Littering can have minimal effects and sometimes it can have adverse effects, effects that impact the economy, the ecosphere, and the hydrosphere. Many are familiar with the effects that littering could have on animals and humans, but not a lot of people are familiar with the adverse damage littering could cause man-made structures, and how this damage is related to further adverse effects.
One piece of waste in a gutter does not seem like a problem, but the moment clumps of litter start to form in these gutters, this is where the problem arises. These clumps of litter end up in the rain captured in the gutters, it has to go somewhere when streams of rainwater carry it along the gutter. The most likely destination for the waste is a drainage system. If this continues to happen and the problem continues to be ignored, then the waste will start to build up. That likely means that surface drainage will likely not occur after substantial amounts of time, this is due to waste blocking drainage channels. If the rainwater from the surface cannot be drained it has to pool somewhere, it has to flow somewhere. In countries with underdeveloped drainage systems this is a problem, floods are likely to occur, the buildup of water at a blockage in a drainage system can cause damaged water pipes and drainage channels. Waiting for this to happen is not an option, this of infrastructural damage is not easy to fix, drainage channels are underground and usually below roads, it can cost millions to rectify these problems depending on the severity of the damage.
It is important to mention that the pooling of water is a health risk, mosquitoes breed in pools of water, that means the piece of paper that someone discarded with a disregard for the environment may be the cause of the constant itching and the high-pitched buzzing in your ear. Unfortunately, people will build informal dwellings on low lying areas, that means a piece of paper that a person wrongfully discards can be the cause of a child drowning when their house floods in the raining season. In countries where cholera and malaria are prevalent, the pooling of water is highly dangerous.
What happens when the drainage channels are broken? Where does the water go if it is situated in high lying areas? Its simple, it will move along the roads until it reaches a low-lying area. This means that the surface runoff that happens will run along streets and eventually on soil. Littering can cause field fires when it reflects the rays of the sun. Imagine the effects it could have if surface water runs along destroyed fields. At the forefront of this is soil erosion, not only does soil erosion look bad but it leaves largely unfertile soil behind. In countries where uneducated farmers utilize the wrong farming practices this is also the case, and soil erosion on farms can be detrimental, since every piece of eroded soil decreases the amount of land left for farming.
An important factor to consider is that the soil that was eroded doesn’t stay in one place, it can end up in rivers and this sediment will be carried with the current to the nearest dam. Sediment can have adverse effects when it builds up in dams. It will cause a decrease in capacity of the dam, it will reduce hydro energy production by the dam, and it will damage the equipment used in the dam. The equipment will be damaged when the sediment has an increased load on the dam as well as the dam gates. Furthermore, if the sediment had to be released by the dam it would also have harmful effects on the habitats of fish and birds in the surrounding areas, such as when sediment lands up in rivers further downstream, causing fish to be damaged when sediment is carried by the river; predatory fish will also have impaired vision in turbulent waters, causing a negative change in the feeding habitats of these fish.
In summary, look after the infrastructure and become an advocate for change. Look after the environment by always correctly disposing of your wastes, and protect this green ball we call earth because it will do the same for us.
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