Environmentissues

Environmental Issues The earth is considered one of the most beautiful planets in the universe. It is the only planet in the galaxy that has enough water to support life. Unfortunately, the planet is suffering due to many environmental problems that may affect people, societies, and ecosystems. These problems can result in major consequences for everyone’s daily life. The major environmental problems that are facing the world today are deforestation, global warming, and water pollution. The decimation of Earth’s forest is one of the most serious global environmental problems (Paul and Anne 162). Deforestation can affect biodiversity, the atmosphere, and land. The loss of forest means the loss of many habitats for many species. The current statistics shows that as many as 100 species become extinct every day with a large portion being attributed to deforestation (Innes). This unnatural extinction of species endangers the world's food supply, threatens many human resources and has profound implications for biological diversity (Steger and Bowermaster 100). The lack of biodiversity and a reduced planetary gene pool could have many unforeseen ramifications, some of which could be fatal to the future (Innes). Many valuable chemical compounds are created Thermal pollution is a major yet little-talked-about problem. When power plants gulp in water to cool their steam generators, the liquid absorbs heat, and returns to its source warmer than when it came out. A rise in water temperature of just a few degrees can cook oxygen out of the water, disrupting fish breeding habitats and killing off plant life (Steger and Bowermaster 197). Thermal pollution can also increase susceptibility of aquatic organisms to parasites, disrupts fish migration patterns, and disrupts food webs (Miller 386). In conclusion, ecosystems, people, and societies can be severely affected and changed by these environmental problems the world is facing today. All of these problems are cause by careless and irresponsible humans. The only solution that can stop these problems from becoming worst is when all humans try to work together and help preserve, and protect the environment. If we don’t act now, all of this natural beauty would disappear and soon, all living things would suffer. Water pollution and other forms of environmental stress can have a number of harmful effects on individual organisms, populations, and biological communities and ecosystems. When toxic substances enter lakes, streams, rivers, oceans, and other water bodies, they get dissolved or lie suspended in water or get deposited on the bed. This results in the pollution of water whereby the quality of the water deteriorates, affecting aquatic ecosystems (“Water Pollution”). Water pollution can cause many health problems to humans and the ecosystem. Drinking polluted water can result in sickness, liver or kidney problems, cancer, poisoning, and even death to humans (Miller 381). The effects are as harmful to plants and wildlife as they are to man. Polluted water can poison fish, finfish, shellfish, and marine mammals and many fish have developed cancers after being exposed to floating chemicals and refuse (Steger and Bowermaster 174). Global Warming is the rising of the Earth’s surface temperature due to chemicals in the atmosphere. It has been proven scientifically that the earth is warming up, mostly because of the increase of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) in the atmosphere. It is now believed that atmospheric CO2 increases when a forest is burnt (Steger and Bowermaster 5). Global Warming has many threats on the climat