Industrial activities are major causes of air pollution. Factories that build cars, make leather items, or process foods often give off chemicals. Poisonous fumes belch from tall smokestacks. Toxic rivers flow through the countryside, past cities, and into the oceans. These emissions can kill animal and plant life.

Factory activities also disturb aquatic environments. Many factories use water to cool their machines. Water intake structures can pull fish and their eggs into the factories like giant vacuum cleaners. Inside the factories, the organisms may be killed by the heat or chemicals used to clean the cooling system.

Clearly, it is time to find new ways to make some products. Plants and animals, including humans, deserve cleaner environments.

Many things that elevate our standard of living have hidden costs. Modern homes and offices are safe and warm, but materials the construction industry uses can pollute our air and water. Plastic shopping bags are handy, but factories that produce them give off harmful byproducts. Tape and self-stick notes are useful, too, but when we throw them away, plants and animals can absorb the adhesives from them. When we eat those plants and animals, do we really want their sticky ingredients in our food? Scientists are always looking for ways to keep producing modern products without damaging our environment.

Common items can hurt our environment.