Punca Pencemaran Air

Cuba bayangkan perasaan anda apabila melihat sampah terapung di sebuah sungai, tempat anda sering memancing ikan. Kadang kala, apabila sungai tercemar dengan bau busuk dan berlumpur, anda akan merasa jijik untuk lalu di kawasan tersebut. Apatah lagi untuk berenang mahupun minum air yang kotor itu.

Air yang tercemar tidak selamat untuk diminum. Haiwan serta tumbuhan juga akan mati apabila menggunakan air yang tercemar itu. Begitu juga air yang kelihatan bersih dan tidak berbau, juga boleh tercemar. Ini mungkin disebabkan oleh kuman atau bakteria serta bahan kimia berbahaya yang tidak boleh dilihat atau dihidu.

Terdapat pelbagai jenis pencemaran air seperti bahan toksik, bahan organik, pencemaran terma serta pencemaran ekologikal.  Bahan toksik ialah sejenis pencemaran berbentuk kimia yang tidak terhasil dalam sistem akuatik. Penyumbang terbesar pencemaran ini ialah racun rumpai, racun serangga dan bahan buangan industri.

Pencemaran organik berlaku apabila lebihan bahan organik seperti baja dan kumbahan memasuki air. Apabila bahan organik meningkat, jumlah bahan reput akan meningkat dan menggunakan banyak oksigen. Ini mengakibatkan berlakunya masalah kekurangan oksigen, yang seterusnya boleh membunuh hidupan akuatik.

Pencemaran bahan bukan organik seperti nitrogen dan fosfat di dalam sistem akuatik boleh menyebabkan sejenis pencemaran organik. Kandungan bahan ini yang tinggi menyebabkan berlaku peningkatan jumlah tumbuhan dan rumpair. Apabila tumbuhan dan rumpair mati, ia akan menjadi bahan organik di dalam air. Seterusnya ia akan mereput dan mampu mengurangkan kadar oksigen di dalam air.

Pencemaran terma berlaku apabila air digunakan sebagai bahan penyejuk berdekatan kilang industri dan kemudiannya kembali kepada persekitaran akuatik dengan kadar suhu yang lebih tinggi. Ini boleh menyebabkan berlakunya pengurangan kadar oksigen di dalam air dan meningkatkan kadar keperluan biologikal oleh organisma akuatik untuk mendapatkan oksigen.

Pencemaran ekologikal pula terjadi apabila pencemaran bahan kimia, pencemaran organik atau pencemaran terma berlaku daripada persekitaran alam. Ia bukannya berlaku akibat aktiviti manusia. Pencemaran ekologikal akan meningkat selepas berlakunya kejadian tanah runtuh, haiwan dan tumbuhan yang mati lemas dalam banjir serta sejumlah besar bahan organik yang mengalir dalam air. Selain itu, kejadian geologikal seperti ledakan gunung berapi juga menyumbang kepada pencemaran ekologikal.

Pengurusan air yang tidak cekap juga boleh menyebabkan berlakunya krisis air. Walaupun mengetahui kepentingan air dalam kehidupan, namun manusia sering mengabaikannya dengan melakukan pencemaran dan mengotorkan longkang, sungai, tasik dan laut. Manusia sebenarnya mengancam planet secara perlahan-lahan sehingga ke tahap organisma mulai mati pada kadar yang amat pantas. Lebih teruk lagi, air minuman yang amat penting untuk keperluan kehidupan juga mengalami pencemaran dengan serius.

Ditulis oleh:

Nurul Aina Ibrahim Istar
Forum Air Malaysia

http://www.konsumerkini.net.my/v1/index.php/berita-terkini/alam-sekitar/570-punca-pencemaran-air

Sprouts 8 Proudly Presents, Save Our Mother Earth

Time flies and now it is the time to unveiled our introductory video on the journey to spread environmental awareness. This video, entitled SAVE OUR MOTHER EARTH, serves as the reminder to everyone that at once, the Earth was a beautiful place to live in. However, the development of humankind destroyed most of the picturesque sight of our beloved planet. Now, it is the time for us to wake up and do something for our world. It is time to think and read about conserving the environment and one of the way is, by reading the tips and articles that we are going to post here and also our facebook page.(https://www.facebook.com/sprouts8)

You would have done something for the environment by following us on blog and spreading it to family and friends. At the same time remember to 'like' our page!



Presented by: Sprouts 8

I Love Gardening

On the 30th of October 2012, the Biodiversity team of Sprouts 8 had organised an event entitled "I Love Gardening" to promote the awareness of cherishing our environment. The event started at 8.30 a.m. sharp, with the opening speech of Sprouts 8 director, Mr. Yong Ching Wai. It was continued with the briefing by Biodiversity team, of what to do on that particular event.

Among the activities that have been carried out on that day was introducing methods of gardening to new members, planting seeds, and not to be forgotten ways to take care of our seedlings! For me, it was an enjoyable experience as i learnt something that i have not been learning in the past.

Hope more people can join the activities organised by Sprouts 8 in the future, as together we can form a formidable environmental friendly team. Let's embarked on a journey to save our Mother Earth.

By: Exposition and Multimedia Team of Sprouts 8

Do enjoy the photographs we took!

SPROUTS 8

Environmentally Friendly Ways of Reusing and Recycling Paper, Books and Mags

As consumers demand the need for more paper, whether it's for newspapers, plain paper or books, we continue to cut down vast numbers of really old trees. It will take numerous years to see this turned over. Reusing and recycling paper is really important nowadays.

All paper, including books and magazines, are virtually wholly biodegradable, meaning they don't clog landfills for many years and will merely degrade into nothing. The fact that there is a need for more paper makes it appear daft not to recycle as much as we possibly can. That is why we should reuse and recycle.

The traditional means of recycling paper is by making use of recycling facilities. You will observe that where you dwell, there are opportunities to recycle, including in numerous cases your local grocery store. You may notice that your local area has different bins so you can sort your paper for recycling. So that the paper can be usable once again, the recycling process should be put in place. This saves the trees and makes for a healthy environment. Paper recycling is not always straightforward and can be made challenging by the stapling of books and mags. Magnets may be utilized to handle the problems of metal and recycling companies are constantly try to find ways to better the process.

Mags and books can be reused, it is only a matter of using our imagination. Those old books and magazines are a fantastic learning resource for your kids and they will have the chance to give them to other people in the future. An old book will be of use to somebody else and it is not hard for us give it this way.

There are always places like libraries that are happy to take your old books from you. Some libraries will take donations of old books and even magazines, providing they are in good condition. The library and the public will be more glad since they will have more reading choices. So instead of merely tossing a book or leaving it to collect dust, think about giving it to a library.

Books can also be sold instead of given away either locally or online. EBay and Amazon are popular places online where you can try selling your old books.

To sum it up, paper is being utilized more and more but fewer trees. Beasts use trees as a natural home ground and they are essential for the well being of the environment. There are plenty of choices for us to recycle paper and to ensure that books and magazines are reused instead of thrown away.


By: Reuben Frye
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/environment_and_going_green/article_1154.shtml 

Going Green Is So Much Simpler Than Most People Think

An increasing number of people are now wanting to do their part to save the planet due to the worsening problems caused by global warming. Unfortunately, numerous people assume that going green is costly and time consuming. Read on to discover several immediate things you can do to get on on the path to living green.

Recycling is the top way to start. A lot of people continue to place glass and aluminum items in their normal garbage even though recycling is not that hard to do today. In the US, it's not hard to locate a trash service that offers glass and aluminum recycling choices. Many people still continue to discard these items even though recycling bins are not hard to find. It merely takes a few minutes to wash off the cans and bottles before placing them into the recycle bin.

Newspapers are another item that overburden our landfills. Virtually all people will merely take their daily paper and toss it in the garbage when they are done with it. But, there are many other uses that you can get out of your newsprint other than poring over it it. Did you know that you can keep your windows clean using newspapers? If you're tired of seeing small white fragments and streaks on your windowpanes after you clean them with paper towels and cleaner, try to use old newspapers instead. Several community groups run regular paper drives. Merely compile all of your old newspapers, put them in a stack, and see if the paper drive organizers will come to your location and pick them up.

One more thing that could help you to start to live green is to begin walking a bit more. Lots of people routinely drive short distances merely to buy one thing at their local corner market. If you just walk to the store, not only could it take less time, because you won't have to locate a parking spot, but you will be saving money on gas and helping to save planet Earth by not burning those fuels.

If you wish to save even more on gas, take the chance to car pool when you can and only mow your lawn two times a month instead of weekly. A gorgeous lawn is good to have but skipping an additional week before you mow again shouldn't significantly affect it. Using a manual push mower like those more normally used many, many years ago will help to save the environment even more. Numerous hardware shops still carry this type of mower.

When people make up their mind to try green living, it's easy to make a few lifestyle modifications that will benefit our environment. Likewise, you can find lots of info all over the Internet on other ways to start living green, you only have to look for it.

By:  Collin Rojas
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/environment_and_going_green/article_1153.shtml

Newest Poster for "I Love Gardening"

This is the first poster created by Exposition and Multimedia team of Sprouts 8 (2012/2013), from Kinabalu residential college. Hope everyone of you like it! :D

                                                             

Poster Terbaru untuk HARI SAYA SUKA BERKEBUN

Inilah poster pertama dari Kumpulan Expo dan Multimedia Sprouts 8 (2012/2013), di Kolej Kediaman Kinabalu. Harap kamu semua suka poster ini! :D

Gardening@UM

Come and join us to beautify our residential college, the beloved Kinabalu residential college.

Event: I LOVE GARDENING
Date: 30th of September 2012
Venue: Foyer
Time : 8.30 a.m.

Just bring yourself and we have all the tools prepared for you!

                                                                                                                                                                        


Berkebun di UM

Datanglah dan menyertai kami untuk menyerikan kolej kediaman tercinta, Kolej Kediaman Kinabalu.

Aktiviti: Saya Suka Berkebun
Tarikh: 30 September 2012
Tempat: Foyer
Masa: 8.30 pagi

Kamu hanya perlu membawa diri kamu, Segala-gala peralatan akan disediakan.