▲ AIR POLLUTION
Smoke and gases released by industry,
power plants, homes, and vehicles have
caused visible air pollution, known as
“smog”, in many cities. Badly polluted
air can be dangerous to breathe, but the
main threat from this kind of pollution
is global warming.Smog shrouding the Los Angeles skyline, USAPlastic waste floating in
the sea can trap and kill
marine animals, as well
as pollute beaches Coral reefs are dying as
oceans become warmer,
and many types of coral may soon be extinctRubbish in Guanabara Bay, Brazil▼ LAND AND SEA POLLUTION
A lot of the things that we throw away end
up scattered over the landscape, or dumped
in the sea. Most plastic never rots down and is
dangerous to wildlife. Raw sewage and other
waste is also poisoning enclosed seas such as
the Mediterranean.▼ GLOBAL WARMING
The most serious threat to the
environment is global warming. This
is caused by pollution of the air by
gases that absorb heat and warm up
the atmosphere. This may lead to
changes in rainfall patterns and rises
in sea levels as polar ice caps melt.188
As the human population grows and we exploit more
of the world’s resources, we inflict a lot of damage
on our environment. We are doing this partly by
destruction of natural habitats, such as forests and
wetlands, and partly by pollution of the land,
oceans, and atmosphere. Many plants and animals
are endangered, and entire ecosystems such as
coral reefs and rainforests are under threat.Environment
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