How? Because pollinators like bees, bats, and butterflies pollinate over 180,000 plant species and more than 1,200 crops. The first step of pollination happens when a pollen grain moves from the male part of a flower to the female part, and pollinators play a key role in this movement of pollen.

For this reason, protecting our bees has become a priority for environmentalists around the world. Harmful bee repellents that contain chemicals are not only damaging bee populations, they are also contributing to pollution. There is, however, a way to peacefully coexist with bees and pollinators without harming them: natural bee repellent.

In this guide, we’ll explore all you need to know about how effective natural bee repellent is, and how to create your own recipe at home.

Is it possible to keep bees away naturally?

Before turning to bee repellent methods, there are some key facts to know about bee behavior that can help you avoid attracting bees, whether you have an allergy or simply do not like bees buzzing around you while outside.

Ever notice that beekeepers wear white suits? This is because bees are aggressive towards dark, fuzzy objects. Be sure to wear light-colored clothing if you’re hoping to avoid bees.

You’ll also want to avoid wearing flowery scents or sweet-smelling soaps, hair products, or deodorant. These sweet smells will likely attract not only bees, but other insects to you.

The same goes for flowers in your yard – if you’re aiming to avoid bees, avoid planting sweet-smelling plants and flowers in your yard, as pollinators are attracted to them.

And why are bees so attracted to sweet scents? The short answer is sugar! Many bees feed on the nectar from flowers and plants, so the sugary beverage you’re drinking or sweet perfume you’re using will no doubt attract the attention of bees.

Bees eat nectar to feed their colony and to fuel their flight. In fact, bees can actually taste sugars: when in contact with food, their taste neurons are activated, signaling the presence of food.

If these methods of avoiding the attention of bees do not work for you, there are plenty of natural bee repellent methods that will discourage bees without harming them.

Looking to natural solutions is critical because bee populations are shrinking: pollution, disease, the misuse of chemicals, and changes in climatic patterns are all leading to shrinking and shifting pollinator populations.

We can all do our part to reduce the damage done to bee populations by opting for natural repellent methods. After all, cross-pollination helps at least 30% of the world’s crops and 90% of wild plants thrive, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Do natural bee repellent methods actually work?

While some bee infestations may require professional help from a bee removal expert (not an exterminator!), in most cases, natural bee repellents are just as effective as those that utilize harmful chemicals.

Let’s explore some of the most effective substances for repelling bees.

Citronella

Citronella is one of the most effective natural bee repellents. Many insect repellent products contain citronella in the form of sprays and candles.

Citronella oil repels insects rather than killing them. Sensitive bees are deterred by strong smells, and they will particularly avoid areas infused with the scent of citronella.

You can purchase citronella oil and apply it to various areas around your yard or clothing, or light citronella candles while you’re outside to create a masking odor that bees and insects will avoid.

While citronella will not harm bees directly, it’s a super effective way to keep them from flying around certain areas of your yard or home.

Peppermint

In a similar way, the smell of peppermint will also repel bees from a certain area. The strong peppermint scent interferes with bees’ sensitive sense of smell, making this natural ingredient a great natural bee repellent.

To utilize peppermint at home, you can plant peppermint plants in your yard or dab peppermint essential oils on your body, clothing, or areas of your yard.

Cinnamon

The scent of cinnamon also encourages bees to relocate, and you most likely already have this ingredient in your home. 

If a hive of honey bees has decided to settle in your yard and you’d like them to move, try sprinkling cinnamon powder around their hive for about a week.

While the smell won’t hurt them, it is strong enough that it will overpower sweet-smelling flowers in the area and the colony of bees will most likely move on.

Distilled vinegar

Distilled vinegar is another item that you most likely already have in your home! An all-natural solution for green cleaning at home, vinegar has many uses. It’s no surprise that it can also help you keep bees away from swarming your home and yard.

One of the best ways to utilize vinegar as a natural bee repellent is to create a spray: combine equal parts vinegar and water, and then spray this solution in the vicinity of the beehive or around your yard. Be sure to check whether vinegar can damage your deck, patio, or furniture, however.

You can also fill small containers with vinegar – such as recycled cans or glass jars – and place them around your patio, yard, and windowsills.

Fresh cucumber

Cucumbers are also surprisingly effective at keeping bees away. However, just laying a whole cucumber in your yard will not really help; it’s actually the cucumber peel that bees and wasps dislike. This is because bees aren’t fond of the acidity of cucumber peels.

So, placing cucumber peels around your yard or home, on window sills, or other high places where rabbits cannot reach them is a great solution to keeping bees away naturally.

You can also cut up the peels and lay them on an aluminum pie dish for an extra-effective repellent: the ensuing chemical reaction will create a scent that bees can’t stand.

DIY natural bee repellent

To create a super effective bee repellent, you can also concoct your own solution at home. Various recipes combine these bee repelling ingredients that won’t harm people or wildlife in your yard.

How to make natural bee repellent at home

Want to save money and create a natural bee repellent that won’t harm your plants or other animals that occupy your yard? Let’s explore several methods to create your own bee-repelling solution at home. 

1. Create an essential oil-based spray

There are several bee repellent sprays that you can create using various essential oils. All you’ll need to create this spray is:

• A spray bottle
• Water
• 2-3 essential oils of your choice

Using the oils that most effectively repel the scent of bees is best for this recipe, so you can mix peppermint oil with other oils like lavender, cedarwood, or eucalyptus essential oil. Combined with water, spraying this mixture will not only smell good, but will also keep insects away from your home and yard without killing them.

Another way to increase the effectiveness of essential oil repellent is to combine your choice of oil with water and 2-3 teaspoons of liquid soap. The soap allows you to spray this solution on most household items.

After spraying this mixture, the water will evaporate and leave the essential oil scent behind as a natural repellent. However, keep in mind that you shouldn’t spray essential oil mixtures on your food or skin, but dabbing it on clothing is typically fine.

2. Add certain spices to your recipe

Adding spices to your essential oil-based repelling solution will make it more effective! To create this mixture, start with the same recipe as above: soap, water, and your choice of essential oils like peppermint or lavender.

Next, add ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon and ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the mixture. The strong scents of these smells will ensure that your mixture is strong enough to keep most bees away!

Spray your natural bee repellent around your deck, patio, doors, windows, and in the air in a certain area to keep bees away.

Note: don’t spray bees directly!

After creating your own natural bee repellent recipe, it’s important to know that you shouldn’t spray bees or wasps directly.

Wasps are particularly aggressive and may try to sting if provoked. To be safe, spray your surfaces and clothing, but only when safe to do so.

So, never spray your repellent directly at any wasps you see. If you discover a nest or you have a particularly bad infestation, be sure to seek professional help for removing bees or wasps from your property.

Give natural bee repellent a try

This warm season, rest assured that you’ll be able to keep bees away with these natural bee repellent solutions. Most of these repellents are cost-effective, and you may already have them at home.

In addition, these solutions won’t harm bees that are essential to our ecosystem, the animal food chain, and the growth of our food.

Follow these recipes or create your own mixture and you’ll be equipped with an affordable and green bee repellent this summer.

The United Nations has projected that this exponential population growth will continue: in 2030, the world’s population will likely reach 8.5 billion by 2050, 9.7 billion, and 10.4 billion by 2100.

Some experts say that since 1970, the world has been overpopulated. Overpopulation refers to the state in which the Earth cannot regenerate the resources used by the world’s population each year.

This nuanced trend has impacted everything from climate change to food resources worldwide. It’s critical to understand the factors enabling such rapid population growth and what we can do to curb the adverse effects of overpopulation.

In this guide, we’ll dive into all the overpopulation causes, effects, and solutions you need to know.

Is the world overpopulated?

The state of our Earth’s population has been fiercely debated for decades, with some deterrents stating that the concern of overpopulation is exaggerated. Many scientists state that human population growth will eventually end, and the United Nations also predicts that Earth’s population will not exceed 12 billion.

Regardless of which side you take in the debate, it’s true that a steadily expanding human population proposes immense challenges to all nations.

As The Overpopulation Project states, the Earth is overpopulated for two main reasons:

1. Humans are rapidly displacing wildlife species across the globe.
2. We are degrading ecosystems that provide essential, irreplaceable environmental services that future generations will need to live decent lives.

This reasoning is driven by the argument that Earth has never been equipped to house this many human beings. Today, we are not sharing Earth fairly with the millions of other plant, animal, and aquatic species that call it home.

Indeed, humans are consuming more natural resources than ever and encroaching on more and more natural habitats as the population has grown. It’s fair to assume that as the population keeps growing, so too will our damage to the Earth.

Only a few countries will make up over half the projected population increase by 2050: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, the Philippines, and Egypt.

It’s important to understand that while population growth is highest in impoverished countries, consumption, carbon emissions, and resource use are far more significant in developed parts of the world. Thus, the environmental impact of each individual in wealthy countries is higher than in poorer countries.

What is causing overpopulation in the world today?

Now that we better understand the overpopulation debate and where population growth is occurring most rapidly worldwide, let’s examine the causes of this phenomenon.

Longer life expectancy

One of the most significant causes of overpopulation is what many would view as a positive development: the average life expectancy has continued to grow, and mortality rates worldwide have decreased in the last centuries.

Advances in modern medicine and increasing access to food and clean water are reasons life expectancy has continued to grow.

The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that global life expectancy at birth is expected to rise from 72.8 years in 2019 to 77.2 years in 2050. However, large gaps in this progress exist between the least developed countries and those that are more developed.

Death rates have also decreased: in 1973, the global mortality rate was 12.2 per 1,000 people, and in 2022, this rate decreased to 8.4 deaths per 1,000 people. While it’d normally be considered a positive trend, this increase in life expectancy means that the consumption footprint of each person also increases.

As people live longer and have children that, in turn, live longer, global demand for food and essential resources will continue to increase.

Underutilization of contraception and family planning

A 2019 study found that around half of the annual 21 million pregnancies in low- and middle-income countries in individuals aged 15-19 years were unintended.

They found that 8 million out of 9.5 million unintended pregnancies occurring annually in only twelve countries could have been prevented with modern methods of contraception.

These results illustrate the staggering effects of the lack of modern contraception on population growth. Underutilization of modern contraception occurs for a few reasons, including lack of access, fear of potential side effects, and lack of education on contraception and family planning.

Lack of access to contraceptives is an immense issue worldwide: around 1.2 million women live in a county without a single health center offering the full range of contraceptive methods.

A lack of adequate family planning also persists in many places. Family planning refers to the number of children a person wants to have. This right has been hindered in countries where there are gender or culturally-based barriers, a lack of access to adequate medical services, and where religious leaders reject the idea.

Better fertility treatment

Fertility treatment has become more advanced as medical care has improved globally, especially in wealthier countries where inhabitants can afford these treatments.

In the U.S., for example, more than 1 million babies have been born due to assisted reproductive technology since 1996. In fact, since 1978, the number of people conceived by reproductive technology has reached several million today and is rapidly approaching 0.1% of the total world population.

Over time, as more and more people utilize assisted reproductive technology, such as IVF, to grow their families, this portion of the population will continue to grow.

Migration and urban concentration

Today, cities worldwide are at the center of the overpopulation problem, and they’re continuing to grow.

These massive cities have been populated by migration and expansion for several reasons. People migrate from land damaged by climate disasters and flee social upheaval, conflict, and economic disparity.

While Tokyo and Delhi have experienced some of the highest economic growth in the world, these cities are not expected to grow much more. Instead, smaller cities in countries like India will continue to grow.

It’s projected that within 35 years, more than 100 cities will have populations larger than 5.5 million people. Where will these fast-growing cities be? By 2100, the world’s population centers are anticipated to shift to Asia and Africa.

What are the negative effects of overpopulation?

As more and more people are born, more food, clean water, energy, housing, healthcare, transportation, and energy are needed. This demand not only adds pressure to our already-strained resources but also increases the chance of conflict, large-scale disasters, and environmental degradation.

Let’s look a bit more closely at the negative effects of overpopulation.

Poverty and disease

Poverty is both a cause and effect of overpopulation. Social factors such as lack of education and reproductive care underlie both poverty and population growth, meaning that as long as these needs remain unmet, poverty and overpopulation will continue in a vicious cycle.

The UN projected that the total population of the world’s least developed countries is projected to rise from just over 1 billion people in 2020 to 1.76 billion in 2050. Overcrowding, especially in the most populous cities, leads to health issues caused by smog, pollution, and lack of access to sanitary personal and medical care.

In less developed countries with higher poverty rates, the mortality rate for children and adolescents is higher. In fact, scientists note that epidemics and pandemics are occurring at a more frequent rate and are being fueled by human overpopulation.

Ecological degradation

One of the most pressing effects of overpopulation is the damage our growing population is doing to our planet. Increasing global populations puts more pressure on our Earth’s resources, including our forests, water sources, and biodiversity.

As our cities become more populous and expand outward, we will continue to encroach on the habitats that animals rely on to survive. The increased use of natural resources, as well as added pollution and carbon emissions, will also ultimately exacerbate climate change and global warming.

However, experts also say that consumption is a large piece of the environmental puzzle. Consumption varies greatly between countries, and wealth plays a crucial role.

The UN reports that high-income and upper-middle-income countries contribute about 85% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Meanwhile, in these countries like the U.S. and Canada, fertility rates and the total population has continued to decrease.

Globally, the average carbon footprint is close to 4 tons, while the average carbon footprint for a person in the U.S. is 16 tons, one of the highest rates in the world. Thus, while birthrates fall in the U.S., each person’s impact is damaging our environment more.

Increased conflict

An additional negative impact of overpopulation is the increased occurrence of conflict. Most experts warn that overpopulation and a lack of resources will likely breed unrest and conflict.

A recent study found that population growth increased conflict related to natural resources in particular, especially in countries that are growing slower. The study found that the average population change caused roughly 4.2 additional years of full-blown civil war in the 1980s relative to the 1940s.

While the correlation between overpopulation and conflict is difficult to measure, it’s clear that when communities need to compete for natural resources, the chance of conflict is greater.

Child labor

When children are too young to work or are involved in work activities that compromise their physical, mental, social, and educational development, this is considered child labor.

While the dangers of child labor are clear, many families worldwide put their children to work for various reasons. The underlying causes and effects of overpopulation also contribute to increased child laborers, particularly poverty, lack of education, conflict, and natural disasters.

In the world’s least developed countries, slightly more than 1 in 4 children aged 5 to 17 are engaged in labor detrimental to their health and development.

When poverty levels are high, many families have no choice but to put their children to work. In this way, poverty exacerbates overpopulation because families need more children to contribute to the household. 

Tackling overpopulation: what are the solutions?

The negative effects of overpopulation are drastic and require multifaceted solutions that often go beyond the individual. Now that we understand the causes and effects of overpopulation let’s examine some of the main solutions to this issue.

Education

One large part of combating overpopulation is improving reproductive education around family planning and contraceptive use. As we’ve established, lack of family planning – especially in poorer countries – is one of the main drivers of overpopulation.

Empowering women and girls to understand their options regarding family planning is crucial. More family planning programs should be implemented, especially in communities with high infant mortality rates and birth rates.

As the U.S. Center for Disease Control outlines, some of the elements of a successful family planning program include contraceptives and reproductive health surveys that provide high-quality data on various reproductive health indicators.

Education on family planning, reproductive health, and greater access to schools typically lead women and children to have fewer children. Thus, education is a huge part of decreasing birth rates in especially overpopulated countries.

Sustainable economic growth

As we’ve established, population growth over the next few decades will be driven by the world’s poorest countries. Because poverty worsens overpopulation and vice versa, investing in less developed countries with international aid, fair trade, and global justice will all help bring poverty and population rates down. 

In addition, we should strive for a more equal distribution of resources and transition towards more renewable sources of energy and production in all areas of the world.

One way to do so includes investing in research, development, and innovation to develop better production methods, improving the efficiency of our food production, energy distribution, water access, and more.

Environmental policy

In addition to decreasing birth rates, addressing the consumption of the world’s worst climate offenders is essential. As we know, people in high-income countries tend to overconsume resources.

Enacting policies and incentives that benefit the environment, limit carbon emissions, and protect resources on a national level will help curb some of the negative effects of overpopulation.

While large corporations and the world’s wealthiest individuals are doing the most damage to the Earth, there are still things you can do to fight it. You can take steps in your life that help the environment, such as limiting your waste, using greener products, and adopting renewable energy sources.

Overpopulation causes, effects, and solutions wrap up

The overpopulation causes, effects, and solutions discussed in this guide are almost all interrelated. Various trends, such as poverty and climate change, serve as both causes and effects of overpopulation in many ways.

While there is no easy fix to these complex issues, looking at the whole picture of economic, social, and environmental factors is crucial when attempting to lessen the overpopulation problem.

Despite the role that forests play in our planet’s ecosystems, we continue to lose more and more forest cover every year.

As little as 10,000 years ago, 71% of the Earth’s surface was covered by forests, shrubs, and wild grasslands. Only around 38% of this greenery still exists today, and it’s estimated that 10 million hectares of forest are cut down each year.

The main culprit for these tremendous losses? Deforestation; the clearing of forested land. Forests are cleared to make space for urbanization, agricultural processes, and to obtain wood for fuel, manufacturing, and construction purposes.

To better understand the devastating impacts and potential steps forward, this article will fully examine the causes, effects, and solutions to deforestation.

What are the main causes of deforestation?

Though most forests are cleared to make room for agricultural expansion, some of the other main causes of deforestation might surprise you.

1. Agricultural expansion

Agricultural activities are responsible for at least 80% of tropical rainforest deforestation. Whether local subsistence farmers or large-scale commercial agricultural operations, forests are being cleared around the world to keep up with soaring human populations.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, large-scale commercial agriculture – primarily cattle ranching and cultivation of soya bean and oil palm – accounted for 40% of tropical deforestation between 2000 and 2010, and local subsistence agriculture for another 33%.

In more recent years, Earth lost about 4.2 million hectares of humid tropical primary forest, an area about the size of the Netherlands. Nearly half of this loss was due to food production, mostly of commodity crops.

Ecologists warn that this commodity-driven deforestation is permanently changing the landscape: these areas will most likely never be forests again, as opposed to forests cleared by wildfires and forestry management (that grow back over time).

Our forests are home to valuable nutrients, but when they are cleared for agriculture, these nutrients are lost and farmers cannot benefit from them. 

Forests are also cleared for cattle ranching: around 80% of deforestation occurs to make space for cattle to graze. When this land is cleared, it’s unlikely it will be a forest again.

2. Climate change

Climate change is considered both a cause and effect of deforestation. 

It’s widely accepted that climate change is causing more and more extreme weather events and abnormal temperatures, which increase the chances of drought, wildfires, and flooding.

These extreme weather events severely damage forests, and they are only getting more severe as climate change worsens. Climate change will continue as deforestation does, as lost forests release more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

In addition, there is much more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere than existing forests can successfully absorb.

3. Logging

Despite our increasingly digitized world, we still rely heavily on wood for paper, firewood, and a plethora of household furniture and products. Trees are cut down to produce these items, as well as to build commercial and residential structures.

While it is possible to harvest timber sustainably, illegal logging activities usually don’t follow these techniques. Illegal logging has become a huge cause of deforestation, as more and more individuals cut down trees illegally to support themselves financially.

Between August 2003 and 2004, an area of 26,130 square kilometers – around the size of Belgium – in the Amazon rainforest was destroyed, most of it illegally. Today, it is estimated that around 60-80% of logging in the Amazon is illegal.

The U.S. Agency of International Development estimates that the illegal timber industry is worth $51-152 billion each year. This massive operation not only damages our environment but also prevents local communities from legally benefitting from forests for food and economic security.

4. Mining

Mining extraction and processing efforts around the world indirectly and directly damage almost all areas of the environment, and forests are no exception. The construction, operation, maintenance, and extraction of raw materials from the Earth requires the clearing of large amounts of land.

In a 2022 study, it was found that 3,264 square kilometers or 326,400 hectares of forest was directly lost due to industrial mining, with 80% occurring in only four countries: Indonesia, Brazil, Ghana, and Suriname.

Mining caused indirect forest loss in two-thirds of the countries investigated in the study. The building of infrastructure for mineral processing, storage, and transportation is one of the ways that mining indirectly causes deforestation.

The long-term impacts of mining on the Earth’s forests is unknown, but as long as the global population continues to expand, the demand for mineral resources will continue to rise. And, unless deforestation solutions are implemented, our forests and environment will continue to pay the price.

5. Urbanization and population growth

The global human population is projected to reach 9.7 billion in 2050, and potentially peak at nearly 10.4 billion in the mid-2080s. Today, 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and this proportion is expected to rise to 68% by 2050.

This rapid growth has negative implications for all areas of our environment, from increased air and water pollution to the destruction of our forests to grow food and produce resources. Forests are also cleared to make room for urban development and growing cities.

Global demand for food and resources leads to increasing deforestation rates. 

Even in areas where the population is low, external forces such as demand for timber or cattle in other parts of the country or world can lead to deforestation in these areas.

Deforestation is also not exclusive to undeveloped countries: an individual in an industrialized country is likely to consume 60 times more of the world’s resources than an individual in a less industrialized nation.

Addressing this particular cause of deforestation is a complex undertaking because many areas around the world are continuing to expand and industrialize.

What are the harmful effects of deforestation?

Deforestation harms our planet in several ways. From environmental to social and economic impacts, we are already seeing the consequences of the loss of our Earth’s forests.

1. Climate change

The loss of forests around the world is fuelling the ever-growing climate crisis in indirect and direct ways.

Trees act as filters for the water we drink and the air we breathe, meaning that the less trees cover the Earth, the more susceptible our resources are to pollution.

As a by-product of photosynthesis, oxygen is produced and released by trees. It’s estimated that one large tree can provide a day’s supply of oxygen for up to four people.

In one year, a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of harmful carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and release oxygen in exchange.

Trees help protect water quality by capturing, storing, and using rainfall. Trees reduce the amount of runoff that carries pollution off of the landscape and into nearby rivers and lakes. This process also decreases the rate and volume of stormwater flowing through local storm sewers.

With the loss of our nutrient-rich forests, air and water pollution are causing more harm to our communities.

2. Loss of biodiversity

Forests are home to more than three-quarters of the world’s life on land, meaning that they are incredibly biodiverse. Biodiversity is essential to all life on Earth: without a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms, our interconnected ecosystem cannot continue to provide us with the air and food we all require.

Forest biological diversity refers to all forms of life within forested areas and the ecological roles they perform. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, forests contain:

• 60,000 different tree species
• 80% of the world’s amphibian species
• 75% of the world’s bird species
• 68% of the world’s mammal species

When forest ecosystems are damaged, these species are all put at risk. Animals are forced to flee and seek new habitats that may not be best suited for them, and plant species become more and more endangered. Today, more than 1,400 tree species are critically endangered and in urgent need of conservation action.

Deforestation critically threatens that plant and animal species, and in turn, us as humans, that rely on forest ecosystems to provide critical biodiversity for our entire planet.

3. Soil erosion and desertification

Clearing forests and other vegetation causes soil erosion, which is when soil is removed or eroded from its original position. Deforestation leads to increased soil erosion because when trees and plants are removed, their roots no longer hold the earth in place, leaving the underlying soil vulnerable to water and wind.

When soil is covered with vegetation, its organic matter is continually being replenished as leaves, fruits, and animal droppings fall to the ground and are broken down by microorganisms. In the absence of trees, soil composition is changed over time and made even more vulnerable to erosion as its organic matter is depleted.

Deforestation also plays a part in an advanced form of land degradation known as desertification. Desertification occurs when the biological state of land is destroyed or greatly damaged, resulting in desert-like conditions that make it difficult to support life.

The expansion of agricultural lands, deforestation, and overgrazing of animals on land can lead to desertification. These activities negatively affect soil’s ability to retain water and nutrients.

Thus, deforestation renders our soil more susceptible to damage that makes our land less able to support vegetation and crops and leads to increased water pollution.

4. Social and economic disparity

Aside from permanently damaging the landscape of our planet, deforestation impacts human livelihoods and wellbeing.

Communities that reside in forests rely directly on the biodiversity of forests to support themselves, whether using products derived from the forest for food, shelter, energy, medicine, and income. Wood and other forest products provide an estimated 20% of income for rural households in developing countries with access to forests.

Deforestation poses a threat to the livelihoods of millions of people, as forests are clearly interconnected with social and economic activities in both developing and developed nations. The continued loss of forests puts millions of people in jeopardy.

What are the solutions to deforestation?

Though the effects of deforestation are incredibly dire, there are several actions that both individuals and corporations, agencies, and governments can take to preserve the health of our world’s forests.

1. Sustainable agriculture

Sustainable agricultural practices are helping combat the alarming rates of deforestation caused by agriculture around the world and helping restore the productivity of degraded lands.

Agroforestry is one example of such practice: agroforestry is the intentional integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems. Integrating trees with crop and animal farming leads to several benefits:

• Trees planted on farms can help connect forest fragments, benefitting migratory animal species.
• Shady trees can help improve the health of soil.
• A canopy of trees regulates the temperature and humidity of crops.
• Fruit-bearing trees can provide extra sources of income for farmers.

In the U.S., there are five widely recognized categories of agroforestry:

• forest farming
• alley cropping
• silvopasture
• riparian forest buffers
• windbreaks

These methods all aim to produce more sustainable animal and crop farming operations.

Integrating trees with farming is a more sustainable alternative to razing forests for agricultural lands. By opting for more sustainable agricultural practices, farmers don’t need to jeopardize the state of our forests.

2. Reforestation

Reforestation is the process of planting new trees in a previously-forested area that has been deforested or destroyed by natural disasters like wildfires, drought, and disease.

As the U.S. Forest Service explains, reforestation requires complex land management decisions that ensure the efforts take place at the right time and with the right tree species for a given area.

This solution can be implemented by planning for the natural regeneration of a forest, or by planting trees, saplings, or seeds. Accelerating the development of forests on deforested land is critical to protecting our communities, soil, and resources for years to come. 

3. Making more sustainable choices

Although many solutions to deforestation involve government agencies and corporations, there are several steps that individuals can take to help combat the loss of our precious forested ecosystems.

Here are just some of the ways you can help combat deforestation rates around the world:

• Adopting healthier diets and consuming less meat.
• Recycling and reusing discarded material to reduce the demand for raw wood materials.
• Purchase certified sustainably sourced wood products and avoid buying tree-sourced products altogether.
• Plant native species of trees.
• Educate yourself and others on deforestation.
• Support forest conservation organizations such as the Rainforest Action Network, the World Wildlife Fund, The Sierra Club, and others.  

Over time, these greener choices will help make a difference in the harmful effects of deforestation.  

4. Laws and regulations

Organizations are calling for stricter and more expansive regulations that require companies to source timber sustainably and crack down on illegal logging operations. Significant investment can also incentivize farmers to adopt more sustainable farming practices.

Illegal logging, one of the main causes of deforestation around the world, is oftentimes a result of weak governance and corruption in countries that produce timber. Consumer countries have also failed to ban the import of illegally-logged timber, allowing for continued damage to be done to our forests.

In 2022, the European Union passed a law that requires companies to ensure that a series of products sold in the EU do not come from deforested land anywhere in the world. While this type of legislative action discourages companies from buying illegally-logged timber or supporting deforestation efforts, more concrete action must be taken.

5. Protecting the forests we have

Overall, the best solution to deforestation is to halt or greatly reduce the destruction of forests around the world. 

Forest conservation also plays a crucial role in combating deforestation. Conservation efforts in forests aim to preserve all natural resources found within a forest and the benefits derived from forests, as well as plant and maintain newly-forested areas.

Forest conservation efforts are complex and differ depending on the forest. Protecting an existing forest from illegal logging may be all that is required in some cases, whereas vulnerable newly-planted forests need to be protected against changing weather and climate conditions.

When extracted, timber should be sourced from well-managed forests and organizations like The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC is a world leader in sustainable forest management and operates the most rigorous and trusted forest certification system that ensures forests are managed sustainably.

Wrap up on the causes, effects, and solutions to deforestation

Forests are not only some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on our planet, they also are interconnected with our communities, atmosphere, and waterways in critical ways.

Now that we’ve examined the causes, effects, and solutions to deforestation, it’s clear that to destroy our forests means putting plant and animal species at risk and causing economic disparity among the people that rely on forests for their survival.

However, you can do your part by advocating for our Earth’s forests and continuing to understand the complex issue of deforestation.

However, the stakes couldn’t be higher. In 2021, over 2.5 million acres of ponds, reservoirs, and lakes were deemed unsafe in the U.S. alone.

Water pollution can potentially damage aquatic ecosystems and human life for generations to come. More than 50 diseases are linked to poor drinking water quality, and 80% of diseases worldwide are related to poor drinking water quality.

Water pollution can lead to harmful medical conditions such as diarrhea, skin diseases, malnutrition, cancer, and even death for those, especially at risk – like children and the elderly.

Animals and plants that reside in either saltwater or freshwater environments are also increasingly affected by polluted waters. Chemicals and pollutants can impact water temperature and potentially disrupt or kill marine life unused to higher temperatures.

In this article, we’ll dive into everything you need to know on this issue, and what the most common causes of water pollution are.

What is water pollution – and why is it a problem?

Caring for our environment not only has to do with making greener shopping choices, but also preserving the natural resources that are essential to all life on Earth. In its three phases – solid, liquid, and gas – water ties together the major parts of the Earth’s climate system: air, clouds, the ocean, lakes, vegetation, and glaciers.

Water is polluted when harmful substances like chemicals contaminate a waterway. These toxic substances render the water unusable for drinking, cooking, swimming, and cleaning.

Pollutants can include anything from trash to bacteria to parasites, but there are many more causes of water pollution to be aware of.

And because our atmosphere and waters are connected through the water cycle, pollution of all kinds has the power to damage waters further.

All forms of pollution, in fact, eventually make their way into the water. 

Air pollution settles onto lakes and oceans, and land pollution can seep into soil, underground waters, and eventually the ocean. Because water is considered a universal solvent, it is the most vulnerable to pollution and is able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on earth.

Let’s dive into the bodies of water most susceptible to water pollution: groundwater, ocean water, and surface waters.

Groundwater

Groundwater exists underground in saturated zones beneath the land surface. Underground, groundwater fills in the spaces between sand, gravel, and other rick forms. Gravity pulls water down towards the center of the earth, and it gradually fills in the fractures in rock and sediment.

Groundwater flows naturally out of these rock materials or can be drawn up to the surface, and these rock materials are called aquifers. Water flows slowly and horizontally through aquifers towards bodies of water like rivers and lakes.

Groundwater gets polluted when contaminants like pesticides, fertilizers, and waste make their way into aquifers. A large number of the world’s population uses groundwater as drinking water, so the pollution of this resource can leave thousands of people without clean drinking water.

Surface water

Surface water is any body of water found on the Earth’s surface, including saltwater and freshwater found in our oceans, rivers, streams, and lakes.

Because it is more accessible than groundwater, surface water is heavily relied on by humans around the world for drinking water and farming, in addition to the wildlife that rely on these bodies of water. In 2015, almost 80% of all water used in the U.S. came from surface water.

Spills of harmful substances can cause surface water pollution. Typically, improperly treated wastewater or an industrial operation, erosion, or runoff resulting from a rain storm is the culprit of surface water pollution. Runoff can be contaminated because it picks up pollutants from the land it flows across and deposits elsewhere.

Ocean water

The preservation of our oceans is crucial to the survival of millions of marine animals, fish, and plant species. And yet, ocean waters are some of the most extensive grounds for water pollution, most of which is caused by human activity.

80% of ocean water pollution originates on land, where it can be transported from storm drains and sewers. Pollution on the sand from single-use plastics and other waste can hurt marine life, break down over time, and dissolve in the ocean.

Ocean waters can also be polluted by ocean dumping, on-land machinery like cars and trucks, in addition to airplanes and boats in the ocean. Like groundwater, ocean water can also absorb chemical pollutants and agricultural runoff that damage marine life substantially.

How pollutants enter our waters 

Pollutants can enter bodies of water in a few ways: point, nonpoint, and transboundary sources.

• Point source pollution is a single, identifiable source of pollution, like a pipe or a drain that deposits industrial waste into rivers and oceans. Another example of point source water pollution is a factory smokestack that emits carbon monoxide into the air, which eventually makes its way into waters.

• Nonpoint sources of pollution are harder to define. They are often described as diffuse pollution, because they refer to pollution impacts that occur over a large area and cannot be easily attributed to a single source. Nonpoint sources are often associated with the use of certain lands that contribute pollutants to air and water. Nonpoint source pollution is the leading cause of water pollution in U.S. waters, but it’s difficult to regulate, since there’s no single, identifiable culprit.

• Transboundary pollution is the result of contaminated water from one country spilling into the waters of another. Transboundary contamination can result from a disaster like a major oil spill that travels through waters.

So, what are the main causes of water pollution?

There are a large number of causes of water pollution that originate and travel to waters via a variety of different origins. Let’s understand the main causes of water pollution, and how they occur.

Sewage and wastewater

Wastewater is used water that comes from bathrooms, factories, and various commercial and agricultural activities. This wastewater usually contains harmful biological contaminants such as bacteria and pathogens. Even when the used water is treated, these contaminants can remain and still cause harm when released into other water sources.

Sewage and wastewater are released into the sea with fresh water, where the pathogens and bacteria found in that wastewater can breed disease and cause health issues in humans and animals alike.

Despite the many wastewater treatment plants that operate around the U.S. and the world, these systems are often aging and cannot handle increased capacity: each year, sewage treatment systems release more than 850 billion gallons of untreated wastewater. Each year, the impact of sewage and wastewater grows even direr.

Global warming

Rising global temperatures caused by greenhouse gasses – such as carbon dioxide emissions – heat water and reduce its oxygen content.

Just how much can greenhouse gasses raise the water temperature? Besides the water vapor naturally present in the air through evaporation, the anthropogenic greenhouse gasses retain 7% more moisture for each 1℃ (1.8℉) rise in temperature.

In addition, when temperatures rise, certain species cannot survive. Their deaths further pollute the waters. One example of this is the bleaching of coral reefs that is occurring around the world.

The rise in temperatures causes coral to reject the microorganisms that depend on it, resulting in great damage to the entire coral reefs and all the marine life that depends on it.

Agricultural operations and livestock

Often, agricultural water pollution is considered to originate from nonpoint sources. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), agricultural activities that cause pollution can include:

• Poorly located or managed animal feeding operations
• Overgrazing
• Plowing too often or at the wrong time
• Improper, excessive, or poorly timed application of pesticides, irrigation water, and fertilizer

As a result of these activities at the many farms and ranches around the U.S. and world, several pollutants are released such as sediment, nutrients, pathogens, pesticides, metals, and salts.

The United States Geological Survey reports that about a half million tons of pesticides, 12 million tons of nitrogen, and 4 million tons of phosphorus fertilizer are applied annually to crops in the continental U.S.

This massive amount of chemicals will enter into and pass through every water system component, including our air, soil, streams, wetlands, and of course, groundwater.

There are several techniques that farms can utilize to mitigate these effects, such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which encourages natural barriers and limits pesticide use.

Fuel spillages

Fuel spillages and dumping is another of the primary causes of water pollution globally. Though disastrous accidental oil spills come to mind, like the 1991 Gulf War Oil Spill that resulted in 240 million gallons of oil spilled, damaging materials can contaminate the ocean in several different ways.

Every year, it is estimated that more than 1 million gallons of oil contaminate our oceans. Oil leaks and spills can happen in many ways, whether it be by accident while mining oil from the Earth or from oil rig malfunctions. When oil spills occur, they often kill thousands of marine life species at once.

The damage inflicted by oil spills is usually impossible to truly resolve.

Aside from oil leaks and spills, the dumping of contaminated, toxic waste material into the ocean is another large cause of water pollution. These toxic materials include dredged material, industrial waste, sewage sludge, and radioactive waste.

In addition to marine dumping, land-based sources of fuel and toxic chemicals also play a huge part in water pollution. Runoff carries fuels from factories, farms, and cities into the ocean.

Industrial operations

Industrial operations at sites around the world are major causes of water pollution. Because many industrial sites produce toxic chemical waste and pollutants, these materials can easily sink into soil, and waters that lead directly to oceans or lakes.

The toxic chemicals in the waste produced by industrial operations not only have the potential to make water unsafe for human consumption, they can also cause the temperature in freshwater systems to change, making them dangerous for many water-dwelling organisms.

A prominent example of industrial wastewater pollution comes from mining: mining has impacted thousands of miles of streams and rivers throughout the eastern and western U.S. due to active and historic mining of iron, copper, lead, gold, platinum, silver, and other materials.

Deforestation

You may be thinking – what does deforestation have to do with water pollution? Deforestation is actually one of the main causes of water pollution, and if our forests continue to be cut down, our waters will suffer.

When rainfall, runoff, or wind detaches soil particles, erosion occurs. However, healthy forests can act as a sort of filter to keep pollution out of water, anchoring soil against erosion and helping the forest absorb nutrients, according to the World Resources Institute.

Thus, when forests are disturbed, sediment can flow more easily into streams and bodies of water. Toxic materials are picked up and carried with these sediments into water, polluting it further.

In addition, forests provide drinking water to more than 33% of the largest cities in the world. The quality and existence of clean drinking water is essentially linked to forests.

Radioactive substances

Radioactive waste is a byproduct emitted from nuclear reactors, fuel processing plants, as well as hospitals and research facilities that use radioactive materials for research and treatments. Radioactive waste is also generated while decommissioning and dismantling nuclear reactors and other nuclear facilities.

Unfortunately, radioactive waste can remain present in the environment for thousands of years. When radioactive wastes are dumped in bodies of water, they contaminate the waters and can damage water supplies and human health.

Radioactive contamination is more prevalent in groundwater as compared to surface water because it is more exposed to the radioactive elements that naturally occur in rocks and magma.

Maritime traffic

According to ocean conservation non-profit Oceana, over 90% of world trade is carried across the world’s oceans by some 90,000 marine vessels. Whether for consumer or commercial purposes, these ships emit greenhouse gasses that significantly contribute to climate change.

In fact, the total international carbon emissions from ocean-going shipping in 2018 was estimated to be a massive 1,056 million tonnes. In addition, much of the plastic pollution in the ocean comes from fishing boats, tankers, and cargo shipping.

Organizations like Oceana have made recommendations to curb the global carbon emissions from maritime traffic, one of the main causes of water pollution. Some of their suggestions for shipping fleets is to take technical and operational measures like speed reductions, weather routing, and fuel switching.

Final thoughts on the causes of water pollution

Reducing water pollution is essential to mitigating climate change for generations to come.

The causes of water pollution, from industrial operations to radioactive waste and wastewater dumping, are causing serious damage to aquatic and human life around the world.

If global organizations, governments, and industries do not take certain measures to curb their release of toxic pollutants into the atmosphere, soil, and water, the effects of water pollution will continue to damage our planet.

Keen to learn more? Here are 20 facts about water pollution that may surprise you.

Despite their prevalence, the use of fossil fuels has become a point of contention for many global citizens, because of the many negative consequences of utilizing them. In fact, 69% of U.S. adults say they prioritize developing alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar, over expanding the production of oil, coal, and natural gas.

You may wonder why we continue to rely on fossil fuels when so many Americans want to develop more sustainable energy sources. The truth is, there are some reasons why it’s still advantageous to use fossil fuels today.

In this guide, we’ll fully examine this debate, looking at the pros and cons of fossil fuels, how they impact our planet, and why they are so difficult to transition away from.

What are fossil fuels?

You are certainly familiar with the most common examples of fossil fuels – coal, oil, and natural gas, but how do these fuels come to be?

Fossil fuels are compound mixtures consisting of decomposing plant and animal material from millions of years ago. This material is trapped in the Earth’s crust and contains carbon and hydrogen, which can be burned for energy.

Fossil fuels are created when this decomposed material undergoes extreme heat and pressure in the Earth’s crust – as the matter is compressed over time, the chemicals begin to break down and transform into natural fuels.

Each fossil fuel is a result of different combinations of carbon, hydrogen, and other compounds. Different organic materials form unique fuels: the most common fossil fuels are the result of unique amounts of pressure and materials.

Coal, oil, and natural gas are a result of these unique processes, according to National Geographic: 

Humans extract the stored energy in these materials in a variety of ways. Mining is used to extract solid fossil fuels by digging, scraping, or exposing buried resources. Drilling methods help extract liquid or gaseous fossil fuels that can be pumped up to the surface of the Earth, like oil and natural gas.

Fossil fuels are not renewable, meaning that there is a finite supply of these materials inside the Earth. Over time, as humans have extracted fossil fuels, we have had to drill deeper and deeper into the Earth’s crust to harness these materials.

Today, oil and gas wells can range in depth from a few hundred feet to more than 20,000 feet. In some parts of the world, wells go as deep as 30,000 feet.

Why is it important to extract these fossil fuels? 

In short, fossil fuels contain stored energy in the form of carbon and hydrogen, which, when burned, power the mechanical processes we rely on, such as transportation and the electricity we use in our homes every day.

Although there are numerous negative effects of fossil fuel use and extraction, most of the world relies on the energy that fossil fuels produce.

Uses of fossil fuels

Before diving into the specific pros and cons of fossil fuels, it’s important to understand the ways in which fossil fuels are already essential to our daily lives.

While renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy are growing in popularity, the global economy is currently reliant on fossil fuel use. Let’s dive into the numerous ways that fossil fuels are utilized around the world every day.

Transportation

The U.S. spends 29% of its total energy each year to power industrial, farm, rail, and sea transportation with fossil fuels. The main type of fuel used for transportation in the U.S. is petroleum.

These fuels are made from crude oil and natural gas processing, including gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, and propane, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Natural gas and electricity are also widely used for transportation in the U.S.

If you drive a car, truck, or motorcycle, you know that your car’s engine burns fuel that comes from crude oil, or gasoline. Distillate fuels are used mainly by large trucks, buses, trains, and ships. Commercial and private airplanes use jet fuel to power their trips across the country.

In 2021, petroleum products accounted for about 90% of the total energy used in U.S. transportation activities. All in all, the transportation of goods, people, and food uses a large amount of fossil fuel.

Household uses

Fossil fuels are used in our homes as well, but their most prominent use may surprise you.

More than half of the energy use in U.S. homes is used for heating in the winter and air conditioning when it’s warm outside. Of course, the amount of energy used varies by season, geographic region, home size, and the fuels used.

Next on the list of household energy uses is water heating, lighting and refrigeration, processes that occur year-round and power pretty much every home in the U.S. Combined, these activities accounted for 27% of total annual home energy use in 2015.

Many stoves in modern-day homes are powered electrically, but gas-powered stoves utilize propane to cook food. Fossil fuels are present in our households in additional ways – plastic containers, toilet seats, telephones, toys, kitchen utensils, and more. Fossil fuels produce the petrochemicals used in the manufacturing of polyester and plastic products.

Medical and pharmaceutical uses

The transportation and household uses of fossil fuels may not have surprised you, but did you know that fossil fuel extracts also have medical and pharmaceutical uses?

For example, processed plastics made with oil are used in heart valves and other specialized medical equipment. Chemicals derived from crude oil are used in radiological dyes and films, tubing, syringes, and oxygen masks. Even MRI scanners are made from fossil-fuel-derived materials.

Additionally, fossil fuel extracts are used in products many of us use every day. The chemical Benzene, for example, is a natural component of crude oil and gasoline. It’s often used to make some types of lubricants, rubbers, and even drugs.

To better understand why fossil fuels are used in so many products and processes around the world and why detractors want to be rid of these fuels, let’s dive into the pros and cons of fossil fuels.

Advantages of fossil fuels

While there are various cons of utilizing fossil fuels in our households and businesses, there are several reasons why fossil fuel use has become so commonplace over the years.

Let’s examine some of the advantages of fossil fuel use.

1. Efficient energy sources

Fossil fuels are among the most efficient sources of energy, because small amounts of oil or gas, for example, produce a large amount of energy. Different fuels carry different amounts of energy per unit of weight, and fossil fuels are more energy dense than other sources.

The energy density of oil, according to a Drexel University study, is about 35 to 45 gigajoules (10,000 kWh) per cubic meter. Alternatively, solar energy has a density of 1.5 microjoules per cubic meter, over twenty quadrillion times less than oil.

While renewables like solar energy may be more sustainable, it’s difficult to deny that fossil fuels make efficient energy sources.

2. Useful byproducts

Fossil fuels also create byproducts that are widely used throughout homes and businesses. In fact, petrochemicals derived from oil and natural gas make the manufacturing of over 6,000 everyday products and high-tech devices possible.

So, how does oil turn into a plastic item like the toothbrush you use every day?

After crude oil is removed from the ground, it’s sent to a refinery where different parts of the crude oil are separated into usable petroleum products. While most of these groups are used for the production of energy, a few chemicals are used to make various items.

Some of the products made from fossil-fuel-derived materials may surprise you:

• Antifreeze
• Artificial limbs
• Umbrellas 
• Backpacks
• Contact lenses 
• Mops
• Glue
• Swimming pools

These everyday items would not be possible without chemicals derived from fossil fuels.

3. Easy to transport

Transporting fossil fuels is easier when compared to transporting the energy gained from other sources like wind, water, or solar power.

Crude oil moves from the extraction source to refineries using barges and tankers, and over land by trucks and railroads, or underground through pipelines. Natural gas is transported by underground pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers. These materials are housed in metal tankards and containers.

While it is generally considered easy to transport these fossil fuels, it’s important to note that oil spills and natural gas leaks occur frequently. These incidents are a large source of various pollutants leaking into our atmosphere and water sources.

4. Generates thousands of jobs

There are millions of people currently employed by the fossil fuel energy sector – in 2019, nearly 1.7 million people worked in fossil fuel industries, conducting activities such as mining, electricity generation, and transportation.

Many countries rely on the economic activities resulting from fossil fuel extraction and use. Because of this, the adoption of renewable energy must include transitioning these millions of jobs that individuals and families rely on around the world.

5. Readily available and relatively easy to extract

Fossil fuel plants and extraction sites require a relatively small amount of infrastructure. For example, offshore oil rigs and onshore oil derricks pump most of the petroleum that is extracted throughout the world. This process involves drilling a hole into a potential oil patch and then pumping the oil out through a long tube.

Most countries that rely on fossil fuels also already have the infrastructure and knowledge with which to mine and drill for these fuels.

In addition, since fossil fuels have powered our world for over 250 years, there is already infrastructure in place to distribute it and utilize it at a relatively low cost. Most of our infrastructure is, ultimately, already built for fossil fuel use, from cars to gas-powered stoves.

Over the last few centuries, large amounts of fossil fuels have been readily available around the world. Rising population has created more and more demand for these energy sources.

To extract fossil fuel resources at a faster rate, global nations have invested large sums of money into the energy sector. In fact, the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted that energy sector investment would rise to over 8% in 2022 to reach a total of $2.4 trillion.

Disadvantages of fossil fuels

Now that we understand the various reasons why fossil fuels are considered advantageous around the world let’s dive into the many disadvantages of fossil fuel use.

1. Environmental degradation

Primarily, the burning of fossil fuels causes air pollution, which makes its way into our soil and water sources. The combustion of these fuels releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gasses, which trap heat in our atmosphere and heat up our planet.

Thus, greenhouse gasses like CO₂ are the primary cause of one of the most existential threats to our planet: climate change. In fact, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has found that emissions from fossil fuels are the dominant cause of global warming. In 2018, 89% of global CO₂ emissions came from fossil fuels and industrial activities.

Many places around the world are already experiencing the effects of climate change, such as the ever-rising sea level and extreme natural disasters, and weather patterns. If this persists, the consequences will be disastrous for all living species.

Evidently, the use of fossil fuels contributes to environmental degradation and is worsening climate change by the day.

2. Power stations require lots of reserves of coal

Today, we rely on power stations to produce energy. For power stations to keep working, they require vast amounts of coal: it takes about 1 pound of coal to generate one kWh of electricity.

In addition, large trucks are used to transport coal if power stations are not located near large deposits of coal. This transportation also requires a lot of power which can not only damage the Earth but is also very expensive. In turn, fuel prices will keep rising as a result of high transportation costs.

3. Health complications (from fuel combustion)

Critically, fossil fuel combustion causes air pollution, which can lead to serious health complications that are passed down through generations.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burning fossil fuels releases pollutants that lead to early death, heart attacks, respiratory disorders, stroke, and asthma. It has also been linked to autism spectrum disorder and Alzheimer’s disease.

Carbon dioxide emissions have also been associated with global warming and the destruction of the ozone layer. The ozone layer protects humans and animals from the powerful rays of the sun, so degrading this layer exposes us to high levels of radiation, which causes skin cancer.

4. High depletion level

Critically, fossil fuels are not renewable energy sources. Unlike water, sun, and wind energy sources, the level of fossil fuels underground is depleting with each passing day.

In the next few centuries, we will run out of fossil fuel reserves. Experts predict we have 139 years left of coal, 54 years left of oil, and 49 years of gas supply. In our lifetime, we must transition to alternative sources of energy to power our everyday lives and critical processes.

5. Oil spills and gas leaks

When transporting oil, there is a high likelihood of the oil spilling onto land and into the sea. In the U.S. alone, there have been over 44 major oil spills since the 1970s, resulting in severe harm to aquatic life.

Ultimately, oil spills are disastrous to all living things and almost impossible to clean up.

The Horizon oil spill that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico released 4.9 million oil barrels into the Gulf of Mexico. The petroleum that had leaked from the well before it was sealed formed a slick extending over more than 57,500 square miles, harming and killing millions of plants and animals in the region.

Natural gas pipelines also leak this harmful fuel into the soil and atmosphere. Leaks are incredibly dangerous because they can kill vegetation and trees, cause explosions and fires, and release greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

6. High levels of water usage

Water shortages are a common problem in most parts of the world, especially in developing nations or areas stricken by drought.

In California alone, oil and gas operators used 3 billion gallons of freshwater from municipal sources between 2018 and 2021, an amount equal to what would be used in more than 120 million showers.

Fossil fuel power plants contribute to this problem because they require vast amounts of water for cooling. A study conducted in the U.S. reveals that fossil fuel power plants consume over four times the water that all the water used in homes in the U.S.

The long-term effect of water consumption by fossil fuels is the depletion of finite water resources, and the result is a lack of water. Contaminated water supplies or a lack of water can result in improper sanitation, exposure to chemicals, health issues, and even death.

7. Rising fuel costs

As fossil fuels continue depleting, it is becoming harder and harder to extract them from the Earth. In turn, the cost of extracting fossil fuels has risen. In the U.S., if fossil fuel prices are driven higher, the country could spend more than $30 trillion on fossil fuels between 2010 and 2030.

Also, since only a few countries in the Middle East produce the world’s fossil fuels, there is an increasing fear of war, lower output of fuels, and strikes by trade unions that can lead to fuel fluctuations around the world.

The clean energy transition

While there are clear pros and cons of fossil fuels, it’s clear that the disadvantages of continuing to use fossil fuels far outweighs the benefits. The clean energy transition seeks to make renewable energy sources more reliable and encourage the widespread adoption of renewables over fossil fuels.

Experts agree that switching from more harmful fossil fuels like coal and oil to less emission-intensive fuels like natural gas can result in significant CO₂ and air quality benefits. While it’s not a long-term answer to climate change, switching to natural gas can make a difference in the short term.

However, our supply of fossil fuels will run out soon. Significant investment, private-public partnership, and widespread adoption of renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy must occur before we can successfully phase out the use of the fossil fuels that are harming our planet.

Organizations like the Clean Energy Transition Institute, the United Nations, and the European Commission have identified pathways to decarbonization in the building, industrial, and manufacturing sectors. Like with the domestic use of fossil fuels, these industries must transition away and find alternatives.

Conclusion on the pros and cons of fossil fuels

When we compare the pros and cons of fossil fuels, it is clear that despite their numerous uses, fossil fuels are causing untold damage to our planet, humans, and plant and animal species.

Since human beings have relied upon fossil fuels for a long time, the transition may seem difficult, but it’s necessary for the survival of our planet and species.

However, some countries have begun to generate substantial portions of electric power from renewable sources. Individuals and large organizations and corporations should all join in the clean energy movement, to make the Earth a better home for us all.

Today, over 2 billion people live in water-stressed countries. By 2025, half of the world’s population could be living in areas facing water scarcity. Whether it be a lack of freshwater supplies or that water is polluted or inadequate for consumption, water scarcity is a critical issue facing our entire world.

While the stakes are high, several water scarcity solutions are being implemented worldwide that are helping make a difference in supplying clean and ample fresh water for global populations. Let’s examine these solutions and how they can help curb the ever-growing water crisis.

The current situation: examining the global water crisis

Water scarcity is thought of as a lack of clean and ample water supply that can be physically accessed in a given area. As the United Nations explains, water scarcity increases as demand for fresh water increases, and/or as a water supply is diminished by decreasing quality or quantity of water.

Lack of clean, plentiful water is a problem for more reasons than you might think. It prevents access to water for drinking, cooking, and practicing basic hygiene and safe medical operations.

Polluted or contaminated water can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening illnesses like typhoid, cholera, or hookworm. When water is scarce, sewage systems can also fail, increasing the spread of water-borne diseases.

Children, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups are most at risk for these diseases: 2 million people die each year from diarrheal diseases alone.

Scarce water also costs more for citizens and countries as a whole: water scarcity can have long-term negative impacts on a country’s economy and growth.

When water supplies are contaminated, fresh water is also harder to find. Around the world, poor and marginalized groups are impacted the most by the water crisis, particularly women and children, who have to spend more time finding and retrieving clean water today.

What’s causing water scarcity around the world?

Before we examine the most prominent water scarcity solutions, it’s essential to understand what is causing the global water crisis. From population growth to climate change, experts say several phenomena are driving the lack of clean water supplies worldwide.

Pollution

When pollutants enter the atmosphere, seep into the soil, or travel through waterways, they harm aquatic life, cause diseases in humans, and contaminate water supplies. Over time, marine ecosystems are damaged and can even be unable to support plant and animal life.

Water pollution can come from many sources: pesticides, untreated human wastewater, industrial waste, fertilizers, household chemicals, and more. Because of the water cycle, pollutants in our atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and methane, also make their way into waters.

Once a drinking water supply is contaminated with one or some of these substances, it is no longer usable. This puts already vulnerable populations at risk for increased diseases.

When examining water scarcity solutions, it’s apparent that addressing water pollution is essential for the lives of our ecosystems, plant, and animal life, and future generations.

Population growth

The demand for water for agricultural, residential, and industrial use increases each year. Water demand follows population growth, changing consumption patterns, and economic development around the world.

The human population has more than doubled in the last 50 years, and estimates predict that by 2050 the global population will increase to between 9.4 to 10.2 billion people, an increase of 22-32%. This increasing global population means that water supplies will be even more scarce than they already are.

In the last 100 years, water demand has increased by 600%, especially in urban areas where population steadily increases, or impoverished areas where the necessary infrastructure was not implemented. Increasing demand for water strains infrastructure or means there isn’t enough clean water available to everyone in a community.

New population members need food, shelter, clothing, and other necessities, resulting in additional pressure on water supplies by producing energy and commodities.

Climate change

Climate change is damaging our world in many different ways, and water supplies are no exception. Climate change is making water scarcity worse for several reasons:

• Global warming is causing temperatures to rise, which increases water demand.
• Unpredictable extreme weather events like floods and droughts are happening more frequently, exacerbating water scarcity.
• The water that is held in our soil, snow, and ice is diminishing as these resources melt or become unusable.

The water crisis and climate crisis are inextricably linked: as climate change worsens, so will global water scarcity, and vice versa. In this way, climate solutions that address pollution and greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale will also help address the issue of water scarcity.

Lack of infrastructure

The lack of adequate monitoring infrastructure leads to misallocated and wasted water supplies. In addition, aging water distribution systems waste water yearly, whether through leaky pipes or water main breaks. According to the American Water Works Association, 2 trillion gallons of water is wasted yearly in the U.S.

However, developing nations are impacted the most by water shortages and extreme weather events because they often lack the resources to recuperate from damage that was done. Many countries do not have adequately developed water monitoring systems that can help balance the water needs of communities and the wider economy, particularly in times of scarcity.

Despite the economic and environmental impact of this water loss, widespread investment in water infrastructure, especially in developing nations, has been hindered by several barriers, one of which being that this infrastructure requires a high, long-term investment that must be maintained for years on end.

Agricultural and food operations

Today, agricultural operations use 70% of the world’s accessible freshwater. Unfortunately, around 60% of this precious water is wasted due to:

• Inefficient water application methods
• The growth of crops that are too thirsty for their environment
• Leaky irrigation systems and infrastructure

The large volume of wasted water is diminishing freshwater supplies around the world, especially in countries like India, China, and the U.S., where large amounts of food are produced.

Food production, particularly the production of meat, uses a large amount of water as well. On average, a single pound of beef takes 1,800 gallons of water to produce, most of which goes towards watering the grass where cattle graze and forage throughout their lives.

Agricultural and food operations not only use – and waste – a large amount of our global water supply, but they also cause a great deal of water pollution. Whether it be fertilizer, pesticides, or mismanaged sewage, these industrial operations release contaminants that seep into our soil, groundwater supplies, and bodies of water through runoff.

Today, chemicals used for agriculture around the world currently amount to 2 million tons per year, with herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides used the most.

For example, arsenic is a byproduct of industrial and agricultural operations. It’s toxic to living things, however: too much arsenic in water or food supplies can cause serious health issues for those exposed to it.

Which areas are the most water-stressed?

Though the water crisis poses an existential threat to the entire world, many countries will not face the repercussions of water scarcity as harshly as others.

Countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia consistently face water shortages, due to extreme weather events, economic instability, and the other effects of climate change.

Among the top countries with the highest percentage of the population lacking basic access to water are:

• Papua New Guinea: where a shocking 63.4% of people lack basic water services.
• Lebanon: it is reported that more than 71% of Lebanon’s population faced critical water shortages.
• Afghanistan: it is estimated that 8 out of every 10 Afghans drink unsafe water.
• Uganda: where 61.1% of people lack basic water services.

Unfortunately, many more countries face dire water shortages today, and more and more citizens will lose access to safe water sources.

Ongoing drought, flooding, government upheaval, inflation, rapid urbanization, and lack of adequate infrastructure are just some of the reasons that the water crisis has been exacerbated in these regions.

Water scarcity solutions

Though estimates project that water scarcity will become worse in the coming years, there are several non-profits, environmental advocacy groups, and governments working to develop water scarcity solutions on a large scale that address the complex issue of water availability.

However, you can also practice some of these solutions at home to play your part in combating water waste and living a more sustainable lifestyle. 

1. Sustainable water management

In most countries, water is mismanaged and/or existing water infrastructure is aging or not completed. Conserving water and increasing the efficiency of these systems is a key part of sustainable water management, and integrated water resources management (IWRM) is a proven solution to these challenges.

IWRM provides a broad framework for governments to align water use patterns with the needs and demands of different users, including the environment.

This water scarcity solution can control water stress by:

• reducing losses from water distribution systems
• safe wastewater reuse
• desalination
• appropriate water allocation

The IWRM framework allows governments to work together to decide the goals of water management for their specific region. Because every country has vastly different socio-economic structures, environmental features, and history, IWRM can be adapted to meet the needs of each situation.

At its core, however, IWRM depends on:

• Good quality data on water resources
• Water-saving, green technologies (particularly in industry and agriculture)
• Education campaigns to reduce wasted water and encourage sustainable diets and consumption

2. Invest in emerging technologies

IWRM is not the only water scarcity solution that requires technological upgrades. Innovative, green technology is at the forefront of addressing water shortages today.

One such process is water reuse, which reclaims water from a variety of sources – like groundwater recharge, wastewater, and agricultural reuse – and then treats and reuses the water for agriculture and irrigation, groundwater replenishment, industrial processes, environmental restoration, and potable water supplies, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Rainwater harvesting and recycled wastewater ease pressure on groundwater and other natural bodies of water.

Another example of sustainable emerging technologies is efficient solar desalination systems, which are showing promise as far as desalinating seawater or brackish water using renewable solar energy.

Smart irrigation systems are already used at many commercial and residential properties, and these systems use advanced controls to minimize wasted water for irrigation.

3. Awareness and advocacy

Another key water scarcity solution is education about the importance of water resources and their protection. Many citizens still do not understand how dire the water crisis is, and that their access to adequate water supplies is in jeopardy. 

Organizations and individuals can also work to advocate for adequate health and water requirements in their cities, states, and countries.

Regardless of where you live, everyone has a personal responsibility to conserve water. Here are some simple habit changes and upgrades you can make at home or in your daily life to conserve water:

• Fill sinks with water when washing dishes instead of letting the water run.
• Do not let the water run when brushing your teeth.
• Swap fixtures and appliances for more water-efficient options.
• Flush toilets only when necessary.
• Address leaks in bathtubs, faucets, and toilets.
• Use a bucket to catch running water while waiting for the shower to heat up.
• Replace your high-flow showerhead with a low-flow one.
• Reduce your meat and poultry intake and opt for less water-intensive meals.
• Use a broom to clean sidewalks instead of water hoses.

Over time, making these switches at home can make a big difference in water conservation efforts in your area, and save you money on water bills as well.

4. Reduce pollution and improve sewage management

All forms of pollution eventually make their way to water: our atmosphere, land, and bodies of water are connected. When toxic substances are released into the air, our water and soil suffers. Thus, reducing all forms of pollution, especially direct water pollution, serves as a critical water scarcity solution.

Proper sewage management is a critical part of this solution. Without proper sanitation, water becomes contaminated and unsafe to use, even spreading diseases among communities. It’s estimated that 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, stormwater, and industrial waste are dumped into U.S. waters each year.

Untreated sewage contains biological pollutants like bacteria and pathogens. Stormwater drains carry waters that contain contaminants like fertilizers into nearby rivers, lakes, and waterways, where they are dumped.

Inevitably, these contaminants make their way into groundwater and freshwater supplies. Up to 80% of illnesses in the developing world are linked to inadequate water and sanitation.

However, new strategies are offering promising ways to address this issue, such as decentralizing local treatment systems to improve efficiency, keep resources local, and lower costs. Treatment systems are also beginning to recognize and control excess nutrients that they release, such as phosphorus and nitrogen.

5. Optimize agricultural irrigation

Another critical water scarcity solution involves improving agricultural irrigation. With almost 70% of the world’s freshwater being used for agriculture, we must act to increase irrigation efficiencies and reduce water waste.

Altering farming practices such as rotating crops, or planting crops according to the seasons and soil conditions, and conservation tillage, enhancing soil with the previous crop residue, help improve soil moisture so that land requires less frequent watering. For large-scale farming operations, these practices can help conserve precious water resources.

Collecting and utilizing data to ensure that water is not wasted is also a part of this solution. Enhanced soil moisture sensors, monitoring, and communications systems are already helping provide this data to improve irrigation efficiency.

Water scarcity solutions are essential

It’s clear that prioritizing water scarcity solutions is essential to the health of billions of people, plants, and animal species. 

Water scarcity is at the center of the water crisis, and these two dire issues must be addressed in tandem. By investing in existing infrastructure and green technologies, especially in developing nations, we can work to preserve our water supplies and keep water safe for consumption.

As an individual, you have the opportunity to reduce your water use and make more mindful swaps in your daily life to conserve water. Over time, these seemingly small actions will make a difference.

Why? Scientists say it takes up to 1,000 years to form one centimeter of topsoil, but this single centimeter can be lost entirely with one heavy rainfall if it’s not protected.

Several soil conservation methods exist to preserve our soil. These could be through agricultural practices or simply measures you take at home to live more of an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

In this article, we’ll take you through the most impactful soil conservation methods practiced by farmers and at-home gardeners around the world and examine why these methods are critical for the survival of healthy soil.

What is soil conservation?

Before diving into the most effective soil conservation methods, let’s look at what soil conservation is, and why it’s important. 

Farmers use soil conservation methods to prevent soil degradation, erosion, and the depletion of organic matter in the soil. Typically, these solutions aim to preserve and protect the soil for years while improving crop yields.

Aside from protecting soil from the adverse effects of pollution and deforestation, soil conservation also aims to maintain soil biodiversity in a given area. Some conservation methods ensure proper conditions for living microorganisms in the soil, a critical part of ensuring that healthy crops can grow and access the rich nutrients they need to thrive.

Why is soil conservation important?

Soil conservation methods work to prevent several harmful threats to our earth’s soil. These methods can prevent the negative effects of runoff, pollution, and sedimentation, and can even protect surfaces from cracking and erosion due to water, wind, and excessive heat.

There are several critical reasons why soil conservation methods are important to practice.

Combating soil degradation

Soil conservation methods typically aim to combat soil degradation, which is the physical, chemical, and biological decline in soil quality. The most common examples of soil degradation include:

• Decline in soil fertility
• Negative changes in salinity, acidity, or alkalinity of the soil
• Soil erosion
• Decline in the structural condition of the soil
• The effects of toxic chemicals, pollutants, and flooding

Soil erosion is worsened by human activity and is one of the biggest threats to our soil. Soil erosion is the erosion of the top layer of dirt, or topsoil, which is the fertile material vital to producing plants, trees, and encouraging other forms of life.

Soil erosion can be caused by a variety of factors, including large amounts of rainfall and runoff. When water floods into an area, it displaces critical topsoil. Deforestation also worsens soil erosion by exposing more soil to heavy rainfall and wind.

Soil erosion and other effects of soil degradation can permanently damage our land’s ability to grow crops and support life, which can be catastrophic for farmers and the populations that depend on their crops.

To maintain organic matter in the soil

In addition, soil conservation activities help to maintain an adequate amount of organic matter in the soil. Organic matter is critical to soil health in many ways, from increasing its resiliency to improving productivity and water-holding capacity. Organic matter improves the chemical, biological, and physical conditions of the soil.

Soil organic matter is the fraction of the soil that consists of plant or animal tissue in various stages of decomposition. Most soil ideal for agriculture production consists of 3-6% organic matter.

To secure food supplies

When soil is healthy and productive, crops and food supplies grow faster and become more readily available. Soil conservation increases the quality and quantity of long-term crop yields because it keeps topsoil in its place while preserving the soil’s biological and chemical productivity for years to come.

These methods ensure that farmers can grow enough food domestically and for others worldwide, where food shortages happen often. Soil conservation can play a part in preventing food shortages as well by ensuring that soil is usable.

Soil degradation costs farmers money due to lower crop yields and loss of nutrients from the soil. Around the world, soil degradation is anticipated to lead to $23 trillion in losses of food, ecosystem services, and income by 2050, according to the United Nations.

Conserving our soil is critical not only for the farms that depend on soil for income, but because the world relies on soil for almost all of our food production.

To improve water and habitat quality

Our soil and water sources are inextricably linked: all life forms need clean water to survive. Soil protects local water sources – when soil is degraded or erodes, waters are at a greater risk of contamination.

In fact, soil filters contaminants out of runoff before it flows into other water sources. As soil is lost, water loses its natural ability to filter. The result is that more contaminants reach our waterways, dangerously increasing pollutant levels in critical water sources like groundwater, which we use for drinking water.

By preventing contamination, preserving organic matter, and producing more productive crops, soil conservation also restores and improves natural habitats that animal and plant species rely on for fertile soil and healthy water.

What are the main soil conservation methods?

Now that we understand the critical importance of soil conservation, let’s dive into the most popular and effective methods of preserving this precious resource. Soil conservation methods typically rely on three basic steps:

1. Obtaining proper knowledge of land resource use.
2. Monitoring fields and detecting critical zones.
3. Controlling the efficiency of soil conservation techniques.

Because soil conservation methods are typically done with long-term benefits in mind, monitoring and implementing these methods continuously over time is crucial.

1. Practice sustainable operations

Overall, the best action we can take for our efforts toward soil conservation methods is to practice sustainable agricultural operations. 

This means:

• Not extracting soil from threatened habitats
• Avoiding the use of fertilizers and pesticides in agricultural operations
• Minimizing water use
• Selection of species and varieties that are well suited to the site and to conditions on the farm
• Diversification of crops and livestock

Farmers and at-home growers can use many other methods to create a more sustainable practice. While soil conservation is critical to practice as part of a sustainable operation, these additional factors also play a role in soil quality.

Our air, water, and soil are all interconnected resources, meaning that the harm done to one will inevitably impact the other. For example, deforestation is causing the soil to be eroded: the loss of many trees in an area can leave soil unprotected and prone to erosion. This is because vegetation and trees help keep the structure of the soil.

Today, global warming is impacting weather patterns, which has led to heavier rainfall and more extreme weather, which also plays a role in damaging soil. In this way, it’s clear that the actions we take to live and operate more sustainably will play a role in improving the quality of our soil.

2. Crop rotation

This soil conservation method involves growing various crops in a set order on the same land, with different rotations. So, rather than plant the same crop each year on the same land, this method involves planning out different growing seasons for different crops.

How does this method preserve soil?

If a farmer wants to boost the growth of their sugarcane crop, for example, they may decide to grow beans after they harvest the sugarcane. Why? Because growing sugarcane requires a lot of nitrogen, and beans add nitrogen to the soil.

By rotating the crops that are grown and harvested on the same land, farmers can ensure that the soil’s nutrients are balanced. These secondary crops can be hugely beneficial to soil quality.

To effectively rotate crops, farmers often divide plants and crops into subgroups based on their management needs, physical characteristics, growth patterns, and harvest times. Dividing land into a grid structure is also often helpful for crop rotation.

While it requires long-term planning, crop rotation can improve soil health and organic matter greatly. It can also reduce the need for fertilizer and pesticides, lowering costs and reducing the likelihood that these contaminants will find their way into water sources.

3. Practice mulching

The practice of mulching consists of applying organic material over exposed soil.

Aside from adding healthy organic matter to the soil, mulching has numerous benefits: it reduces soil moisture loss through evaporation and reduces the soil’s exposure to wind.

Mulch has an insulating quality, which helps keep the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It also helps to reduce the effects of heavy rain and runoff and prevent soil erosion.

Mulch has an insulating quality, which helps keep soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It also helps to reduce the effects of heavy rain and runoff, and prevent soil erosion.

Natural wood chips, hay, and straw are the best mulching materials, because they are natural and will decompose into soil and enrich the health of soil over time.

Mulch needs to be replenished periodically and added to fields after harvesting late-season crops like carrots, potatoes, onions, and corn. Mulch should be applied to ensure at least 85% soil surface coverage.

4. Plant cover crops

Planting cover crops is one of the simplest soil conservation methods, but offers multiple additional benefits such as suppressing weeds and attracting pollinators. Cover crops are rotated with cash crops to blanket the soil all year round and produce green manure that replenishes nitrogen and other critical nutrients.

These crops are planted to reduce the impact of wind and water on bare soil. They reduce the speed of runoff, hold topsoil in place, and encourage more significant infiltration.

Sweet clover, alfalfa, rye, and winter wheat are common cover crops: winter wheat or rye are often planted to provide cover during the winter and provide erosion control during the spring when runoff occurs.

5. Contour plowing

Contour plowing involves planting crops in a way that utilizes the natural slope of hills. Instead of altering the structure of a hill, the farmer uses its natural slope.

In contour farming, a farmer plows the soil parallel to the hill’s contours, creating rows of small dams that minimize the loss of essential nutrients, organisms, and plants from the crops. Plowing the soil in this way also increases water filtration and improves crop yields by maintaining nutrients in the soil.

Contour plowing is most effective on slopes between 2 and 10%.

6. Cross slope farming

Cross slope farming is the practice of conducting field operations perpendicular to the slope of a field. These practices can include:

• Tillage and seeding,
• Planting strips of different crops, or
• Constructing division terraces, or shallow grassed ditches, across a slope to intercept surface runoff water moving down the field.

Cross-slope farming is a highly effective way to control large amounts of runoff that flow down a sloped field. It’s important to note that farming across a slope requires fields to be wide enough to farm efficiently and may require equipment modification to avoid side hill slippage on steep slopes.

Other soil conservation practices can also be effectively integrated with cross-slope farming.

7. Organic growing

Organic growing practices are a key part of sustainable agricultural operations, and also positively impact soil health. This method involves minimizing or eliminating the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Instead, natural fertilizers will nurture soil more effectively than their synthetic counterparts. This is because fertilizers usually only replace macro-nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium, and do not provide the organic matter that natural fertilizers do. Not to mention synthetic chemical-based products harm our water supply.

In addition, most insecticides target pests, but can also kill insects and microorganisms that are essential to soil fertility. This soil conservation method can be practiced anywhere, from a backyard to large-scale agricultural operations, and our planet’s water and soil supplies will be better for it.

8. Conservation tillage

Tillage is a critical component of agricultural operations, but it’s been proven that minimizing mechanical operations and the disturbance of soil plays a large role in reducing soil erosion.

This is because tilling removes plant covering, leaving soil bare, decreasing the amount of nutrient-rich organic matter in the soil, and reducing its ability to absorb water and retain nutrients. Soil is also, unfortunately, more susceptible to erosion after tilling.

Conservation tillage, also referred to as minimum tillage, is a broadly defined practice that includes no-till, strip-till, ridge-till, and mulch till systems. In no-till farming, seeds are planted in narrow furrows, eliminating the need to plow.

These techniques aim to reduce tillage passes on land, implying zero or minimum disturbance to soil and planting seeds into the crop residue. Minimum tillage systems are so effective that they maintain plant residues on at least 30% of soil surface afterwards. 

9. Use buffer strips

Conservation buffer strips are defined as a protective zone of permanent vegetation between a farm field and nearby waterway. This strip of land is vegetated with grasses or bushes, and is generally two to five meters wide.

The implementation of buffer strips is one of the most effective soil conservation methods, because the plant cover filters sediment out of runoff, holds soil in place, and protects the quality of the nearby water.

Aside from erosion control, buffer strips provide excellent wildlife habitat for small animals and insects. If forested, they can improve stream habitat by shading the water and making the environment more suitable to fish species like trout.

10. Bank stabilization

This method of soil conservation consists of any measure that holds soil in place on a bank of a body of water. The soil in these areas is particularly vulnerable to steam currents, surface runoff, and waves.

There are three common methods used to control stream bank erosion:

• Rip rap, or adding loose rock on a steep bank.
• Gabion baskets, or wire baskets filled with rocks that prevent movement.
• Re-vegetation, or planting natural grasses, shrubs, and trees that slow the movement of water over the soil.

These methods of bank stabilization reduce soil erosion, and also increase the soil’s ability to filter water passing through it. This soil conservation method is essential for soil near waterways and shores.

Why soil conservation methods matter

Effective soil conservation methods are crucial if we want to maintain healthy soil to sustain life on Earth. It’s clear that soil is a precious resource that must be preserved, both in domestic and commercial agricultural settings. To protect soil from degradation, and increase soil fertility, soil conservation methods are essential to practice.

From adding rich nutrients to soil to protecting soil from runoff, erosion, and wind, these soil conservation methods should be a part of any growing practice.

Whether you are hoping to live a greener lifestyle at home or want to conserve soil quality on your farm, these soil conservation methods are sure to help you accomplish your goals.

A Pew Research Center study found that 1 in 4 homeowners plan to install solar panels in the next five years. If you’re one of these prospective solar energy system owners, you may have considered your home’s roof, and whether it would be a good fit for solar energy.

A suitable roof for solar panels is crucial to the photovoltaic system installation process, whether your roof needs to be reinforced or not. A solar panel roof load calculator can help you determine the size and weight of solar panels your roof can accommodate.

This article explains some of the core factors determining whether a roof can support a solar system and provide a formula to determine your roof load. This solar panel roof load calculator helps to establish the size and weight of the solar panels that your roof can support.

Factors to consider when installing solar panels on your roof

When installing a solar panel system, you must understand certain features of your roof and the solar panels you’re installing.

Solar panels differ in weight and length depending on the manufacturer, brand, and amount of energy output your home requires. Determining whether your rooftop can support the solar panels is essential before you begin the photovoltaic installation process.

It’s also important to note that your roof’s structure, material, and age will all affect your solar setup. With this knowledge, you’ll need to consider the weight and length of the solar panels you want to install.

Considering these variables, a solar panel roof load calculator can help you determine how much weight your roof can support. Let’s dive into more specifics on these factors.

1. The roofing structure

Most importantly, your roof’s structure must be able to withstand the weight and the size of your solar panel system. A roof structural analysis is essential before the solar panel installation process commences.

Solar panels and their required mounting equipment typically weigh around 3 to 4 pounds per square foot. This weight is usually acceptable for any roof type in good shape; however, solar panels using weighted ballasts on flat roofs typically weigh a bit more since concrete blocks hold the system in place.

Despite the kind of roofing you have, there are solutions for all types of roofs. These roof reinforcement methods can help ensure that your roof can withstand the weight of your solar panel system:

• Wood blocking – installing wood planks between roof rafters.
• Sistering – when matching wood planks are secured parallel to the original rafter.
• Building a knee wall – a permanent support in the attic of a house that is somewhat perpendicular to the ceiling.

The slope of your roof can also impact your panel’s solar energy output: the ideal angle for solar power generation is generally about 30 to 40 degrees. Roofs that are too steep may pose problems for solar installers.

Because the ideal roof angle is around 30 degrees, flat roofs may require extra racking equipment to tilt solar panels to the optimal angle. If the roof is flat, you can even install the panels and the racks without mounting them directly to your roof, with heavy concrete blocks to keep the panels in place.

Ultimately, solar panel contractors may be unable to confirm whether your roof is sound structure-wise. But you can always consult a professional photovoltaic contractor or a structural engineer who will help you determine if your rooftop can support solar panels.

2. The age of the roof

The age of your roofing structure is also essential to consider before installing solar panels. If your roof is almost at the end of its life, you may first install roof reinforcement or replace it before installing your solar system.

Generally, if your roof will need to be replaced in the next ten years or so, it’s recommended that you consider replacing it before investing in solar panels. This is because you may end up spending more money altering your roof later than if changes are made before installation since you will need to remove the PV system first.

How do you know if your roof will need to be replaced soon? The material your roof is made of can give you some idea.

In addition, most solar panels have a lifespan of around 25 years, and thus your roof must have the capacity to withstand that weight for those years.

3. The roofing material

The material of your roof also plays a role in how much weight it can hold. Different materials have different capacities for supporting solar panels. Let’s dive into the specifics of the best roof types for installing solar panels.

Asphalt 

Asphalt shingles are used on many houses and are one of the best roofing materials for solar panel installation.

Why? Because they are made from fiberglass or cellulose that is flexible, making the installation process straightforward.

Solar installers typically drill studs into the roof and attach mounts to the studs. The space between the panel and the studs is then sealed to prevent water from entering the home.

Metal

Whether you have a corrugated metal roof, a standing seam metal roof, or a roof with metal tiles, this material is suitable for installing solar panels. The long lifespan of metal roofs makes them a popular choice for homeowners – your solar panel system will likely not outlast your roof.

Metal roofs are also stronger than other materials and can support the weight of the solar array, panels, mounting racks, and other hardware associated with your solar panel system.

Depending on the layout of your roof, the installation process on metal roofs sometimes requires drilling into the roof, but often panels can be mounted without drilling. The proper sealing technique with metal roofs will prevent water from entering your home as well.

Tile

Tile roofs are growing in popularity in regions where high temperatures are frequent because they can actually keep homes cooler compared to other roofing materials, reflecting heat rather than absorbing it into the home.

In fact, tile roofing decreases the flow of heat into an attic of a house by as much as 70% compared to asphalt shingle roof tiles. Tiling is considered one of the most energy-efficient materials, even without solar panels.

If you want to install solar panels on your tiled roof, the process can be a bit more expensive. This is because installation usually requires removing the tiles, and the solar mounting equipment is installed directly onto your roof.

However, while the cost may be higher, these materials are ideal for solar installation because they last a long time, and are more durable than others. They are also more waterproof than other roofing materials because clay and concrete tile roofs lay on top of a waterproof membrane, or underlayment that keeps water out.

Will solar panels damage your roof?

If you’ve gone through the process of repairing or replacing your roof lately, you may be concerned about whether the solar panel installation process will damage your new roof in any way.

Luckily, if your installation is done correctly, solar panels won’t cause any damage to your roof! Though some installation methods require drilling holes directly into your roof, they are covered up by moisture-resistant sealant that prevents the structure of your roof and house from damage.

However, it’s important to note that solar panels can affect your roof’s warranty since most roofing companies don’t want anything installed on your roof because it can increase the risk of roof leaks. Finding the right solar installer to offer their warranty through a third-party roofing company is usually an excellent solution to this issue.

4. The weight of the solar panels

An important element of the solar panel roof load calculator is the weight of your solar panels. Their weight is a significant factor that can help determine whether a rooftop can handle a solar panel installation.

On average, according to solar experts, the mounting equipment and solar panels themselves weigh around 40 points for residential modules, ranging between 33-50 pounds depending on the manufacturer.

Here are some examples of residential solar panel weights from popular brands:

These weights are typically within the acceptable limits of any roof. The point loads are other considerations to take into account since installers often want to minimize the number of mounting locations for them to reduce the risk of leakages.

Most residential and commercial roofs are designed to handle at least 20 pounds per square foot of weight. Roofs with stronger materials can hold more: a clay tile or metal roof can hold a load of approximately 27 pounds per square foot.

In areas where snowfall is heavy, roofs are often built to withstand more weight per square foot. Of course, some older roofs or those that have sustained prior damage may not have the capacity or structural support for PV systems.

5. The length of the solar panels

You should generally opt for highly efficient, small solar panels to keep costs down while installing solar panels on your roof. The number of solar panels you require will depend on your roof size and energy demands and how much of that demand you want to be met by solar energy versus the public utility.

Usually, residential rooftop solar panels are approximately 65 inches tall, 40 inches wide, and 2 inches thick. In feet, that measures 5.4 ft. by 3.3 ft. Every solar panel consists of solar cells, which are typically 6 by 6 inches. Residential solar panels typically contain 60 cells, while commercial panels have 72 solar cells.

Whatever your home’s energy demand, the length of your solar panels plays a role in both your energy generation and the weight of the load placed on your roof. Knowing how much weight your roof can withstand is critical to know before the solar installation process.

Determining your solar panel roof load

Calculating your solar panel roof load, whether on your own or with the help of experts, is critical to ensure your solar system investment is successful and doesn’t damage your roof.

In addition, you want to ensure that you limit your costs on solar panels while also optimizing the energy output of your solar panels. Accurate solar panel roof load calculations can ensure that your investment will pay off. 

If you live in an area where winter weather is frequent, it’s important to account for the snow load when factoring in if solar will fall within the roof’s available capacity. The blueprints of your house will typically list your snow load capacity, but structural engineers can also assess your roof’s snow load as well.

How to calculate your solar panel roof load

Before diving into how to calculate your solar panel roof load, let’s first understand the two key calculations involved: point load and distributed load. 

• A uniformly distributed load is when weight is evenly distributed over an entire surface.
• A point load is when the weight of an item is significantly concentrated in one (or more) places.

These calculations are critical to understanding how much weight your roof can handle in any given specific spot, as well as spread over the entire surface.

If you know the number of panels and the weight of individual panels of the solar system you’re interested in installing, simply plug these numbers into the formula below to determine your point load. If you don’t know these numbers, you can substitute the average weights and lengths of solar panels listed above for a good estimate.

The formulas listed below (and in this worksheet) can help you determine the solar panel roof load for your home or business.

Conclusion on solar panel roof load calculation

This solar panel roof load calculator will help you understand whether your roof can safely support solar panels. Based on your roof’s material as well as the orientation and age of your roof, your home should be a good fit for solar panels.

Some roofs don’t have sufficient space to place a PV system and for a PV array. For example, some have shading issues that can significantly reduce solar output.

If your roof doesn’t have sufficient space or is too old to support a solar system and array, there are other options – you can opt for other options like ground-mounted PV systems. You can also go completely off the grid if you opt for solar battery storage.

For solar system owners across the country, however, optimizing the production of solar energy means different things. It’s no secret that the angle of a solar panel impacts its production – but by just how much? And what’s the optimal tilt angle for solar panels?

The truth is, there is no single, ideal angle for solar panels: at different times of the year, the optimal angle may differ significantly. The optimal tilt angle is different for every location, varying due to factors like the seasons and the average position of the sun in that particular location.

So, how can you determine the best tilt angle for your solar panels? If you live in an urban area in the United States, you might simply be able to find the best solar panel direction by zip code.

Our guide will help you understand everything you need to know about why solar panels need a tilt angle, how it is calculated, and what it means for production.

Why do solar panels need to tilt at an angle?

Solar radiation is emitted by the sun in differing quantities around the world. Solar technologies, such as solar panels, serve to capture this radiation and turn it into usable energy.

Solar panels utilize photovoltaics (PV), one of the main two solar technologies. When sunlight hits a solar panel, energy from the sun is absorbed by the PV cells in the panel. This energy then creates electrical charges that cause electricity to flow.

To optimize the amount of sunlight that hits the surface of a solar panel, they are tilted vertically, at a ‘tilt angle’. This is because the sun’s position in the sky moves throughout the day, and its position and angle also changes with the seasons.

While solar panels do work in cold weather, energy production can be impacted in places where the winter is longer, and there is less sunlight and length of daylight.

In all locations, however, the goal is for solar panels to be exactly perpendicular to the incoming solar rays, so that they can produce the most electricity possible.

Generally, the sun is at a higher position during summers and a lower position during winters. However, there is an average position between the two, which is optimal for photovoltaic panels.

This average position corresponds to the latitude of the place where you are housing the panels: tilting it at that average angle would produce the highest output.

While some solar system owners opt to keep their panels at a fixed angle throughout the year, this method is not the best way to optimize solar output. Because the sun is generally higher in the summer and lower in the winter, you can capture more energy during the whole year by adjusting the tilt of the panels according to the season.

How to calculate your optimal tilt angle

Let’s dive into how to calculate the optimal tilt angle for your solar panels. As a general rule of thumb, keep in mind that the panels need to be more vertical during winter to face the lower sun directly, and more tilted towards the ground during summer to face the higher sun.

The angle of your solar panel’s tilt during the summer and winter simply depends on where you live.

There are two methods for calculating the tilt angle for solar panels. Both of these angles require latitude degrees.

1. Adding and subtracting latitude

Whatever your latitude is, you can subtract 15° from it to calculate the angle for summer.

For winter, you can calculate the angle by adding 15°. For fall or spring, you can just subtract 2.5° from the latitude. For example, if the latitude of your city is 35°, then the tilt angle for summer would be 20° (35° – 15°) and for winter 50° (35° + 15°).

2. Multiplying the latitude

The second method is more effective, and more accurate, because it calculates the angle not only for the season but also for the midday sun, which is when the sun is hottest during any day.

For winters, you multiply the latitude by 0.9 and then add 29°. For summers, you multiply the latitude by 0.9 and then subtract 23.5°.

The same latitude of 35° would have a tilt angle of 59.6° for winter and 7.1° for summer. This total calculation is about 10° more or less from the readings obtained using the first method.

Are solar trackers helpful?

Some solar system owners opt to install solar tracking systems rather than adjust the tilt of their panels themselves.

Solar tracking systems allow solar panels to follow the sun’s path as it moves from east to west. They improve solar panels’ exposure to sunlight and increase the amount of energy they produce by ensuring they face the sun for as much time as possible.

However, solar trackers are only viable on ground-mounted panels, which is not often the case in domestic use. For roof-mounted panels, it is difficult to use trackers.

Also, these systems can be costly, raising your overall budget for solar energy solutions. Whether you own or lease your solar panel, these trackers require more complex installations for domestic systems.

As a result, solar panel trackers are most commonly used in commercial solar projects, where maximum output is needed all the time. The added cost and complexity of this tracking feature generally requires more panels to make it a worthy investment.

Fortunately, if you know your optimal solar panel direction by zip code, you will not need to install a tracking system.

What other factors affect the angle of a solar panel?

Aside from your location, latitude, and season, there are a few other factors at play that can impact the output of your solar system.

Roof design

Most homeowners opt to install solar panels on the roof of their house to save space. These homeowners must take the pitch of their roof into account: most roofs have an inclination of 30 to 40 degrees. At this pitch, the solar panel can lie flat on the roof and get enough sunlight to produce adequate electricity.

When a roof is very steep, it can be difficult to achieve the most optimal tilt angle for the panel, especially if it is lower than the angle of the roof. In such a scenario, the best thing to do would be to keep the panels lying flat. 

The same is the case with a low-angled roof, which may require a special racking system to install the panels at the correct angle. Placing them flush against the roof would produce lower output.

If your roof is flat, you would need a racking system to place them at any angle you need. However, when it comes to installing solar panels on the roof, space could be an issue. You do not want the panels to be too close together as their shade might limit the exposure to the adjacent panels.

To combat this issue, some homeowners opt to replace their roof with solar panels.

Online calculators can help you determine your roof’s capacity to hold solar panels of varying weights.

Direction of the panels

The tilt angle of a solar panel is not the only angle that must be considered to produce the best outcome from photovoltaic panels, the direction the panels are facing is vital as well.

In technical terms, this measure is called the Azimuth angle, referring to the horizontal orientation of the panels in relation to the equator. 

Generally, solar panels should be facing towards the equator: 

• In the northern hemisphere, it is best to face the panels south as the sun is always in the south within the northern hemisphere. 
• If you are in the southern hemisphere, then face them north.

It’s important to note that the south or north indicated by your compass may not be the most accurate, as it is the magnetic south or north. In some places, the reading may be inaccurate by up to 25°. However, an inaccuracy of less than 10° would not make much of a difference in your Azimuth angle. 

Winter weather and snow

Winter weather can consist of snow, sleet, and hail, and the sun is at a lower position during the winter. Days are also shorter, giving less time for your solar panels to soak up the sun’s rays.

Because the sun is lower, you’ll want to keep your solar panels tilted at a lower angle during the winter to ensure they face the sun directly. However, such low angles can trap snow on the surface of the panel, reducing its output. When any material rests on the surface of a solar panel, from snow and dust to leaves, its production is hindered.

If you live in a place where it regularly snows, it may make sense to keep the panels at a steep angle, or the angle suitable for the summer, so that snow easily falls off.

Temperature

Solar panels are sturdy enough to withstand high temperatures. However, in some places where the temperatures soar very high during summer, heatwaves may negatively affect output.

Depending on where they are installed, hot temperatures can reduce the output efficiency of solar panels by 10 to 25%. But why?

Because the electricity generated by solar panels comes from a flow of electrons inside the electrical circuit, these electrons can bounce around too much when temperatures soar. This reduces the amount of electricity generated by much – and this reduces voltage, or the amount of electricity generated.

For instance, in cities like Phoenix, Arizona, solar panels require proper airflow around the panels to keep them working in their optimal state.

Solar panel angle by zip code

Now that we know all of the different factors that can impact your solar panel production, you can figure out the optimal solar panel direction by zip code.

The table below features a solar panel angle by zip code for at least one city from every state in the United States. There is an angle for both the summer and winter months that will deliver optimal results for your solar panel system.

If you live in one of these zip codes or somewhere near them, you can use the readings to set up your racking system. These have been calculated using the solar panel angle calculator for solar noon, the exact halt of the day when the sun is at its brightest.

If you don’t want to adjust your solar panel angle every few months, you should keep it at an angle suited for the season you need it to be most productive, or for the season that lasts longest in your area. Keeping your solar panels at a fixed angle can still give you efficient, clean electricity to power your home.

For most southern states and California, a fixed angle would be at the optimal angle for summer. On the other hand, for the northeast and midwestern regions where summer is shorter, the better choice would be the low winter angle.

However, if you do get the opportunity to change their angles throughout the year, you will get maximum output for the whole year. If you are installing a large amount of solar panels, you should invest in a solar tracker, which will eliminate the need to manually adjust tilt angles.

Conclusion on solar panel angling

With rising energy costs and the solar incentives offered by some U.S. states, going solar is a cost-effective decision for the majority of homeowners.

However, by installing solar panels, you are also helping protect the environment. You can make the best of your investment if you know the best angle for your solar panels.

Finding the best solar panel direction by zip code is a simple and effective solution to ensure your solar panel system is working in its most optimal state. You’ll save money and power your home more effectively when you tilt your solar panels the right way.

When waters are polluted millions of people lose access to safe drinking water, leading to disease and even death: 80% of diseases around the world are related to poor-quality drinking water.

In addition, ecosystems aren’t able to support the complex ecosystems that depend on clean, unpolluted water. Knowing all of the disastrous effects of water pollution, many people are looking to make a change in their personal lives, and find ways to reduce water pollution.

In this article, we’ll explore several different ways to reduce water pollution in your home, work, and personal life, and why these changes matter.

16 ways to reduce water pollution and help look after our planet

While a large percentage of the world’s water pollution is caused by large-scale industrial, agricultural, and maritime transit operations, each individual still plays a role in reducing water pollution.

While some of these ways to reduce water pollution may not surprise you, some you may not know. In fact, some of these suggestions shine a light on how certain acts can actually lead to increased pollution levels!

Let’s take a closer look at the different ways to reduce water pollution.

1. Pick up litter and dispose of it properly

One of the best ways to reduce water pollution is to prevent it at the source: by disposing of waste properly. In fact, 60% of water pollution today can be attributed to litter.

Waste that litters our roads, fields, and sidewalks often flows into nearby drains and streams when it rains. When the litter degrades, chemicals and microparticles are released. 

Chemicals and other pollutants from this litter can negatively impact the environment and wildlife in waterways. Cigarette butts are a common example of litter that can seriously damage the natural environment. They can contain chemicals like arsenic and formaldehyde that will seep into soil, and in turn, freshwater sources.

2. Dispose of chemicals and fuel properly

It’s important to know that you should never pour used motor oil or antifreeze down a storm drain, onto the soil, into a waterway, or into the sanitary sewer. All of these drains flow into rivers, meaning this harmful substance will certainly make its way to wreak havoc on the natural life of your waterway.

So how can you dispose of it?

Put used oil or antifreeze in a sturdy container and take it to a local service station or other approved center.

Your community may have a recycling center that will accept the used motor oil and recycle it. Community collection centers and drop-off sites also exist in some areas.

It’s even a good idea to label the container, so others will know that allowing liquids other than storm water to get into the drain leads to the pollution of lakes and streams.

3. Mulch or compost grass or yard waste

In many places around the world, leaves and grass are important parts of the natural environment. Left on land, leaves decompose, feeding your plants and enriching your soil. 

However, these same leaves and yard waste can lead to problematic water pollution. When large amounts of leaves are washed off our lawns, down our driveways, and into storm drains, they make their way into our water bodies; they release phosphorus and nitrogen into our water, contributing to water pollution.

There are a few potential solutions to this issue, however:

• Your city may be able to dispose of your leaves and yard waste – you can bag your leaves for curbside pick-up.
• You can also mix your leaves into your compost pile, creating a nutrient-rich fertilizer for your plants.
• Using a mulching mower, you can create mulch from your leaves to use in flower beds.
• Leave leaves and yard waste in your front yard if you can’t compost them – avoid blowing leaves into the street and clogging and damaging storm drains.

4. Don’t pour fat and grease down the drain

Most of the dishes we cook leave some sort of fat, oil, or grease residue behind. These substances should never be disposed of down the drain in your kitchen.

When poured down the drain, fat and grease can build up over time and clog your pipes. This will lead to sewer pipes clogging and even backing up into your yard and basement. It can also lead to water pollution by carrying contaminants to local bodies of water.

Instead, grease, fat, and used cooking oil should be disposed of in the trash or kept in a glass jar for disposal with other solid waste.

5. Minimize your use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers

In the continental U.S., about half a million tons of pesticides, 12 million tons of nitrogen, and 4 million tons of phosphorus fertilizer are applied annually to crops. These chemicals can cause critical damage to our waters through the soil, runoff, and air.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends several techniques for large-scale farm operations to mitigate these effects, such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which encourages natural barriers and limits pesticide use.

At home, however, you can do your part by minimizing your use of fertilizers and pesticides on your lawn and gardens. You can also select plants that are native to the area and can thrive in your landscape’s natural conditions. In turn, you will have to fertilize them less and use less water in the long run.

If you must use fertilizers, make sure to blow or sweep it back onto your grass if it gets onto paved areas, and avoid applying fertilizer on the grass right before it rains, so it doesn’t wash into storm drains and waterways.

6. Use the minimum amount of laundry detergent

Laundry detergent and other cleaning products contain chemicals like phosphates that are harmful to our waters and marine life.

Phosphates lead to algae blooms and kill fish and other aquatic animals by reducing the oxygen in the water. Soaps and detergents can also break up oil and send it lower into the water column, causing damage to more marine organisms.

When spilled in our waterways, soaps and detergents in and of themselves are actually a pollutant that may be harmful.

By cutting down on detergent, or using phosphate-free detergent, you can further cut down on water pollution from your own home. There are plenty of effective natural laundry detergents that you can substitute for chemically-intensive detergents in your home.

7. Dispose of medical waste properly

Never flush pills, powders, or liquid medicines down the toilet or dump them outside, whether on land or water. These drugs can accumulate in the water and be consumed by fish and other wildlife.

Hormones and other compounds end up causing a variety of health problems in fish and birds and contaminate drinking water that people and livestock use.

Studies have found that medicines flushed down the drain can contaminate our lakes and streams and eventually end up in our drinking water. This can lead to adverse reactions for some people and even cases of accidental poisoning.  

University of Minnesota researchers have also detected antibiotics used for human and animal treatment at low levels in lakes, rivers, and streams throughout Minnesota. The U.S. Geological Survey has also found antibiotics in groundwater in both non-agricultural and urban areas.

8. Avoid using a garbage disposal

Depending on where you live, the garbage disposal in your kitchen can also lead to harmful environmental effects like water pollution.

Near large bodies of water, garbage disposals will wash food scraps down the drain and into bodies of water that can be contaminated by the high levels of nitrogen in food waste. Nitrogen can harm local marine and plant life significantly.

It’s best to keep your solid waste solid, experts say, and opt for a compost pile from food scraps when possible.

9. Check your sump pump or cellar drain

If your home has a sump pump or cellar drain, you can check to make sure that it does not drain into the local sanitary sewer system. This connection often dumps harmful biological waste, cleaning chemicals, heavy metals, and more into the system.

As we know, local sewer systems drain straight into rivers, streams, and other bodies of water.

At home, you can do your part when it comes to going green and preventing water pollution by checking your sump pump or cellar drain connection. If you’re not sure, you can contact your city’s local pollution control department.

10. Eat more organic food

Organic foods are not only better for you, but opting for organic is also a big way to reduce water pollution.

Organic foods tend to be cultivated with few synthetic chemicals, and in turn, they result in less chemical pollution in waterways.

The process of organic farming also can be used to reduce water pollution in the U.S., as studies have found. The leaching of nitrate from farming soil into water drainage systems is a major source of water pollution in the upper Midwestern state of the U.S.

In an attempt to reduce the environmental impacts associated with heavy fertilizer use in conventional agriculture, some producers have begun to investigate organic methods.

All in all, agriculture is one of the largest culprits of water pollution around the world. From fertilizer and pesticide use, to the synthetic chemicals used to preserve foods and the fuel used to power equipment, all of these factors play a part in increasing water pollution.

By opting for less chemically-intensive foods, individuals can make a difference in the quality of our waters.

11. Try to avoid buying plastic items

Plastics, like most waste, can end up in a landfill. When improperly managed, waste from landfills make its way into our ocean and bodies of water. From plastic shopping bags to bottles to tupperware, all of these products can cause water pollution at a large scale.

Plastics break down slowly in some waters, but usually, end up degrading the water quality with toxic compounds and harming human and animal health.

Microplastics have been detected in water worldwide, including in our streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. In these waterways, the microplastics end up in the water we drink and the fish we eat, including shellfish.

Thus, one of the best ways to reduce water pollution is to avoid buying and using new plastic items, especially those that are not accepted at your local recycling facility. There are some great alternatives on the market to replace commonly-used plastic products like plastic wrap, sippy cups, and trash bags. 

12. Plant some trees

It may surprise you to find out that deforestation is one of the main causes of water pollution. Healthy forests can act as a filter to keep pollution out of water, anchoring soil against erosion and helping the forest absorb nutrients.

Trees also help protect water quality by capturing, storing, and using rainfall. In doing so, they reduce the amount of runoff that carries pollution off of the landscape and into nearby rivers and lakes. This process also decreases the rate and volume of stormwater flowing through local storm sewers.

In this way, one of the best ways to reduce water pollution is to plant some trees! If you live in an urban area, a healthy tree canopy is especially important. Trees provide other health benefits like helping heat and cool buildings, filtering air pollution, and more.

Select some species that are native to your area, and in no time your trees will begin improving air quality and doing their part in reducing water pollution. If you lack the space, try to find a local communal garden or space to plant some trees elsewhere in your community.

13. Keep your vehicles from leaking

It’s important to maintain your vehicle’s maintenance, not only to save money, but also to prevent oil and other fuels from leaking onto the road. Leaky seals, hoses, and gaskets often leak fluid from cars and end up in the local water table, or runoff into nearby streams, rivers, and other bodies of water.

Oil and other fuels do not dissolve in water, and are toxic to people, wildlife, and plants and can disturb natural aquatic environments.

These toxic substances can last a long time and stick to everything in and near an aquatic environment, from sand to bird feathers. To prevent leaks from our cars getting onto roads and washed into storm drains, regular vehicle maintenance is important.

14. Shop with water pollution in mind

Like your food choices, your shopping tendencies can make a difference when it comes to finding ways to reduce water pollution. The textile industry is one of the largest culprits for releasing pollutants into our waters.

This is because textile processing involves applying vast amounts of chemicals to fabrics – over 8,000 synthetic chemicals, in fact. It’s estimated that around 20% of all water pollution worldwide comes from the dyeing of textiles.

But how does making clothes lead to water pollution? Water is used during the process of applying chemicals and dye to fabrics and this contaminated water is often dumped back into rivers and other waterways.

To reduce the water pollution that results from textile production, try to only buy brand new clothes when you need them, and opt for second-hand clothing wherever you can. This reduces the amount of new clothing that must be produced and thus the water required to create them.

You can also recycle your clothes for a more sustainable wardrobe, or shop locally to limit the pollution that comes from transporting goods long distances.

15. Support environmental charities

To directly make a difference in reducing water pollution, there are several nonprofits that are making clean, unpolluted waters available throughout the world. Supporting these organizations, whether by monetary donations or volunteering can help them maximize their influence.

Some examples of these non-profits include Water.org, U.S. Water Alliance, Water for People, and the Water Project.  

16. Cut down on meat consumption

You may not have known that changing up your diet, even once a week, can make a huge difference when it comes to reducing water pollution.

Raising and housing animals requires large amounts of water – in the U.S. especially, slaughterhouses raise millions of animals per year for consumption – more than 8 billion chickens, 100 million hogs, and 30 million beef cattle.

All of the resources that these animals require are often contaminated and disposed of improperly. Most meat and poultry plants in the U.S. release contaminants into drinking water systems and soil, which in turn contaminates groundwater. These contaminants can include nitrate, nitrite, and fecal coliform, as well as byproducts like chlorine.

These chemicals can not only harm drinking water, they’re also toxic to plants and animals in local ecosystems.

Final thoughts on the ways to reduce water pollution

If you’re looking to live a greener life and care about bettering your area, these are sure ways to reduce water pollution, improve drinking water, and create cleaner aquatic ecosystems in your area.

From making easy switches from plastic, cleaning products, and laundry detergent in your home, to properly disposing of chemicals and cooking oil, it’s often not hard to play your part in reducing pollutants in our waters.

If you observe a possible violation of environmental laws and regulations in the U.S. like illegal dumping of pollutants, you can also report it to the EPA via this form.