Beyond the Bubble

Human Harms on the Environment

Kelsie Lang
September 27, 2021

Climate change

Recently, climate change has been a main topic in scientific groups. The increase in temperature has caused catastrophic changes to the environment. There has been an increase in carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere causing alarming ocean warnings. The heat waves that are now produced are causing storms that have been extremely harmful. In recent events, there have been 6 total hurricanes but 3 have been above level 4. We are also seeing an increase in illnesses and death, especially in vulnerable populations. Climate change also ties into the increase in population. The earth’s carrying capacity is seen to be around 9 billion people. At this point it looks like we will gain 2 billion people in 80 years. This causes an increase in fuel emissions, greenhouse gases, and carbon dioxide gas. We are also seeing extreme crop damage. All together, climate change is real and is a top that needs to be shared. We are losing time to fix the problem to better understand and find a way to help.

The decrease in animal population

Long ago we were not the apex predators. We feared animals and the thought of what they could do to us. We now are the ones feared by the animal kingdom. Humans have decreased the population of thousands of species. 41,415 species are endangered while 16,306 are extremely threatened close to extinction. This can be caused from over fishing, poaching, forms of medications, and consumption. With oil spills, air pollution, deforestation and others we are killing the biggest parts of our ecosystems. It is said that the bumble bee population will be gone within the next 50 years. They are already endangered and Humans have to spend $150 billion to make up for their loss. Losing such a key species will dramatically change how the ecosystem functions. Humans are continuing the acts of harming our wildlife, at this point in time it’s going to be hard to recover.

Overpopulation

7.8 billion people walk this earth every day and we are still increasing in size. The earth’s carrying capacity is 9 billion and we are seen to have 10 billion people by 2060. Our global population increases 2 billion every 30 years and the earth can not withstand it. “Data alone suggests the Earth can support at most one-fifth of the present population, 1.5 billion people, at an American standard of living.” With the human population exceeding the natural capacity there are now environmental deficits. As the global population increases, more food is needed. More intensive farming tactics, as well as deforestation to create new farm lands, which in turn can have negative outcomes. We are also seeing water stress. In demand for freshwater is increasing by 50% by the year 2030. As of now out of all the water on planet earth 2.5% of it is freshwater, this is not taking in account for the water that is polluted or frozen. Due to human population rising we are seeing deforestation, freshwater decline, pollution, and food shortages and so much more.

Pollution

Pollution is degrading our environment. Pollution is increasing by the day and humans aren’t taking the action to stop it. Due to the disruption of pollution, there are so many birds, animals and plants that are suffering. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances, energy, heat, light, or noise. With the harmful smoke emissions from factories, sewage build up, chemical runoff into our water supply is shortening our time here on earth. Wildlife are now mistaking plastics and other pollutants as food, streams of once clear water are now filled with pollutants, air that was clean is now so harmful causing humans respiratory failure. Due to the mass increase in humans pollution is now just an everyday thing, we have a mass of garbage floating in The Pacific Ocean the size of Texas. Our ecosystem is affected by the filth we are putting out there but we are now affected by it too. With the rate we are seeing, ice caps will melt, the temperature of the earth will increase, we will experience little clean water and much less land to expand on. Humans are causing catastrophic disasters and it’s becoming too late to fix.