2. WHAT IS ENVIRONMENT ?
Environment is defined as the sum total of
air, water and the inter-relationships that
exist among them and with the human
beings, other living organisms and materials
3. HUMAN IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT
Humans are a part of the natural environment. Unfortunately, we
have not yet learnt to moderate our activities in such a way as to
help the environment. Human activities often lead to degradation
of the environment.
Estimation shows that humans currently use approximately 40
percent of the energy of the Sun captured by organisms on land.
Use of such an inordinately large proportion of the Earth's
productivity by a single animal species is unique in the history of
the planet.
4. Human Impact has caused:
• Pollution – Land; Air and Water which includes Freshwater Creeks and
Rivers, Seas and Oceans.
• Deforestation and Destruction of Habitats
• Endangerment and Extinction of Flora and Fauna Species
• Introduction of Invasive and Parasitic Fauna and Flora Species to new areas
• Increased Desertification of Land - this often occurs because, when
humans try to increase fertile land in one area, they must divert needed
resources from another area
• Altering Natural Waterways which can increase the risk of Flooding
• Interfering with the Natural Fire Cycles of an area (one cause of increased
bushfire problems in Australia)
• Overuse of Natural Resources, resulting in depletion of some of these
resources Climate Change and the Development of Extreme Weather
Conditions: scientists continue to debate how much humans actually
contribute to climate change and/or global warming, but there is evidence
that our activities do contribute in some part Rising Sea Levels
• Increased Erosion of Land as a result of Mining or Agricultural Activities
• Mining Activities not only can destroy the vegetation of the area, but can
contribute to instability in the earth's crust.
• Oil Spill from Ships
5. HUMAN ACTIVITIES:
Irrigation.
The environmental impact of irrigation includes the changes in quantity and
quality of soil and water as a result of irrigation and the ensuing effects on
natural and social conditions at the tail-end and downstream of the irrigation
scheme.
6. Intensive agriculture and excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides are
destroying the natural land and driving animals away
7. Soil Erosion.
Runoff on bare land leads to erosion. Grass, trees, and other plants hold
the soil in place and avoid erosion. The highest rates of erosion are
produced in urban areas during construction,
In general, erosion is the source of sediment that fills streams, pollutes
water, kills aquatic life, and shortens the useful life of dams and
reservoirs.
8. Nitrogen Cycle.
Human impact on the nitrogen cycle is diverse. Agricultural and industrial
nitrogen (N) inputs to the environment currently exceed inputs from
natural N fixation. As a consequence of anthropogenic inputs, the global
nitrogen cycle (Fig. 1) has been significantly altered over the past century.
Human activities account for over one-third of N2O emissions, most of
which are due to the agricultural sector.
9. Deforestation.
Increasing population, industrialization and need of land for development
of expanding cities has led man to cut down forests selfishly.
During the period between 1990 and 2000 itself, the yearly loss of natural
forests was 16 million hectares. Deforestation at such alarming rate has
been a cause of constant worry for environmentalists the world over.
11. Beach Pollution - Emerging Threats.
The two main sources of Beach Pollution are the litter
washed from the water on to the land and the litter
strewn around by human being visiting the beaches.
Oil slick washed ashore from seeping or sinking oil
tankers close to the coastline have been wreaking havoc
at many places in the last few decades proving to be the
worst type of beach pollution.
12. Reservoirs
The environmental impact of Reservoirs is coming under ever
increasing scrutiny as the world demand for water and energy
increases and the number and size of reservoirs increases.
common criticisms include submergence of large areas of land which
often include forests, preventing sea-run fish from reaching their
historical mating grounds, less access to water downstream, and a
smaller catch for fishing communities in the area.
The Wachusett Dam in Clinton, Massachusetts.
13. Water Pollution.
Sewers and drains, carry domestic and industrial wastes that might have
been widely deposited on the soil, but have been channeled into rivers and
other bodies of water.
The sanitary sewer system carries sewage from residential, commercial ,
and industrial sources to the waste water treatment plant.
At a waste water treatment plant most harmful substances are removed
from sewage before it is piped to a nearby body of water .
14. Solid Waste.
Incineration produces air pollution, while landfills give off gases that contribute to
Global Warming, and pollute underground water supplies. Landfills provide a ready
dumping ground for non-hazardous waste
Some landfills create their own problems. For example, older ones have no lining and
wastes can filter down through the soil and into the water supply.
The ocean floors are also being affected because of the vast bulk of waste material
that humans are creating.
15. Industrial Pollution.
Industrialization has been the hallmark of human progress. However,
with industries have come a host of toxic gases that are being
released into the atmosphere. Industries release gallons of liquid
waste into the seas and rivers. Some of the effluents percolate down
and reach the ground water and pollute it to the extent that it can't
be used by human beings for drinking or cooking.
16. Besides adding to Air Pollution, the innumerable Vehicles running
on the roads add to noise pollution that has led to an increase in
stress, anxiety and problems related to hearing.
Water pollution has led to a decrease in the number of various
aquatic animals.
Several aquatic life forms are on the verge of extinction.
Migratory birds are known to change their course due to pollution
or change in weather. Respiratory diseases in human beings is
another price that we are paying for polluting the environment.
Acid rains can kill trees, destroy crops and fish life in lakes
and streams.Ingesting or in haling of toxic substances
increases the chances of having life-threatening diseases
like cancer
17. Mining.
The environmental impact of mining includes erosion, formation of sinkholes,
loss of biodiversity, and contamination of soil, groundwater and surface water
by chemicals from mining processes.
Besides creating environmental damage, the contamination resulting from
leakage of chemicals also affect the health of the local population.
Environmental impact of mining.
18. War.
As well as the cost to human life and society, there is a significant
environmental impact of war with modern technology war can cause
a far greater devastation on the environment.
.
19. Energy industry
The environmental impact of energy harvesting and consumption is
diverse. In recent years there has been a trend towards the increased
commercialization of various renewable energy sources
Coal mining and burning.
20. Nuclear Power
The environmental impact of nuclear power results from the nuclear fuel cycle,
operation, and the lingering effects of the Chernobyl disaster.
The use of Nuclear Power and the building of Nuclear Weapons represents a
very great threat to the environment.
The biggest threat comes from Nuclear accidents, such as the accident at the
Chernobyl Power Plant in Ukraine in 1986.
The effects of this accident have to date been an increase in cancer victims,
numerous birth defects, and the destruction of many acres of good land.
21. Oil shale industry.
The environmental impact of the Oil Shale Industry includes the
consideration of issues such as land use, waste management, and
water and air pollution caused by the extraction and processing of oil
shale. Surface mining of oil shale deposits causes the usual
environmental impacts of open-pit mining and harmful atmospheric
emissions, including carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas.
Kiviõli Oil Shale Processing & Chemicals Plant in Iida-Virumaa, Estonia.
22. Pesticides.
The environmental impact of pesticides is often greater than what is
intended by those who use them. Over 98% of sprayed insecticides and 95%
of herbicides reach a destination other than their target species, including
nontarget species, air, water, bottom sediments, and food.
Some pesticides contribute to global warming and the depletion of the
ozone layer.
Pesticide contaminates land and water when it escapes from production
sites and storage tanks, when it runs off from fields,
Paint.
The environmental impact of paint is diverse. Traditional painting materials
and processes can have harmful effects on the environment, including those
from the use of lead and other additives
23. Petroleum.
The environmental impact of Petroleum is often negative because it is
toxic to almost all forms of life.
Petroleum, commonly referred to as oil, is closely linked to virtually all
aspects of present society, especially for transportation and heating for
both homes and for commercial activities.
24. Paper.
Although pulp and paper manufacturing requires large amounts of
energy, a portion of it comes from burning wood waste.
The environmental impact of paper is significant, which has led to
changes in industry and behaviour at both business and personal
levels.
Environmental impact of paper.
25. Transport.
The environmental impact of transport is significant because it is a major
user of energy, and burns most of the world's petroleum.
This creates Air Pollution, including nitrous oxides and particulates, and
is a significant contributor to global warming through emission of carbon
dioxide for which transport is the fastest-growing emission sector.
By reducing transportation emissions globally, it is predicted that there
will be significant positive effects on Earth's air quality, acid rain, smog
and climate change.
26. Roads.
The environmental impact of roads includes the local effects of highways
(public roads) such as on noise, water pollution, habitat
destruction/disturbance and local air quality; and the wider effects
including climate change from vehicle emissions.
Environmental impact of transport.
Interstate 10 and Interstate 45 near downtown Houston, Texas in the USA
27. Aviation.
The environmental impact of aviation occurs because
aircraft engines emit noise, particulates, and gases which
contribute to climate change and global dimming.
In the EU, greenhouse gas emissions from aviation
increased by 87% between 1990 and 2006.
28. Shipping.
The environmental impact of shipping includes greenhouse gas
emissions and oil pollution. Carbon dioxide emissions from shipping is
currently estimated at 4 to 5% of the global total,
30. IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES
Depletion of Ozone Layer.
The stratosphere has a layer of Ozone that protects us from the harmful
ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. Exposure to these rays cause skin cancer and
cataracts
The cholofluorocarbons (CFCs) that are man-made chemicals are released in
the atmosphere through CFC containing aerosols, refrigeration equipment
As these chemicals are released, they rise into the atmosphere and break
down the ozone molecules that form the ozone layer. There is an ozone
hole in the Antarctic stratosphere
Because of the ozone holes in the upper atmosphere, the Earth receives
excessive ultraviolet radiation from the sun. This is harmful for trees and
plants (and for animals and human beings who depend on plants).
31.
32.
33. Global warming intensifies climate
disasters.
Natural disasters have a number of root causes, but today with Global
Warming, natural disasters have as their root cause, the change in the
environment triggered by increasing differences in heat and cold.
It comes as no surprise to many people today that there are records
being broken everywhere as far as weather anomalies are concerned
and one of these is flooding.
These areas see a lot of flooding. These have been tentatively linked
to global warming caused by human injection of greenhouse gasses
into the atmosphere from industrial processes and engines.
34. Greenhouse gases increase overall temperatures and this is masked
by particles that contribute to global dimming.
The results are more floods, drying leading to fire-storms, high
winds, unseasonal freezes, ice-pack break up and meltdown, super
hurricanes and rising sea levels that are a significant proportion of
natural disasters today.
35. Carbon footprint is a “measure of the impact human
activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of
greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide
As the temperature gradient between lowest and highest
temperatures increase, so to does the flow of air, resulting in
Hurricanes like Katrina
36. These extremes in atmospheric temperature are linked to heat build up due
to greenhouse gas accumulation.
Many natural disasters leave a trace in the earth and in the ice sheets of
Greenland, Antarctica and in mountain glaciers. In this period, where climate
change is being driven by human activity and human incursion into every
corner of the planet, extinction of species across the spectrum of life is
accelerating. There is no other cause operating at this time other than climate
change and human encroachment.
37. Earthquakes are seen as something outside of human control, but there is
evidence that human activity can trigger minor events and at least one
major event. During the underground nuclear testing in Alaska on Amchitka
Island, of the Aleutians, USA, an underground test triggered a massive
earthquake that also triggered a small tsunami.
38. Impact on Biodiversity.
Human impact on biodiversity is significant, humans have caused the
extinction of many species, including the dodo and, potentially, large
megafaunal species during the last ice age. Though most experts agree
that human beings have accelerated the rate of species extinction.
39. Extinction of Species.
The variety and interdependence of all living things has led to the
evolution of world. Man has been killing animals right since the time he
acquired the skill of hunting.
The relentless hunting by human beings, sometimes for the hide of a
cheetah or the tusks of the elephants, or simply to cook the tasty shark
fin soup, has wiped out the existence of a large number of animals in just
a century. Besides hunting, human activities like environmental pollution
and deforestation has led to the extinction of a large number of animals
and plants due to loss of habitat.
40. Four species threatened by Global warming in Polar mountain
regions:
•Polar Bear
•Gelada Baboon
•Pygmy Possum
•Monarch Butterfly
Changes occur in an ecosystem resulting from changes in climate human
activity, introduction of non-native or indigenous species, and changes in
populations.
41. Climate changes affect each biome and each species individually.
Ecological changes in climate (temperatures, flooding, warming, and
freezing) will probably eliminate some species, and these species losses
may cause the elimination of entire ecosystems.
For example we could lose cold-adapted systems such as arctic and alpine
communities to global warming, and low laying areas or islands to be
flooded by the sea level rising. All of these changes could have a disastrous
effect on the ecology of earth and its ecosystems, as we know it today. All
climate changes affect each species way of life, the way they eat, sleep,
and survive and interact with each other.
42. Climate Change, Pollution and
Human Interference Pose Danger to
Penguins , “Nature’s Survivors”
Due to climate change, increase in ocean pollution and the rapid human
colonization of their natural habitats, 13 out of 18 existing Penguin species
are now considered to be threatened, endangered or even on the verge of
extinction.
43. HEATING UP OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE:
MELTING DOWN OF ICE:
Things that were happening in geological time are happening
during the span of a human lifetime.
From Alaska to the snowy peaks of the Andes, the world is heating
up right now and fast. Globally the temperature is up by 1 F over
the past centuries, and some of the most coldest and remote
places have warmed much more.
Ice is melting, rivers are running dry and coasts are eroding, threatening
communities. Flora and fauna are feeling the heat too.
For centuries we have been burning coal, oil and gas and pouring carbon
dioxide and other heat trapping gases into the atmosphere faster than
plants and oceans can soak up. As carbon dioxide continues to rise, so
will the mercury.
44.
45. Thawing permafrost has caused the ground to subside more than 15
feet in parts of Alaska.
When temperature rise and ice melts, more water flows to the seas from
glaciers and icecaps, and ocean water warms and expands in volume.
Siberia and northern Canada could experience a warmer, wetter climate.
Other regions could suffer more frequent and severe droughts.
Seasons are shifting, as warmer temperature creep up. Habitats are
changing along with the timing of annual processes like flowering, leaf
coverage, migration and birth .Rain cycle has been disrupted.
Garhwal Himalaya in India are retreating so fast that researchers believe
that most central and eastern Himalayan glaciers could virtually disappear
by 2035.
46.
47. Scientists fear that ice-pack break up and subsequent meltdown
will trigger coastal flooding that will see a mean sea level rise of
some twenty feet. This will inundate some low level islands like
Pacific atolls and the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.
There was concern that the West Antarctic ice sheet would
collapse, leading to an immediate surge of oceanic flooding that
will affect every coastal region on the planet.
Ocean temperatures are rising in all ocean basins and at
much deeper depths that previously thought.
This is the first instance in which humans appear to be
accelerating the change, and warming could take place so quickly
that species will not have the time to adapt and avoid extinction.
48. Coral Reefs.
Human impact on coral reefs is significant. Coral reefs are dying around the
world. In particular, coral mining, pollution (organic and non-organic),
overfishing, blast fishing and the digging of canals and access into islands and
bays are serious threats to these ecosystems.
The list of factors is long, including the ocean's role as a carbon dioxide sink,
atmospheric changes, ultraviolet light, ocean acidification, biological virus,
impacts of dust storms carrying agents to far flung reefs, pollutants, algal
blooms and others.
Heat triggers coral to shed the algae that nourish it, a Bleaching event that
leaves coral white.
General estimates show approximately 10% world's coral reefs are already
dead 60% of the world's reefs are at risk due to destructive, human-related
activities.
49.
50. PREVENTION:
Switch to Renewable Energy sources not based on fossil or
nuclear fuels like direct or indirect use of solar energy, wind,
tidal, geothermal, wood and other biomass.
51. RENEWABLE ENERGIES:
SOLAR POWER:
In this source of Green Energy, the photovoltaic (PV) cell is
the most basic structural and operational component. The
PV cells require light for generating electricity. Solar Panels
could be mounted on walls or building roofs and most often
they feed electricity directly to the building.
52. WIND POWER:
The next source of Green Energy is Wind Power. It is generated by
turbines that converts the kinetic energy of the wind to mechanical
energy, which is converted to electrical energy by a generator.
53. WAVE AND TIDAL POWER:
This Green Energy is still under development stage. However, the
energy from tidal waves is harnessed to generate electricity.
54. BIOMASS AND BIO-FUEL:
Biomass generally refers to organic materials like crops and timber grown
especially to be burnt to generate electricity. This Green Energy source
is sustainable and also Carbon Neutral. The most popular biomass crops
are elephant grass, poplar, willow as also some by-products of crops like
grain husks, straw, waste food, forest products, and even animal waste like
chicken litter and slurry.
55. CONCLUSION:
Fortunately, man is learning (a little too late) that there are activities he can
undertake to improve land he has already degraded. This may involve:
Conservation, monitoring of and captive breeding programmes for endangered
species.
Restoring degraded ecosystems by planting trees specifically native to the area,
and removing introduced species.
Removal of pollutant materials.
Minimize the magnitude of pollution
Conserve non-renewable resources
Conserve ecological systems
Develop and utilize cleaner technologies
Maximize recycling of materials and waste
Apply the most appropriate pollution prevention and/or abatement techniques.
56. While it is true that global warming is already occurring
and affecting the way we live, we can prevent global
temperatures from reaching dangerous levels if we take
steps now to begin dramatically reducing our carbon
emissions. If we do not begin to shift to clean energy, the
heat waves and hurricanes that we have already suffered
through will worsen. Thankfully, we have all the tools
necessary to curb our emissions of greenhouse gases –
tools like clean energy, energy efficiency, and cars that go
farther on a gallon of gas.
