Environment
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Environmental issues. (2023). In Q-files Encyclopedia, Geography, Environment. Retrieved from
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"Environmental issues." Geography, Environment, Q-files Encyclopedia, 9 Mar. 2023.
https://www.q-files.com/geography/environment/environmental-issues.
Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Environmental issues 2023. Geography, Environment. Retrieved 19 March 2024, from
https://www.q-files.com/geography/environment/environmental-issues
Geography, Environment, s.v. "Environmental issues," accessed March 19, 2024.
https://www.q-files.com/geography/environment/environmental-issues
Environmental issues
People have made many changes to the world they live in—and some of these have had harmful consequences. As the world population increases, there is need for bigger cities, new towns and farmland. Land has to be cleared, destroying the habitats of animals and plants. Loss of habitat, pollution and hunting have driven some animals to extinction, while others are endangered. Industrialization, when not regulated, is a major threat to the environment. Factories discharge harmful chemicals into rivers and seas, while greenhouse gases are released into the air by factories and vehicles.
Global warming
Carbon dioxide, methane and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are all greenhouse gases. In the right amounts, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the Sun so the Earth is not too hot or too cold. But if greenhouse gases build up, too much heat is trapped and the Earth becomes warmer. This change in climate, known as global warming or the climate emergency, will have disastrous effects if current trends continue. The ice in the polar regions will melt, raising sea levels and causing severe flooding in low-lying areas. Changes in the climatic pattern worldwide are already leading to more violent storms, flooding and long droughts.
Desertification
Desertification is when an area of relatively dry land becomes more dry and desert-like, losing its plants and animals. It is partly caused by farmers overgrazing their animals on the meagre grass and shrubs in dry areas, and by the clearance of trees for firewood. Climate change and drought also play a large part. When vegetation (grasses, bushes and trees) dies or is removed, the fertile upper soil blows away or is eroded by rainwater, leaving only infertile lower soil that is not suitable for farming or grassland.
Diverting waters from river and lakes can also cause desertification. The waters of the Aral Sea in Central Asia were diverted to irrigate land for cotton cultivation. The lake was once the fourth largest in the world. It has now almost completely dried up: today it is only 10% of its original size. The local fishing industry has been destroyed. The local fishing industry has been destroyed. Experts expect the Great Salt Lake in Utah, USA—the waters from which have been used to irrigate alfalfa cultivation—to dry up completely by 2030.
There is now nearly three times as much desert in the world as there was 100 years ago. Around 1 billion people live in lands under threat from further desertification. Desertification can be prevented and reversed by measures such as planting new trees and hardy plants, and preventing soil erosion with windbreaks. However, these methods are all costly in terms of money, time and labour.
Deforestation
Deforestation is the cutting down of forests, both rainforests and other forest types. Deforestation destroys the habitats of many plants and animals. Forests slow down soil erosion from wind and water, so over time, deforestation can result in less fertile land for farming. Forests are also important carbon sinks: trees absorb, or “sink”, carbon dioxide, which is one of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
In the 20th century, laws and regulations to protect forests were put in place in many countries. In some regions, such as Europe, deforestation has been slowed down or stopped by sustainable forestry: the practice of ensuring that trees are harvested in a way that protects the future of forests. When a section, or “stand”, of forest is cut down, new seedlings are used to reforest the area.
However, forests are still shrinking, particularly in tropical regions, because of local people’s need for more farmland and income from logging and commercial crop cultivation, such as oil palms. Palm oil, a vegetable oil, comes from the fruit of oil palms. It is in demand in the food industry as a replacement for trans fats (thought to increase the risk of heart disease). The high oil yield of the trees has led to the clearing of forests in parts of Indonesia in order to make space for oil palm plantations. This, in turn, threatens the survival of the orang-utan, whose habitat this is.
The world’s total area of forest decreases at a rate of 13 million hectares per year (an area roughly the size of Greece).
Air pollution
Air pollution is caused by fumes and smoke from vehicles, factory chimneys and power stations. Poisonous gases, such as sulphur dioxide released from factories, can mix with rain and mist to produce acids. When the acid rain falls, it kills plants over a wide area. Carbon monoxide released by vehicle exhausts causes city smogs, which dramatically increase rates of asthma and other heart and breathing problems. Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) in factories and vehicles also causes a build-up of carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases that results in global warming.
Many efforts are being made to reduce air pollution. These include regulation of factories to control their emissions of pollutants. Some countries are moving towards cleaner fuels, such as biodiesel (made from plants or animal fats), and to using electric vehicles. New petrol-engine cars are fitted with catalytic converters on their exhausts, which make toxic pollutants less toxic. Many cities are carefully planning their public transport (so that fewer car journeys are made) and introducing zoning to make the air in residential areas cleaner. For example, drivers who take their cars into central London now have to pay a fee.
Ocean pollution
Pollution of the oceans endangers the lives of marine animals, destroys habitats and causes serious health problems for humans. Land-based activities that pollute the oceans include the use of fertilizers and pesticides in farming (1) and the poor disposal of chemical waste and sewage, which may be washed out into the ocean by rivers, or be poured straight into the sea through pipes (2). Other causes of marine pollution are the dumping of chemicals or waste at sea (3), leaking oil tankers (4) and discarded fishing nets (5).
Individuals and countries can all take steps to reduce ocean pollution. Individuals can make sure that they always dispose of waste, particularly plastic waste, responsibly. Since ocean pollution spreads across country boundaries, countries need to work together to build on steps already taken to regulate pollution.
Waste
Waste includes household waste (plastic bags, tins, bottles, unwanted electronic equipment) and waste from factories, demolition sites, hospitals and nuclear power stations. When it is not properly disposed of, waste can cause disease, hazards for animals and contamination of the water, soil and air. As the human population increases, the issue of what to do with all our waste becomes more of a problem.
By recycling as much of our waste as possible (glass, metals, paper and some plastics and electronic items), we can reduce the amount of waste in landfills, where it is disposed of by being buried. Food and plant materials can be separated from non-biodegradable waste and left to decompose, so that they can be recycled as compost for farms and gardens. "Waste to energy" processes can convert waste products into energy for heating and cooking by using them as fuel.
Ozone layer damage
The production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) is responsible for damaging the ozone layer, the protective layer in the Earth’s atmosphere that prevents harmful rays from the Sun (such as ultraviolet, which contributes to skin cancer) reaching the surface. CFCs are synthetic chemicals that were once widely used in aerosol sprays and refrigerators. When they are released into the atmosphere, they destroy the ozone. There is now a hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica during the Antarctic spring.
However, the 1989 International Montreal Protocol phased out the use of CFCs. It is hoped that the ozone layer will recover by 2050.
Consultant: Lloyd Jenkins