Fight Soil Pollution: Clean up Khalsa Secondary
Fight Soil Pollution: Clean up Khalsa Secondary
The Issue
Pollution is considered to be the entrance of harmful materials such as plastic into the environment. Soil is one of the many impact points affected by pollution. It is an environmental concern of great importance since it holds onto many health hazards. Healthy soil is critical for humans to support and promote human health. Fresh soil plays a significant role in food and fibre production. Soil pollution greatly affects soil fertility, putting food security at risk, which is vitally important for human survival and development.
There are a multitude of causes for soil pollution, many of which are due to human activities, such as waste disposal, oil spills, and excessive use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides on plants. Each of these add up to create a harmful environment in which human health is not safe. In Surrey, garbage is becoming a larger problem as the years go by.
As expected, soil pollution presents many consequences. To begin with, soil pollution leads to poor harvests. It jeopardizes food security by decreasing the quality and quantity of harvests. Secondly, climate change is also associated with soil pollution. Changes in the quality levels of carbon stored in the soil can greatly affect the global carbon cycle. As a consequence, reduction in soil carbon can increase greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, thus contributing to climate change. Lastly, soil degradation leads to population displacement. It is estimated that by 2050, 50-700 million people will have been driven by climate change to emigrate.
Around our school (Khalsa Secondary), garbage waste is becoming an increasing problem. Students are throwing their wrappers after finishing their food as they walk by to the basketball court and soccer field. Unfortunately, they also litter behind the fences. These days, everything comes in packaging, and the more people litter, the worse this problem around our school gets. What we’ve noticed is that the majority of the garbage is being thrown near the soil, negatively impacting plant growth. Due to this, my group has created an action plan.
Action Plan:
Who? - Gathering Students and Staff
- For this plan to be successful, we need both students and staff from the school to engage and participate.
A and B block classes will take 15 minutes each to help.
Teachers can encourage students to keep the school area a clean and neat place.
What - How the Garbage will be Cleared
2 blocks from each grade will go and participate
Garbage bags and grabber tools will be provided
Each class will be assigned an area to clean such as the basketball courts and the grass fields.
1 class will work on the grass field and the other will work on both basketball courts.
Students will go around their place and pick up any visible garbage on the ground.
When - How Often
The classes will use the first 15 minutes of class after attendance is complete
This will occur on Mondays and Fridays (2 days a week)
If there is a holiday on Monday or Friday (such as Pro-D Day), then it will happen a day before or after.
Where - Where Specifically will we Clear Garbage
The soccer field (located in the middle of the playing area) and the grass field on the left will be assigned to Block D and the 2 basketball courts to Block E on Monday.
On Friday, the blocks will switch
Block C and D will take duties
Blocks will switch every 4 school days.
Why - Why Is Clearing the Garbage Important in General and for Our School
Littering on land, especially near soil, has a large impact on soil pollution. A waste product releases dangerous chemicals into the surrounding soil as it breaks down. These pollutants can influence plant growth across years and decrease the number of microorganisms in the soil. This is only to name a few dangers. Due to this, it is more important than ever to take actions against littering, as plants are put at risk of dying. Our school, Khalsa Secondary, is surrounded by garbage. Wherever you look, there is a plastic wrapper or any other form of garbage lying around. This only serves to exacerbate the issue of soil pollution. It is time to take the right steps towards making Khalsa Secondary School a cleaner place. All it takes is a small contribution from the students and staff.
Sources List:
What is soil pollution? Causes, effects and solutions - Iberdrola
Impact of Climate Change on Our Soils
How Does Litter Affect Plants?
The Issue
Pollution is considered to be the entrance of harmful materials such as plastic into the environment. Soil is one of the many impact points affected by pollution. It is an environmental concern of great importance since it holds onto many health hazards. Healthy soil is critical for humans to support and promote human health. Fresh soil plays a significant role in food and fibre production. Soil pollution greatly affects soil fertility, putting food security at risk, which is vitally important for human survival and development.
There are a multitude of causes for soil pollution, many of which are due to human activities, such as waste disposal, oil spills, and excessive use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides on plants. Each of these add up to create a harmful environment in which human health is not safe. In Surrey, garbage is becoming a larger problem as the years go by.
As expected, soil pollution presents many consequences. To begin with, soil pollution leads to poor harvests. It jeopardizes food security by decreasing the quality and quantity of harvests. Secondly, climate change is also associated with soil pollution. Changes in the quality levels of carbon stored in the soil can greatly affect the global carbon cycle. As a consequence, reduction in soil carbon can increase greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, thus contributing to climate change. Lastly, soil degradation leads to population displacement. It is estimated that by 2050, 50-700 million people will have been driven by climate change to emigrate.
Around our school (Khalsa Secondary), garbage waste is becoming an increasing problem. Students are throwing their wrappers after finishing their food as they walk by to the basketball court and soccer field. Unfortunately, they also litter behind the fences. These days, everything comes in packaging, and the more people litter, the worse this problem around our school gets. What we’ve noticed is that the majority of the garbage is being thrown near the soil, negatively impacting plant growth. Due to this, my group has created an action plan.
Action Plan:
Who? - Gathering Students and Staff
- For this plan to be successful, we need both students and staff from the school to engage and participate.
A and B block classes will take 15 minutes each to help.
Teachers can encourage students to keep the school area a clean and neat place.
What - How the Garbage will be Cleared
2 blocks from each grade will go and participate
Garbage bags and grabber tools will be provided
Each class will be assigned an area to clean such as the basketball courts and the grass fields.
1 class will work on the grass field and the other will work on both basketball courts.
Students will go around their place and pick up any visible garbage on the ground.
When - How Often
The classes will use the first 15 minutes of class after attendance is complete
This will occur on Mondays and Fridays (2 days a week)
If there is a holiday on Monday or Friday (such as Pro-D Day), then it will happen a day before or after.
Where - Where Specifically will we Clear Garbage
The soccer field (located in the middle of the playing area) and the grass field on the left will be assigned to Block D and the 2 basketball courts to Block E on Monday.
On Friday, the blocks will switch
Block C and D will take duties
Blocks will switch every 4 school days.
Why - Why Is Clearing the Garbage Important in General and for Our School
Littering on land, especially near soil, has a large impact on soil pollution. A waste product releases dangerous chemicals into the surrounding soil as it breaks down. These pollutants can influence plant growth across years and decrease the number of microorganisms in the soil. This is only to name a few dangers. Due to this, it is more important than ever to take actions against littering, as plants are put at risk of dying. Our school, Khalsa Secondary, is surrounded by garbage. Wherever you look, there is a plastic wrapper or any other form of garbage lying around. This only serves to exacerbate the issue of soil pollution. It is time to take the right steps towards making Khalsa Secondary School a cleaner place. All it takes is a small contribution from the students and staff.
Sources List:
What is soil pollution? Causes, effects and solutions - Iberdrola
Impact of Climate Change on Our Soils
How Does Litter Affect Plants?
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Petition created on April 23, 2024