UNIT 5: HUMAN IMPACT
SEV5. A, SEV5. B, SEV5. C, SEV5. D, SEV5. E, SEV5.F
Jamesia Dalton
HUMAN IMPACT
Humans have various impacts on the environment. Many of the problems we're faced with today are a result of our own activities. For example, when we drive gas guzzling vehicles, we are polluting the air by putting CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. When we dump oil and waste into our water systems, we are causing water pollution. Deforestation and unregulated cutting of our forests are leading to erosion and landslides. There are other types of ways we impact our environment such as urbanization. Urbanization is when rural land is converted into urbanized land by adding factories, homes, churches, coal factories, railroads, etc. These components add to pollution because factories produce smog that makes our clean air filthy and that leads to acid rain. Most of the polluted water comes from waste-water from your very own homes. Each individual on Earth takes part in the construction or destruction of the planet.
HUMAN POPULATION
* Industrial Revolution
* Medical Advancements
* Farming Advancements
BIODIVERSITY
Increased Biodiversity leads to:
- Genetic variation for survival during environmental changes
- Increased Stability
- Potential Medicines and food crops
Examples of Pollution created by Humans
Agricultural Pollution
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
LAND POLLUTION
Land pollution, the degradation of the Earth's surfaces and soil, is caused by human activity and a misuse of natural resources. All land pollution is caused by a human impact on the environment and thus can be averted by our actions alone. Causes of land pollution and degradation include:
- Urban sprawl: the migration of a population from populated towns and cities to low density residential development over more and more rural land. The end result is the spreading of a city and its suburbs over more and more rural land.
- Poor agricultural practices: Animal manure runoff, the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, the practice of growing monocultures , and the deforestation required to expand farm land all contribute to degradation and pollution.
- Personal consumption: the primary measure of consumer spending on goods and services in the U.S. economy. It accounts for about two-thirds of domestic final spending, and thus it is the primary engine that drives future economic growth.
- Industrial activities: The production of chemical-laden plastics, poor quality of products, unethical practices (such as illegal dumping), and extreme emissions affect both surrounding and far-reaching areas.
Water Pollution
- Of all the water on Earth, only 2.5% of it is freshwater.
- Of that 2.5%, less than 1% is available to us.
- Humans each require up to 13 gallons (50 litres) a day of fresh water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. This does NOT take into account the countless gallons of water needed to grow food or care for animals.
- 70% of all freshwater usage goes to irrigation.
According to Organic Farming Research Foundation, only 2% of farms are organic.This results in a whopping 69% of our supply of freshwater being contaminated by chemical fertilizers, chemical pesticides, and herbicides, and is also composed of fossil fuels and heavy farming machinery emissions.This resulted in acid rain. Acid rain is also a pollutant of our limited supply of freshwater, thus continuing the cycle of water pollution.
Oil Spills Into Yellowstone River, Possibly Polluting Drinking Water
"The scenic Yellowstone River has suffered its second sizable oil spill in four years, prompting truckloads of drinking water to be
into the eastern Montana city of Glendive. The latest spill is not expected to affectYellowstone National Park, about 350 miles upstream.Some oil from the weekend spill got into a water supply intake along the river that serves about 6,000 people in Glendive, according to preliminary tests at the city's water treatment plant. The sample showed elevated levels of volatile organic compounds, predominantly benzene, that would explain the odor in tap water, officials at the plant said. The potential health risks are uncertain until further testing is complete, they said."
CARBON FOOTPRINT
- We are our future. In order to lessen our impact on the environment, we must reduce our emissions of wasteful contaminants into our ecosystem. We are destroying our home.
Email: HelpSaveTheWorld@yahoo.com
Website: http://mashable.com/2013/10/22/reduce-carbon-footprint/#EuzoLFycSSqf
Location: Lumpkin, GA, United States
Phone: (229)321-8745
Facebook: facebook.com/http://www.vcapcd.org/pubs/Factsheets/50WaysfactSheet.pdf
Twitter: @HelpSaveTheWorld
Earth Day
Throughout the Day
- live music * free micro-seminars @ the eco-education stage * free bike parking corral (SBBC) * E-Waste Recycling Drive and Document Shredding (Waste Management) @ MBMS * Kids' Activity Walk
Earth Day Vendor and Activities Map
- Noon - Ron the Dyno Guy Live Music for Kids
- 1 PM - Environmental Hero Awards
- 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM Music by REWIND, Rock tribute covering 1970s to now
- 3:30 ECO-Quiz Giveaway
- 11:30 AM - 11:50 AM Living Sustainably: presented by Grades of Green
- 12:00 PM - 12:20 PM Labeling Food Containing GMOs
- 12:30 PM - 12:50 PM Sustainable Landscaping and Waterwise Gardens
- 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM Beekeeping: Learn All About Bees!
- 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Nihoa (Ukulele music with original songs about the environment)