Hobbies And Interests
Plant Death
One possible sign of the introduction of a hazardous chemical into the environment is plant death. Unlike animals, plants cannot escape a hazardous chemical, and are thus a particularly good indicator of lower amounts of hazardous chemicals that may not have an immediate effect on an animal, for instance. Hazardous chemicals are also often spread throughout an environment by groundwater, which is a natural system that plants are sensitive to.
Animal Death and Sickness
Another possible sign of the spread of hazardous chemicals in the environment is animals getting sick or dying. The death of wild animals, like fish in a polluted stream, for instance, is often a good indicator. Pets and other domestic animals are also good indicators because they will often drink unfiltered groundwater, which is one way that hazardous chemicals spread through an environment.
Strange Phenomena
Strange phenomena are also a way to spot the spread of hazardous chemicals in an environment. River fires, for instance, are often indicative of an oil spill or the spill of a chemical that is flammable. The ability to set tap water on fire is another strange phenomenon that was highlighted in the documentary "GasLand" and is thought to be associated with the environmentally questionable practice of fracking.
Human Sickness
Another sometimes less obvious indicator of hazardous chemicals being introduced into an environment is a marked increase in the sickness rates of humans living in the area. Chevron, for instance, was found guilty in Ecuadorian courts after a clear link was demonstrated between pollution as a result of oil extraction and the significant increases in the rates of sickness of people living in the same area.