Environment is one of the most important factors determining and influencing our health. Innumerable living and nonliving environmental components around us affect our health positively or adversely based upon their nature and characteristics. For example, oxygen gas present in the air keeps us alive but the poisonous gases and dust particles present in the air causes diseases. Similarly, we can't survive without water but there are many waterborne diseases caused just due to polluted water.
Our environment has become imbalanced and polluted due to rapid increase in human population, industrialization and urbanization.
Global warming increase in sea level, pollution of water resources, and rapid destruction of forests are the major challenges to the present environment. These are all by the foolish activities of human beings.
Environmental health education teaches us about present situation of environment, its natural characteristics, correction methods of the anti-environment activities and conservation measures of our common environment. These education is very important for the preservation of environment through increasing knowledge, awareness, and positive attitudes towards the environment.
Water
Water is one of the major components of environment. More than two thirds of the earth's surface is occupied by water.The terrestrial parts of the earth also moist with various water resources and vegetations.
There is very high importance of water for us because it is the major constituent of our body. More than seventy percent volume of human body is occupied with water. Therefore, we must drink adequate amount of water every day. The water must be clean and safe. We can get water from various sources. They are rain water, surface water, and underground water.
Causes of water pollution
There are many factors causing water pollution. Some of them are natural phenomena and some are due to the activities of human being. Carelessness and lack of knowledge or awareness is the main factor of indoor water pollution` keeping water in dirty containers, using contaminated glass, and adopting unhygienic habit cause water pollution inside the home.
Some of the natural processes like decaying organic substances in the water resources causes the pollution of water resources itself. Besides, human activities like washing, bathing, and defecating near water resources cause water pollution in large extent. The domestic animals like buffalos, pigs and duck also pollute water resources. Some people use poisonous chemicals in the water resources to collect fishes. Such activities not only cause water pollution but also disturb the aquatic ecosystem and biodiversity.
Some industries produce harmful chemical substances in excessive amount. If such product are discharged in the environment, the water resources are polluted. Rivers, lake, and some underground sources of water are being polluted by the unmanaged drainage system in town areas in our country.
Solid wastes
Harmful or useless solid substances which deteriorate the environmental balance are known as solid wastes. Most of the solid wastes are produced by the activities of human beings, plastic, glasses, papers, kitchen wastes, domestic animal dung woods market wastes etc. are some of the examples of solid wastes.
