Environmental Problems

Environmental Problems                Some people say that we should invest money in ecology projects, while others believe that nature is doing well by itself.The earth is the only planet that people can live on, but nowadays they seem to be doing everything to make their home unfit for living. Industrialization has brought us into conflict with the natural environment. Our pl^get is in danger; air, water and land pollution have disastrous consequences which threaten human life on Earth. I strongly feel that the more money is invested in ecology projects, the better our lives are going to be. People have technologies to make our planet cleaner: we can control pollution, recycle waste materials, protect rare animals and plants and install antipollution equipment. We need more disaster-prevention programs in order to control environmental pollution, fight the destruction of wildlife and preserve woodlands. There should be more organizations like Greenpeace that will help protect the animal world and stop environmental degradation. Such organizations influence public opinion and help form a correct attitude to nature. There should be more newspaper articles, TV-programs and science-popular films about ecological problems. They help people become environment-educated. However, many people still believe that nature is doing well by itself. They use natural resources and pollute the environment, but they don't think how awful the consequences may be. I'm sure that nature can't do without our help. If we want to breathe fresh air, to drink clean water and to eat healthy food, we must stop polluting the environment. To conclude, ecological problems concern everybody and there are ways to solve them. People must always remember that the earth is our home and it depends on us what it will be like. Many people think that they can't solve the world's environmental problems on their own and that the government and big companies must care about these problems. However, others say that individuals can do much to help the environment.Our planet is in danger: air, water and land pollution have disastrous consequences which threaten human life on Earth. Most people are convinced that something must be done to stop pollution, but they don't know if they can help. In my opinion, much can be done by an average citizen. People have to be smart about such things as driving a car or using electricity. Whenever we drive a car, we are adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. To make our planet cleaner and to use less energy we can try carpooling. That is when three people ride together in one car instead of driving three cars to work. We can also use public transport, ride a bike, or walk. People can save electricity by turning off lights, our TV-set and computer. We can use less washing up liquids to keep the water clean. We can also plant trees, collect litter and recycle cans, bottles, plastic bags and newspapers. Besides, we can buy products that don't use much energy. But a lot of people still think that there is little they can do to help the environment. They are sure that it is the duty of the government and big companies to make our planet cleaner: to recycle waste materials, to protect rare animals and plants, to install antipollution equipment and so on. But they are wrong. Everybody must take part in reducing pollution. To conclude, if we want to be healthy, to drink clean water and to breathe fresh air, we should take care of the environment and help improve our lives on Earth. There is a lot of discussion about the destruction of rain forests. Some people don't care about this problem, while others feel that the rain forest must be preserved.Nowadays rainforests occupy a relatively small area. One can find them in South America and Indonesia, in Thailand and Sri Lanka. Worryingly, rainforests are disappearing at an alarming rate owing to deforestation, river pollution and soil erosion. Quite a lot of people still don't know what effect the destruction of the rainforest may have on the world climate. To my mind, tropical rainforests are very important for our planet because they are home to a great variety of plants, insects, birds and animals. Tropical rainforests are called the "world's largest pharmacy" because a lot of natural medicines have been discovered there. More than half of the world's species of plants and animals are found in rainforests. They also offer a way of life to many people living in and around the forest. What is more, rainforests are the lungs of our planet because they produce a significant amount of the world's oxygen. Unfortunately, rainforests continue disappearing. Some people say that we need more land for agriculture and more trees for timber. They continue killing animals and picking up herbs and rare flowers. Rainforests also have value as tourism destinations. But the increasing number of tourists may damage the local environment. I strongly feel that people must be careful with nature. To conclude, if people want to be healthy and to live happily on Earth, they must preserve rainforests. I think that governments must work together with environmentalists to fight deforestation and to prevent the disappearance of "the lungs of our planet". Everybody understands that we should recycle our waste. However, most people continue disposing of it in the usual way.Recycling is an important issue nowadays. Unfortunately, people have always polluted their surroundings. The development of big industrial cities has led to the concentration of huge amounts of waste into small areas. Disposal of waste has become a major problem. When rubbish is burnt, this pollutes the atmosphere. When it is buried in landfill sites, it can cause pollution of water supplies. So the obvious solution of this problem is recycling. I strongly feel that everybody can help recycle waste by collecting litter and by sorting rubbish into different categories. Paper, glass and plastic can be sold to recycling companies. Recycled waste can be made into new products and it can help save natural resources. Some waste can also be used to produce electricity or to make soil for growing fruit and vegetables. In my opinion, it would be great if recycling centres paid people for the rubbish they brought in. But in spite of all the advantages of recycling, there is still a lot of waste everywhere. Many people don't want to sort their rubbish. Some areas still have plenty of landfill space and no recycling centres. They find it rather expensive to transport materials for recycling to big cities. To my mind, there must be more recycling centres not only in big cities, but in small towns as well. Besides, people should be educated about the importance of recycling. In general, recycling is good for the environment. What is more, it is an interesting and profitable business. If everybody made a small effort to improve their local environment, pollution would be reduced gradually and the global situation would improve.

The Nature Conservancy

Taking on the tough issues facing conservation today.

The Nature Conservancy is taking on the tough issues facing conservation today — from climate change to coral reefs, to energy development in a growing world. We are applying high level strategies to our conservation work around the world in the following areas:

CONSERVATION ACTION

The Conservancy works with government officials and partners around the world. In the United States, we work to support public policies that protect our lands and waters so the next generations of Americans can build secure and rewarding lives.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Working for solutions that will reduce emissions to levels compatible with a healthy planet, preserve forests and help nature adapt to global warming.

WATER

Freshwater ecosystems provide us with drinking water, food, energy, transportation — even joy. But experts warn that in the next 20 years, half of the world’s population could face water shortages. There are practical solutions to freshwater conservation but we must take bold action now.

RAINFORESTS

The Nature Conservancy is working around the world in places like Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula to protect rainforests, engaging local and indigenous communities in creative solutions that balance the needs of people with nature.

CORAL REEFS

Scientists estimate that unless we take immediate action, we could lose up to 70 percent of coral reefs by 2050.The Nature Conservancy is dedicated to protecting these vital ecosystems and all the corals, fish and people that depend on them.

MIGRATORY BIRDS

Birds are a priceless part of our heritage. They are beautiful, they reflect the health of our environment, and they are economically important. Preserving and protecting bird habitat has always been a core part of the Conservancy's mission.

LAND CONSERVATION

Sustaining the world’s land resources is where the Conservancy’s story began. Today, we are guided by our vision to conserve land at an unprecedented scale — for the benefit of people, wildlife, and our climate. Ours is a mission to transform how land is developed, used and conserved, doing more to unlock the true potential for green growth. 

PEOPLE AND CONSERVATION

Protecting nature isn’t about putting up fences around pristine places to keep people out. We’re about protecting the places and resources we depend on for the benefit of all species — plants, animals and people.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND COMMUNITIES

The Nature Conservancy collaborates and partners with Indigenous peoples and local communities around the world to support a human rights-based approach to conservation. In an effort to further our commitment to inclusive conservation, we support indigenous and community-led initiatives to strengthen their decision-making authority and stewardship of natural resources.

DEVELOPMENT BY DESIGN

The Nature Conservancy’s approach to development enables companies, governments and communities to make better decisions about where development could occur — and where it shouldn’t. Through science and planning methods, like Development by Design, we can provide a holistic view of what development does to natural systems and the people and precious wildlife that depend upon them.

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HOW WE WORK

OUR SCIENCE

The Conservancy is a world leader in cutting-edge conservation science with 550 staff scientists around the globe.

CONSERVATION BY DESIGN

For more than a decade, The Nature Conservancy’s work has been guided by a framework we call Conservation by Design — a systematic approach that determines where to work, what to conserve, what strategies we should use and how effective we have been.

PURSUING DIVERSITY

The Nature Conservancy has a strong and abiding commitment to diversity in its workforce and in the people and groups with which it works. We recognize the Conservancy's mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of men and women of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and cultures.

WORKING WITH COMPANIES

For decades, The Nature Conservancy has recognized that the private sector has an important role to play in advancing our conservation mission. We are applying our science, reach, expertise in conservation planning, and on-the-ground experience to help businesses make better decisions, understand the value of nature, and protect it. 

INNOVATIVE CONSERVATION FINANCE

The Conservancy has financed hundreds of millions of dollars in conservation, protection and restoration throughout the years, and has been at the cutting edge of science, land conservation and innovative financing solutions. We are always testing new ways to further our reach — like the Conservation Note which allows individual and institutional investors to put their money where their values are by investing in Conservancy projects around the globe.

The New Wild

There are places around the world where people and nature are thriving together.

BE INSPIRED BY THE NEW WILD!

Environmental Problems

Our environment is constantly changing. There is no denying that. However, as our environment changes, so does the need to become increasingly aware of the problems that surround it. With a massive influx of natural disasters, warming and cooling periods, different types of weather patterns and much more, people need to be aware of what types of environmental problems our planet is facing.

Global warming has become an undisputed fact about our current livelihoods; our planet is warming up and we are definitely part of the problem. However, this isn’t the only environmental problem that we should be concerned about. All across the world, people are facing a wealth of new and challenging environmental problems every day. Some of them are small and only affect a few ecosystems, but others are drastically changing the landscape of what we already know.

Our planet is poised at the brink of a severe environmental crisis. Current environmental problems make us vulnerable to disasters and tragedies, now and in the future. We are in a state of planetary emergency, with environmental problems piling up high around us. Unless we address the various issues prudently and seriously we are surely doomed for disaster. Current environmental problems require urgent attention.

15 Major Current Environmental Problems

1. Pollution: Pollution of air, water and soil require millions of years to recoup. Industry and motor vehicle exhaust are the number one pollutants. Heavy metals, nitrates and plastic are toxins responsible for pollution. While water pollution is caused by oil spill, acid rain, urban runoff; air pollution is caused by various gases and toxins released by industries and factories and combustion of fossil fuels; soil pollution is majorly caused by industrial waste that deprives soil from essential nutrients.

2. Global Warming: Climate changes like global warming is the result of human practices like emission of Greenhouse gases. Global warming leads to rising temperatures of the oceans and the earth’ surface causing melting of polar ice caps, rise in sea levels and also unnatural patterns of precipitation such as flash floods, excessive snow or desertification.

3. Overpopulation: The population of the planet is reaching unsustainable levels as it faces shortage of resources like water, fuel and food. Population explosion in less developed and developing countries is straining the already scarce resources. Intensive agriculture practiced to produce food damages the environment through use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides and insecticides. Overpopulation is one of the crucial current environmental problem.

4. Natural Resource Depletion: Natural resource depletion is another crucial current environmental problems. Fossil fuel consumption results in emission of Greenhouse gases, which is responsible for global warming and climate change. Globally, people are taking efforts to shift to renewable sources of energy like solar, wind, biogas and geothermal energy. The cost of installing the infrastructure and maintaining these sources has plummeted in the recent years.

5. Waste Disposal: The over consumption of resources and creation of plastics are creating a global crisis of waste disposal. Developed countries are notorious for producing an excessive amount of waste or garbage and dumping their waste in the oceans and, less developed countries. Nuclear waste disposal has tremendous health hazards associated with it. Plastic, fast food, packaging and cheap electronic wastes threaten the well being of humans. Waste disposal is one of urgent current environmental problem.

6. Climate Change: Climate change is yet another environmental problem that has surfaced in last couple of decades. It occurs due to rise in global warming which occurs due to increase in temperature of atmosphere by burning of fossil fuels and release of harmful gases by industries. Climate change has various harmful effects but not limited to melting of polar ice, change in seasons, occurrence of new diseases, frequent occurrence of floods and change in overall weather scenario.

7. Loss of Biodiversity: Human activity is leading to the extinction of species and habitats and and loss of bio-diversity. Eco systems, which took millions of years to perfect, are in danger when any species population is decimating. Balance of natural processes like pollination is crucial to the survival of the eco-system and human activity threatens the same. Another example is the destruction of coral reefs in the various oceans, which support the rich marine life.

8. Deforestation: Our forests are natural sinks of carbon dioxide and produce fresh oxygen as well as helps in regulating temperature and rainfall. At present forests cover 30% of the land but every year tree cover is lost amounting to the country of Panama due to growing population demand for more food, shelter and cloth. Deforestation simply means clearing of green cover and make that land available for residential, industrial or commercial purpose.

9. Ocean Acidification: It is a direct impact of excessive production of CO2. 25% of CO2 produced by humans. The ocean acidity has increased by the last 250 years but by 2100, it may shoot up by 150%. The main impact is on shellfish and plankton in the same way as human osteoporosis.

10. Ozone Layer Depletion: The ozone layer is an invisible layer of protection around the planet that protects us from the sun’s harmful rays. Depletion of the crucial Ozone layer of the atmosphere is attributed to pollution caused by Chlorine and Bromide found in Chloro-floro carbons (CFC’s). Once these toxic gases reach the upper atmosphere, they cause a hole in the ozone layer, the biggest of which is above the Antarctic. The CFC’s are banned in many industries and consumer products. Ozone layer is valuable because it prevents harmful UV radiation from reaching the earth. This is one of the most important current environmental problem.

11. Acid Rain: Acid rain occurs due to the presence of certain pollutants in the atmosphere. Acid rain can be caused due to combustion of fossil fuels or erupting volcanoes or rotting vegetation which release sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. Acid rain is a known  environmental problem that can have serious effect on human health, wildlife and aquatic species.

12. Water Pollution: Clean drinking water is becoming a rare commodity. Water is becoming an economic and political issue as the human population fights for this resource. One of the options suggested is using the process of desalinization. Industrial development is filling our rivers seas and oceans with toxic pollutants which are a major threat to human health.

13. Urban Sprawl: Urban sprawl refers to migration of population from high density urban areas to low density rural areas which results in spreading of city over more and more rural land. Urban sprawl results in land degradation, increased traffic, environmental issues and health issues. The ever growing demand of land displaces natural environment consisting of flora and fauna instead of being replaced.

14: Public Health Issues: The current environmental problems pose a lot of risk to health of humans, and animals. Dirty water is the biggest health risk of the world and poses threat to the quality of life and public health. Run-off to rivers carries along toxins, chemicals and disease carrying organisms. Pollutants cause respiratory disease like Asthma and cardiac-vascular problems. High temperatures encourage the spread of infectious diseases like Dengue.

15. Genetic Engineering: Genetic modification of food using biotechnology is called genetic engineering. Genetic modification of food results in increased toxins and diseases as genes from an allergic plant can transfer to target plant. Genetically modified crops can cause serious environmental problems as an engineered gene may prove toxic to wildlife. Another drawback is that increased use of toxins to make insect resistant plant can cause resultant organisms to become resistant to antibiotics.

The need for change in our daily lives and the movements of our government is growing. Because so many different factors come into play; voting, governmental issues, the desire to stick to routine, many people don’t consider that what they do will affect future generations. If humans continue moving forward in such a harmful way towards the future, then there will be no future to consider. Although it’s true that we cannot physically stop our ozone layer from thinning (and scientists are still having trouble figuring out what is causing it exactly,) there are still so many things we can do to try and put a dent in what we already know. By raising awareness in your local community and within your families about these issues, you can help contribute to a more environmentally conscious and friendly place for you to live.