Types and Effects of Pollution

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1Summary 重點摘要

Air, water, noise and solid waste are the four main kinds of pollution. Pollution comes from vehicles, factories and household rubbish, harming health and nature. The government legislates and citizens live green — together we improve it.

2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary

3Step by step Steps

1. Step 1: Know the four kinds of pollutionCommon pollution falls into four kinds: air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution and solid waste. For example, black smoke from a lorry is air pollution; a factory pouring wastewater into a river is water pollution; the roar of piling at a construction site at night is noise pollution; a plastic bag dropped in the street is solid waste. Telling the kinds apart is the first step to solving each problem in the right way. Exams often give examples for sorting: dripping air-conditioners are water pollution, cooking fumes from restaurants are air pollution, and a television too loud late at night is noise pollution — classify first, then discuss the cure.
2. Step 2: Find the sources of pollutionTo solve pollution, we must first find where it comes from. For example, the exhaust smell on a busy Mong Kok street comes from buses and lorries; the foam boxes picked up on a beach mostly come from littering. In fact much pollution is linked to our daily life — riding vehicles, using plastic bags and dropping litter — and finding the sources shows us where to start improving. Finding the source can be systematic: observe the pollution, then track when and where it appears — beach litter piles up after holidays, showing it is linked to visitors; such records make the evidence clear.
3. Step 3: Understand the effects on healthPollution does not only spoil the environment; it also harms our health directly. For example, when the Air Quality Health Index reaches High, classmates with asthma should cut down hard outdoor exercise; living long above eighty decibels slowly damages hearing. Knowing these effects helps us understand why pollution must be taken seriously — protecting ourselves also protects our family. Remember loudness with familiar examples: a library is about forty decibels, an ordinary conversation about sixty, and years above eighty damage hearing — which is why front-row concert-goers often wear earplugs.
4. Step 4: Understand the effects on naturePollution upsets the balance of nature and makes it hard for plants and animals to survive. For example, sewage adds too many nutrients to the sea; algae multiply, the water loses oxygen, and fish die in great numbers. Plastic waste from landfills blown into the sea can also trap or choke turtles and seabirds. Once nature is damaged it often takes many years to recover, so we should act before problems start. A newer concern is microplastics: plastic waste breaks into particles smaller than five millimetres, is swallowed by small fish which larger fish then eat, and the pollutants pile up along the food chain until they reach our own tables.
5. Step 5: Watch the government's monitoring dataGovernment departments monitor the environment every day and publish the data, and we should learn to watch and use it. For example, before a hike, check the Air Quality Health Index on the EPD website; if it is high, go on a day with cleaner air instead. Learning to read these data helps us plan activities and understand the changes in the environment around us. The index runs from one to ten with an extra band above ten, published under five health-risk categories — Low, Moderate, High, Very High and Serious; the higher the band, the more outdoor activity officials advise us to cut.
6. Step 6: Live habits that reduce pollutionReducing pollution can start with our own daily habits, and small actions add up to great power. For example, taking the MTR and buses instead of being driven, switching off lights, and bringing your own bag all cut exhaust and waste. Sorting rubbish for recycling and using fewer disposable utensils are green actions everyone can do. Set small targets for yourself: bring your own bottle five days a week, sort waste paper and cans properly, use cloth bags instead of plastic; once the habits take root, cutting pollution becomes second nature.
7. Step 7: Spread the message to family and friendsProtecting the environment is not one person's job; we should also bring the people around us on board. For example, remind drivers to switch off the engine while waiting; one car saved this way uses tens of litres less petrol a year, so exhaust falls. We can share green tips at class meetings, or agree with friends to walk to school together, making pollution reduction everyone's habit. Publicity has its craft: be concrete — spell out how many litres of petrol switching off the engine saves each year, which persuades better than empty slogans — then demonstrate the sorting steps so listeners can follow.

4Diagrams Diagrams

5Worked example Example

6Common mistakes Mistakes

7Quick check Quick check

8Recap Recap

• Common pollution has four kinds: air, water, noise and solid waste.
• Air pollution comes mainly from vehicle exhaust and power stations and irritates the breathing system.
• Long-term noise above eighty decibels damages hearing and mind.
• Hong Kong's three landfills are nearly full, and the waste problem grows.
• The government legislates and citizens live green — together we fight pollution.