Fourteen billion pounds of garbage are dumped into our oceans every year; plastic ranking as the majority. Many people believe that if you can't see something, then it must not be real. The bulk of the world’s population (7 billion people) can’t see the consequences caused by pollution. Nobody realizes the damage that we, as humans, are inflicting on our home. Industry isn’t letting go, causing levels of air, ocean, and freshwater pollution to rise; each year making our planet a death trap for the less fortunate (Haluzan). Pollution is one of the biggest environmental sicknesses of our planet; the pollution parasite can be cured by us, and us alone. Our challenge is simple.

Earth, humans and animals alike, are suffering from pollution every day. Over one million sea birds and 100,000 sea mammals are killed by pollution every year (Do something). First, heavy pollution not only makes our planet ugly, but makes the innocent animals of our environment suffer for no good reason. For example, littering our waste into our environment causes unseen animal deaths. Trash like soup cans, and anything plastic, can entangle and or encase an animal, suffocating or strangling them. Helpless animals can also succumb to death by eating our abandoned garbage, and either choking or getting poisoned, due to toxic substances contained in some trash (motor oil, detergents, pesticides). Blinded from these unseen horrors, people don’t realize how much of a difference they can make to help save our planet simply by taking care of their own garbage waste instead of letting the environment struggle with it. Add this to climate change and deforestation, and people will start to realize why so many animals are becoming extinct (Haluzan).

Heavy industries based on burning fossil fuels, and/or who have a large population with thousands of vehicles, cost the people of our planet a dangerously high price that everyone is paying. More than three million children die annually due to the constant suffocation of pollution’s heavy weight (Haluzan). Air pollution, caused by CO2 emissions, can lead to human respiratory diseases and lung cancer, which is unfortunately also adding to climate change. Air pollution in the form of acid rain is particularly harmful by increasing the acidity of water in lakes and streams. Water pollution not only kills the animals that live in it's environment, but is also to blame for people dying from waterborne diseases and basic lack of sanitation; 5,000 people die each month due to dirty drinking water (Do something). Our oceans are also sickened by pollution. Just think that each day we are dumping more/new garbage into the ocean, which is so huge that we aren't able to see the actual damage that we are inflicting. Pollution is a much bigger problem than we all think it is (Haluzan).

How much more of this abuse can our planet take? Since people currently aren't doing enough, we are increasing environmental health, as well as causing daily, monthly and annual deaths. By reducing forms of pollution on our planet, we could save millions of people, animals, and could heal our environment back to the way it used to be (Haluzan). Aiding the planet will require dedication, and a common goal; to save earth, and everything on it, from the pollution parasite.

Do something. org is available for teens to take advantage of it's challenges and resources so that we can start the process of making our world a better place for everyone- "Join over 2.2 million people taking action". To start this, your challenge is simple. Recycle more than 50 aluminum cans out of your own home or even better, the environment near you. Aluminum can be recycled indefinitely, using 100% of the old can every time to transform the potential virus into a brand new can in as little as sixty days. Once completed, you can snap a picture of your efforts, and send it directly to Do Something. org or Instagram it with #50 cans for a chance to win a 4,000 scholarship. Check out this website today and sign up to help rid the world of problems!

Bibliography
Haluzan, Ned. "Pollution Articles." Pollution Articles. N.p.,8 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Oct.

2013. <http://pollutionarticles.blogspot.com/>
Haluzan, Ned "Pollution on Animals." Pollution Articles. N.p., 9 Feb. 2011. Web. 22 Oct.
2013. <http://pollutionarticles.blogspot.com/>
"Join over 2.2 Million Young People Taking Action." Do Something. N.p., 8 Feb.


2013.Web. 22 Oct. 2013. <http://www.dosomething.org/>