forests are cleared through burning, increasing pollution.
- Trees that once absorbed CO2 are now lost.
- Plant and animal extinction.
- Soil nutrient depletion.
- Flooding and erosion.
- Plants genetic depletion (affects plants as well as Human medicinal values).
Real Problem’s Source is Uncontrolled Greed
The thing Humans really need to fix is the systems for controlling Human greed. Most Humans lack ability to imagine a world different from the selfish world they live in today but tools for bringing about a better world are available. A good example is the U.S. Constitution: although flawed and ill-enforced, it’s a valuable starting place, offering change from outside the system.
The negative consequence: Galactic history shows that chances of survival of species is waning quickly. Planets reaching high levels of animosity along with intensifying pollution cannot support sentient life for long.
