Brown Water and Plastic Bottles: Writing a Composition about Pollution

Pollution in Our Town: Causes, Effects and Solutions

Every morning on my way to school I cross a small river. When my mother was my age, she says, children swam in it. Today nobody would swim there: the water is brown, and plastic bottles turn slowly in the reeds. Pollution, the release of harmful substances into the air, water and land, is one of the most serious problems facing our town.

There are three main causes. First, some households and businesses pour waste water and dump rubbish straight into the river, because it is cheaper than paying for collection. Second, rubbish is often burned in the open, and the smoke from burning plastic fills the air. Third, as the town grows, more motorcycles and cars crowd the roads, and old engines release thick exhaust fumes.

The effects are serious. Polluted water carries germs that cause diarrhoea, especially among young children. Smoke and exhaust fumes damage our lungs and can lead to breathing problems. Plastic does not rot; as a result, it blocks drains, so heavy rain floods the streets and carries even more rubbish into the river.

Rwanda has already shown that change is possible. Plastic bags were banned in 2008, and in 2019 the ban was extended to many single-use plastic items. Our town could go further. If every family separated its rubbish, food waste could be turned into compost. Schools could organise river clean-ups during umuganda, and the authorities could fine those who dump waste.

Pollution is not caused by one person, so it cannot be solved by one person. But if each of us changed one habit, our children might swim in that river again.