2021 Essay Contest Finalist

Entry by Alex Lauro

Water is everything. It’s how we bathe; it’s what we swim in; and, most importantly, it’s necessary because we drink it to survive. Water has been around for years– since Earth’s formation– and it definitely won’t go away in the near future. Right? Well, kind of. The sheer number of humans on the planet cause pollutants to be created. These pollutants generally transfer to runoff, which flows into streams, rivers, and other bodies of water. Although water is essential, it can also prove harmful. When it is polluted, water contains deadly particles that will kill fish, turtles, and other unsuspecting marine life.

So how has water gotten this polluted? The answer is us. Humans are the main cause of water pollution. Various sources trigger this contamination: temperature rise (global warming); dumping of industrial waste; oil spills; and deforestation. In particular, deforestation causes sediments, bacteria, and other threatening matter to appear beneath the soil; consequently, groundwater becomes contaminated. After many years, this groundwater can flow into surface water, polluting large bodies of water and destroying ecosystems.

Now, the real question is, how do we protect our water? Easy. If we pick up after ourselves by throwing away litter, sweeping fertilizer away from pavement and back onto grass, and washing cars to direct polluted water onto grass or gravel instead of the street.

Although we pollute water, we have the opportunity to remediate this increasingly destructive situation. If we work collectively to take care of our natural environment, our Earth will stay clean and safe. And it will take care of us as well.