Current environmental Issues and how YOU can help
Our
environment is deteriorating every single second as we continue to waste our
natural resources indiscriminately and fail to control our scrap. Current
environmental problems are making us vulnerable to diseases and tragedies.
Unless we give these problems the required attention and address them, the
future generations of this planet will be doomed.
- 1. Greenhouse
Gases
Climate change, or global warming, is the
greatest environmental threat the world has ever faced. The cause of that? Emission
of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
The global carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gases has exceeded 400
parts per million. This level is considered a “tipping point”. What is a
tipping point exactly? A tipping point in the climate system is a threshold
that, when exceeded, can lead to large irreversible changes in the state of the
system, which has already started occurring. "There is alarming
evidence that important tipping
points, leading to irreversible
changes in major ecosystems and the planetary climate
system, may already have been reached or passed. Ecosystems as diverse as the
Amazon rainforest and the Arctic tundra, for example, may be approaching thresholds
of dramatic change through warming and drying. Mountain glaciers are in
alarming retreat and the downstream effects of reduced water supply in the
driest months will have repercussions that transcend generations. Climate
feedback systems and environmental cumulative effects are building across Earth
systems demonstrating behaviours we cannot anticipate.”(UNEP)
The greenhouse gases emitted by the human
population are not only the leading cause of temperature rise of the Earth, but
also the sea levels. This means that both the Earth and the ocean are growing
warmer day by day. Global temperature now is the highest it has ever been in 4000
years.
How you can help:
The best way to reduce climate change is to build
sustainably. Harnessing renewable energy sources such as solar and tidal energy
will assist the fight against climate change. Limiting waste and pollution will
also help preserve our precious environment.
Not only that, but even the smallest of steps can
help us reduce global warming. For example, start recycling and reusing. According
to a research by Northwestern University, you can save up to 1,000 kilograms of
carbon di-oxide emissions each year by recycling just half of your
household waste. Furthermore, if you
change your regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb, you can
save almost 70 kg of carbon di-oxide per year! Lastly, the easiest thing to do
is to simply plant a tree. Each tree has the capability to absorb one tonne of
carbon di-oxide over its lifetime.
- 2. Ecosystems
and Endangered Species
Due to many recent human induced environmental
problems, the ecosystem and species are affected greatly. In fact, one out of
every 10 plant and animal species is expected to go extinct by 2050.
How you can help:
The best way to save our other companions on
Earth, is to support organizations dedicated to fighting species extinction.
This is a problem where individually, nobody can do anything, which is why we
must all come together and support those who have the power to make a change.
By supporting the cause, you are not only helping to combat the issue, but also
encouraging others to join. I will link some great organizations at the bottom
and would love for you all to go support them in any way you can.
- 3. Deforestation
A little more than 15% of greenhouse gas
emissions do not come from cars or factories, but they come from deforestation.
If deforestation continues at this rate, we might only have 10 percent of our
rainforests left by as early as 2030. It hurts my heart to say that 80 percent
of forests have already been destroyed.
In addition to this, more than 70% of the world’s
terrestrial plant and animal species reside in the forests that we are cutting
down for our own gain. Loss of habitat for these animals and plants can lead to
species extinction. “This is not only a biodiversity tragedy but also has
negative consequences for medicinal research and local populations who rely on
the animals and plants in the forests for hunting and medicine“(One Tree
Planted). There are actually more than 120 medicines and natural remedies found
in these forests that can help us prevent or cure grave diseases. Just think of
how much we are losing in this process of cutting down trees.
How you can help:
We all know we are in need of lumber, and I don’t
oppose it. Wood obtained from trees is used to manufacture so many items that
we use in our daily lives- paper, pens, chair, desks and what not. So it would
be impossible for us to stop cutting down trees completely- but what can be
done very easily is that a new tree should be planted for every tree that’s cut
down. It sounds very easy, and it is very easy but nobody wants to do it. Why?
I don’t know. So, we should be the ones who take the responsibility and plant
at least one tree a day.
WCS- https://www.wcs.org/
Defenders of Wildlife- https://defenders.org/
Panthera- https://www.panthera.org/
Resources:
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