How Humans Impact the Environment
The Earth is a magnificent and delicate place where humans and the environment are interconnected. Humans have a significant impact on the environment, and the environment can also have a profound effect on humans and their well-being.
While many human actions can help the environment such as planting trees, recycling, and beach cleanups, these are often doneĀ on a small scale. Larger human actions that have a negative impact on the environment includeĀ pollution, habitat destruction, deforestation, overfishing/overhunting, and overpopulation. Combined, these have resulted in climate change that is having a significant impact on the globe.
Pollution
Pollution is one of the most significant impacts that humans have created on the environment. Pollution is the release of harmful substances into the environment and can come in many forms, such as air, water, and soil pollution.
Air pollution can be caused by factories and automobiles and can cause respiratory problems. Air pollution can often be seen floating up from smokestacks or in the form of smog, which can reduce visibility.
Water pollution can be caused by sewage discharges, agricultural activities, industrial activities, stormwater runoff, and even recreational activities such as boating.
While surface water pollution can have a negative impact on aquatic lifeĀ and is easily seen, some water pollution begins as soil pollution. It seeps underground into our groundwater supply and can affect drinking water and cause bacterial diseases.
Soil pollution is caused when contaminants are released into the soil. These contaminants can affect agricultural production as well as our health. Soil pollution is unique as it can cause water pollution by seeping into our groundwater, and air pollution when the contaminants are picked up by the wind.
Pollution is very serious in that it can destroy wildlife, affect the quality of our food and water, and can cause different forms of cancer and even death.
Habitat Destruction and Deforestation
Habitat destruction is caused when humans expand their cities and infrastructures and can destroy the natural habitats of many plants and animals. This can also cause the loss of many species as well as affecting biodiversity.
Deforestation is a primary form of habitat destruction and is caused when humans cut down trees for reasons such as agriculture and farming, and urban development. This can have a negative effect on the environment as it can disrupt ecosystems, reduce biodiversity, and can contribute to climate change.
Overfishing and Overhunting
Overfishing is a major threat to the worldā€™s oceans and marine life. This happens when fish are caught faster than they can reproduce. This can cause a depletion of our food supply as well as the food supply of other animals. Overfishing has led to several species becoming extinct or endangered. For example, sturgeon has gone extinct from the Caspian and Black Seas.
Overhunting is also a serious issue that has negative effects on both humans and the environment. It can lead to the depletion and extinction of a specific species in a region or the entire population. It also has a negative effect on other species that rely on those species for food and can cause a decline in their population as well. One of the most recent animals to go extinct was the Western Black Rhino that was declared extinct in 2011.
Overpopulation
Overpopulation occurs when a population exceeds the sustainable size of its habitat. This usually occurs when the birth rate exceeds the death rate. However, it can also be caused when too many people move to one area or region.
Overpopulation can lead to an increase in all the other negative outcomes that affect the environment as well as increases in disease, pandemics, disasters, famine, and death.
The negative impacts on the environment that are caused by humans can also impact human behavior.Ā
It can cause human and animal migration and battles over clean water, food, and other natural resources that we have come to rely on. It can even become a factor leading up to war.
Climate Change
Climate change is caused by a culmination of humansā€™ negative impacts on the environment. By increasing the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, along with continued deforestation, can cause more greenhouse gases to enter the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases cause more heat to become trapped in the atmosphere, which then contributes to climate change. Climate change can cause changes in weather systems and contribute to an increase in natural disasters such as major storms, hurricanes, floods, and droughts.