Environmental Issues
>> Friday, July 8, 2011
Environmental issues are negative aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment. Environmentalism, a social and environmental movement that started in the 1960s, addresses environmental issues through advocacy, education and activism. Major current environmental issues may include climate change, pollution, environmental degradation, and resource depletion etc. . The conservation movement lobbies for protection of endangered species and protection of any ecologically valuable natural areas.Scientific grounding
The level of understanding of Earth has increased markedly in recent times through science especially with the application of the scientific method. Environmental science is now a multi-disciplinary academic study taught and researched at many universities. This is used as a basis for addressing environmental issues.
A recent major report was the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, with input from 1200 scientists and released in 2005, which showed the high level of impact that humans are having on ecosystem services.
Organizations
Environmental issues are addressed at a regional, nation or international level by government organisations.
The largest international agency, set up in 1972, is the United Nations Environment Programme. The International Union for Conservation of Nature brings together 83 states, 108 government agencies, 766 Non-governmental organizations and 81 international organizations and about 10,000 experts and scientists from countries around the world. Governments enact environmental policy and enforce environmental law and this is done to differing degrees around the world. Paryawaran Sachetak Samiti is fighting against polythene, to stop use of plastic carry bages under Jhola Aandolan around the world.
Solutions
Sustainability is the key to preventing or reducing the effect of environmental issues. There is now clear scientific evidence that humanity is living unsustainably, and that an unprecedented collective effort is needed to return human use of natural resources to within sustainable limits. Concerns for the environment has prompted the formation of Green parties, political parties that seek to address environmental issues. Initially these formed in Australia, New Zealand and Germany but are now present in many other countries.
Film and television
There are an increasing number of films being produced on environmental issues, especially on climate change and global warming. Al Gore's 2006 film An Inconvenient Truth gained commercial success and a high media profile. FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) is an animated film about rainforest destruction.
List of environmental issues
This is a list of environmental issues that are due to human activities. These articles relate to the anthropogenic effects on the natural environment.
- Anoxic waters — Anoxic event • Hypoxia • Ocean deoxygenation • Dead zone
- Climate change — Global warming • Global dimming • Fossil fuels • Sea level rise • Greenhouse gas • Ocean acidification • Shutdown of thermohaline circulation
- Conservation — Species extinction • Pollinator decline • Coral bleaching • Holocene extinction • Invasive species • Poaching • Endangered species
- Energy — Energy conservation • Renewable energy • Efficient energy use • Renewable energy commercialization
- Environmental degradation — Eutrophication • Habitat destruction • Invasive species
- Environmental health — Air quality • Asthma • Electromagnetic fields • Electromagnetic radiation and health • Indoor air quality • Lead poisoning • Sick Building Syndrome
- Genetic engineering — Genetic pollution • Genetically modified food controversies
- Intensive farming — Overgrazing • Irrigation • Monoculture • Environmental effects of meat production • Slash and burn • Pesticide drift • Plasticulture
- Land degradation — Land pollution • Desertification
Soil — Soil conservation • Soil erosion • Soil contamination • Soil salination - Land use — Urban sprawl • Habitat fragmentation • Habitat destruction
- Nanotechnology — Nanotoxicology • Nanopollution
- Nuclear issues — Nuclear fallout • Nuclear meltdown • Nuclear power • Nuclear weapons • Nuclear and radiation accidents • Nuclear safety • High-level radioactive waste management.
- Overpopulation — Burial • Water crisis • Overpopulation in companion animals • Tragedy of the commons
- Ozone depletion — CFC
- Pollution — Light pollution • Noise pollution • Visual pollution • Nonpoint source pollution • Point source pollution
Water pollution — Acid rain • Eutrophication • Marine pollution • Ocean dumping • Oil spills • Thermal pollution • Urban runoff • Water crisis • Marine debris • Microplastics • Ocean acidification • Ship pollution • Wastewater • Fish kill • Algal bloom • Mercury in fish
Air pollution — Smog • Tropospheric ozone • Indoor air quality • Volatile organic compound • Particulate matter • Sulphur oxide - Reservoirs — Environmental impacts of reservoirs
- Resource depletion — Exploitation of natural resources • Overdrafting
Consumerism — Consumer capitalism • Planned obsolescence • Over-consumption
Fishing — Blast fishing • Bottom trawling • Cyanide fishing • Ghost nets • Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing • Overfishing • Shark finning • Whaling
Logging — Clearcutting • Deforestation • Illegal logging
Mining — Acid mine drainage • Mountaintop removal mining • Slurry impoundments - Toxins — Chlorofluorocarbons • DDT • Endocrine disruptors • Dioxin • Toxic heavy metals • Herbicides • Pesticides • Toxic waste • PCB • Bioaccumulation • Biomagnification
- Waste — E-waste • Litter • Waste disposal incidents • Marine debris • Medical waste • Landfill • Leachate • Recycling • Incineration • ICE demolition protocol • Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Today we face several types of environmental issues which surprisingly did not get much attention few decades back. The reason probably was that earth didn't have too much human population and people managed to stay away from pollution whenever they faced trouble with their habitat. But today, the price of land and home is on the constant increase in almost all parts of the world and for the newer generation, owning a home is almost impossible.
What Are They And How To Fight Them?
Today we face several types of environmental issues which surprisingly did not get much attention few decades back. The reason probably was that earth didn't have too much human population and people managed to stay away from pollution whenever they faced trouble with their habitat. But today, the price of land and home is on the constant increase in almost all parts of the world and for the newer generation, owning a home is almost impossible.
More and more people are getting affected by different types of environmental issues and this is why people started to realize and bring awareness about these problems. Pollution, habitat destruction and overpopulation are some examples for the recent issues our generation faces. The biggest challenge for environmental issues is that humans no longer get places that are ideal for a living and they are forced to compromise on whatever they get.
Japan has one of the highest population densities in the world and the country does not have sufficient land space to utilize. Japanese have been living very close to the ocean for several centuries, but today the population of people who live very close to oceans is steadily on the rise. What is the consequence? When tsunami hit Japan, several thousands of people died even after the Japanese authorities could identify the arrival of the tsunami much earlier.
The problem was that government could not quickly evacuate such a huge population and when the evacuation process was going on, tsunami hit the Japanese soil and took away the lives of several thousands. Most environmental issues are created by humans and for the same reason; it's possible for us to do something to protect our mother nature. Switching yourself to a green living is the best thing you can do because by using green products, you can bring down pollution drastically.
Make sure that you are not using any products made up of wood because plants are essential for producing sufficient oxygen and keeping our ecosystem cool. You can also spread the word about protecting the land and this will attract the attention of many people.
Different Environmental Issues Around the World
There have been so many environmental problems that exist in our world today. Our ecological predicament has been worsened by the occurrences of natural disasters like typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and any other calamities.
Today, we will be talking some of the environmental issues which we believe bears more careful attention by the authorities and the whole citizens around the world.
Mining - is one of the top problems listed among so many social quandaries that leaders of every nation must deeply examine. Although, mining is vital since it is one of the important sources of raw materials in the production of other products, yet we cannot really deny that it is also one factor that destroys our environment. There have been many studies that mining can really cause great damage to mother earth, but the rise of mining industry around the world have been doubled. We need mining to support the needs of the people but we also need to take good care our environment. Despite of the introduction of concepts for a responsible mining, it is still very destructive.
Global warming - our environmental climate is changing and it's getting warmer every day. The ozone layer that protects us from the heat of the sun is gradually damage by the rapid climb of technology. Air pollution - millions of cars and buses traveling everyday in the minor and major thoroughfares of each country, and all of these are producing air pollutants. We have been breathing those dirty particles that slowly spoil our physical and mental health.
Deforestation - this is another great factor attributed to many environmental problems that we faced at this moment. We are hardly fronting the uncontrolled cutting of trees in whatever geographical location of the world.
Our planet has been filled with so many environmental predicaments. The devastations that happened in the people's lives and properties because of the frequent occurrences of natural calamities can be partly indicted directly to human. We strive each day for a better life yet we unknowingly destroying our own existence. Our environment is our life and let us share our very best to protect the mother earth from any harm.
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