Across the world, we can say that all Nations have environmental problems. However, the immediate effects on the medium and long term are harmful. But to guarantee a better life for the next generation, it is essential to find solutions to remedy it, because the entire planet is under threat.
1. Concept of the environment
The environment is a “free” public good accessible to all world, meets the needs of human beings, and provides everything necessary for survival (air, water, food, medicine, shelter, etc.).
2. The concept of environmental problems
It is a change in the environmental components, whether this change is chemical, physical, or even qualitative, which leads to an imbalance in nature and its balance, as pollution is considered the basis for the occurrence of environmental problems.
Related: Environment, Health, and Safety, definition, and engineering function
3. Environmental problems
Indeed, we can cite several environmental problems which are more or less serious, namely:
3.1 Pollution
3.1.1 Air pollution
It is mainly due to human activity, exhaust gases vehicles, and industrial production (smoke from chimneys). It can also be due to chemicals found in paints, furniture, and household cleaners used in homes.
Because breathing is essential to life, air pollution can cause several health problems: asthma, cancer, lung disease, and heart disease. These problems mainly affect children and the elderly. For example, as the air we breathe becomes more polluted, people’s health usually tends to worsen, although the extent and mechanisms of this worsening may vary.
3.1.2 Water pollution
It has several origins. Companies can be the main cause, the population who, to save money, prefer to throw their waste in waterways rather than treat it. It can also be due to agriculture; to make the land more productive, we add fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides. For all kinds of reasons, including rain, a lot of these products end up in waterways. Finally, water pollution is due to untreated wastewater. We should note that all the water that passes through the sewers of large cities or thrown into the streets ends up in rivers and streams. Since water is essential to life, it is important to be as clean as possible. For example, dirty water is a major reason for diarrhea, which kills poor families.
3.1.3 Soil pollution
It can be of industrial origin, because of chemical waste spills. It can also be due to the use of cars and trucks. For example, the land of a gas station is always in contamination. It can also be due to the massive use of fertilizers or pesticides that seep into the soil. Since a large part of the food grows in the earth, every effort should be made to ensure that the soil is not contaminated.
3.2 Depletion of natural resources
Which include geological resources that can be extracted from the ground, so that the consumption of these resources exceeds their production rate, especially non-renewable sources, and these sources are subject to depletion. One of the of this depletion is the depletion of biological diversity, which refers to the vegetation cover and the product on overgrazing, fires, and volcanoes, while the depletion of the animal cover is represented by overfishing and pollution, and among the things that we must follow to keep biodiversity from depletion is to establish natural reserves that protect wildlife, animal and plant life.
3.3 Deforestation
Tropical forests cover 6% of the planet’s total area, and are an important part of the ecosystem. As they resist the processes of weathering and erosion and help to regulate the planet’s climate. Tropical forests are home to many different plants and animals; some studies indicate that approximately 90% of living organisms are within tropical forests. This means that deforestation may affect their existence, and can cause many environmental problems. Deforestation is to obtain wood or expand activities related to agriculture and herding, and some studies indicate that humans remove nearly half of the trees around the world.
3.4 Climate change
One of the most serious consequences of air pollution is climate change. This warming is due to a phenomenon known as the greenhouse effect. Several factors produce these gases. The main ones are industrial activity (just look at the smoke from factories), the automobile (which burns oil in very large quantities) as well as heating (which burns oil, natural gas, and coal), agriculture, and natural effects (volcanic eruption, etc.)
All of these gases eventually end up in the atmosphere and form a barrier that prevents heat from dissipating. So, over the years, these gases accumulate, and the planet heats up.
Climate change has negative effects on human life and on the environment. In fact, it is the balance of the planet that is at risk.
3.5 Global warming
Temperatures are clearly higher than normal.
4. Solutions for environmental problems
Solutions to environmental problems exist. Everyone needs to take care of it. In addition, as the problems are numerous, the solutions must be many and varied. Here are some of them:
- Sustainable development
- The behavior change,
- Recycling and recovery or recovered waste rather than thrown away etc.
CONCLUSION
When the environment is doing well, it is a paradise for human beings. On the other hand, in recent years, it has been neglected by pollution, climate change, and insalubrity. The environment is subject to a lot of threats. It might be time to act to preserve the environment, become eco-citizens, and participate in actions to adorn our city.
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Originally published on Live Positively.
