Sociology Now, Census Update

Pollution.There are three major sources of water pollution: domestic waste,

industrial waste, and agricultural runoff. Indoor plumbing in urban areas means a

huge amount of human waste, which is usually treated with toxic chemicals and then

dumped into the nearest river. Many industrial processes require huge amounts of

water, which is then dumped, along with more toxic chemicals. The petroleum

industry is particularly problematic; every year billions of gallons of oil are routinely

deposited into the ocean during tank cleaning and other operations. Agricultural

runoff includes not only topsoil but toxic pesticides and fertilizers. When it all ends up

in the water supply, it can cause a huge number of unspecified health problems in

humans. Even tiny changes in freshwater or saltwater habitats can kill micro-

organisms, undersea plants, and fish, as well as every animal that feeds on them.

Air pollution is concentrated in urban areas, the result of carbon monoxide, sul-

fur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide from cars, heaters, and industrial processes. These gases

have a profound impact on the lungs and circulatory system; breathing the air in down-

town Tokyo is the equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes every day. The gases have

similar negative effects on every animal trying to breathe the same air, and when toxic

gases combine with water molecules in the air, they can return to Earth as acid rain;

enter lakes, rivers, and oceans through groundwater runoff; and destroy the ecosys-

tems. Or they can rise up to the ozone layer, a band of oxygen isotopes 10 to 30 miles

from Earth’s surface, and bond with them, thus eliminating their effectiveness in shield-

ing Earth from ultraviolet radiation. These invisible rays cause skin cancer, cataracts,

and damage to the immune system and contribute to an increased production of

carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming.

Garbage.In 2003, the United States produced 236,000,000 metric tons of municipal

solid waste, or MSW (household waste and waste from civic maintenance, like mowing

644 CHAPTER 19SOCIOLOGY OF ENVIRONMENTS: THE NATURAL, PHYSICAL, AND HUMAN WORLDS

Environmental Threats and Science

A great deal of controversy surrounds the topic of environmental threats. Some people attribute

the threats to political maneuvering, while others blame real-world behavioral consequences. So,

what do you think?

19.1

What

do

you

think

❍Strongly agree

❍Agree

❍Neither agree nor disagree

❍Disagree

❍Strongly disagree

Many of the claims about environmental threats are greatly exaggerated.

?

Modern science will solve our environmental problems with little change to our way of life.

❍Strongly agree

❍Agree

❍Neither agree nor disagree

❍Disagree

❍Strongly disagree

See the back of the chapter to compare your answers to national survey data.