Have you ever spent your day complete surrounded in others garbage, likely not. For marine life in thousands of rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans this is an everyday reality. We could ask “Who’s to blame,” but the fish didn’t put it there themselves and we are the only ones to blame. According to a study by The National Geographic in 2018, “70% of industrial waste is dumped into the usable water supply in developing countries.” Water pollution is a serious problem that is harming our rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans. Before we can prevent it we need to know how it is happening, the effects it has on the environment, and what is being done to help it. By knowing these things, it will make it easier for us all to improve our water here on Earth.

First of all we need to know how the pollution is ending up in the water in the first place. The easiest way for pollution to end up in the water is it getting put there directly by littering. Another large part of how much of the pollutants enter the water is through wastewater and sewage coming from our homes. According to a study by NOAA for the National Ocean Service in 2017, “80% of water pollutants come from land.” and “Nonpoint source pollution can make river and ocean water unsafe for humans and wildlife.” Another interesting part of the study said how harmful chemicals end up in the water, “When large tracts of land are plowed, the exposed soil can erode during rainstorms. Much of this runoff flows to the sea, carrying with it agricultural fertilizers and pesticides.” Learning about how pollution enters our waterways is very important to being able to slow water pollution, but we also need to know how the pollution is affecting the environment.

Pollution in the water can affect the environment in many ways. One way that it can harm the environment is it can affect breeding habits in fish by slowing the rate that they build nests and reproduce, heavy sediment and chemicals can smother eggs on a nest, and can eventually lead to death for fish. Pollutants such as pesticides can kill marine plants that they use as cover and it supplies them oxygen in the water. Many fish die due to a lack of food and oxygen in the water. According to Diana K. Williams; who has a Bachelor's degree of Science in environmental studies and biology; in an article written in 2018 for Sciencing.com “When plants die, the decay process lowers the dissolved oxygen level in the water to a level too low for the fish to survive, resulting in fish kills.” Microplastics; extremely small pieces of partially broken down plastic; can be ingested by fish and eventually lead to death. After fish have ingested pollutants such as fertilizer or pesticides, birds such as eagles, osprey, and loons may eat the fish and could even die from these pollutants. These birds and many others that rely on fish as a part of their food source may have to move out of an area due to fish kills from pollution. Even with the many ways that pollution can harm the environment there are still things that we can do to help improve our waters.

Even though it would be extremely difficult to completely rid the entire planet of water pollution, there are many things that we can do to help slow the rate of pollution. First of all, avoid throwing garbage directly into the water. Secondly, don’t put small pieces of trash in sinks or in toilets, avoid using a garbage disposal as much as possible and don’t ever dump grease or fat down the sink.  Trash in toilets and sinks can eventually make its way into the water. Garbage disposals grind up foods into small pieces that need to be filtered out or end up in the water supply. Even small steps such as these, if followed by everyone, will make a huge improvement to the environment, specifically our water. These are just a few of the things that we can do but there are already steps being made to help the environment even more.

One thing that has help the environment since 1972 is the United States clean water act. This act regulates pollutants that are otherwise put into rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans. Community clean- up events are another great way that large pieces of pollution can be removed from the water. These are just a few things that are already being done to help the environment. Aside from all of these things, pollution in our waterways is still a major issue that needs to be addressed.

There are many things that can be done to help the environment. Water pollution has taken ahold of our rivers, lakes, and streams and by making small changes to our daily lives to better the marine environment. The only ones to blame for the destruction of theses environments is ourselves, and we are also the only ones who can help improve them. Despite many things already being done, pollution is still a major problem in countless rivers, lakes, and streams. If we continue to let more and more pollution enter our waters, only negative outcomes are to follow. Every little thing helps, and if everyone participates the water quality will drastically change. I believe that if everyone works together that we can greatly improve the quality of the marine environment around us here on earth.