How the Environment Impacts Humans
Just as humans can impact the environment, the environmentĀ has both positive and negative effects on humans. Some of these major impacts the environment has are through weather and climate, natural resources, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.
Weather and Climate
Natural factors such as the sunās energy, the oceanās currents, and atmospheric patterns influence our daily weather and long-term climate trends. Humans plan how and where they live based on these factors.
These factors also help us to determine which crops to grow and which animals we can raise in an area. Weather and climate can also have negative effects on humans with severe weather events such as hurricanes, droughts, and floods.
Throughout history, humans have displayed remarkable adaptability to their climate and environment.
In hot, arid regions,Ā people have built homes with thick walls to insulate against the scorching sun.Ā Ancestral Puebloans did this in the American Southwest as did societies in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
PeopleĀ in frigid climates, like theĀ SĆ”mi of modern-day Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia,Ā designed insulated clothing and heated shelters to endure the extreme cold. TheĀ Inuit people of modern-day Canada built dome-shaped dwellings of ice called igloos.
Natural Resources
Natural resources are essential to human survival. Clean air to breathe, clean soil to grow our crops, and clear water to drink are natural resources that our environment provides humans for survival.
Indigenous peoples have mastered sustainable farming practices, such as terracing on steep hillsides or cultivating floodplains, to thrive in diverse landscapes. Nomadic cultures have embraced mobility, following herds and seasonal changes. Coastal communities have relied on fishing and seafaring, crafting boats and using nets tailored to their local waters.
These adaptations showcase humanity's ingenuity in harmonizing with nature's challenges, forging resilient societies across the globe.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety and variability of life in an area or the world. Biodiversity provides us with food, medicine, and genetic diversity for growing crops. Diverse ecosystems, from rainforests to coral reefs, help to regulate the climate by absorbing carbon dioxide and stabilizing weather patterns to make human life easier.
Biodiversity can also provide humans with economic benefits through tourism, recreation, and other industries. ItĀ inspiresĀ art, culture, and a sense of wonder in cultures around the world.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem services areĀ benefits that ecosystems provide to people and help to sustain human life,. For example, ecosystems provide fruits, vegetables, the pollination of crops, water purification, and can provide flood control. Forests supply timber and wood productsĀ for building, while oceans yield seafood for consumption.
Ecosystem services can also provide humans with cultural services such as aesthetic enjoyment, recreation, and spiritual enrichment. Parks, nature reserves, and scenic landscapes provide spaces for relaxation and connection with nature. Studies have even shown that spending time in nature can help to reduce stress and improve mental health.
The relation between humans and the environment is very complex. By studying how our actions have positive and negative effects on the environment, we can learn how to make informed and responsible decisions that will help to protect and sustain our planet for the future of both nature and humanity.