Part I.

Define the following terms:

1. Pollution
-Pollution is anything that makes the earth dirty and unhealthy. Land, air, and water are all
affected by pollution. Pollution takes up space on our land. It is when harmful substances or
materials are added to the environment, making it dirty, unhealthy, or unsafe for living things.
These substances are called pollutants, they can come from many sources, like factories, cars, or
littering. Pollution has many types but here are few of them: Air pollution happens when harmful
gases like smoke or chemicals are released into the air. Water pollution occurs when garbage, oil,
or chemicals are dumped into rivers, lakes, or oceans. Soil pollution happens when harmful
substances like pesticides or plastic get into the ground.

2. Rainfall
Rainfall is the quantity of water, usually expressed in millimeters or inches, that is
precipitated in liquid form in a specified area and time interval. Rainfall is often considered to
include solid precipitation such as snow, hail, and sleet as well. Rainfall is when water falls from the
clouds in the sky as rain. It happens when clouds get full of tiny water droplets, and those droplets
join together to become bigger and heavier. When they are too heavy, they fall to the ground as
rain. Rainfall helps plants grow, fills rivers and lakes, and gives us fresh water to drink.

3. Overgrazing
Overgrazing is an area's plant community deteriorates due to overgrazing, which occurs
when too many grazing animals eat the vegetation there more quickly than it can be replaced. It
can be brought on by wild animals whose range is restricted or by cattle in poorly managed
agricultural areas, game reserves, or nature reserves. Overgrazing can lead to problems like: Soil
erosion, Loss of plants, and Desertification. It often happens when there are too many animals in a
small area or when grazing is not managed properly.

4. pH
In chemistry, pH, also known as acidity or basicity, has been used to refer to the
"potential of hydrogen" in chemistry. This logarithmic scale is used to indicate how basic or
acidic aqueous solutions are. Compared to basic or alkaline solutions, acidic solutions are
measured to have lower pH values. Potential hydrogen, or pH for short, indicates the amount of
hydrogen present in liquids as well as the activity of the hydrogen ion.

5. Rain splash
Rain splash happens when raindrops hit the ground with force and scatter soil, water, or
tiny particles around. Each drop creates a small splash that can move dirt and seeds from one
place to another. Rain splash is often the first step in soil erosion because it loosens the top layer
of soil, making it easier for wind or water to carry it away. It’s more common in areas with bare soil,
where there are no plants to protect the ground.

6. Erosion
Erosion is the process by which natural forces like water or wind break down and move
earthen materials, such as soil, rocks, and sediments, over time. Erosion can affect the structure of
landforms like mountains, deserts, and coastlines. There are two main types of erosion: chemical
and physical. Chemical erosion occurs when a rock's chemical composition changes, while
physical erosion occurs when the rock breaks down but its chemical composition remains the same.
Human activities can speed up erosion.
7. Fuel wood
Wood utilized as a source of energy for heating, cooking, or power generation is known as
fuelwood. One of the earliest sources of energy that people have employed, it is derived from trees
and bushes. Here are some examples of its applications: Firewood which is the direct combustion
of logs or branches in fireplaces or stoves; Charcoal is a concentrated fuel created by carefully
burning wood. In rural regions and underdeveloped nations where other energy sources, such as
gas or electricity, might not be accessible, fuelwood is prevalent. However, excessive tree-cutting
for fuelwood can result in environmental issues including deforestation.

8. Drought
Drought is a period of unusually dry weather that lasts long enough to cause water-related
problems. Droughts can cause: Crop damage or stunted growth, Water supply shortages,
Ecosystem damage, and Displacement of people. Droughts can have serious impacts on local
communities. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that water scarcity impacts 40% of the
world's population, and as many as 700 million people are at risk of being displaced as a result of
drought by 2030. During a drought rivers, lakes, and wells can dry up. Plants and crops struggle to
grow, leading to food shortages. Animals and people may not have enough water to drink or use.
Droughts can happen naturally, but they can be made worse by climate change or overuse of
water resources. They affect farming, the environment, and everyday life.

9. Deforestation
Deforestation is the human-caused removal or thinning of forests. Deforestation is one of
the most pressing challenges in world land usage. Deforestation estimates have typically been
based on the amount of forest cleared for human use, which includes the removal of trees for wood
products, croplands, and grazing areas. Deforestation causes loss of wildlife habitat, soil erosion,
and climate change. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air, but they also store it in their roots,
leaves, and trunks. Trees in the Amazon rainforest store 48 billion tons of carbon. So, when trees
are cut down, it has a twofold impact on climate change: more carbon dioxide is produced while
less is absorbed.

10. Acidity
Acidity can refer to the amount of acid in a substance or a digestive condition that causes
heartburn. Acidity is a measure of how acidic a substance is, and is measured on the pH scale. A
pH of 7 is neutral, while a pH less than 7 indicates increasing acidity. An acid is a chemical that
gives off hydrogen ions in water and forms salts by combining with certain metals. Acidity is
measured on a scale called the pH scale.

Part II. Discuss ways and means how to eliminate or lessen the following environmental problems:

1. Noise Pollution
Noise pollution is considered to be any unwanted or disturbing sound that affects the
health and well-being of humans and other organisms. Sound is measured in decibels. One of the
best ways to bring down noise pollution is by planting more and more plants. This process of
planting trees can help to reduce the travelling of noise from one place to another. Noise pollution
is the most common problem faced by humans, thanks to various reasons that push many people
to face health issues.

2. Soil erosion
Soil erosion can be reduced or prevented through several methods that focus on
protecting the soil, improving land management, and supporting vegetation. We can reduce soil
erosion if we will start planting vegetation, planting trees alongside crops can protect the soil from
erosion by providing windbreaks and stabilizing the soil. Another way is mulching, applying mulch
(like straw, leaves, or wood chips) on the soil surface helps to protect it from wind and rain. Mulch
also retains moisture, encourages soil organisms, and adds nutrients as it decomposes.
3. Water pollution
Water pollution occurs when harmful substances—often chemicals or microorganisms—
contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, degrading water quality
and rendering it toxic to humans or the environment. We can lessen water pollution by many ways,
one of them is proper waste disposal, by properly disposing our waste we can avoid floods and
water clogging in our community, as I've observed our community is prone to floods and one of its
main causes is incorrect waste disposing. There are solutions to many problems and one of them
is promoting sustainable industrial practices like using eco-friendly products like straws and
containers that will easily decompose and using reusable plastic containers instead of using one
time use containers, this can lessen trashes that causes water pollution.

4. Air pollution
Air pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical,
physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Household
combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air
pollution. Pollutants of major public health concern include particulate matter, carbon monoxide,
ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Outdoor and indoor air pollution cause respiratory and
other diseases and are important sources of morbidity and mortality. Reducing air pollution
requires a multi-faceted approach, involving changes in individual behavior, industrial practices,
government policies, and technological innovations. We humans can promote the use of renewable
energy such as solar, wind, and hydropower so that we can reduce the use of fossil fuels like coal,
oil, and and natural gas which release harmful pollutants into the air. We can also encourage
people to invest in electric vehicles because it reduces emissions of gas from gasoline and diesel
engines. Another way is to stop burning plastics because it affects our ozone layer which causes
climate change.