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Our Planet's Most Damaging Environmental Issues

The Earth is facing the worst environmental conditions ever

By Jonathan Spear

April 4^th, 2016

The crisis

The Earth is constantly changing, and many people around the world are facing an array of challenging and pressing environmental issues every day. Some of these issues may be small and only affect a few ecosystems, but larger problems loom and endanger the planet as a whole. As the number and severity of environmental problems stack up, the Earth is becoming more vulnerable to disasters and tragedies.

The serious issue of the environment needs urgent attention if the well-being of the planet is to be preserved. Unless we are able to acknowledge the damage on the environment, and take immediate action, the world will ultimately face environmental collapse and the Earth will no longer be fit to support life.

Our Planet's Most Damaging Environmental Issues

POLLUTion

Many environmental problems that we face today eventually point the finger back to pollution. The pollution of air, land, and water pose major risks to ecosystems, and create a domino effect for all life.

water pollution

Water is essential to all life, and when a water source is polluted, all forms of life connected to that source face the latter consequences. Whether it be chemical runoff, dumping from industries, or oil spills, toxic pollutants are continually filling oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams. Water pollution complicates marine ecosystems, and the degradation of water sources is many times difficult to reverse, and life suffers the ultimate ramifications.

Air pollution (Climate change)

Human practices such as the emissions of Greenhouse gases are direct causes of climate change and the depletion of the ozone layer. Pollutants from cars, planes, power plants, and other human activities involving the burning of fossil fuels are considered air pollution. In the past 150 years, enough carbon dioxide has been introduced into the atmosphere to raise levels higher than they have been for hundreds of thousands of years.

e.g. The year 2015 was the hottest year on record, and rising temperatures of the oceans and Earth’s surface have caused the melting of polar ice caps, rising sea levels, and unusual precipitation patterns.

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Land pollution

Soil is a basis of most land life, and when the land and soil is polluted, a vital layer of the Earth’s surface is deprived and devastated. Soil is thriving with thousands of organisms and is necessary to support plant life. When the land is polluted by industrial waste or anything man-made, the soil is deprived of important nutrients. Thus, the life that depends on what the soil offers is compromised.

Overpopulation

Nearly 50 years ago the world population was just over 3 billion. Now, it has surpassed 7 billion, and growing at an alarming rate; too fast for the planet to handle. As the population grows, there are growing shortages for resources such as food, water, or fuel. In developing and poor countries where there is already a yearning for these resources, a growing population has only made the situation more difficult. In order to compensate for the growing population and to satisfy the higher demands of resources more land and work is needed. This damages the environment by eliminating more natural land for industrial purposes, and introducing more harmful substances into the environment.

Deforestation

Millions of species lose their homes and habitats to deforestation every year. Forests proud fresh oxygen, provide shelter for animals, help to regulate temperature, and maintain fertile soil, but trees are being cleared faster than nature can replace them Forests are being wiped away at a high rate, and forest land equivalent to the size of Panama is lost annually for residential, industrial, and commercial purposes. At the current rate of deforestation, the world rainforests could vanish in the next 100 years, and thousands of species could be without a home

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Waste disposal

The over-consumption of resources and the disposal of non biodegradable materials such as plastics are a threat to species on both land and water. Waste piles in landfills and is dumped into oceans, and garbage is growing in volume and toxicity. As more solid waste is introduced, impacts on public health and the environment hangs in the balance.
e.g. In the Pacific Ocean, a gyre of marine debris estimated to be the size of Texas called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch threatens marine life.

The depletion of natural resources

As the population grows, more and more natural resources are being consumed. The consumption of non-renewable resources is reversing the timeline for these sources. Humans are consuming natural resources such as fossil fuels too fast for the Earth to replenish them, as they take millions of years to form. The burning of these fossil fuels release Greenhouse gases that are contributing to climate change.

However, to conserve natural resources, many are turning to “greener” options for renewable sources of energy. Renewable sources of solar, wind, and geothermal energy have opened doors to a cleaner future.

Loss of biodiversity

Collectively, the damaging effects humans impart on the environment are leading to the destruction of habitats and ecosystems, and are leading to the extinction of many species. Biodiversity is the link between all organisms on Earth, where all species have a role to contribute to the web of life. However, when species go extinct or become endangered at the fault of humans, the balance and equilibrium is disrupted.

e.g. The decline of bees affects the pollination of plants, and the destruction of coral reefs impacts marine life.

we need Change now

If the environment is to be saved, and the prosperity of the planet to be preserved, then the time for change is now. The world needs to be educated about environmental problems and the dangers that it poses to humans and important ecosystems. A global effort is needed to make a difference, and everyone must be involved to stop the advancement of environmental destruction.

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