Environment: Pollution and Human Impact Essay

E very(prenominal) living thing has an impact on its environment. Therefore a gentlemans gentleman impact on the environment is inevitable. By simply quick, all species including ourselves lead imprint their mark on the world around them. What differentiates us from other species is our ability to greatly overburden our environment with very hardly a(prenominal) limits. The information regarding our valet impact is vast and impossible to cover in one article however I volition attempt to cover a basic overview.For 200 years weve been conquering Nature.at once were b ingest it to death. Tom McMillanWater PollutionPerhaps the nigh obvious examples of a interdict human impact on the environment is weewee pollution. Its obvious we contend water to digest but few people realize how much we need and just how much is available. Consider these facts from the joined Nations Environment Programme * Of all the water on Earth, only 2.5% of it is freshwater. * Of that 2.5%, less tha n 1% is available to us.* humanity each require up to 13 gallons (50 litres) a day of fresh water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. This does non take into account the countless gallons of water needed to grow food or c are for animals. * 70% of all freshwater usage goes to irrigation. concord to Organic Farming Research Foundation, only 2% of farms are organic. This means almost 69% of our freshwater supply is being contaminated by chemical substance pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers, while also compounded with fossil fuels and emissions from heavy farming machinery. These chemical compounds contribute to acid come down. Since very little place withstand in an acidic environment, acid rain has harmful effects on plants, animals, and aquatic life, as well as humans and even buildings, statues or other objects. Acid rain also contaminates our limited freshwater supply, and thus the cycle of water pollution continues. According to the U.S. Environmental protecti ve cover Agency, 45% of assessed stream miles, 47% ofassessed lake acres, and 32% of assessed bay and estuarine square miles were non clean replete to support uses such as swimming or fishing. The following reasons and possible sources for this includePhoto fountain Alan Liefting* Sediments, pathogens and economic consumptionat alterations from agricultural activity and hydrologic modifications (such as dams) * Excessive nutrients, metals and organic enrichment from agricultural activity and atmospheric sedimentation (the movement of pollutants from one environment to another, such as from water to air) * Heavy metals (primarily mercury), excess nutrients and organic enrichment from industrial and municipal discharges (treated or untreated waste water released from sewer plants and industrial factories into natural water sources) These points listed above lead to a poisoned and uninhabitable environment for plants and aquatic life, as well as ingrain land animals and humans re liant on these systems for survival and other land-bound plant life in need of clean water for growth.Land PollutionLand pollution, the degradation of the Earths surfaces and soil, is caused by human activity and a misuse of natural resources. Causes of land pollution and degradation include * urban depart Natural habitats are removed to make room for communities, usually with inefficient or irresponsible planning. Urban sprawl generally results in a waste of land area for unused development (such as excessive roads, decorative and unused areas, etc). * Poor agricultural practices Animal manure runoff from CAFO (Confined Animal nourishment Operations), the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, the practice of growing mono grows (only one crop season after season) and the deforestation undeniable to expand farm land all contribute to degradation and pollution.* Personal consumption Our modern cultures desire to prolong more, bigger and demote things, as well as our relationship to and habit of waste, has lead to stripping of the land, excessive mining and pollution from industrial activities. * Industrial activities The production of chemical-laden plastics, poor persona of products, un good practices (such as misbranded dumping), and extreme emissions affect both surrounding and far-reaching areas. None of this takes into account illegal dumping, diminishing landfill space, litter,overproduction of synthetic materials, radioactive waste and more. either land pollution is caused by a human impact on the environment and thus can be averted by our actions alone. Two of the necessary actions must be proper planning and proper usage of natural resources. For instances, animals could be taken come in of CAFO and allowed to graze on mountainous or wooded areas unsuitable for buildings or crops. Using organic and sustainable farming techniques can eliminate our need for chemical applications. Clean energy, such as wind or solar power, can sl owly begin to replace coal or nuclear plants. And as consumers we can lessen our human impact on the environment by demanding better quality products, environmentally ethical practices from industries and a shift toward sustainable energy.Air PollutionOne bit of good news round our human impact on the environment is that air pollution is lowering and air quality is increasing. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, since 1990 to 2008* Ozone decreased 14%* Lead decreased 78%* Nitrogen dioxide decreased 35%* Carbon monoxide decreased 68%* Sulfur dioxide decreased 59%However, 127 million people still live in areas that exceed quality standards. And some of the quality standards are far from ideal, such as ozone. The suspicion is what amount of air pollution is really okay? Shouldnt we be striving for technologies or practices that more or less eliminate major polluters, such as Photo Source Michael Cavn* Better public transit, electric automobile cars, rail, and city planning etc to replace heavy commutes, fossil fuels, air travel and unwalkable communities * Retrofitting or otherwise upgrading pull rounding factories with greener technologies such as solar panels or air filtration systems * Removinganimals from factory farms and raising them on natural diets and rotating place to reduce methane emissions and pollution The greatest human impact on the environment we can have is to select with our pocket book and our actions. By supporting companies that use greener technologies, we can start a trend toward better solutions. By getting involved in community planning and zoning we can have a global impact on a local level. And by buying less stuff, eating less animal products and sourcing our food from sustainable farms, we can spread the word that better solutions do exist and they dont have to cater to mega-corporations and lobbyist pressure.The Consequences Of A Human Impact On The Environment homosexual maketh a death which Nature never ma de. Edward YoungWhat most of us fail to realize is that we will never truly destroy Earth. The planet will always remain and its nature will commute and adapt to the conditions. But we have evolved to rely on the very particular conditions currently in place. We have specific water and food requirements, can only tolerate certain temperature ranges and we must have an teemingness of clean, breathable air. Just look at how the environment is affecting human health already. Thus the question is not whether the Earth can withstand a human impact on the environment. The real question is will we so change the environment as to drive ourselves (and other species) to extinction? Ready To Get Stepping?All of this information about the human impact on the environment is great to help you understand and project your own opinions to the issues, but the most important part is not your opinions its how those opinions change your lifestyle. Dont find fault. Find a remedy. Henry FordIf youre rea dy to get started, Id recommend the following Steps first * Top Ways To Go Green These should be your startle points. They are the no-duh things and most of them are very easy to implement. * Going Green At Home For most of us, our homes are probably our biggest carbon footprint. Pop over there to learn easy ways to barely water, energy and otherresources.