Effects of Pollution to the Environment Essay Example

The advertisement "Hard to Breath?" done by the Greeenpeace.org aims at minimizing various forms of pollution done by man through multiple activities. Fumes from industries and the automobiles have made it hard to breathe. Just like the adverts put it, some place on earth are inhabitable as some have become dumpsites, our oceans have been affected by plastic materials putting marine life into danger. Pollution to the soil, water, and air puts our beautiful earth into the threat of extinction, and if not controlled, the only planet that supports life will be dead too. Through the entire advertisement, the reader acquires information on the need to conserve the environment as the effects are evident.

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Greenpeace.org is an international non-profit organization that aims at ensuring that the earth can support life in all its diversities, through its awareness on an issue like climate change, deforestation, and pollution (Mate, 2001). It encourages the audience to find means of helping in preserving the Earth the planet we call home. Conserving the environment will help reclaim the glory of our forests and water bodies which aid in balancing the ecosystem. By showing the images of human activities and their effects, the organization can use pas critical information to everybody who gets access to the advertisement.

The photograph on the advertisement, Greenpeace organization, shows how human activities degrade our environments, putting both flora and fauna in significant danger. Smoke originating from urban centers ends up into the atmosphere. The photograph demonstrates its credibility and appeals to ethos. From past research, the toxic smoke affects the ozone layer putting Earth and its habitats into danger. The destruction of the ozone layer has been closely associated with climate change. With the growth in population, many processing industries are set up. Due to the processing processes, dangerous fumes end up into our surroundings, which we depend on for oxygen supply. Animals and other living organisms end up inhaling the fumes, which puts them to danger. The whole idea of pollution is indicated by the photograph.

The advertisement uses strong appeal to logos, with images demonstrating the effects of pollution on the environment. In search of space for developing the urban centers, land previously under crop cover has been encroached leaving a significant percentage of the ground bare. Almost all the area is put under construction leaving little or no space for vegetation. The surviving plants are so unhealthy and even drying up. The clearing of the vegetation cover has led to the destruction of the soil structure, resulting in soil erosion. Erosion has direct negative impacts on human life (Duruibe, Ogwuegbu and Egwurugwu, 2007). Roads have been swept away recent years due to corrosion. Low soil quality results in the death of plants and other living organisms living in the soil. The unhealthy plant in the photograph shows the impact of pollution on soil fertility. Its pale curved stem indicates water deficiency showing how dry the ground is. The delicate yellow leaves show lack of enough nutrients from the soil. Fumes from the industries also affect the health of plants.

From the advertisement, buildings are seen hanging on the loose surface on the photograph probably showing the effects of soil pollution. The viewer of the ad can view the buildings hanging on the edge of the ground. This encroachment is due to an imbalance in the house demand and supply. Riparian lands have fallen victims of expansion of urban centers (Oldeman, 1992). Buildings on such grounds have unstable foundation putting them into the risk of collapsing. Many cases of buildings collapsing have been witnessed in urban centers recently. The picture answers the text on the photograph, "Hard to Breath?" it creates awareness of the negative impacts human activities have on the environment.

The human waste from the urban centers ends up leaking to the ground. The sewer lowers the quality of soil which decreases its fertility. As a result, the vegetation cover reduces resulting in the imbalance in the ecology. This imbalance has resulted in the change in weather patterns causing extreme climate conditions that end up harming human beings and other living things. Industries drain their untreated effluent into the soil later ending up into water bodies, where they cause diseases to living organisms. Drainage pies wear out with time sewer ending up into the ground. Non-biodegradable materials end up into the soil lowering its quality.

The dry tap informs the viewer of the advertisement on the dangers of polluting the environment. With climate change, which occurs as a result of air pollution, there is a reduced amount of rainfall resulting in water shortages. Snow on mountain tops is melting resulting into drying of rovers all over the world. Tropical forests have been cut down, either for timber or firewood. Much vegetation gets cleared in search for building space. With the knowledge on the importance of water to humankind, a dry tap is an awakening call to everybody on the planet to conserve the environment less they end up dying.

On top of its appeal to logos, the photograph advertisement appeals to pathos. The question in the photograph, "Hard to Breath?" raises the emotions of the viewer. The text informs the causes why people might find difficulties in breathing, as a result of contaminated air. The question together with the photograph shows the reader of the advertisement the potential causes of the challenges in breathing.

The dying plant o the photograph creates an emotional picture, of dangers the living organism get exposed to due to pollution to our environment. It gives the viewer the need to put measures into place to save our flora. The plants look helpless creating an urge to whoever sees the advertisement to conserve the environment. The birds flying in the atmosphere filled with toxic smoke also raises emotions. They are innocent creatures suffering the consequences of human beings irresponsibility. This image gives the audience the importance to stop activities that may harm the life on earth. The continued pollution from the industries makes the home for birds inhabitable, causing thousands of deaths.

Conclusion

Through the entire photograph, the image of an ugly Earth that seems lifeless shows. Dangers of extinction of living organisms become apparent to the audience. The picture gives the audience (human beings) the idea of how pollution can do to the environment. The approach creates a sense of responsibility towards the environment conservation. The photograph demonstrates the aim of the Greenpeace organization, which is indicated by the various images. Unless human activities get controlled, then the planet is in great danger, and all life elements are headed to extinction. The audience to the advertisement gets convinced on the importance of protecting the surroundings, as the effects of not doing so emerges. The results of pollution are extreme, and if not controlled, there will be no life on Earth in the coming years.

References

Mate, J. (2001). Making a difference: A case study of the Greenpeace ozone campaign. Review of European Community & International Environmental Law, 10(2), 190-198.

Duruibe, J. O., Ogwuegbu, M. O. C., & Egwurugwu, J. N. (2007). Heavy metal pollution and human biotoxic effects. International Journal of physical sciences, 2(5), 112-118.

Oldeman, L. R. (1992). Global extent of soil degradation. In Bi-Annual Report 1991-1992/ISRIC (pp. 19-36). ISRIC.