Humans are ambitious. And humans are selfish enough to compromise stuff to accomplish these ambitions. And it is not a hidden fact that the environment had been taking a massive hit for the greedy intentions of humans. Remember what they used to teach you in school? That was not fiction; humans have been degrading the environment on many levels for their benefit. Some of the worst disasters are a result of human activities.
Don’t believe it? Here are some of the most disastrous man-made changes that we are soon going to repent.
Deforestation
Deforestation has bee around for long, and we are seeing the results now. There was a time when the earth was covered with trees. But they are very sparse now. And this is because of human interference. Trees are cut down for farming and establishing settlements. And this act for deforestation has given rise to many issues in the past and will continue to cause problems.
It is because of the lack of trees that we get less rain and see extremes of climates. These are some of the global impacts of deforestation. But on a smaller level, trees help prevent erosion of the topsoil. And the topsoil is the most essential layer which supports the growth of practically anything.
So just imagine, without trees, there is no topsoil. Without topsoil, you cannot grow anything. Which means no food. And food scarcity is one of the worst things that the future of humanity holds.
Global Warming
You must be knowing that the global temperature of the earth is continuously rising. The change might not be that significant, but it is still there. And in 50 years, the temperature would be so high that it would be tough for humans to survive.
One leading cause behind global warming is the presence of a gas called Carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere. The primary source of Carbon dioxide is the modern-day vehicles which consume combustible fuel- like diesel and petrol.
Another contributing factor to global warming is deforestation. As you know, trees consume Carbon dioxide and give out oxygen. It helps balance the Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Without enough trees, the level of Carbon dioxide has been rising. And this has lead to something called a greenhouse effect.
The greenhouse effect on a small scale is beneficial for growing plants. But on a massive scale, it poses a severe threat to human civilization.
Acid Rain
As mentioned earlier, cars and other modern-day automobiles contribute a great deal of Carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Another vital component of automobile exhaust is another harmful gas- Sulphur dioxide.
These two gases rise high in the sky and mix with rain clouds. They interact with the water held in the rain clouds and make sulphuric acid and carbonic acid. And when the time comes, it pours down like rain.
Acid rain is not that harmful to humans, mostly because it is in a dilute form, and we are protected most of the time. But the same cannot be said for plants and animals. They suffer the most as they are always exposed.
Acid rain damages crops and plants in generals. Trees lose their fruits and flowers, which disrupts their reproduction cycle. These may not appear as significant changes, but they have long term effects.
Overpopulation
The human population or any population, in general, tends to expand if unchecked. The human population has been growing at a tremendous rate, and this has put pressure on the environment in more than one way. Food is scarce; living space is scarce. Overpopulation is one reason why people are homeless and jobless. The incredible rate at which the human population is growing, it harms the world economy. Soon, human civilization will come crumbling down.
These are some of the most vicious human acts which will cause massive environmental damage. And some of which have started. But it is not too late. We can still do some damage control. And stop an apocalypse from happening. All we need to do is come together and work to save the environment. If we let the environment erodes, we will erode with it.
Here are some places where you can learn more about the disastrous effects of humans on the environment: