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Environmental Issues: 10 Most Common Environmental Issues and Their Possible Solutions?

environmental issues

Have you ever thought about why the earth's temperature is constantly increasing?

And, are we humans taking care of our planet and making it a place worth living in?

Our mighty earth is facing a severe environmental crisis. Due to this reason, we are in constant danger of facing disasters and environmental tragedies. People all over the world are facing a variety of new and challenging environmental problems every single day. Some are small and only affect a few ecosystems, but others drastically change the landscape.

Such environmental issues require urgent attention and must be addressed as soon as possible to avoid any serious major emergency on our planet. 

The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.

Wendell Berry

Several environmental problems arise due to human beings; everyone must be aware of them, their causes, and possible solutions. The most important of them are discussed below:

1. Air Pollution And Climate Change

Air pollution and climate change

Any physical, chemical, or biological change to the air in our atmosphere is called air pollution. Certain harmful gasses, smoke, dust particles, or smog get into the air and cause air pollution.

Our earth is facing the worst damage due to air pollution. It threatens the survival of all lives, whether humans, animals, or plants. They all experience a wide range of health effects from exposure to air pollution. It is getting difficult for us all to breathe as the air has become poisonous, harmful, and destructive.

The most common type of air pollution is smog. It irritates the eyes and throat and damages the lungs causing allergies and asthma.

Air pollution is the main cause of a major environmental issue, i.e., global warming. Greenhouse gases are constantly warming up the earth by absorbing harmful UV radiation.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to the WHO, almost all the global population (99%) breathes air that contains high levels of pollutants, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures.

Causes

  • High sulphur dioxide production level due to burning fossil fuels.
  • The gasses emitted from automobile vehicles, i.e., cars, buses, jeeps, trucks, etc.
  • Pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers emit harmful gasses like ammonia during agricultural activities.
  • Carbon monoxide is produced by factories and industries.


DID YOU KNOW?

Household air pollution was responsible for an estimated 3.2 million deaths per year in 2020, including over 237 000 deaths of children under the age of 5.

Solutions

  • Reduce the number of times you travel in your car. Carpool with more people in one car, or use a bus and other public transportation to travel.
  • Avoid the use of fireplaces and wooden stoves. Use gas logs in place of wood.
  • Avoid burning garbage or other materials and lighting bonfires in the open.
  • Use environmentally friendly paints and cleaning products.
  • Reforestation.
  • Using renewable energy sources.
  • Reduce agricultural emissions.

2. Deforestation

Deforestation

Deforestation is the purposely clearing of species-rich wild forests by human beings for their means. It is seriously affecting our normal ecosystems, climate, and biodiversity. Natural forests keep carbon out of the atmosphere and oceans by acting as carbon sinks. They improve overall health by reducing air pollution, controlling the atmospheric greenhouse effect, modifying the climate, and creating wildlife and plant diversity.

Related Read: How the Carbon Cycle works

Did you know?

Russia has the largest area of forests of any country on Earth, whereas Brazil has the highest level of deforestation.

Causes

  • Urbanization
  • Mining activities
  • Agricultural Croplands

Important Information: According to research, the expansion of agriculture caused nearly 80% of global deforestation—industrial or commercial agriculture results in 40% forest loss. At the same time, livestock is responsible for 14% of global deforestation.

Solutions

  • Reforestation and afforestation
  • Banning cutting of trees
  • Government regulations
  • Reduce paper consumption

3. Species Extinction