Crystal clear water, blue skies, and an abundance of all the most beautiful forms of plant and animal life are images held by many of us who dream of a clean environment. In years gone by, we believe, much of the Earth was absolutely pristine. In reality, volcanoes erupted, storms struck, fires burned, people produced wastes, and animals trampled through streams but the consequences of such natural occurrences went largely unconsidered. It is the technological era this modern time which has introduced tremendous advances in nearly all aspects of living many people believe, which has brought us pollution, and along with it, a whole host of environmental troubles and concerns. Modification of lands, resource extraction, excessive use of fossil fuels, the creation of complex chemical compounds, the ever-growing release of new forms of wastes these are some of the modern influences which affect the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the millions of organisms with which we share the mystery of life.
Pollution is perceived to be a relatively recent problem, created solely by man.
The word itself has become pervasive in contemporary conversation, but its actual meaning is not quite as straight forward as it may seem. Pollute, contaminate, taint, infect, defile, and debase refer to the process of making a thing dirty, impure, or worthless. Pollute suggests the end of this process, and contaminate, its beginning. The term polluted in reference to a stream, however, may have different meanings in different places and in different States. Take the lake which is not of a quality to provide drinking water but which supports fish consumption and recreational uses.