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Our environment is deteriorating for the last two centuries, and almost every part of the planet has been touched by it in one way or the other. The primary cause of environmental degradation is human disturbance. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction defines environmental degradation as “the reduction of the capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological objectives and needs”. The Industrial Revolution of the 19th century mechanized the production and manufacturing of goods and equipment, which, in turn, used fuels as a source of energy, deteriorating the environment. Environmental changes are based on factors like urbanization, population and economic growth, increase in energy consumption, and agricultural intensification.
Environmental degradation can be seen in various manifestations. For example, land pollution. Through farming practices, excessive amounts of fertilizers and particles are used. Pesticides often contain toxic elements that can pollute the soil. In addition, large amounts of industrial waste are disposed into nearby rivers or lakes, causing tremendous water pollution. In order to meet the increased demand for goods, industries have to produce a large number of items that causes the emission of harmful gases that contribute to global warming. Several other forms of pollution include noise pollution, light pollution, and pollution regarding nuclear waste.
The question arises, what are the drivers of environmental changes? First of all, it is overpopulation. A growing number of people also implies an increasing overall consumption level for goods. This, in turn, causes an increase in the emission of harmful gases, which leads to air pollution and also contributes to global warming. Deforestation also plays an important role. Trees are natural storage space for Co2 and also produce oxygen that is crucial for many life forms on our planet. Through deforestation, large amounts of harmful greenhouse gases are set free which contributes to global warming. One of the big problems is the lack of education, as many people are just not aware of how their actions influence the environment. Mining is another driver of environmental change. Natural habitats for any animals and plants may be destroyed since large areas of land have to be used. As well as illegal dumping. For example, dumping waste into water bodies leads to the contamination of many fishes and other sea animals. Also, trash disposed of in forests can contaminate the soil and subsequently groundwater, since rainfalls may wash harmful substances through the soil into the groundwater. And the last one is agricultural pollution. The use of large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides in agricultural processes leads to soil pollution and may destroy the fertility of the fields in the long run.
Environmental degradation damages the ecosystem. Global warming, sea, and air temperature increase lead to a higher probability for severe storms and floods. Areas exposed to toxic air pollutants can cause respiratory problems like pneumonia and asthma, moreover, many people lose their homes and suffer from poor hygienic conditions, which support the spread of diseases. Also, famine. Since water is crucial for all life on earth, its lack will lead to the death of plants and animals. People will no longer be able to till their fields or grow crops. Many poor countries rely on tourism as their major source of income. Following environmental degradation, this income will decrease, or even fully vanish. And finally, environmental degradation can lead to the extinction of species. Many animals and plants are quite sensitive to their natural environmental conditions. Thus, if these conditions are altered due to pollution or deforestation, these animals and plants will decrease in population or worse still become extinct.
So, what should we change? What is an effective solution to the problem of environmental degradation? Firstly, to stop deforestation. Forests are a natural habitat for many animals and plants which may become endangered if these forests are cut down. Moreover, we need our trees to store greenhouse gases and to produce oxygen. Secondly, reforesting. Planting more trees protects the land from floods and soil erosion. It also improves the fertility of the land and increases biodiversity. Thirdly, we should reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Farmers should use composted manure and bio-fertilizers, biologically active products such as algae and bacteria that help initiate nitrogen fixation in soil. Biological methods of pest control such as importation - introducing a pest's natural enemy in a location where they do not naturally occur - also minimize soil pollution. High fines for illegal dumping are also a good decision. Consequently, raising fines for illegal dumping will increase the incentive to dispose of trash at official waste disposal sites. Stricter government regulations are also needed. For instance, this could come in the form of the government setting high taxes for activities that harm our planet and supporting environmentally-friendly behavior with financial subsidies. By doing so, industries and also private people get a higher incentive to avoid environmental degradation. Our Western society always strives for the newest electronics, the newest smartphones, the trendiest clothes, and so on. However, this behavior leads to massive resource depletion and also to excessive waste production. In order to avoid adverse ecological consequences, we have to lower our consumption levels significantly. Education is a major key to mitigating the problem of environmental degradation. It is crucial that we educate people about the adverse environmental consequences of daily life behavior and how we improve our ecological footprint. Plastic waste is a big environmental cause of significant pollution and adverse consequences for our planet. To save plastic waste, we should avoid buying items wrapped or packaged in plastic. To reduce solid waste pollution on land, the reuse of materials such as clothes, plastic bags, and glass at home rather than disposing of them should be encouraged. This contributes to saving natural resources. Wastewater treatment is also of great importance. Wastewater facilities can remove nearly all pollutants in wastewater via a chemical, physical or biological process. Sewage is taken through several chambers of the facility to reduce its toxicity levels. And finally, nature reserves and biotopes. On one hand, nature reserves provide a space for our stressed society to rest and reload their batteries. On the other hand, they provide many animals and the planet with a habitat where they can grow in population and therefore avoid the risk to become extracted in the future.
Summing up, environmental degradation is a major problem of our time. Its impact can be devastating on the social, economic, and environmental systems of a country or region, as well as the global ecosystem. Depending on the damage, some environments may never recover. The plants and animals that inhabit these places may be lost forever. To reduce any future impacts, city planners, industry, and resource managers must consider the long-term perspective of development on the environment. With sound planning, public awareness, and community participation, future environmental disasters can be prevented.
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