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Some of the environmental problems the world face today stems from direct or indirect impacts of the water cycle. I believe globalization has had a great impact on various issues, i.e. food safety and security, global environmental change, and emerging infectious diseases. However, people and communities globally come to experience increasingly common social and cultural environmental issues that include loss of vegetation, and taming rivers and wetlands (Wadham. n.d). Globalization has also created some areas of concern, and prominent among them is its impact on the environment.
For example, the” loss of vegetation” shows how water provides lifeblood to natural vegetation and humans' ecosystem, but at the expense of overgrazed land and deforestation and how plants are not there to intercepts groundwater runoff (Wunsch, C. 2002). It is noted that when land is overgrazed or deforested, dry and barren land brings a lifeless streambed as a typical tragedy for ecosystems and humans. The second reason is the “taming rivers and wetlands”, study shows that wetland functions similarly to the way groundwater does, therefore human destruction of the wetland has the same impact as deforestation.
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The adverse impact on humans when this occurs will result in polluted waterways or an increase in flooding (Purkey, S.G, 2012).
The issue that is faced by the local community, in general, is drought because of the ill effects of global temperature rise that is taking place in all parts of the world due to global warming. To some extent we can say that a river is a self-renewing resource and therefore if the polluting agent is discharged to a river, is often able to return to the clean and unpolluted condition as the pollutants are flushed out and carried down the sea.
Environmental issues like water pollution have been the bane of different communities across the globe, but then some pollutants are objectionable because they overload the self-purification processes of the river; as rivers are often the raw water sources for portable supplies, this can be dire consequences (Environmental Protection Agency, EPA .n.d.). An example of such pollutants is the discharge of domestic sewage effluent to rivers while some industrial effluents discharged in large quantities can be harmful. However, two pollution sources described above are classified as point sources and diffuse sources. The point sources are collected by a network of pipes or channels and conveyed to a single point of discharge and the diffuse sources are characterized by multiple discharge sources that cannot be pinpointed. An example is a run-off from fields and roads. Problems occur when the natural characteristics of a river are altered by pollutant discharges. The effect of plant nutrients, toxic pollutants, and biological pollutants may be considered as natural occurrences of water pollutants.
Human activity has several effects on the ecological process both directly and indirectly. The increasing population and demand for water and energy are all the reasons for this change. Production industries are releasing dangerous chemicals into air and water and polluting them. Because of excessive sound and smoke from vehicles polluting the air, they are increasing the global temperature whereby sea level is rising, temperature rising, and ice sheets on the north pole are melting. Oxygen concentration in the atmosphere is depleting and greenhouse gas is increasing. The ozone layer is depleted; these are some of the impacts on the ecology both directly and indirectly by human activities. Humans need a place to live and, so they encroach forests and kill animals and fish for food, and all the food cycle is disturbed.
Human impact on the natural environment is of crucial importance for social and economic life. Today, the diversity of nature not only offers humans a vast power of choice needs and desires, it also enhances the role of nature as a source of solution for future needs and challenges. The reduction and fragmentation of habitats and landscape, agriculture, energy, and industry contribute to human activities to the environment.
Presently, human pressure on natural environments is greater than before in terms of magnitude and efficiency in disrupting nature and natural farmland. Human expansion activities into the natural environment is manifested by urbanization, recreation, industrialization, and agriculture, results in increasing uniformity in landscapes and consequential reduction, disappearance, isolation of habitats and landscape, and fragmentation. Evidently, the increasing exploitation of land for human use greatly reduces the area of wildlife habitats as well as the total area surface. Consequences may include decreased species diversity due to reduced habitable surface and reduction of the size of habitats also reduces the genetic diversity of the species living there. Nevertheless, human intervention such as the construction of buildings, motorways, or railroads results in fragmentation of habitats.
Modern agriculture is responsible for the loss of much wildlife and their habitats through the reduction and fragmentation of habitats and wildlife populations. The intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides, the destruction of hedgerows can all pose a threat to wildlife.
Energy- All energy type has potential impacts on the natural environment to a varying degree, from extraction through processing to end-use. Energy generated from any source involving making choices between human impacts and how far those impacts can be tolerated at the local and global scale.
Almost all forms of industrial activities have an impact on the natural environment and its sustainability. At different stages, the impact varies in the life cycle of a product, depending on the raw materials used through to the final end-use of the product for waste residue, re-use, or recycling. Industrial incidents and war damage to industrial plants can also endanger the natural environment.
Human activities largely influence climate change and the more climate change becomes worse more it harms the ecosystem. Speaking of the ecosystem; the continuous worsening of the ecosystem cause depletion of the ozone layer, greenhouse gas effect and release of air pollutants damage the integrity and sustainability of the ecosystem. Human-driven activities such as deforestation, urbanization shift in vegetation patterns may also alter the climate and cause a change in reflectively of the environment. Conclusively, humans are the destroyer of earth, so we human is the only way to save our own planet so we can pass a healthy and disease-free environment to our future generation.
To identify current potential solutions for mitigating the environmental issue, we must acknowledge the fact that humans’ activities impact the environment in so many ways. Some of the common effects include Environmental Pollution, water quality, greenhouse gas emissions, depletion of natural resources, overpopulation.
Some of the control strategies for this issue is the use of dust abatement techniques such as wetting soils, covering storage piles, and limiting operation during windy periods. Ensuring to compliance with emission limits carried out during operations. Fuel and chemical storage areas would be enclosed to minimize the potential to impact the soils in the events of the spill (Kemper County, n.d.).
Our water has become greatly affected as is our ability to use water for recreational purposes. Therefore, we must find suitable water treatment and control systems to stem the unnecessary discharge of water. Also, drainage systems should be provided on-site to convey runoff water to an appropriate channel. Provision of sandbags in an area where a large amount of soils is exposed to runoff water.
Greenhouse gas: For the sake of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, if we reduce and recycle waste to a certain degree, we will accomplish a lot. Less driving means fewer emissions. Walking and biking also help while is a great form of exercise.
Depletion of natural resources: When we reduce dependency on fossil fuels in terms of using less gasoline and electricity which typical form of is burning fossil fuel, is likely we are reducing our carbon footprints. Encourage reforestation and preserve trees and forests.
One of the mitigating measures of overpopulation is to spread awareness and educate people about overpopulation.
Enacting birth control measures and regulations providing family planning.
Potential Solutions: Advantages and Disadvantages- Environmental Pollution, water quality, greenhouse gas, depletion of natural resources, overpopulation.
Environmental pollution increases global warming by adding harmful substances into the atmosphere like smoke from industrial plants, dust from wood factories, or carbon monoxide from car exhaust. Increase in greenhouse gas that leads to depletion of the ozone layer.
Water quality: Benefits of good water quality are linked to good health and is key to life. Because of water plants are able to grow through a series of biochemical reactions. Water quantity and movement also contribute to the global pattern of precipitation and weather conditions. Water is useful in agriculture for irrigation and plant cultivation as it is also responsible for photosynthesis which produces breathable oxygen. Aquatic animals also need good quality water to survive just as we humans require clean drinking water (U.S Geological Survey n.d.). Greenhouse gas: Greenhouse gas as a gaseous compound in the atmosphere is capable of absorbing radiation thereby trapping and holding heat in the earth's atmosphere, hence are leading causes of global warming. Depletion of natural resources: The consequences of running out our natural resources could have an adverse effect on our environment. For example, of 2.5 % of the world’s total water, only 70% is frozen and undrinkable. So, the depletion of water resources is more serious than we ever imagine.
The consequences of overpopulation may result in the exhaustion of natural resources. Deforestation, desertification, and possibly animal and plant species extinction are direct consequences of overpopulation.
Human Behavior: The intricacies involved in changing human behavior in order for the solution listed above to be effective. We humans have to use more environmentally friendly goods and services that will change the way we live. It about taking little steps towards saving the earth. We can reduce our carbon footprint by conserving water, drive less, walk, and bike more. Consume less energy, eating locally grown food, and joining environmental groups to combat climate change.
My personal activity has several effects on the ecological processes both direct and indirect. Excess of sounds and smoke from the vehicle driven every day polluting the air. I believe my share of pollution increase the global temperature. The amount of meat-eating every day may personally affect the environment. The use of water excessively to water lawns and shower and other domestic duties may affect the environment.
Daily Life: Based on the ecology impact listed above, reducing personal impact can be resolve through concerted efforts by changing my personal and social norms. Through persuasion and awareness, ensure that my life style (biking to work, eating locally grown food, drive less, and controlling fertility) become entrenched as a matter of personal habit. By adopting these norms, my personal environmental habits become unescapable
In the course of this paper, it is likely that adopting a global environmental initiative will influence far-reaching policies to protect the earth. As previously identified habits, reducing the amount of meat-eating daily will help with climate and energy. To drive less, walk and bike more will lead to pollution reduction and reduce greenhouse gas. Recycled food and waste reduce the ecological footprint.
Reducing personal habits affluence my personal lifestyle in society because of the changes I made to the environment. My day to day activity influences my immediate environmental issues so, I will recycle food waste and monitor my overall consumption of meat. Monitor the amount of water usage. By reducing pollution, I will drive less and bike or walk more.
Action can be taken every day to reduce my ecological footprint by mitigating the negative environmental impacts. Once the environmental issue is identified, then I will consider choosing ( (Nichols and McElFish, 2009) energy-efficient appliances and bulbs. Save water: by turning off the water when brushing or washing dishes.
The Ethical Dimensions of Global Environmental Issues. (2020, Oct 31). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-ethical-dimensions-of-global-environmental-issues-essay
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