Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 14

Critical Thinking - Essay Example As shown below these three sources are of greatest threat to our well-being. Motor vehicles have been pointed out as a major source of environmental pollution for a long time; they produce CO2 among other poisonous gases, which are responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer as well as CO, which is a non-detectable poisonous gas. Coal, which is also burned in several industries as a source of energy, has been flagged by environmentalists as a major contributor to carbon dioxide too. Other sources of pollutants include fossil fuels which act as a source of Sulfur Dioxide when burnt and Nitrogen Oxide which is produced when the fuels in vehicles are combusted (Sukhraj 18). Air pollutants have been shown to have several detrimental effects to the environment. The gases interact with the water in the atmosphere to produce acidic rain, which is corrosive and therefore erodes the paint of buildings and kills life in plants and rivers due to its poisonous nature. These fumes have also been identified as carcinogenic and over time, residents living in places with high pollution rates will have a higher prevalence rate of eyes nose and throat infections as well as the development of cancer. There reduction of air pollution is very important and several steps have been taken to do this. Vehicles have been given several standards of performance, which all companies must maintain failure to which their vehicles will not be allowed in certain countries. Catalytic converters have also been installed in vehicles and in factories where sulfur is a by-product so as to reduce the sulfur compounds released into the environment (Sukhraj 23). The introduction of harmful substances to soil and water is another problem that is being faced in many places. Most water pollutants are manmade and are a result of industrial activity too close to agricultural land and water sources. However, natural sources of water pollution include water