A beautiful city covered by air pollution.

Justin Bautista- 2019

Thousands of pieces of litter floating in the refreshing sea, while black and white stripped fish swim and get tangled in it.
Stunning grey and white mountains are photobombed by millions of waste that humans have left for their own benefit.

Naja Bertolt Jenson- 2021

It is estimated that around 37.12 billion metric tons of air pollution is released into the world each year. This causes the overall temperature to increase as these gasses cover the planet making it impossible for heat to escape. Air pollution is distributed by a multitude of things, including vehicle emissions, fuel oils and natural gases that heat homes, by-products of manufacturing and many other things.

These distributors bring negative affects on animals, such as changes in physiology and behaviour in amphibians, damaging birds respiratory systems and the increased risks of tumours in animals exposed to polluted air for a long time. Animals that are dangerously impacted by pollution include Whales, Penguins, Polar Bears, Cows, Sheep and Deer. Snap Beans, Wheat, Clover and Perennial Plants, are some plants also affected by pollution as it damages leaf cuticles and affects stomatal conductance.

Micro-plastics are also an extreme danger to animals. They often believe the minuscule plastics are food. This causes blockages in their digestive systems that result in death. It is estimated that plastic pollution affects at least 700 marine species and at least 100 million marine mammals are killed each year. Sea Turtles are ingesting plastic at an unprecedented rate and many other animals become entangled in plastic bags and plastic packing bands that lead to injury and death. As well as that, plants require specific nutrients from soil, water and air. Polluted water can kill these nutrients which removes the plants ability to get them. Water pollution introduces toxins that are harmful to plants, these toxins then poison soil and other crops.

Land pollution has a big impact on soil and groundwater. The litter that is scattered around the world contaminates groundwater which can cause the loss of topsoil and can increase the risk of wildfires.

Did you know? Tobacco waste is the most common and harmful litter in the world. Estimated at nearly 750 million to 1.5 billion pounds of tobacco waste is thrown away each year. Animals tend to mistake cigarettes for food. Ingesting them puts toxic chemicals in their bodies, and can often result in death.

Sylwia Bartyzel- 2021