When eight-year-old Nicholas Wong was assigned a project in science class, he was excited for the chance to research a topic that he has been passionate about for a long time - water pollution. Nicholas first became concerned about water pollution when he was learning about marine animals and the impact of pollution on their habitats.
What is Water Pollution?
Nicholas says "water pollution is the presence of harmful substances getting into bodies of water from human activities. This causes ocean water to be unsafe for humans to drink and an unsafe habitat for many sea creatures. It is caused by sewage, wastewater, agricultural dumping and many more reasons. If this continues, it will lead to species becoming extinct."
How to Prevent Water Pollution
As he learned more about water pollution, Nicholas realized that "in order for the ocean to be healthy again, humans have to stop water pollution. So I looked into different ways that everyone can help."
Here are some tips from Nicholas on how each of us can help stop water pollution:
- Don't be a litter bug! Make sure to throw away your garbage in the trash can or recycling bin.
- Use natural alternatives to pesticides when gardening to prevent chemical pesticides from running into the water system. Alternatives such as diatomaceous earth or peppermint oil, for example, can be used to repel insects.
- Reduce the amount of laundry detergent you use by using baking soda, vinegar, and other household ingredients to make your own eco-friendly cleaners at home.
- Make small changes to your daily life such as taking shorter showers instead of baths and turning off the tap while brushing your teeth.
- Trade your plastic bags for reusable bags.
- Eat less meat and, where possible, focus on eating organic foods.
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