A Silent Killer We’ve Learned to Live With

Talk about silent killers and thieves we've got in our world today; pollution is definitely one of them because it has been actively stealing the purity of our air, the fertility of our land, and the freshness of our water. It's just disheartening seeing how much damage this has done and keeps doing to the ecosystem, despite that we as a people have gotten so used to it that we coexist with it like it's a normal thing.It's actually heartbreaking when you see how this has inflicted everything, from our drainage system that's clogged with piles of waste to the toxic smoke that comes from big industries, generators, vehicles, and the like, and that's not even talking about the tons of plastic bottles that are floating all around our bodies of water around the world.

I'm sadden about this because of how we've gotten so used to the enormous damage this pollution is causing. You'll be surprised when you visit some places and see how people, both children and adults, dump refuse anywhere they like. You'll even see shop owners throw dirt from their shops into the gutter, clearing less that such would clutter the drainage and cause erosion and stagnant water. The truth is that it's not that these people like how their environment looks or don't admire other neat nations; it's just that they've so adapted to this lifestyle that they intentionally and unintentionally contribute to the pollution cycle.

In my opinion, I believe air pollution is the most dangerous of all forms of pollution, and the reason for that isn't far-fetched; it's just not easy to escape it because as humans we need to inhale oxygen to breathe, and this comes naturally from the air we breathe, but when that air becomes toxic and cluttered with dangerous gas, it'll be breathed in through our lungs and ultimately lead to various diseases such as respiratory disease, worsened asthma, and shortened lifespan, among many others.

Water pollution is another form of pollution that's just as dangerous as air pollution because we need water to survive as humans; it's more like the fuel that keeps our engine lubricated and going. That's forgetting the impact it has on our marine life, with dead fish and other marine life seen floating on the river surface. It's just disheartening because aside from eating this seafood that's already infected with this disease, we also rely on water daily to bathe, cook, drink, and the like. The dirty water we consume has made me realize pollution is about survival, dignity, and health and not just about our environment alone.

While our environment and health keep deteriorating due to pollution, I still believe we can sail through; we just need to be more intentional about everything we do, from waste disposal to reduction of plastic usage, even holding the government accountable so industry would be built far from residential areas, also implementing laws that prohibit improper waste disposal and encourage proper ones alongside green alternatives such as planting trees and educating people about pollution and its dangers.

All photos are taken and edited on canva.