THOUGHTS ON POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENT

When seeking to define pollution, a very useful reference point is the ambient quality of the physical environment. Basically, physical environment refers to the natural state of the environment without the interference by mankind.
Based on the above scenario, pollution can therefore be explained as a lowering or reduction of the ambient quality of the physical environment as a result of the activities of human.
Pollutants can classified taken into consideration three key elements:
        The first key element has to do with chemical and physical properties. This usually explain a situation whereby pollutants are classified into organic compounds(detergents, oil, solvents, etc), inorganic compounds ( acids, salts,, etc) ,infectious agents (virus, bacteria, etc) and energy firms        ( radioactive waste).
         The next element is the source of emission which is classified into three of which are:
1st: Cumulative and non-cumulative pollutants:
        these are non-biodegradable , for instance, plastic and radioactive waste whiles the non-cumulative are biodegradable , for instance noise.
2nd: Point sources and non-point sources pollutants:
        these are pollutants whose source point of emission can be traced and identified, eg. carbon monoxide, whiles non-point source pollutants are those that cannot be identified, eg. fertilizer washed away into water bodies.
3rd: Continuous and episodic pollutants:
        Continuous pollutants are generated on the routine bases. eg. carbon monoxide from engines
whiles the episodic pollutants on the other hand are generated occasionally. eg. chemical fertilizers been washed into water bodies.
 The last key element and also prominent among the all has to do with the geographic scale of the impact of the pollutants.
The above element reveals three levels of pollutants, thus the global, regional and local pollutants.
Global pollutants emitted locally with a potential world wide impact. eg. the emission of chlorofloro carbon (CFC) on the ozone layer in the worlds stratosphere.
Regional pollutants emitted locally but the impact extends beyond the geographic boundaries of the source of emission but not world wide. eg. carbon monoxide , waste disposal, etc.
Local pollutants emitted locally with a potential local impact. eg. smoking, intensive local pollution is also prevailing in most cities in China and India.
Sixteen of the the twenty world polluted cities are situated in China. Serious pollution has long term health and environmental damages or effects.
China and most developing countries of which Ghana is among are now exchanging good health and healthy environment for industrial gains.
Lets go green to protect and safeguard our environment for our common future.
By: Afriyie Moses
      Environmental Officer
      Greenlove Ghana.
  

WHO SHOULD BE ACTIVE IN ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE?

Trend analysis conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the players of environmental politics and governance did not exclude anyone.
The fact of the matter is that, issues of environment do not restrict any living being of involvement.
Records reveal that, in the 1950s and 60s, there were so many industrial and environmental catastrophes because there were no exact legislation to control industrial behavior and activities.
Mention could be made of cyanide spill that caused health hazard to villages in the Wassa West District of Ghana's western region by mining companies.
Internationally, mention could made of 'Minamata' disease( prominent Japanese environmental disaster)
       Environmental politics examines the relationship between global political forces and environmental management  with particular attention given to the implications of environmental change for world politics.
Conversely,  environmental governance is essentially concerned with distribution of powers within environmental decision-making.
It deals with the operations of civil individuals in the society. It is also involved in the administration of environmental bodies and policies in an organization.
By governance, we need responsibilities for making, implementing and enforcement of environmental governance and policies of a particular organization or society.
Actors or players of environmental organization has to do with those who are involved n environmental decision-making. For instance Governmental organizations or agencies as well as Non-governmental organizations( civil societies)
Actors could also be termed as stakeholders, thus, Environmental  Protection Agency (EPA), District Assemblies, Town and country planners, Government, Donor partners, Minerals Commission, Environmental and Local Government ministries, Religious and Traditional institutions.
           Players should be up and doing for environmental sustainability of which our souls and spirits would love to witness through inter and intra-generations.
By: Afriyie Moses-
Environmental Officer
Greenlove Ghana