Let's Reflect, Shall We?

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that causes adverse change. Pollution can take several different forms, such as noise, water, air, soil, light and thermal pollution to name a few. It's classified as either point-source or non-point source pollution, where the sources of the pollution are identifiable and unidentifiable respectively. 

In my third post entitled "A Painful Drainful", where I spoke about the causes and adverse effects of water pollution, I mentioned several ways in which we contribute to our water being contaminated, one of which was the ignorant and inconsiderate dumping of garbage into our city's waterways. However one of the most prominent consequences of such an action, particularly in our capital city, which had slipped my mind in mentioning was the real problem of flooding. It's a good thing my colleague Ryan picked up on that issue where I fell short. His picture depicts a very painful drain full of garbage which he explained would cause a build up of surface runoff, one saturated with contaminants heading to the sea. When torrential rains fall during the rainy season and flood out the city in several feet of water, what this flowing water does is pick up these pieces and chunks of human trash and carry them all to sea. For lodged articles of garbage as depicted in Ryan's photo, what the water instead would do is simply collect the contaminants from these bits of garbage in suspension and take them directly to the sea (and not a treatment facility). You can find his blog post here: 

http://urbanpollutiontt.blogspot.com/2014/04/urban-drainage.html

I headed over to Kelitas' blog when she told me that she was exploring the same topic as I; she must have posts which were very similar to mine, and indeed she did. In our "Noise Pollution" and  "Pipe Down Will you?!" posts we both talked about mostly the same points, specifically how noise pollution specifically affects us as Trinbagonians. However our Siamese posts detached when I expatiated on noise at social events while she focused on noise pollution caused by urbanization. When I saw that her opening line stated such, my initial reaction was, "Noise pollution and urbanization? Where could she be going with that?" But as I read on I began to see the connection (albeit obvious after I read it all). She said that greater urbanization would mean more construction sites for the building of houses, and we already established that construction sites can be quite noisy. More sites would also lead to more dust particles, allergens and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's). From this she brought forward the thesis that noise and air pollution are linked. Not bad, I wouldn't have thought of that at all. Good job Kelita! You can read her entire blog here:

http://urbanpollutionintrinidad.blogspot.com/

Faheem, another colleague of mine, touched on a topic that Kelita spoke about, one that i second. Faheem talks about the presence of urban sprawl and how it and what it means for the community of Princes Town. Included in his analysis is the fact that greater urbanization will lead to greater pollution and environmental degradation, which is true. This will cause in increase in almost all types of pollution. 

More urban dwellers means more cars, which means greater noise and air pollution. 

More urban dwellers means more light, water, thermal pollution as concrete houses, sidewalks and drains are erected.

More urban dwellers means the potential for more personal and visual pollution all concentrated into one area. This realization wouldn't have hit me if it weren't for Faheem bringing up this point. You're an intelligent chap, Faheem. If you want, you can view the intelligent chap's blog here:

http://urbanenviropollution.blogspot.com/

Before I started my line of posts I came thinking I knew a lot about pollution, but as I got deeper into the analyses and investigating I realized there were so many things that I never knew, had misconceptions about, and so many things left to discover. For instance, who knew that thermal pollution actually has to do with the change of water temperatures due to human intervention which affects marine ecosystems? Certainly not me. I thought it was somehow linked to global warming and the heating effect that air pollution causes. I could have told anyone that and be confident. The more you know, right? I would say that now at the end of my chain of posts, I've learned so much about the various types of pollution that exist which affect the city of Port-of-Spain and by extension the rest of the country and world, and steps to reduce many of them. In addition to that I'd like to say a BIG thanks to my lecturer Dr. Kissoon for giving me this opportunity to really delve into a topic that in my opinion, lets my inner genius gallivant itself. Kudos to you Dr. K!

Me, Myself and Grime

Personal pollution is the type of pollution that we as humans create and produce ourselves, which effectively says that all types of pollution I expounded upon in this chain of blog posts are personal pollution since they all, whether directly or indirectly, affect us in some way. Its definition also broadens to include the contamination of one's body and lifestyle with detrimental actions. All these factors include but are not limited to: littering, excessive smoking, drinking or drug abuse, bad living conditions and poor personal habits. The picture above shows one of many dilapidated condominiums along Nelson St. in Port of Spain which appears to house the elderly and/or disabled. This implies that their caregivers may be greatly responsible for the state of the inhabitants'  surroundings. While I walked along the street and observed the conditions around these areas, I could see that they weren't well maintained at all, and there was a lot of dumping on the sidewalks and even on some premises. 

I observed a couple men on the scaffolding working on one of the buildings but it wasn't any substantial work or renovations to improve the overall quality of that one condo.

You'll be surprised how much executing our everyday chores can harm our water systems. Some of the common sources of personal pollution include fertilizers, pet waste, hazards around the home like gas and motor oil, urban runoff and other toxic chemicals. Simple tasks like washing your car, working with motors, fertilizing plants and the lawn, walking your dog and using pesticides all contribute negatively to our watershed.

Washing Cars: Many cleaning products contain phosphates and other chemicals that can make fish and other aquatic life sick. Using a hose to wash off suds creates a stream of wastewater that can travel down your driveway, into the street, and down a storm drain. We know how Trinis love to wash their vehicles with a hose constantly running, which WASA has always persistently advocated against. You can help protect streams when you wash your car if you: 

• Use a bucket instead of a hose to save water and limit flow.

• Wash your car in sections and rinse it quickly using the high pressure flow on an adjustable hose nozzle.

• Use biodegradable soaps.

• Park your car over gravel or your lawn so wastewater doesn't flow into the street.

Side note: The difference between a storm drain and a sewer? Storm drains collect water from outside our homes and businesses and carry it, untreated, directly to streams and 
rivers. Sewers collect water from inside homes and businesses and carry it to treatment plants, where it is cleaned before it reaches streams and rivers. So remember, only rain 
should go into storm drains, not trash, oil, or other pollutants. Check out this video for tips on how to prevent storm water pollution.

Working with motors: Motors require products like oil, gasoline, brake fluid, degreasers, and antifreeze. All of these products contain chemicals that can harm fish and other aquatic life once they get into our streams and rivers. One gallon of used oil can ruin a million gallons of fresh water: a year’s supply for 50 people. Some chemicals are acutely toxic and can cause immediate harm or death to insects, fish, and animals within 96 hours or less (like the sweet-tasting antifreeze which cats and dogs fancy), while others are chronically toxic and cause harm over time. You can help prevent hazardous substances from getting into natural waterways if you:

• Use the product only when necessary and use only the amount needed.

• Clean up any spills immediately (Wear protective clothing and gloves).

• Never flush chemicals down the toilet or pour them onto the ground or into a drain.

• Dispose of used oil and other hazardous products in a safe manner.

Fertilizing plants and lawn: A common misconception is the erroneous belief that more you fertilize your lawn and ornamental garden the better. This is not true in many cases. Excess use of fertilizer can actually have an adverse effect on plants and lawn. It can cause disease, stunt root growth, encourage weed growth and overall, make your lawn brittle and subject to erosion (US EPA). The rains also picks up this glut of fertilizers and carries them to meet their friends oil and antifreeze in the rivers and lakes. We don't want that. You can have a nice-looking lawn and still keep streams and ponds healthy if you:

• Use native grasses that do not have high fertilizer requirements.

• Test your soil to find out exactly what nutrients your lawn needs.

• Apply fertilizer only when it is needed, during the right season, and in proper amounts.

• Do not leave fertilizer on driveways and sidewalks where it can be picked up and washed away by runoff from the next storm.

• Do not fertilize if a heavy storm is predicted.

Smoking: The health effects of smoking cigarettes are horribly destructive and in many cases, deadly. Approximately 7000 chemicals, have been identified in cigarettes and cigarette smoke to date, 250 of which are poisonous and 70, carcinogenic (cancer-causing).

Smoking damages the heart and circulation, the brain and the lungs, causing heart disease and stroke, asthma, bronchitis and many other major ailments. 

Positive action in your life can help eliminate this and other types of pollution which can lead to a more productive and satisfying life.

References:

About.com: Smoking Cessation. "What are the Health Effects of Smoking Cigarettes?". 

    Accessed May 20, 2014.

    http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/tobaccostatistics/a/CigaretteSmoke.htm

Love to Know. "Types of Pollution". Accessed May 20, 2014.

    http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Types_of_Pollution

United Stated Environmental Protection Agency. "Stop Pointless Personal Pollution! How 

    everyday chores can harm your streams and lakes". Accessed May 20, 2014.

    http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/kids/middleschool/upload/stoppointless_

    article.pdf

Lights, Camera, Pollution!

Port of Spain at 7 pm

If humans were truly at home under the light of the moon and stars, we would go in darkness happily, the midnight world as visible to us as it is to the vast number of nocturnal species on this planet. Instead, we are diurnal creatures, with eyes adapted to living in the sun's light. This is a basic evolutionary fact, even though most of us don't think of ourselves as diurnal beings any more than we think of ourselves as primates or mammals or Earthlings. Yet it's the only way to explain what we've done to the night: We've engineered it to receive us by filling it with light (National Geographic). Light pollution is excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial (usually outdoor) light.

The four components of light pollution are often combined and overlapping: Urban sky glow, light trespass, glare and clutter.

Sky glow is the illumination of parts of the night sky. The most common cause of sky glow is artificial light that emits light pollution, which accumulates into a vast glow that can be seen from miles away and from high in the sky. Sky glow from artificial lights is common throughout the world and can be observed over most cities and towns. 

Light trespass, occurring when streetlights or a neighbour’s security light directs unwanted lighting onto our property or into our homes, contributes to a loss of natural darkness. The Dark-Sky Association was started to reduce the light going up into the sky which reduces visibility of stars. This is any light which is emitted more than 90°.

Glare is difficulty seeing in the presence of bright light such as direct or reflected sunlight or artificial light such as car headlamps at night. Specifically, discomfort glare results in an instinctive desire to look away from a bright light source or difficulty in seeing a task. Glare from unshielded lighting is a public-health hazard, especially the older you become. When glare is so intense that vision is completely impaired, it is sometimes called dazzle.

Light clutter refers to excessive groupings of lights. This redundant lighting is found in many urban centres which results in a clutter of lights that contribute to sky glow, trespass, and glare while destroying the ambiance of our night-time environment. Our eyes, when dark-adapted, have good natural capacity in low-light situations. But when nightscapes are over-lit, eyes never have a chance to become dark-adapted, and areas adjacent to brightly lit areas become impenetrable, reducing safety. Groupings of lights may generate confusion, distract from obstacles (including those that they may be intended to illuminate), and potentially cause accidents. Clutter is particularly noticeable on roads where the street lights are badly designed, or where brightly lit advertising surrounds the roadways.

This picture captured in Port of Spain embodies all the aforementioned aspects of light pollution, and when I took this picture it wasn't even 7 pm yet. Imagine that!

Light pollution has many effects on both human and animal populations. In disrupting ecosystems, light pollution poses a serious threat in particular to nocturnal wildlife, having negative impacts on plant and animal physiology. It can confuse the migratory patterns of animals; alter competitive interactions of animals, change predator-prey relations, and cause physiological harm. Some birds; blackbirds and nightingales among others, sing at unnatural hours in the presence of artificial light. Scientists have determined that long artificial days (and artificially short nights) induce early breeding in a wide range of birds. And because a longer day allows for longer feeding, it can also affect migration schedules. One population of Bewick's swans wintering in England put on fat more rapidly than usual, priming them to begin their Siberian migration early. The problem, of course, is that migration, like most other aspects of bird behaviour, is a precisely timed biological behaviour. Leaving early may mean arriving too soon for nesting conditions to be right. The rhythm of life is orchestrated by the natural diurnal patterns of light and dark; so disruption to these patterns impacts the ecological dynamics.

With respect to adverse health effects, many species, especially humans, are dependent on natural body cycles called circadian rhythms and the production of melatonin, which are regulated by light and dark (e.g., day and night). If humans are exposed to light while sleeping, melatonin production can be suppressed. This can lead to sleep disorders and other health problems such as increased headaches, worker fatigue, medically defined stress, some forms of obesity due to lack of sleep and increased anxiety. And ties are being found to a couple of types of cancer.

Increased urban sky glow is responsible for the disappearance of the Milky Way from our night skies. For professional astronomers, the increasing distance to prime observing sites, well away from sources of air pollution and urban sky glow, becomes more problematic as economic and environmental energy costs continue to rise (IDA). Amateur astronomers, meanwhile, find prime observing spots eradicated by commercial and residential development and must travel farther from home for a clear view of the skies. Increasingly, the most important equipment needed to enjoy the wonders of the night sky is an automobile with a full tank of gas and a map.

The adverse effects of light pollution extend well beyond astronomy. New research suggests that light at night may disrupt circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycle of day and night that regulates biological function in all life on Earth. Paradoxically, in addition to wasting resources, a night-time environment that is over-lit results in lowered visibility: direct glare from improperly shielded fixtures is often blinding. Light spilling into the sky does not light the ground where we need it.

Light pollution affects every citizen, especially within the Port of Spain Corporation. It is a serious environmental concern that wastes money and resources while jeopardizing wildlife, our environment, health, and human heritage. Fortunately, concern about light pollution is rising dramatically around the world. A growing number of scientists, homeowners, environmental groups and civic leaders are taking action to restore the natural night. Each of us can implement practical solutions to combat light pollution locally, nationally, and internationally.

References:

Globe at Night. "What is Light Pollution?". Accessed May 20, 2014.

    http://www.globeatnight.org/light-pollution.php

International Dark-Sky Association. "Introduction to Light Pollution - What's the Problem?"

    Accessed May 20, 2014. http://www.darksky.org/assets/documents/PG1-light-

    pollution.pdf

National Geographic. "Light Pollution". Accessed May 20, 2014.

    http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/light-pollution/klinkenborg-text

Pipe Down, Will you?!

The traditional definition of noise is “unwanted or disturbing sound”. It is the disturbing or excessive noise that may harm the activity or balance of human or animal life. Sound becomes unwanted when it either interferes with normal activities such as sleeping, conversation, or disrupts or diminishes one’s quality of life. Transportation vehicles are the worst offenders, with aircraft, trains, trucks, buses, automobiles, and motorcycles all producing excessive noise. 

Construction equipment (as shown in the picture above on Wrightson Rd. Port of Spain), also produce substantial noise pollution. Under construction activities like mining, construction of bridges, dams, buildings, stations, roads, flyovers take place in almost every part of the world, with T&T being no exception. These construction activities take place every day as the physical infrastructure is needed to accommodate more people and to reduce traffic congestion. The disadvantage is that these construction equipment are too noisy. So is it necessary that the construction of these buildings be concentrated in the capital alone, with the effect of noise pollution affecting the same set of people all the time? Although the city is the point of maximum concentration for the power and culture of a community (Mumford, 1938), decentralization can help quell this problem somewhat.

This picture shows traffic congestion during the evening rush hour in downtown Port of Spain near City Gate; the hub for maxi taxis which, during this hour, would  saturate the Priority Bus Route. The vehicular traffic sometimes gets so out of hand that collisions frequently occur (as seen in the picture). Large number of vehicles on roads, airplanes flying over houses and underground trains produce heavy noise; so much so that people find it difficult getting accustomed to it. There are over 500,000 vehicles on our nation's roads today, with over half of them being purchased within the last decade (Trinidad Express). If any of our future governments decide to implement the Rapid Rail system, specifically throughout the urban area for which it was planned, we'll surely experience greater levels of noise than we would want. High noise leads to a situation wherein a normal person loses the ability to hear properly. The perfect storm would have been realized had the Piarco Airport been located in the capital as well, but thankfully it's not. Ten points to the planning team!

In most of the developing countries, poor urban planning also plays a vital role. Congested houses, large families sharing small space, fight over parking, frequent fights over basic amenities leads to noise pollution which may disrupt the environment of society. Also, we people are surrounded by gadgets and use them extensively in our daily life. Gadgets like TV, radio, cell phones and tablets, blenders, pressure cooker, vacuum cleaners, washing machine and dryer, and air conditioners are minor contributors to the amount of noise that is produced, but it affects the quality of life of your neighbourhood in a bad way. While this form of pollution may seem harmless, it in fact has far reaching consequences. The adverse effects on the health of the environment are quite severe. Not only is the local wildlife affected by the pollution, humans also face a number of problems due to it.

Yes, the Big, Bad, Mr. Powergen is at it again. Whose idea was to give him a home in the middle of our capital? Most industries use sophisticated machines which are capable of producing large amount of noise. Apart from that, various equipment like compressors, generators, exhaust fans, grinding mills also participate in producing big noise. Therefore, you must have seen workers in these factories and industries wearing ear plugs to minimize the effect of noise.

Noise is at its peak in most of the social events. In flea markets and stores, you can see people selling clothes via making loud noise through megaphones to attract the attention of people, namely at places like Rattans. Whether it is marriage, parties, pub, disc or place of worship, people normally flout rules set by the local administration and create nuisance in the area. Take Ariapita Avenue, commonly known as ‘The Avenue’ for example; an entire street laced with clubs and structures personifying Trinidadian nightlife culture, situated ‘smack-dab’ in the middle of the urban community of Woodbrook. I don’t have to be a resident of the area to tell you that the nightly noise of clubbing, partying and ‘feteing’ would take a toll on my brain. People play songs on full volume and dance until some unforeseen time which makes the condition of people living nearby pretty worse. For instance, I live within a housing development in Tobago that was carelessly placed somewhat in a valley, less than a quarter of a mile away from the village’s community centre, where many social events like wedding receptions and the practicing of local steel pan sides occur very frequently. Because of our topographical location you can imagine the tremendous effect that echoes have. It can really be annoying. 

Any unwanted sound that our ears have not been built to filter can cause problems within the body. Our ears can take in a certain range of sounds without getting damaged. Man made noises such as jackhammers, horns, machinery, airplanes and even vehicles can be too loud for our hearing range. Constant exposure to loud levels of noise can easily result in the damage of our ear drums and loss of hearing. It also reduces our sensitivity to sounds that our ears pick up unconsciously to regulate our body’s rhythm (CEF). Loud noise can certainly hamper your sleeping pattern and may lead to irritation and uncomfortable situations. Without a good night sleep, it may lead to problems related to fatigue and your performance may go down in office as well as at home. It is therefore recommended to take a sound sleep to give your body proper rest. Wildlife faces far more problems than humans because noise pollution since they are more dependent on sound. Animals develop a better sense of hearing than us since their survival depends on it. The ill effects of excessive noise begin at home. Pets react more aggressively in households where there is constant noise. They become disoriented more easily and face many behavioural problems. In nature, animals may suffer from hearing loss, which makes them easy prey and leads to dwindling populations. Others become inefficient at hunting, disturbing the balance of the eco-system (CEF).

The fact that you can’t see, taste or smell nose pollution may help explain why it has not received as much attention as other types of pollution, such as air pollution, or water pollution.  The air around us is constantly filled with sounds, yet most of us would probably not say we are surrounded by noise.  Though for some, the persistent and escalating sources of sound can often be considered an annoyance.  This “annoyance” can have major consequences, primarily to one’s overall health (US EPA).

We have a culture of feteing, liming, raving and partying in this country for we patronize these noisy events religiously. When Carnival time comes around we eagerly parade the streets behind one big, bad, stink truck on d road. My roommate, a German national, attended the event, but had to leave early because he couldn’t handle the copious amounts of noise being produced in the city in general. This leads me to ask the following question: are Trinbagonians as a people immune to noise pollution and its consequences, or are we in the process of suffering long term effects that are yet to rear their ugly heads?

References:

Conserve Energy Future. "Understanding Noise Pollution". Accessed May 19 2014.

    http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-noise-

    pollution.php.

Infoplease. "noise pollution". Accessed May 19 2014. 

    http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/science/noise-pollution.html.

Mumford, Lewis. 1938. The Culture of Cities. New York: Harcourt, Brace and 

    Company.

Trinidad Express Newspapers. "Too Many Cars". Accessed May 17th 

    2014. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/business-magazine/Too-many-cars-

    226076551.html

United States Environmental Protection Agency. "Noise Pollution". Accessed May 19 

    2014. http://www.epa.gov/air/noise.html

It's Getting Hot In Here...

Thermal pollution is the rise or fall in the temperature of a natural body of water caused by human influence, such as the degradation of water quality that changes ambient water temperature. The earth has a natural thermal cycle, but excessive temperature increases can be considered a rare type of pollution with long term effects. The phenomena is usually associated with the rise in natural water temperatures, but cooler water being released from dams and reservoirs into warmer streams and rivers are also responsible for this type of pollution.

A common cause of thermal pollution is the use of water as a coolant by power plants like Powergen and industrial manufacturers. When water used as a coolant is returned to the natural environment at a higher temperature the change in temperature impacts organisms in several different ways.

The above picture shows an urban community, specifically that of Belmont (Freetown). You may be wondering “Huh? What does that have to do with thermal pollution?” You’ll be surprised to know how much of an impact urbanization/urban sprawl has on this type of pollution. I'll give you a hint... It's BIG. During warm weather, urban and peri-urban runoff can have significant thermal impacts on small streams as well as the drains that flow through the capital, as storm water passes over hot parking lots, roads and sidewalks. Since the waterways in and around the Port of Spain Corporation have been altered by man to become concrete drains, in addition to runoff from the surrounding communities being heated by the aforementioned areas, they’re also heated by their main travelling medium as well during the day; the concrete channels. This also nullifies the stream shading effect that mountains, trees and other objects played in cooling the water earlier in the river’s youthful stage.

We can see how closely the effects of thermal pollution link with water pollution. When the water temperature increases, the oxygen levels in the water decrease thereby harming a plethora of aquatic animals and organisms in the process. The rise in temperature may also lead to a rise in the metabolisms of many of these creatures, causing them to eat more than they usually would in a shorter time period. This means more resources would be used up even faster than usual, some organisms would adapt better than others and the food chain would be skewed. Primary producers are affected by warm water because higher water temperature increases plant growth rates, resulting in a shorter lifespan and species overpopulation. This can cause an algae bloom which reduces oxygen levels. Temperature changes of even one to two degrees Celsius can cause significant changes in organism metabolism and other adverse cellular biology effects. Principal adverse changes can include rendering cell walls less permeable to necessary osmosis, coagulation of cell proteins, and alteration of enzyme metabolism. These cellular level effects can adversely affect mortality and reproduction.

There are several means of reducing impacts of warm water thermal discharges including use of cooling ponds, cooling towers, stormwater management facilities that absorb runoff or direct it into groundwater, e.g. bioretention systems and infiltration basins, and also productive use of the heated water for a secondary industrial process or space heating. But with our not-so-very-clever use of urban planning in the capital as many believe, would we have space for such tangible solutions?

References:

EPA. 1999. Preliminary Data Summary of Urban Storm Water Best Management 

 Practices. Washington DC: Office of Water. Accessed May 18, 

 2014. http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/guide/stormwater/upload/2006_10_31_gu  ide_stormwater_usw_a.pdf

The Encyclopedia of the Earth. "Thermal Pollution". Accessed May 18, 

    2014. http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/156599/

Love to Know. "Types of Pollution" Accessed May 18 2014. 

    http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Types_of_Pollution

TNAU Agritech Portal. "Environment and Pollution: Thermal Pollution" Accessed May 18, 

    2014. http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/environment/envi_pollution_intro%20-%20thermal.html

You Take My Breath Away

This is a picture of the Powergen power plant on Wrightson Rd. that I took on my little excursion through the streets of the capital. Today I want to touch on the topic of air pollution in the urban area, specific to Port of Spain. Air pollution is defined as the contamination of the Earth’s atmosphere by the introduction of particulates, biological materials, or other harmful materials to it that disturbs the natural composition and chemistry of the air. This can be in the form of particulate matter such as dust or excessive gases like carbon dioxide or other vapours that cannot be effectively removed through natural cycles, such as the carbon cycle or the nitrogen cycle. This is one of the worst forms of pollution. Indoor air pollution and urban air quality are listed as two of the world’s worst toxic pollution problems. According the 2014 WHO report, in 2012 air pollution was responsible for the deaths of 7 million people. Also contributing to the problem of air pollution in the capital is the high number of cars we have in the country producing copious amounts of Carbon Dioxide. Take a look at this picture. This is during the evening rush hour near City Gate. 

While robust vehicle sales suggest a healthy economy, the downside to having more than 500,000 motor vehicles on the roads of a country this size are manifold—traffic jams, pollution, lower productivity and costlier fuel subsidies, to identify just a few (Trinidad Express).

The two main sources of pollution in the capital I guess you can say are anthropogenic: from stationary sources; such as the Powergen plants and anywhere there are fuel-burning heat devices, and waste deposition in landfills; such as the Beetham landfill, in which gases like methane are generated. To a lesser extent are natural sources, where smoke and carbon monoxide produced by forest fires, such as the recent forest fire earlier this May on the Northern Range contaminate the atmosphere.

Air pollution is linked to several health problems such as heart disease, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, stroke and respiratory infections as well as breathing difficulties (WHO). The human health effects of poor air quality are far reaching, but principally affect the body's respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. Around the world, children living in cities with high exposure to air pollutants are at increased risk of developing asthma, pneumonia and other lower respiratory infections. This implies that, unless medical aid is in top condition and available, persons living in urban and peri-urban communities have lower life expectancies than their counterparts throughout the country that are less affected by this predicament.

Various air pollution control technologies and developments are well underway, both for land use planning and mobile sources. Other than the ongoing research to find cleaner and more sustainable fuels, other pollution reduction strategies can be adopted right here in Trinidad and Tobago, such as the regulation of the use of automobiles according to their license plate numbers; while vehicles with even numbers are allowed on the road on one day, those with odd numbers remain at home and vice versa, with persons using public transportation on the off days.

Two main questions arise from this however. How will people adhere to such an initiative? How will this reflect on their collective happiness?

There's only one way to find out, right?

References:

Love To Know. "Types of Pollution". Accessed May 17th 2014.

    http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Types_of_Pollution

Trinidad Express Newspapers. "Too Many Cars". Accessed May 17th 

    2014. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/business-magazine/Too-many-cars-

    226076551.html

World Health Organization. "7 million premature deaths annually linked to air pollution". 

    Accessed May 17th 2014. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2014/air-

    pollution/en/

World Health Organization. "Ambient (outdoor) air quality and health". Accessed May 17th 

    2014. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/en/

A Painful Drainful

This photo of a man-made waterway was taken near the entrance of the Freetown community. As seen in the picture, the drain consists of numerous undesirables polluting the water via point source pollution. Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater) by toxic agents which either get dissolved in the water in suspension, floats on the surface or settles on the bed. It occurs when these pollutants are directly or indirectly discharged into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove them. It affects all organisms living in the water bodies negatively and degrades the quality of water. Not only does this spell disaster for aquatic ecosystems, the pollutants also seep through and reach the groundwater, which might end up in our households as contaminated water we use in our daily activities, including drinking (World Wildlife Fund).

Industrial waste discharge and sewage from the from cities are the two main causes of urban water pollution, but in Port of Spain a great contributor seems to be garbage incorrectly and carelessly disposed of: from plastic bottles and old food boxes to lumber and parts of appliances. It is believed that garbage is also dumped directly at river mouths and at land-sea interfaces by persons living near these areas such as the Beetham area, as shown in the following picture.

Virtually all types of water pollution are harmful to the health of humans and animals. Water pollution may not damage our health immediately but can be harmful after long term exposure. Different forms of pollutants affect the health of animals in different ways. Industrial waste often contains many toxic compounds that damage the health of aquatic animals and those who eat them. Some of the toxins in industrial waste may only have a mild effect whereas other can be fatal. They can cause immune suppression, reproductive failure or acute poisoning. Microbial pollutants from sewage often result in infectious diseases that infect aquatic life and terrestrial life through drinking water. Microbial water pollution is a major problem in the developing world, with diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever being the primary cause of infant mortality. This is most likely why it is observed to have no type of fishing along the coast of Port of Spain and environs. 

Suspended particles in freshwater reduces the quality of drinking water for humans and the aquatic environment for marine life. Suspended particles can often reduce the amount of sunlight penetrating the water, disrupting the growth of photosynthetic plants and micro-organisms. Organic matter and nutrients causes an increase in aerobic algae and depletes oxygen from the water column. This causes the suffocation of fish and other aquatic organisms (Water Pollution Guide). Many dead fish washed up on the shores of La Brea earlier this year in March. Since officials ruled out the recent oil spill in the area as the reason for the deaths, algae growth in the waters may have caused their death by suffocation. Dumping of litter in the sea and in drains can cause huge problems. Litter items such as 6-pack ring packaging can get caught in marine animals and may result in death. All the various items that we inappropriately dump in waterways take different lengths of time to biodegrade: cardboard; which takes 2 weeks, and plastic packaging; taking up to 400 years. During this disintegration process the plastic is broken up into smaller pieces and fish and other fauna may mistake these pieces for food and suffocate. Glass takes so long that scientists are unsure of the exact duration.

Take great care not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers. This will prevent runoffs of the material into nearby water sources. By having more plants in your garden (personally, a hydroponic environment), you are preventing fertilizer, pesticides and contaminated water from running off into nearby water sources. Be careful about what you throw down your sink or toilet. Don’t throw paints, oils or other forms of litter down the drain. If one wishes to help keep our waters clean, there are many things one can do to help. Adopt adequate disposal practices and don’t throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans. Help clean up any litter you see on beaches or in rivers and lakes, make sure it is safe to collect the litter and put it in a nearby dustbin.

The average person can prevent water pollution of nearby rivers and lakes as well as groundwater and drinking water by following these simple guidelines in his everyday life.

References:

Love to Know. "Types of Pollution". Accessed May 16 

2014. http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Types_of_Pollution

Water Pollution Guide. "The Water Pollution Guide". Accessed May 16th 2014. http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/

WWF Global. "Water Pollution". Accessed May 16 2014. http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/webfieldtrips/water_pollution/

MY EYES!!

Sometimes defined as visual clutter or aesthetic pollution, the term 'visual pollution' encapsulates its subjective nature – it refers to unattractive and man-made visual elements of a vista, a landscape, or any other feature that we may feel uncomfortable looking at. It can be caused not only by (giant) billboards, business signs, street signs, telephone and utility poles, electricity wires but also garbage: littered beaches, rivers, roadsides, or overflowing garbage containers, plastic stuck in fences or trees, a pile of cigarette butts, outside bars, clubs or on beaches, open-pit mines, dog poo, rubbish dumps, mobile phone towers, or basically anything that takes away from the city view (World Environment Magazine and TV). Although the former aspects of the phenomenon may not have direct impacts to human health or environmental degradation, the latter aspects most definitely do, and are both still eyesores.

While walking through the streets of Port of Spain and environs, the hardest thing for me to do was to NOT see the aspects of visual pollution which literally leapt out at you, flaunting its negative aesthetics in all shapes and forms.

Old buildings such as this one pictured to the left as well as the extremely dilapidated line of condominiums used to house the elderly along the majority of Nelson Street are only some examples of visual pollution at work. 

Among the other types of visual pollution spotted in the city was the intricate maze of wires obscuring the view of the sky when one dazed at the sky - electric power lines.

But wait! There's more! Almost everywhere I turned i saw garbage strewn all over the road, sometimes, even boldly in front of signs that beg and plead with citizens not to litter in the specified area, like at this spot in Freetown.I did say they were jumping out at you did I? In some cases there were even lumber material spotted tossed at the side of the road. Goes to show how much we care about our surroundings right?

Visual pollution has several effects, some more pervasive than others. As it pertains purely to the visual aspect, it may cause depression in some persons and communities, especially if nothing is being done to rectify the problem, as well as an accompanied lower standard of life. The greater the amount of old and dilapidated structures in the area the more property values will be expected to drop, resulting in a lowered curb appeal. Since the area is an eyesore, it will also be non-conducive to businessmen and investors who potentially targeted the area for economic activity, thus leaving the residents without access to equal opportunities for growth and employment.

If urbanization continues to increase, then the rate of inappropriate garbage disposal on sidewalks and in drains and waterways will consequently increase, which would lead to contamination of rivers and seas and an entrenchment of the visual pollution problem.

The presence of telephone and power lines I believe is something we just have to live with, since they are necessary for human communication and power transmission that help drive human economic activity; a crucial aspect of life. Their problem isn't something that is experienced countrywide, unlike the general ubiquity of physical pollution and its effects. Placing a handicap on our ability to communicate and our economy just for the sake of 'visual appeal' would set us back quite a bit in our drive to sustainable development as a nation.

However, unless we learn to clean up our act by cleaning up our urban streets and clearing our public spaces of these old, mal-utilized structures, our city-dwelling friends and commuters alike will continue to cry the following exclamation in agony:

References:

Love to Know. "Types of Pollution". Accessed May 16 

    2014. http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Types_of_Pollution

World Environment Magazine and TV. "Visual Pollution". Accessed May 16 

    2014. http://www.worldenvironment.tv/green-news/88-topics/sustainable-
    development/1696-visual-pollution