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1.12: Relationships Between Human Activities and
the Green Environment
Human population is growing and expectations
for standards of living are increasing.
This creates a greater demand for resources from the green
environment. The raw materials used to build, furnish, and operate buildings are
extracted from the green environment.
The fuel required to power cars, factories, and buildings is also
extracted from the environment, while burning these fuels has consequences as
well.
The impacts of human activities on the green
environment are significant; you can see some impacts in your own backyard.
There are also global impacts which have effects that may not be seen for
many years. (reference to illustration
here ) Either way, the impacts of human beings on the green environment are
undeniable. Major environmental
challenges include the following:
Global climate change-
Increasing greenhouse
gases produce an overall rise in global temperatures. These gases are due in
part to the burning of fossil fuels as a result of urbanization. Urbanization often increases air pollution.
Temperature changes affect sea levels as ice melts at the Earth’s poles, and
also increase the potential for severe weather.
Excess wood
harvesting- The harvesting of wood resources at an unsustainable rate is
known as deforestation. It leads
to soil depletion, pollution of streams, and habitat loss. Deforestation also contributes to global
climate change because woods, and other natural grassy areas can reduce
greenhouse gases. Preservation of forest areas can help to slow global warming.
Species
extinction- Habitat loss has
caused thousands of species to become extinct. This is known as a loss of biodiversity. The remaining habitats are fragmented
and degraded in quality. Human beings
depend on diverse ecosystems to
purify the air and water. These
ecosystems help to stabilize climate change and provide a variety of
resources from lumber to medicine. Ecosystem health is essential for human
survival.
Decreasing water
supplies- The rise in global temperatures has caused desertification( the spread of deserts) in drier parts of the
world. In other areas, overgrazing and
the overuse of has led to aquifer depletion. This is
particularly true in agricultural and urban areas. Aquifers are the only reliable source of water in many parts of
the country.
Air and water
pollution- Industrial activities and the daily activities of people
contribute to the pollution of air and water.
The burning of fossil fuels for transportation and energy produces
smog, which leads to acidification (acid
rain) and plant decline. The use of
these fuels also contributes to ground level ozone and other forms of air
pollution. Runoff from paved and deforested areas contributes to water
pollution. Industrial deposits into
waterways increase water temperature and contaminants. Many modern compounds
cannot be removed using normal treatment methods. These include such things
as prescription drugs and plastic residuals, which accumulate in nature with
unknown long-term consequences.
Soil contamination and
depletion- Contaminants from human activities often remain in the soil and
eventually migrate to water sources.
Sources of contamination range from leaking underground storage tanks
to stormwater runoff from paved
areas. Removing vegetation exposes topsoil and causes erosion losses.
Loss of ozone- Release of
chlorine-based gases such as refrigerants has led to ozone depletion in the upper atmosphere. Ozone molecules are necessary to shield
living organisms from solar radiation.
Reduced levels of ozone are thought to be responsible for the
increased rate in skin cancer and cataracts in humans as well as damage to
marine and terrestrial eco-systems.
These chemicals also contribute to a greater-than-usual growth in the
seasonal ozone hole that appears
naturally in the polar regions.
None of these occur in isolation. In many cases, human activities contribute
to more than one problem at a time. All of them require attention to ensure
the health of the planet for future generations.
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Consequences-a result or effect of an
action or condition.
Urbanization-is the process
where an increasing percentage of a population lives in cities and suburbs.
This process is often linked to industrialization and modernization, as large
numbers of people leave farms to work and live in cities.
Biodiversity-the variety of life in
the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
Ecosystems-a biological community of
interacting organisms and their physical environment.
Desertification-the process by which
fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation,
or inappropriate agriculture.
Aquifers-a body of permeable rock
that can contain or transmit groundwater.
Acidification-is a term used to
describe significant changes to the chemistry of the ocean. It occurs when carbon
dioxide gas (or CO2) is absorbed by the ocean and reacts with
seawater to produce acid.
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