It's common knowledge that we humans pollute the environment and burden it with harmful substances. Whether it's nitrate in the groundwater, exhaust fumes in the air, or pesticides in vegetables, we're polluting nature with countless harmful substances and millions of tons of plastic waste. But what impact do we really have on our environment? What can each of us do to combat the destruction of our planet? In this article, we want to educate you about the various forms of environmental pollution, discuss marine pollution, and show you what you can do to combat it:
How does environmental pollution even occur?
What is environmental pollution? The destruction of our planet by pollutants or waste can take many forms. There are five main categories into which we can divide environmental pollution:
Air pollution: Today, many exhaust gases enter our atmosphere. These are primarily caused by emissions from coal-fired or thermal power plants, traffic, and industry. Exhaust gases and particulate matter not only affect air quality. According to the WHO, seven million people worldwide die each year from the effects of air pollution. The combustion of fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, or petroleum) and factory farming (methane and nitrous oxide) produce greenhouse gases. These, in turn, warm the atmosphere, contributing significantly to the threatening climate change.
- Here's how you can help: Save electricity wherever possible, use fewer electronic devices, use energy-saving light bulbs, and, if possible, walk or cycle short distances and take the bus or train for longer journeys. Eat less meat and seafood, and avoid unnecessary flights. Avoid plastic, use energy from the sun, wind, and water. Overall, limit your consumption to products you truly need. With all of these measures, each person can individually make a positive impact on the environment.
Marine pollution: Our oceans are heavily polluted by plastic and industrial toxins. For example, dirty sewage, garbage, and oil slicks end up in the ocean. But residues from the fishing industry, such as fishing nets and fishing lines, also endanger countless marine creatures. This garbage – i.e., water-insoluble particles of all sizes – consists of tire wear, synthetic fibers, plastic bags, PET bottles, lighters, disposable razors, and much more. Fish often mistake these colorful plastic particles for food. One consequence is the extinction of fish and seabirds – many species have already disappeared. Coral reefs such as the Great Barrier Reef, one of the oldest and largest ecosystems on earth, are already 90% dead due to global warming and environmental toxins. Added to this is industrial overfishing of the oceans, which is destroying an important food source for billions of people and the habitat for animals and plants. The areas where underwater life is no longer possible are called "dead zones." There are now around 500 “death zones” worldwide and the numbers are rising.
- Here's how you can help: Limit your car use to essential journeys. Use natural products instead of synthetic fibers. Try to avoid plastic in your everyday life by using reusable carrier bags instead of plastic, buying fruit and vegetables in bulk, and avoiding plastic bottles. You can also consistently separate your waste and purchase recycled products. There are many recycling ideas for making something useful out of plastic and marine debris. At the H2O water shop, for example, you can buy bracelets from 4Ocean, which are made from plastic waste, and thus make a contribution.
Drinking water contamination: The quality of drinking water varies from country to country. Here in Germany, drinking water is well-controlled and therefore considered unproblematic. However, it should be noted that not all pollutants are completely removed from our drinking water. More than 80% of wastewater ends up unfiltered and contaminated in our environment, polluting our groundwater. Agricultural fertilizers also contribute to this. It's not for nothing that there are limits for heavy metals, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals; otherwise, these would be present in more than just trace amounts in our drinking water.
Soil contamination: Some of the contamination in our soil comes from industrial agriculture. Nitrate is one of the substances that most pollutes groundwater. The main source of nitrates is conventional industrial agriculture and factory farming. All of these substances are introduced into our groundwater, which is then processed into drinking water and then flows from our taps. Contaminated soil is not only harmful to us humans, but – along with environmental toxins, climate change, and habitat destruction – is also a trigger for the decline of bees. Industrially produced chemicals can also harm our environment. Unfortunately, traces of heavy metals and other toxic substances also appear in our drinking water.
- How to protect yourself: Use fewer toxic chemicals like bleach or ammonia when cleaning. These unnecessarily pollute the groundwater; natural cleaning products are just as effective. Don't pour anything down your drain that isn't biodegradable (paint, benzine, or motor oil). Don't flush medications down the toilet; instead, take them to your nearest pharmacy. Don't use pesticides or herbicides in the garden, because when it rains, they find their way into the groundwater. Instead, learn about organic gardening. Use filtered drinking water instead of water from plastic bottles. To remove all contaminants from your tap water at home, you can use a certified, high-quality water filter. Buy organic food, produced locally whenever possible. This way, you support local organic farmers and contribute to low-pollutant, sustainable agriculture.
Waste disposal: The tons of waste generated around the world every day are probably the most well-known form of environmental pollution. Waste pollutes the air, soil, oceans, and lakes. Thus, waste disposal plays a major role in all other forms of environmental pollution. Our lifestyle, heavily influenced by consumption of all kinds, is the biggest cause of waste pollution.
- How you can help: In the current state of the world, it's not much use to dispose of plastic waste in an environmentally friendly way. The only way out is to avoid waste and consciously choose products that are organic and environmentally friendly. For example, you can use rechargeable batteries instead of batteries. Avoid plastic bags for fruit and vegetables, and use filtered tap water instead of bottled water. Nowadays, there are many initiatives and aid organizations, programs like "Zero Waste" or the "Cradle to Cradle" principle, that are helping to change the world for the better. By properly separating waste, you can also contribute to better processing and disposal of waste.
What's lurking in our oceans? - Different types of marine litter
Our oceans have been polluted by various sources of waste for decades: tire wear and fishing nets together account for the largest share, which can be sustainably reduced, primarily through political measures. Millions of tons of packaging waste, plastic bags, plastic parts, and PET bottles also flow into the ocean via rivers and accumulate there in gigantic garbage patches. So much plastic waste enters the ocean every year that the actual figures can only be estimated: the amount is approximately 4.8–12.7 million tons of plastic per year!
The problem is that plastic is very difficult to biodegrade. Tiny particles (microplastics) or even large ones (like toothbrushes or straws) end up in the stomachs of fish, dolphins, whales, seals, or seabirds. These plastic pieces clog the animals' digestive tracts or respiratory tracts. Many animal species are threatened with extinction by millions of tons of plastic in the ocean.
But what types of garbage are there in our oceans and how does it get there?
Plastic: When we go to the supermarket, the majority of the products we find there are packaged in plastic. If the waste is disposed of improperly, this waste quickly ends up in the ocean. Plastic waste can therefore be anything from sausage wrappers to shopping bags to straws.
Microplastics: After everyday plastic sinks to the seabed, it breaks down into tiny particles that float around. Animals easily mistake these particles for marine plankton. Other, even smaller microplastics are also created by the abrasion of car tires or when washing plastic textiles. Plastic particles also enter rivers and oceans from cosmetic products (scrubs, shower gels, or skin creams).
Fishing industry: On the high seas, it can easily happen that fishing boats lose their nets or throw broken ones overboard for disposal. These nets are not small, but rather enormous fishing nets designed for industrial-scale fishing – and loss and disposal happen all the time. Larger marine creatures such as dolphins, seals, or even whales regularly become entangled in these fishing nets, drown, or are killed. The nets and lines decompose over time and become part of the enormous amount of microplastics in the oceans.
Oil spills: Accidents during offshore oil drilling can cause serious damage to the ocean. Once the oil enters the water, it is very difficult to remove this toxic substance. The oil forms an oily film on the ocean surface and seeps down to the seabed, causing severe damage to the seabed structure. Crude oil is fatal to many marine animals because it clogs their respiratory tracts or causes poisoning.
How does marine litter arise?
Now that we have explained the origin of the different types of marine litter, the question now arises as to how such litter actually arises.
This is how marine litter is created:
The pollution of the oceans by plastic waste has only existed for about 70 years. Plastics have been produced on a large scale since the 1950s. The everyday plastic shopping bag has become the symbol of our plastic society. Since then, production has continued to rise year after year. In 2015 alone, around 322 million tons of plastic were produced. Plastics come in various types and designs. The four most common are: PE (polyethylene), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PP (polypropylene), and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). PVC is particularly toxic because its production requires toxic chlorine and its combustion produces extremely toxic dioxins.
This is how marine litter affects the environment:
Waste ends up in the oceans in three different ways: Firstly, streams and rivers carry the debris out to sea, some of which are then washed back to shore. Secondly, marine litter is dumped into the sea by ships. Finally, rain washes tire wear from roads into waterways, from where it enters the ocean. The sources of marine litter pollution vary greatly from country to country. For example, beaches in the Mediterranean are heavily contaminated with plastic waste carelessly discarded by tourists. On other beaches, old fishing nets, car tires, and industrial residues can be found.
It's not just plastic items that pose a threat to marine life. When plastic decomposes, toxic substances such as bisphenol A, phthalates, and flame retardants are released. Such substances can disrupt the hormonal balance of marine organisms and ultimately end up in the food chain. Thus, not only are the marine creatures themselves at risk, but we humans as consumers of fish and seafood are also at risk.
What can marine litter be processed into? - An overview
Marine debris endangers all marine life, including whales, dolphins, turtles, seahorses, and corals. There are many aid organizations and nonprofit organizations like 4Ocean working to rid the oceans of plastic waste. The debris is collected and recycled and reused into various products. Below is an overview of products that can be made from recycled marine debris:
Jewelry: 4Ocean specializes in making bracelets from marine debris. They collect trash from coasts and beaches and turn it into bracelets. The Water Shop also sells these bracelets.
Art: Today, there is fashion and other works of art created from recycled marine debris. For example, the artist Stuart Haygarth spent 40 days scouring the coast of southern England. He created organized art from the gigantic chaos of garbage, such as a lamp made from 18,000 old eyeglass lenses. Even if such creations sometimes have a fleeting or even gimmicky quality, they ultimately bring greater environmental awareness to the mainstream of society.
Other recycling: Many other products can be made using collected marine litter: Packaging can be turned into bags, paint buckets into flower pots, and plastic lids can be used to make a memory game. Research is underway into new methods to recycle even more materials and find alternatives to single-use plastic.
Why do we humans endanger the environment?
We humans are responsible for the pollution of the environment and the oceans. The endless production of waste is unnatural and harmful to all other earth and marine life. These five things have the greatest negative impact on your health and nature:
- Microplastics: Small plastic particles are found in various cosmetic products (such as scrubs). Because microplastics are so small, they cannot be adequately filtered out by sewage treatment plants and end up in wastewater. This way, they quickly end up in the ocean, where they can kill marine organisms.
- Harmful detergents: Conventional detergents contain chemical ingredients that are difficult to break down, such as stabilizers, brighteners, bleaching agents, and even microplastics. Sewage treatment plants cannot completely remove these pollutants. Thus, plants, animals, and ultimately humans are endangered by our contaminated groundwater.
- Aluminum foil: Aluminum (the main component of aluminum foil) is just as harmful to the environment as plastic in its production and is difficult to degrade. Studies have already shown that aluminum can damage the nervous system and impair bone metabolism. Therefore, as soon as this foil comes into contact with food, it becomes part of the food chain.
- Plastic bottles: Many people's ecological footprint increases dramatically due to the use of single-use plastic or water from plastic bottles. Tap water, on the other hand, is not only a significantly cheaper alternative, but – when filtered – no longer contains any pollutants or unhealthy residues.
- Chemicals: Similar to laundry detergent, you should make sure that drain cleaners contain sustainable and biodegradable ingredients. Conventional drain cleaners contain substances like sodium hydroxide or sodium hypochlorite. These are corrosive and toxic substances. They can damage not only pipes but also our health. These chemical pollutants also end up in wastewater, posing a threat to the environment.
How does the water shop contribute to environmental protection?
We want to offer our customers the opportunity to purchase products that are good for the environment. That's why we sell products from 4Ocean. The latter is a non-profit organization that processes and recycles plastic waste from the oceans. By purchasing a 4Ocean bracelet, you are supporting efforts to save the oceans from destruction. There is a very wide selection of 4Ocean bracelets available. Here you'll find an overview and some inspiration.
The H2O Water Shop also offers other sustainable environmental products such as glass straws and beeswax wraps. These products help reduce waste and follow the "zero-waste" concept. The glass straws are available in various designs and shapes. Beeswax wraps are a popular replacement for aluminum foil or disposable plastic wraps. These can be reused and used to wrap bread or vegetables. Learn more on our website or ask our expert staff for advice.
Water filters are very environmentally friendly and also support your path to zero waste. Instead of bottled water in plastic or glass bottles, a water filter allows you to drink purified, clear water directly from your home tap, reducing the pollutant content to virtually zero. We offer various types of water filters, such as activated carbon block filters and reverse osmosis systems. We are happy to advise you on the various models and are here to help.
Conclusion
Each and every one of us has a certain impact on the environment. Although Germany is showing increasing initiatives to protect the environment, that doesn't mean we can sit back and relax. The environment and oceans are still suffering more and more every day from human-made waste production. However, everyone can do their bit to protect the environment and clean the oceans, even if the good deed seems small.
Here’s what you can do:
- Develop environmental awareness and learn about the impact humans have on the environment and the oceans
- Be mindful and reduce your plastic consumption and produce less waste.
- Support NGOs and aid organizations that actively fight marine pollution
- Switch to filtered tap water.
At Wasserladen, we do our best to educate our customers on the importance of health and environmental protection. We are always open to questions and look forward to welcoming you.
Your water shop
