‘Environmentally friendly, environment-friendly, nature-friendly, green and eco-friendly are marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that inflict reduced, minimal, or no harm upon ecosystems or the environment’ (wiki). By understanding the true meaning of eco-friendly, we can implement the practices that will lead to healthier living for the planet and its inhabitants, big and small.
However, let us first take a look at the past and see how things were before.
With the coming of the Industrial Revolution, humans were able to advance further into the 21st century. Technology developed rapidly, science became advanced and the manufacturing age came into view. With all of these came one more effect, industrial pollution. Earlier, industries where small factories produced smoke were recognised as the main pollutant. However, since the number of factories were limited and worked only a certain number of hours a day, the levels of pollution did not grow significantly. But when these factories became full scale industries and manufacturing units, the issue of industrial pollution started to take on more importance. Any form of pollution that can trace its immediate source to industrial practices is known as industrial pollution. Most of the pollution on the planet can be traced back to industries of some kind. In fact, the issue of industrial pollution has taken on grave importance for agencies trying to fight against environmental degradation. Countries facing sudden and rapid growth of such industries are finding it to be a serious problem which has to be brought under control immediately. Industrial pollution takes on many faces. It contaminates many sources of drinking water, releases unwanted toxins into the air and reduces the quality of soil all over the world. Major environmental disasters have been caused due to industrial mishaps, which have yet to be brought under control.
Below are few of the causes of industrial pollution that have resulted in environment degradation
1. Lack of policies to control pollution: Lack of effective policies and poor enforcement have allowed many industries to bypass laws made by pollution control boards, resulting in mass scale pollution that affects the lives of many people.
2. Unplanned industrial growth: In most industrial townships, unplanned growth took place wherein those companies flouted rules and norms and polluted the environment with both air and water pollution.
3. Use of outdated technologies: Most industries still rely on old technologies to produce products that generate a large amount of waste. To avoid high cost and expenditure, many companies still make use of traditional technologies to produce high end products.
4. Presence of a large number of small scale industries: Many small scale industries and factories that don’t have enough capital and rely on government grants to run their day-to-day businesses often escape environment regulations and release large amount of toxic gases in the atmosphere.
5. Inefficient waste disposal: Water pollution and soil pollution are often caused directly due to inefficiency in disposal of waste. Long term exposure to polluted air and water causes chronic health problems, making the issue of industrial pollution into a severe one. It also lowers the air quality in surrounding areas which causes many respiratory disorders.
6. Leaching of Resources From Our Natural World: Industries do require large amount of raw material to make them into finished products. This requires extraction of minerals from beneath the earth. The extracted minerals can cause soil pollution when spilled on the earth. Leaks from vessels can cause oil spills that may prove harmful for marine life.
But what are the actual effects of the industrial pollution? Let's see...
1. Water pollution: The effects of industrial pollution are far reaching and liable to affect the eco-system for many years to come. Most industries require large amounts of water for their work. When involved in a series of processes, the water comes into contact with heavy metals, harmful chemicals, radioactive waste and even organic sludge. These are either dumped into open oceans or rivers and as a result, many of our water sources have high amount of industrial waste in them which seriously impacts the health of our eco-systems. The same water is then used by farmers for irrigation purpose which affects the quality of food that is produced. Water pollution has already rendered many ground water resources useless for humans and wildlife. It can at best be recycled for further usage in industries.
2. Soil pollution: Soil pollution is creating problems in agriculture and destroying local vegetation. It also causes chronic health issues to the people that come in contact with such soil on a daily basis.
3. Air pollution: Air pollution has led to a steep increase in various illnesses and it continues to affect us on a daily basis. With so many small, mid and large scale industries experiencing growth, air pollution has taken toll on the health of the people and the environment.
4. Wildlife extinction: By and large, the issue of industrial pollution shows us that it causes natural rhythms and patterns to fail, meaning that the wildlife is getting affected in a severe manner. Habitats are being lost, species are becoming extinct and it is harder for the environment to recover from each natural disaster. Major industrial accidents like oil spills, fires, leak of radioactive material and damage to property are harder to clean-up as they have a higher impact in a shorter span of time.
5. Global warming: With the rise in industrial pollution, global warming has been increasing at a steady pace. Smoke and greenhouse gases are being released by industries into the air, which causes an increase in global warming. The melting of glaciers, extinction of polar beers, floods, tsunamis and hurricanes are just few of the effects of global warming.
The issue of industrial pollution concerns every nation on the planet. As a result, many steps have been taken to seek permanent solutions to the problem. Luckily, that was not all in vain, as we came to a solution which offers a way out of dirty industrial technologies.
And the solution is eco-friendly technology. Wasn't that obvious?
Eco-friendly technology includes recycling, renewable energy (wind power, solar power, biomass, hydropower, biofuels, etc.), information technology, green transportation, electric motors, green chemistry, lighting, greywater, and many other appliances that are now more energy efficient.
Investments in eco-friendly technology have grown considerably since coming into the spotlight around 2000. The idea of clean or eco-friendly technology first appeared among a group of emerging technologies and companies, based on principles of biology, resource efficiency, and second-generation production concepts in basic industries. Examples include: energy efficiency, selective catalytic reduction, non-toxic materials, water purification, solar energy, wind energy, and new paradigms in energy conservation.
Eco-friendly simply means being friendly to nature. Earth is the only planet where human beings can exist.
We need to be eco-friendly to save our planet Earth and environment as well as making it a better place to live in. Millions of tonnes of waste are produced in the world every day. It’s not much, but we can make little efforts to help planet Earth every day.
A company being eco-friendly not only helps its surrounding to be less harmful, but also helps the fellow human beings and the animals around it. We should all know the importance of being eco-friendly. Nowadays, eco-friendly products are readily available; one can be earth friendly by using these products and by using organic chemicals instead of harsh ones for their purposes. A company being eco-friendly or environmentally friendly is becoming very important as a selling tool in our high-choice market economy!
Eco-friendly companies are promoting green living that is helping to conserve energy and also prevent air, water and noise pollution. They are proving to be a boon for the environment and also prevent human health from deterioration. To be very precise, being earth friendly or eco-friendly has become a necessity that everybody should take part in, not only companies.
Ask yourself, are you eco-friendly?
Source:
Feel Friendly,
Conserve Energy Future,
Home Guide,
Green Movement,
Wikipedia