April Environment Month: Environmental Issues

April is the month. I feel like I’ve said that way too many times. Either way, let’s just briefly go over some issues you should think about while Earth Day approaches, so you can enjoy the Earth Day festivities in peace. I’d like to keep this brief, so here goes:

1) Deforestation: An important issue. Some major causes are urban sprawl, deforestation for lumber, population growth, and land usage issue. Loss of forests means loss of habitat for wildlife as well as an increase in carbon dioxide levels. Go figure.

2) Global Warming (Greenhouse gases & ozone depletion): Greenhouse gases wreaks havoc with the ozone layer, causing what is known as global warming. Judging by all the public outcry and public service announcements related to global warming, you all probably know a whole bunch about it.

3) Habitat loss (fragmentation): This pertains to loss of habitat and fragmentation, leading to loss of large pieces of a habitat type. This impacts the fauna of the ecosystem, which is also linked to other habitats. Ecosystems are very complex and an impact in one location may have unintended effects in another.

4) Environmental pollution (air, water, land): Pollution is a big problem. Some problem areas include heavy industrial areas and places like Los Angeles in California. Air pollution causes smog, prompting Spare the Air days. Water pollution is another problem. There are always cases of oil spills and industrial waste spills. What can solve these problems? It’s up to us to find out.

5) Energy & Alternative Fuels: The energy aspect of things. We’re focusing now, as a society, on finding ways to find greener alternatives to fossil fuels. Biodiesel, solar power, and hydrogen power are still under development, but the advances in greener energy seem promising.

6) Biodiversity: Negative impacts on the Earth’s environment and ecosystems will most likely have adverse effects on the flora and fauna of certain regions. Human intervention and involvement can also lead to a decrease in population sizes as well as a decrease in biodiversity of a given area. To keep biodiversity, habitat must be preserved in its entirety.

7) Nuclear energy and waste: We’ve all heard talk about nuclear reactors and the waste that it generates. The risks of nuclear energy include proliferation risks, risks of accidents, and of course environmental degradation. Some radioactive isotopes are long-lived. The question still remains about how to effectively and efficiently get rid of the waste.

8 ) Genetic pollution and GMOs: There are still huge disputes about the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the debates are still raging. Although there are no known adverse reactions, the argument is that we don’t know how long it will take before the human species begins to show symptoms and encounter problems. Will the genetically modified organisms taint the rest of the species?

9) Urban Sprawl: A big problem, because urban sprawl leads to many of the above mentioned problems, including habitat fragmentation, habitat loss, and loss of biodiversity. You see, many of these issues are interconnected. To fix one issue, you might have to address and “fix” a multitude of other issues.

10) Sustainability and resource depletion: Here is a major one. We have to be sustainable and aware of our levels of consumption. There are limited non-renewable resources on the planet and once they are taken, that will be the the end all. Exploiting natural resources is often done in a very unsustainable way, causing problems that could threaten human existence. Some examples are over-logging, over-mining, and overfishing.

11) Population growth: Many people argue that this is the root of all our problems. We have fixed resources and fixed space on Earth. Sure we talk about leaving Earth and settling in colonies on Mars or the Moon, but realistically we are still a long way from that. Since we’re humans, we find ways to adapt, which has caused our populations to skyrocket.

12) Waste disposal (e-waste, liter, marine debris, landfills, incineration): This is a problem. What do we do with everything that can’t be recycled? We throw them all in landfills. We’re getting better with rubber tires because we used to burn them, emitting tons of carbon dioxide. I’m not saying we don’t still do it, but we’re doing less of it than we used to. Marine debris and littering are also problems that need to be addressed.

13) Recycling, Reusing, Reducing and education: Perhaps the most important thing that must be done is to teach reusing, reducing, and recycling. The 3 R’s should be a part of our daily lives and engrained in our heads. The younger generations must understand that this planet is their home and it will be up to them to find ways to fix all the wrongs committed.

Related posts:

1. Salamander Populations on the Decline
2. For A Better Cause
3. Music Playlist for April 22, 2009: Earth Day!
4. Start Greening your Small Business, Lifestyle, and Home
5. Building Green