#1 14 billion pounds of garbage
An average of 14 billion pounds of garbage, mostly plastic, is poured into the ocean each year. Just one
more fact to get you to walk the extra couple of feet to the recycling bin
.
more fact to get you to walk the extra couple of feet to the recycling bin
.
#2 Fish are changing sex
Approximately 1/3 of male fish in British rivers are in the process of changing sex due to pollution. The assumed reason for this change is the hormones found in human sewage, such as the birth control pill.
#3 Child mortality
Globally, 15 million children under the age of five die each year because of diseases caused by drinking water. Obviously, we need water to survive, so you don't have to be a genius to figure out this is due to water pollution.
#4 Assorted facts
In the United States, people use over 1.8 billion disposable diapers, 220 million tires, and 30 billion foam cups per year. This gives you a snapshot of why we produce so much garbage from year to year.
#5 Animal death
Over 1 million seabirds and 100,000 sea mammals are killed by pollution every year. This is in addition to the staggering, likely uncountable amount of fish killed by water pollution.
#6 Cadmium
Cadmium (pictured in crystal form below), a common pollutant which kills human fetal sex organ cells, is in almost everything we eat and drink.
#7 Lake Karachay
Russia's Lake Karachay, a nuclear waste dump zone, is the most polluted place on Earth. 5 minutes near it, unprotected, can kill you. Definitely not what we'd call one of Russia's tourist attractions.
#8 American lakes
Approximately 46% of the lakes in America are too polluted for fishing, aquatic life, or swimming. Which basically just makes them pretty little ornaments for our landscape, if they can even be called pretty anymore.
#9 Dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico
The Mississippi River brings about 1.65 million tons of pollution into the Gulf of Mexico each year, making a dead zone the size of New Jersey. You can see an image of the damage below:
#10 China
China is the world's largest carbon dioxide emitter, producing more than the U.S and Canada combined. Furthermore, it is emitting 171% more than it was back in 2000.
#11 Everyone in the U.S
Each person in the U.S produces about 4 lbs of garbage per day. Yes, that means you too, so pay attention to the things you're throwing out and make sure they're not recyclable or compostable!
#12 California is the most polluted state
The three most air-polluted cities in the U.S are, in order, Bakersfield, Fresno, and Riverside, all within California. You may have the best looking people, the best weather, and the best scenery, but that is no excuse Californians!
#13 The monetary costs of pollution
Polluted coastal water costs the global economy $12.8 billion a year in death and disease. This information comes from a 2007 book by Cheryl Jakab, so you have something to cite when you're trying to convince your more practically minded friends of the benefits of green tech.
#14 Acid rain
The ancient Greek Acropolis is believed to have crumbled more in the last 40 years than it has in the previous 2,500 due to acid rain. FYI, Acid rain is caused by the emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide interacting with water molecules in the atmosphere, meaning that, essentially, modern city life causes acid rain.
#15 Autism and freeways
A study found that children in families who live near freeways are twice as likely to have autism as kids who live farther away from freeways. The projected culprit is the pollution given off from freeway traffic.
