Water pollution is a rapidly growing problem. It’s one of the worst consequences of environmental neglect, but often goes unnoticed amidst other pressing concerns, such as climate change and the loss of species. Our water bodies are becoming dirty due to pollution from humans, changing from a brilliant blue to a murky grey.
Plastic and other debris we throw away and forget about are overflowing into our water bodies. We sometimes assume that they end up in landfills, but what happens when landfills are full? Well, the excess ends up in our seas and oceans. Waste is building up in The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is 1.6 million square kilometres in size—roughly twice the size of Texas or three times the size of France—and still expanding.
To make matters worse, debris is killing and capturing marine life as it washes up on our beaches and coasts. Dolphins are being strangled by nets; birds are swallowing bottle caps, believing them to be food; and turtles are eating plastic bags because they resemble jellyfish. This interesting short video goes into more detail about the phenomenon of The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Accidental oil spills also have the potential to contaminate water. Oil spills can be the result of malfunctioning drilling equipment, damaged pipelines, or sunken tanker ships. In addition to endangering marine life and contaminating our food chain, these spills can have negative effects for many decades after they occur. Our drinking sources may get contaminated by this tainted water, leaving us vulnerable to illnesses like cholera and hepatitis in less developed countries. The World Health Organisation estimates that approximately 2 billion people drink tainted water globally. UNICEF has found that more than 1,000 children under the age of five worldwide die each day from water-borne illnesses caused by pollution.
The issue is so severe that in conflict zones, there is a 20-fold greater risk of these children dying from poor water sanitation than from acts of violence. Worldwide water scarcity is becoming more and more linked to contaminated water and water pollution in general, with the USA’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stating that recreational beaches and shoreline vegetation are severely impacted by oil spills.
More generally, the presence of microplastics in our environment is a growing concern. A recent study has actually discovered that microplastics are falling from the sky. In the French Pyrenées mountains, 365 microplastic particles were observed to fall from the sky every day in 2019. While searching for phosphorus in a federally protected area in the United States in 2020, a researcher found significant levels of plastic. It is claimed that the majority of these microplastic particles were carried great distances by wind or sand movement. Additionally, research has shown that tiny pieces of plastic have been discovered in human lungs, supporting the theory that we have been inhaling these microplastics.
Considering these catastrophic effects, it is now crucial for us all to work together to improve the environmental prospects for the next generation. As Prince Hussain has explained: “Nature—its abundance, diversity and health—is fragile. If we do not protect it from our depredations, we will destroy it.”
We can make more of an effort to separate and recycle our waste, and to take harmful products to a community recycling collection site as much as possible. Eating more organic, in-season, locally grown food can help to reduce our carbon footprint and waste. Since plastic takes a long time to degrade, we can consider alternative, more eco-friendly materials. For clothing, choose durable, natural materials like cotton and linen over synthetic ones like polyester, which release tiny fragments of plastic into the water system.
The holy Qur’an teaches us to be mindful of our consumption (17:26) and discourages waste (6:142). Let's make better choices to care for our world, and pass this beautiful gift on to our children.
