Essay on Human Impact on the Environment - 1544 Words

Human Impact on the Environment About three hundred years ago there was a definite spurt in the population of the human race. This was brought about with advancements in sanitation and technology, as well as a dramatic fall in the death rate. By around 1850 the worlds population had grown to about 1 billion and by 1930 it had risen to 2 billion. The current figure is around 6 billion and at this rate the United Nations estimates the population will be at about 9 billion by 2054. This would be a 900% increase in just 200 years. This increase in population has meant that the worlds resources have been put under a great strain in order to sustain the human race. But it has only been in recent†¦show more content†¦The culture of many forest-peoples has been destroyed and deforestation also affects the livelihoods of between 200 and 500 million people, who depend on the rainforest for their shelter and food. Deforestation may also lead to global climate imbalances. There is also a major problem when it comes to carbon storage. With the removal of the trees excessive carbon dioxide levels in the environment may lead to global warming, with many problematic side effects. While deforestation is now viewed as problem, historically it was considered to assist natural development and so now some countries rely on the rainforest for income and the problem will continue whilst they have no alternative. Another problem caused by humans is as a result of the increase in demand for extensive farming throughout the world. In order for crops to be grown trees have to be cut down and I have explained the effects of this already. As well as deforestation, agriculture has also called for the use of fertilisers and pesticides. Fertilisers (and raw sewage) cause eutrophication. Eutrophication occurs when farmers are forced to increase the productivity of their crops and so use fertilisers. These fertilisers run off the land into the waterways and increase the levels of nitrates and phosphates in the water. In turn this increasesShow MoreRelatedHuman Environment And Its Impact On The Environment1583 Words   |  7 PagesOver the past 10,000 years, humans have modified and altered the natural environment. From agriculture to industrialization, humans have changed the environment affecting the atmosphere and its surroundings. The growth in world population is masking a more important human- environmental interaction. While the world’s population is doubling, the world’s urban population is tripling. Within the next few years, more than half of the world will be living in urban areas (Torrey). It is now 2015 and a predictionRead MoreHuman Impacts on the Environment677 Words   |  3 PagesHuman Impacts on the Environment: Ocean Acidification Ecological human effects on the planet are now about 40% greater than the planet can support in a sustainable fashion (Grossman, 2010). One of the many areas with significant damage is the marine biosphere. Ocean acidification is a great threat to marine and subsequently human life. The pH level in the ocean has been a relatively constant 8.15 to 8.25 and organisms have evolved under these circumstances for over 50 million years. HoweverRead More Human Impact On The Environment857 Words   |  4 PagesThe Human Impact On The Environment Contents Page Title 2 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Contents 3†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Loss Of Habitat 5†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..Human Activities 7†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Solutions Loss of Habitat The amount of land available for animals and plants is reduced by Man’s land use, mainly activities such as quarrying, building, farming and dumping waste. Quarrying is a major threat to plants which grow specifically in rocky Read MoreImpacts of Human Behavior on the Environment1201 Words   |  5 PagesHEAD: Impacts of Human Behavior on the Environment 1 Impacts of Human Behavior on the Environment Psy 460 Impacts of Human Behavior on the Environment 2 Environmental psychology is the study of the link between human behavior, the direct impact on the environment, and the psychology of humans. The physical or manmade environment such as building houses or workplaces, and natural environments in natureRead MoreThe Human Impact On Natural Environment1219 Words   |  5 PagesThe human impact on natural environment is one of the most pressing issues of contemporary times and a subject of discussion. The increasing human population and the rising level of technology both have become significant factors in raising the environmental problems. There are several environmental problems around the world today which occurred due to both natural and human causes. Of all the global environmental problems, desertification is, perhaps, the most threatening problem. DesertificationRead MoreHuman Population And Its Impact On The Environment921 Words   |  4 Pageslimit, the environment no longer has the capacity to support them and individuals must die to stabilize the population. Humans are no exception to this rule, as their populations are constrained by such density dependent factors as the availability of food, land, and other resources. Growth in the human population in particular, profoundly worsens the effect on the environment as well, based on the IPAT equation which states that population directly contributes to environmental impact. With the rapidRead MorePositive Impact Of Humans On Environment981 Words   |  4 Pages Positive Impacts of Humans Activity on Environment Student’s Name Institution of Learning Positive Impacts of Humans Activity on Environment Above all, there are a lot of articles and books that discover the negative impacts of humans’ activity on environment. Undoubtedly, healthy food is a very important thing for our future, especially in conditions of great pollution of the natural environment. The genetic engineering and biotechnologies are perspective directions of scientific activityRead MoreHuman Impact on the Environment Essay1535 Words   |  7 Pages Human Impact on the Environment I. Human Population and Industrialization A. By-products of industrialization 1. Industrialization is driven by energy consumption from coal, petroleum, and natural gas a. Fossil fuels were formed by decomposition and pressure on remains of plants and animals millions of years ago b. Oil is the fuel most widely used, both as starting material for making gasoline and for other products 2. Pollution is any environmentalRead MoreEthics Of Human Impact On The Environment1238 Words   |  5 PagesLuke Obrique Ap Capstone Mrs. Satchwell 23 January 2015 Ethics of Human Impact on the Environment Introduction In 2008, the United States declared the polar bears an endangered species. Endangered species is defined as â€Å"a species at risk of extinction because of human activity, changes in climate, and changes in predator-prey ratios†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dictionary). Andrew Derocher, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Alberta, recalls that 30 years ago polar bears â€Å"could be seen up and down theRead MoreHuman Induced Environmental Impact On The Environment1191 Words   |  5 Pages1. Describe a human-induced environmental impact and how knowledge of ecosystem ecology could be used to mitigate this impact. In your answer, pay particular attention to the spatial and temporal nature of the impact and how this has affected ecosystem structure and function. There are many factors that can cause harm to the environment. Some of these impacts on the environment may be caused by natural factors for example, fires, floods, hurricanes, tornados, etc. Unfortunately, there are many