Bangladesh was once known as a land of rivers and one filled with greenery. But now, it is slowly losing its beautiful identity due to environmental degradation. Different types of pollution are on the rise, such as air pollution, plastic pollution, river pollution, deforestation, habitat destruction, and the loss of biodiversity. In our country, clean air is no longer found in some urban areas and even in rural areas. On top of that, wherever you go, plastic litter is everywhere.
Dhaka's air remains one of the most polluted in the world. The situation is not much different in other big cities. Last year, we experienced scorching heat in April. When we burn fossil fuels, they release CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the air. This creates a greenhouse layer around the Earth and traps the heat that comes from the sun. Because of the heat trapped on Earth, our planet is getting warmer, and forests are catching fire in many parts of the world.
Air pollution causes cancer, asthma, heart disease, and birth defects. According to WHO, approximately 2.4 million people die every year from air pollution. We should raise awareness among our friends and family about the consequences of burning fossil fuels and encourage planting more trees around our houses. Industrial waste is constantly harming our rivers and soil. Every year, between 5-10 million people die from water pollution. Not everything about pollution is within our control, but we can be aware, make others aware, and put in our personal efforts to minimize it. If a hundred people unite for a cause, they can influence another hundred. This is how change occurs.
We must learn from the current consequences of various types of pollution. It is our duty to keep our country clean, green, and healthier for ourselves and future generations. Make sure to always pick up your trash, especially at the beach, pond, or rivers, and create awareness about it. Let's make sure we do not throw away our plastic bags here and there. Let's conserve the environment around us by keeping it clean and green. Slowly, we can get accustomed to using alternative materials instead of plastics as much as possible. There is a saying that big things start small.
Jinan Binta Eliyas
A 9th grade English medium student
jinaneliyas75@gmail.com
