Global environmental problem. Global environmental problems

Planets are a real scourge of the 21st century. Many people also think about the issue of preserving and restoring the environment. Otherwise, future generations will only get a lifeless surface.

No man is an island!

It is likely that at least once in our lives each of us asked ourselves the question: “What environmental problems of the planet currently exist and what can I do to solve them?” It would seem, indeed, that just one person can do this? However, each of us is capable of much. First, start taking care of the environment yourself. For example, throw away garbage in strictly designated containers, and it would also be a good idea to pay attention to separating waste into specific materials (glass in one bin, and plastic in another). In addition, you can regulate and gradually reduce the consumption of both electricity and other resources (water, gas) necessary for your comfortable living. If you are a driver and are faced with choosing a suitable vehicle, then you should pay attention to cars that have a reduced content of harmful compounds in exhaust gases. It will also be correct - both for you and for the entire planet as a whole - to have a small engine size installed in the selected car model. And, as a result, reduced fuel consumption. With such simple and accessible measures to everyone, we can solve the environmental problems of the planet.

Let's help the whole world

Despite everything described earlier, you will not be alone in this fight. As a rule, the policies of many modern states are aimed at the well-known environmental problems of the planet and, of course, ways to solve them. In addition, there is an active propaganda program, the goal of which is to limit and exterminate rare representatives of flora and fauna. Nevertheless, such a policy of world powers is quite purposeful and makes it possible to create conditions for the normal functioning of the population, which do not disturb natural ecosystems.

Environmental problems of the planet: list

Modern scientists identify about several dozen basic issues that require special attention. Such planets arise as a result of significant changes in the natural environment. And those, in turn, are the result of devastating natural disasters, as well as the ever-increasing Environmental problems of the planet are quite simple to list. One of the first places is occupied by air pollution. Each of us knows from an early age that, thanks to the content of a certain percentage of oxygen in the air space of the planet, we are able to exist normally. However, every day we not only consume oxygen, but also exhale carbon dioxide. But there are also factories and factories, cars and planes travel around the world and trains knock on the rails. All of the above objects, in the process of their operation, emit substances of a certain composition, which only aggravates the situation and increases the environmental problems of planet Earth. Unfortunately, even though modern production facilities are equipped with the latest developments in purification systems, the condition of the airspace is gradually deteriorating.

Deforestation

We know from our school biology course that representatives of the plant world help maintain the balance of substances in the atmosphere. Thanks to natural processes such as photosynthesis, the green spaces of the Earth not only cleanse the air of harmful impurities, but also gradually enrich it with oxygen. Thus, it is easy to conclude that the destruction of flora, in particular forests, only aggravates the global environmental problems of the planet. Unfortunately, human economic activity leads to the fact that deforestation is carried out on a particularly large scale, but replenishment of green spaces is often not carried out.

Declining fertile land

Similar environmental problems of the planet arise as a result of the previously mentioned deforestation. In addition, improper use of various agricultural techniques and incorrect farming also lead to depletion of the fertile layer. And pesticides and other chemical fertilizers poison not only the soil, but also all living organisms that are interconnected with it for many years. But, as you know, layers of fertile soil are restored much more slowly than forests. It will take more than one century to fully replace the lost land cover.

Declining fresh water supplies

If you are asked: “What environmental problems of the planet are known?”, you have the right to immediately remember life-giving moisture. Indeed, in some regions there is already an acute shortage of this resource. And over time, this state of affairs will only worsen. Consequently, the above topic can be considered one of the most important in the list of “Ecological problems of the planet”. Examples of improper water use can be found everywhere. Starting from the pollution of lakes and rivers by all kinds of industrial enterprises and ending with the irrational consumption of resources at the household level. In this regard, many natural reservoirs are already closed areas for swimming. However, this is not the end of the planet's environmental problems. The list can also be continued with the next paragraph.

Extermination of flora and fauna

Scientists have calculated that in the modern world, every hour one representative of the planet’s animal or plant world dies. It is important to remember that not only poachers are involved in such actions, but also ordinary people who consider themselves respectable citizens of their country. Every day, humanity is conquering more and more new territories both for the construction of its own housing and for agricultural and industrial needs. And animals have to move to new lands or die, remaining to live in an ecosystem destroyed by anthropogenic factors. Among other things, it must be remembered that all of the above factors also have a detrimental effect on the state of flora and fauna, both current and future. For example, pollution of water bodies, destruction of forests, etc. entails the disappearance of the diversity of flora and fauna that our ancestors are accustomed to seeing. Even over the last hundred years, species diversity has declined significantly under the direct or indirect influence of anthropogenic factors.

Earth's protective shell

If the question arises: “What environmental problems of the planet are currently known?”, then it is easy to remember the holes in the ozone layer. Modern human economic activity involves the release of special substances that cause a thinning of the Earth's protective shell. Consequently, the formation of new so-called “holes”, as well as an increase in the area of ​​existing ones. Many people know this problem, but not everyone understands how all this can turn out. And this leads to dangerous solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface, which negatively affects all living organisms.

Desertification

The global environmental problems presented earlier become the cause of the development of a severe catastrophe. We are talking about desertification of lands. As a result of improper farming, as well as pollution of water resources and deforestation, gradual weathering of the fertile layer, drying out of soils and other negative consequences occur, under the influence of which land covers become unsuitable not only for further use for economic purposes, but also for living of people.

Declining mineral reserves

A similar topic is also present in the list “Environmental problems of the planet”. It is quite simple to list the resources currently in use. These are oil, coal of all kinds, peat, gas and other organic components of the Earth's solid shell. According to scientists, mineral reserves will come to an end in the next hundred years. In this regard, humanity has begun to actively implement technologies that operate on renewable resources, such as wind, solar, and others. However, the use of alternative sources is still quite small compared to more familiar and traditional ones. In connection with this state of affairs, modern governments are conducting various incentive programs that contribute to a deeper introduction of alternative energy sources both in industry and in the everyday life of ordinary citizens.

Overpopulation

Over the last century, there has been a significant increase in the number of people around the globe. In particular, over a period of just 40 years, the planet's population has doubled - from three to six billion people. Scientists predict that by 2040 this number will reach nine billion, which, in turn, will lead to particularly acute food shortages, shortages of water and energy resources. The number of people living in poverty will increase significantly. There will be an increase in deadly diseases.

Municipal solid waste

In the modern world, people produce several kilograms of garbage every day - these are cans from canned food and drinks, and polyethylene, and glass, and other waste. Unfortunately, at present, their recycling is carried out only in countries with a highly developed standard of living. In all other cases, such household waste is disposed of in landfills, the territory of which often occupies huge areas. In countries with a low standard of living, heaps of garbage can lie right on the streets. This not only contributes to soil and water pollution, but also increases the growth of pathogenic bacteria, which in turn leads to widespread acute and sometimes fatal diseases. It should be noted that even the Earth’s atmosphere is filled with tons of debris left over from the launches of research probes, satellites and spacecraft into the vastness of the Universe. And since it is quite difficult to get rid of all these traces of human activity naturally, it is necessary to develop effective methods for processing solid waste. Many modern states are introducing national programs that promote the distribution of easily recyclable materials.

Global problems are generated by the contradictions of social development, the sharply increased scale of the impact of human activity on the environment, and are also associated with the uneven socio-economic, scientific and technological development of countries and regions. Solving global problems requires the deployment of international cooperation.

The most important global environmental problems facing modern man are the following: environmental pollution, the greenhouse effect, depletion of the ozone layer, photochemical smog, acid rain, soil degradation, deforestation, desertification, waste problems, reduction of the gene pool of the biosphere, etc.

The greenhouse effect is the heating of the inner layers of the Earth's atmosphere, due to the transparency of the atmosphere for the main part of the Sun's radiation (in the optical range) and the absorption by the atmosphere of the main (infrared) part of the thermal radiation of the planet's surface, heated by the Sun.

In the Earth's atmosphere, radiation is absorbed by molecules of H2O, CO2, O3, etc. The greenhouse effect increases the average temperature of the planet and softens the differences between day and night temperatures.

As a result of anthropogenic impacts (fuel combustion and industrial emissions), the content of carbon dioxide, methane, dust, fluorochlorocarbon compounds (and other gases that absorb in the infrared range) in the Earth's atmosphere is gradually increasing. The mixture of dust and gases acts like a plastic film over a greenhouse: it transmits sunlight well to the soil surface, but retains the heat dissipated above the soil - as a result, a warm microclimate is created under the film.

It is possible that an increase in the greenhouse effect as a result of this process could lead to global changes in the Earth's climate, melting glaciers and rising sea levels.

Acid rain is atmospheric precipitation (including snow), acidified (pH below 5.6) due to the increased content of industrial emissions in the air, mainly SO2, NO2, HCl, etc. As a result of acid rain entering the surface Acidification develops in the soil layer and water bodies, which leads to the degradation of ecosystems, the death of certain species of fish and other aquatic organisms, affects soil fertility, a decrease in forest growth and their drying out. Acid rain is especially typical for the countries of Western and Northern Europe, the USA, Canada, industrial areas of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, etc.

Depletion of energy resources. The most important factor limiting the development of human industrial activity is the energy limit. The current global energy consumption of humanity is about 10 TW. The basis of energy today is fossil fuels: coal, oil, gas and uranium-235.

The growth of global energy consumption over time is exponential (as is the growth of the Earth's population). The period of time between the development of the first 10% and the development of the last 10% of the stock of a non-renewable resource is called the useful period of use of the raw material source. Calculations have shown that, for example, for gas the useful period will last 20 - 25 years, for oil - 30 - 40 years, for coal - up to 100 years. Thus, humanity has clearly based its energy strategy on the wrong option that could ensure a sufficiently long-term stable development of humanity. If we assume that the planet's population will stabilize at around 15 billion people over a certain period of time and its energy budget will be only 2 times higher than the modern energy budget of the United States (20 kW per person), then it turns out that all reserves explored today oil will be used within 3 months, and coal reserves - 15 years.

Currently, an alternative and, perhaps, the only way out of this situation seems to be the development of inexhaustible (and also environmentally friendly) energy sources, the potential of which is very significant.

The biosphere is polluted by various chemically inert organic substances, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals (mercury, lead, etc.), radioactive substances, etc.

The World Ocean is polluted by oil and petroleum products, the plankton of which provides 70% of the oxygen entering the atmosphere.

The scale of pollution is so great that the natural ability of the biosphere to neutralize harmful substances and self-purify is close to the limit.

Ecological crisis(ecological emergency) - an environmental disaster characterized by persistent negative changes in the environment and posing a threat to human health. This is a tense state of relationship between humanity and nature, caused by the discrepancy between the size of human production and economic activity and the resource and ecological capabilities of the biosphere. The environmental crisis is characterized not so much by an increase in human impact on nature, but by a sharp increase in the influence of nature changed by people on social development.

Ecological catastrophy(ecological disaster) - environmental trouble, characterized by profound irreversible changes in the environment and a significant deterioration in public health. This is a natural anomaly, often arising from the direct or indirect impact of human activity on natural processes and leading to acutely unfavorable economic consequences or mass death of the population of a certain region.

Among the most important problems affecting the existence of humanity as a whole is the rapid growth and change in the structure of the Earth's population, as well as the question of the consequences and possibility of preventing thermonuclear war. This is not to say that both of these questions have not interested philosophers before. At least they always paid attention to the second of them, because wars have been known since humanity gained its certainty and embarked on the path of social, economic and cultural development. Both of these issues reached their utmost urgency in the last four decades, when the so-called demographic explosion began, and the largest countries in the world began to create atomic and missile weapons.

What is the essence of the demographic problem, what place does it occupy in the context of other global problems? Back in the 18th century. English economist T. Malthus in his book “An Essay on the Law of Population...” (1798) outlined a complex situation, which in our days is called the demographic problem. Malthus saw it in the fact that the population grows in geometric progression, that is, it increases at an incredible speed, while the increase in food necessary to feed it occurs according to an arithmetic progression.

One of the global problems is the problem of preventing global thermonuclear war. Computer modeling has shown that if only part of the deadly potential of atomic and hydrogen weapons is used in the emerging nuclear conflict, then “nuclear winter” or “nuclear night” will come on Earth. From the combined effects of radiation, explosions and fires, a huge amount of dust particles will be released into the air, which will sharply reduce the incidence of sunlight on the Earth's surface and reduce the air temperature to such a level that it will make it impossible for humans and most plant and animal species to exist on Earth. The number of countries that have or could become owners of nuclear weapons is steadily growing, and at the same time the danger of thermonuclear war is growing.

An important global problem, which also arose in the era of scientific and technological revolution, is environmental.

Nowadays, the problem of man's relationship to nature attracts close attention. There are important reasons for this. The unprecedented increase in scientific and technological potential has raised man's ability to transform the natural environment around him to a qualitatively new level and opened up extraordinary prospects for him. At the same time, in the interaction of man with his natural environment, more and more alarming symptoms of danger threatening the existence of planet Earth and the entire human race are manifested. This refers to the negative aspects of modern scientific and technological revolution (progressive pollution of the natural environment with products of technogenic origin, the threat of depletion of natural resources, climate change, etc.), as well as problems that faced humanity in the past (shortage of food, etc.), but have now become noticeably worse, especially in developing countries due to the demographic explosion and other circumstances.

A wide range of issues related to the interaction of modern society with the natural environment are united under the general name of environmental problems. The word “ecology” has become very fashionable in recent years. And the scope of its application has expanded significantly from the moment when E. Haeckel proposed it more than a hundred years ago to designate a specific scientific direction that studies the relationship of animals and plants with their environment. The word “ecology” is now found in the slogans under which demonstrations take place in Western countries (the so-called “green” movement); mentioned in official government documents, in articles by scientists, lawyers, journalists and representatives of other professions. In the broadest sense of the word, an ecological view of the world involves, when determining the values ​​and priorities of human activity, taking into account the consequences of the influence that this activity has on the natural environment, as well as the influence of the natural environment on humans.

Environmental problems can be called a number of factors that mean degradation of the natural environment around us. They are often caused by direct human activity. As industry developed, problems emerged that were directly related to the imbalance previously established in the ecological environment, which were difficult to compensate.

The world is diverse. Today the situation in the world is such that we are close to collapse. Among ecology, the following can be noted:

Destruction of thousands of species of animals and plants, increasing the number of endangered species;

Reducing the supply of minerals and other vital resources;

Destruction of forests;

Pollution and drainage of the world's oceans;

Destruction of the ozone layer, which protects us from radiation from space;

Air pollution, lack of clean air in some areas;

Pollution of the natural landscape.

Today there is practically no surface left on which there are no artificially created elements. The harmful influence of man as a consumer on nature is also undeniable. The mistake is that the world around us is not only a source of wealth and various resources. Man has lost the philosophical attitude towards nature as the mother of all living things.

The problems of our time lie in the fact that we are not educated to care about it. Man, as a selfish creature in itself, creates conditions for his own comfort, violating and destroying nature. We don’t think about the fact that we are harming ourselves by doing so. It is for this reason that today it is necessary to pay special attention not so much to solving environmental problems, but to educating humans as part of nature.

Environmental problems are initially divided according to their level of scale into regional, local and global. An example of a local problem is a factory that does not treat its wastewater before discharging it into a river, thereby polluting the water and destroying the living organisms that live in that water. Speaking about regional problems, we can cite the well-known situation in Chernobyl as an example. The tragedy affected thousands of human lives, as well as animals and other biological organisms that previously lived in this area. And finally, global problems are those critical situations that affect the population of the entire planet and can be deadly for millions of us.

Environmental problems of the world today require immediate solutions. First of all, as mentioned above, it is worth paying attention to Having come to harmony with nature, people will no longer treat it exclusively as a consumer. Next, it is necessary to take a number of measures for general greening. This will require the development of new environmentally friendly technologies in production and in everyday life, an environmental assessment of all new projects is required, and the creation of a closed cycle is required.

Returning to the human factor, it is worth mentioning that the ability to save and limit oneself will not hurt here. Wise use of resources such as energy, water, gas, etc. can save the planet from their shortage. It is worth knowing and remembering that while clean water flows in your tap, some countries are suffering from drought, and the population of these countries is dying from lack of liquid.

The world's environmental problems can and should be solved. Remember that the preservation of nature and the healthy future of the planet depends solely on ourselves! Of course, prosperity is impossible without the use of resources, but it is also worth thinking about the fact that oil and gas may run out in just a few decades. Environmental problems of the world affect everyone, don't remain indifferent!

08/16/2017 article

The expression “global environmental problems” is familiar to everyone, but we do not always realize how serious a semantic load it carries.

Global means worldwide, total, covering the entire planet. That is, the problems in question are directly related to each of us, and their consequences are difficult to imagine.

Planet climate change

The strengthening of the greenhouse effect is closely related to such a problem of humanity as global warming - these two concepts are practically inseparable. The optical properties of the atmosphere are in many ways similar to the properties of glass: by transmitting sunlight, it allows the Earth's surface to heat up, but its opacity to infrared radiation serves as an obstacle to the release of rays emitted by the heated surface into space. The accumulated heat leads to an increase in temperature in the lower atmosphere, called global warming. The consequences are very sad - unable to withstand the high temperature, Arctic ice begins to melt, increasing the water level in the ocean. In addition to melting ice, warming entails a number of other changes that are detrimental to our planet:

• increased frequency of floods;
• an increase in populations of harmful insects - carriers of deadly diseases - and their spread to countries with previously cool climates;
• hurricanes - consequences of rising ocean water temperatures;
• drying up of rivers and lakes, reduction in drinking water supplies in lands with arid climates;
• increased volcanic activity associated with the melting of mountain glaciers and subsequent erosion of rocks;
• an increase in the amount of plankton in the ocean, leading to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere;
• reduction in the diversity of biological species on Earth: according to scientists, the number of plant and animal species threatens to decrease by about 30% as a result of droughts;
• numerous forest fires caused by global warming.

There are several causes of global warming, and not all of them are anthropogenic. For example, in the case of volcanic activity, we are dealing with a vicious circle: a volcanic eruption leads to the release of carbon dioxide and disruption of the protective ozone layer, which in turn causes new eruptions. There is a theory according to which it was precisely this circular dependence that led the planet to alternating glacial and interglacial periods, the duration of each of which is approximately one hundred thousand years.

The second most popular theory related to the climate future of the planet is the theory of “global cooling” Ecocosm

The very fact of an increase in average temperatures over the past 100 years is not denied by anyone, but the reasons for these changes and forecasts may be different. The global warming theory also has its weaknesses. This is also a short period of time on the basis of which conclusions about climate change are made. After all, the history of our planet goes back about 4.5 billion years, during which time the planet’s climate has changed a huge number of times and without human participation. Other greenhouse gases, such as methane or even water vapor, are also completely ignored. And the most important statement of the theory of global warming - carbon dioxide of anthropogenic origin causes an increase in temperature throughout the planet - can be questioned. After all, an increase in global temperatures, caused not by an anthropogenic factor, can lead to an increase in biomass in the ocean, which, through the process of photosynthesis, begins to produce more carbon dioxide.

In modern science, there is another view of global warming. The second most popular theory related to the climate future of the planet is the theory of cyclicity or “global cooling.” She says that there is nothing extraordinary in the current processes of climate change. It's just climate cycles. And what we really need to wait for is not warming, but a new ice age.

This theory is confirmed by the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences based on an analysis of the Earth's climate over the past 250 thousand years. Data obtained by drilling ice over Lake Vostok in Antarctica indicate that the Earth's climate changes naturally, cyclically. The main reasons for these cycles are cosmic (changes in the angle of inclination of the earth's axis, changes in the plane of the ecliptic, etc.) And now we live in the interglacial period, which has lasted for about 10,000 years. But it’s too early to rejoice, because it will certainly be replaced by a new ice age. During the last one, which ended only 8000-10000 years ago, the ice sheet over Moscow was several hundred meters. This theory suggests that a new glacier is expected in several thousand years.

But there is no need to relax, no matter which of these climate change theories turns out to be correct, in the near future we may observe an increase in average temperatures caused by anthropogenic activities. Even if the theory of cyclicity turns out to be correct, that is, in a few thousand years we will experience global cooling, then the greenhouse effect caused by industrial emissions of carbon dioxide will have an impact on the climate in the next 100 years. And until temperatures begin to drop significantly as a result of cyclicality, we will experience all the negative consequences of global warming that scientists scare us with. Therefore, the idea of ​​distant global cooling cannot compensate for the catastrophic phenomena that we are already beginning to observe.

The interrelation of this problem with a number of others indicates its serious scale.

Ozone layer depletion

The height of the ozone layer at different latitudes can vary from 15 - 20 km (in polar regions) to 25 - 30 (in tropical regions). This part of the stratosphere contains the largest amount of ozone, a gas formed by the interaction of solar ultraviolet radiation and oxygen atoms. The layer serves as a kind of filter that blocks ultraviolet radiation, which causes skin cancer. Need I say how important the integrity of the precious layer is for the Earth and its inhabitants?

However, expert evidence regarding the state of the ozone layer is disappointing: in certain areas there is a significant decrease in ozone concentration in the stratosphere, leading to the formation of ozone holes. One of the largest holes was identified in 1985 over Antarctica. Even earlier, in the early 80s, the same area, although smaller in area, was noticed in the Arctic region.

Causes and consequences of ozone holes

Until recently, it was believed that the ozone layer was significantly damaged during flights of airplanes and spacecraft. However, to date, numerous studies have proven that transport has only a minor impact on the state of the ozone layer in comparison with other reasons:

• natural processes that do not depend on human activity (for example, lack of ultraviolet radiation in winter);
• human activity leading to the reaction of ozone molecules with substances that destroy them (bromine, chlorine, etc.), which, however, does not currently have sufficient practical evidence

Ozone can not only have the form of a blue gas, but also be in a liquid or solid state - respectively, acquiring an indigo hue or a blue-black color.

If the entire ozone layer of the Earth took the form of a solid substance, its thickness would be no more than 2-3 mm Ecocosm

It’s easy to imagine how fragile and vulnerable this shell is, protecting the planet from scorching ultraviolet radiation.

A decrease in the thickness of the ozone layer can cause irreparable harm to all life on Earth. Ultraviolet rays can not only cause skin cancer in humans, but also cause the death of marine plankton - an important link in the food chain of any marine ecosystem, the disruption of which can ultimately lead to starvation for the human race. The depletion of food sources for many peoples can turn into bloody wars for fertile territories, as has happened more than once throughout human history.

Depletion of fresh water sources and their pollution

Despite the fact that more than 70% of the Earth's surface is covered with water, only 2.5% of it is fresh, and only 30% of the Earth's population is fully provided with water suitable for consumption. At the same time, surface water, the main renewable source, is gradually depleted over time.

Poor quality water and the diseases it carries kill 25 million people every year Ecocosm

If in the 70s of the 20th century the available annual amount of water per person was 11 thousand cubic meters, then by the end of the century this number decreased to 6.5 thousand. However, these are average figures. There are nations on earth whose water supply is 1–2 thousand cubic meters of water per year per capita (South Africa), while in other regions this amount is equal to 100 thousand cubic meters.

Why is this happening?

Along with the acute shortage of fresh water, existing resources are not always suitable for use without threatening the health of Ecocosm

The primary reason that the water in the rivers has turned into a toxic slurry is, of course, human activity. Of the three sources of pollution - industrial, agricultural and domestic - the first occupies a leading position in terms of the volume of harmful emissions into rivers and lakes. Water polluted by industrial enterprises is very difficult to purify.

Fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture tend to accumulate in the soil, inevitably polluting surface waters. A significant contribution to the increase in the concentration of harmful substances in water is made by wastewater from urban areas, garbage and exhaust gases.

Soil pollution and depletion, desertification

Irrational use of natural resources, in particular soil, often leads to their depletion. Overgrazing of livestock, excessive plowing and fertilization, and deforestation are short and reliable paths to soil degradation and desertification. Forest fires also cause great harm, most often resulting from the irresponsible behavior of lovers of romance. During the dry summer period, it is not even necessary to leave the fire unattended for a fire to break out - all it takes is one spark caught by the wind to fall into the thick of dry pine needles on an old pine tree.

Burnt areas for a long time turn into bare wastelands, unsuitable for habitation of the small number of animals that were lucky enough to survive the flames of the fire. Subject to erosion by strong winds and rainfall, these lands become lifeless and useless.

Clay, silt and sand are the three main components of soil. Deprived of vegetation, the surface of the earth ceases to be protected and reliably strengthened by roots. Rains quickly wash away the silt, leaving instead only sand and clay, which have minimal relation to soil fertility - and the desertification mechanism is launched.

No less harm to land resources is caused by incorrect human agricultural activities, as well as industrial enterprises that pollute the soil with wastewater containing compounds hazardous to health.

Atmospheric layer pollution

Emissions of chemical compounds into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of industrial enterprises contribute to the concentration of uncharacteristic substances in it - sulfur, nitrogen and other chemical elements. As a result, qualitative changes occur not only in the air itself: a decrease in the pH value in precipitation, which occurs as a result of the presence of these substances in the atmosphere, leads to the formation of acid rain.

Acid precipitation can cause great harm not only to living organisms, but also to objects made of durable materials - cars, buildings and world heritage sites are often their victims. Rain with low pH levels allows toxic compounds to enter underground sources, poisoning the water.

Household waste

Household waste, simply called garbage, poses a danger to humanity no less than all other environmental problems. The volume of old packaging and used plastic bottles is so large that if we do not get rid of them, in the next couple of years humanity will drown in a continuous stream of its own garbage.

Most landfills make room for new waste by burning old waste. At the same time, plastic releases toxic smoke into the atmosphere, which returns to the earth as part of acid rain. Burials of plastic are no less harmful: decomposing over thousands of years, this material will slowly but surely poison the soil with toxic emissions.

In addition to plastic containers, humanity “thanks” nature for its gifts with such things as mountains of discarded plastic bags, batteries, broken glass and rubber objects.

Reduction of the gene pool of the biosphere

It would be strange to assume that all of the above problems will in no way affect the number and diversity of living organisms on Earth. The strong interconnection between ecosystems contributes to serious disturbances within each of them, provided that at least one link falls out of the food chain.

The average lifespan of each species is 1.5 - 2 million years - after its disappearance, new ones appear Ecocosm

The average lifespan of each species is 1.5 - 2 million years - after its disappearance, new ones appear. This was the case until modern civilization made its own adjustments to this process. Today, the species diversity of the planet is decreasing by 150-200 species every year, which leads to an inevitable environmental disaster.

The decline in species diversity is particularly facilitated by the reduction in the habitat of many animals. Only the areas of tropical forests have decreased by 50% over the past 200 years - growing cities are gradually displacing their inhabitants from the planet, depriving them of shelter and food sources.

What we can do?

It's time for each of us to ask this question, since nature's resources are not limitless.

An ordinary person cannot stop the work of an industrial enterprise that is pouring wastewater into the river. We cannot refuse to use transport. However, everyone can train themselves to do a few simple and useful things that do not require much time, but give tangible results.

Garbage sorting

This step is not at all a call to dig through the trash can, sorting through waste. It is enough to simply place plastic bottles and paper separately from the rest of the garbage and then put them in containers specially designed for this. It would be most reasonable to hand over the glass to a collection point for glass containers - it will be used as recyclable materials.

Proper disposal of household items

Many things, such as thermometers, batteries, energy-saving lamps or computer monitors, cannot be thrown away with the rest of the garbage, as they are sources of toxic substances that poison the soil when they get into it. Such items should be handed over to special collection points, where they will be disposed of, observing all safety rules.

For everyone who does not yet know where the nearest collection point for obsolete thermometers or batteries is located, enthusiasts have created special maps on which all points in every city in Russia or any other country are marked. All that remains for you is to find the right point and hand over the dangerous trash to specialists, saving the life of more than one living creature.

Refusal of plastic bags and containers

Avoiding plastic bags is not only healthy, but also very stylish. In recent years, the popularity of plastic bags has significantly decreased in European countries, giving way to original bags made from environmentally friendly materials. Such a thing will help protect not only nature, but also the owner’s budget - if it gets dirty, there is no need to throw it away to buy a new one: canvas bags can be washed many times.

Humanity has power on this planet that can cause enormous damage to it. Ecocosm

The same goes for plastic water containers: it's time to ditch the countless bottles and bottles and bottles. Today, residents of almost any city have the opportunity to order home delivery of water in 20-liter reusable containers, which the company’s employees are ready to replace upon the first call from the client.

Humanity has power on this planet that can cause enormous damage to it. But are we able to use our power and knowledge for good and not for harm?

Perhaps this is worth thinking about for anyone who aspires to the high title of a representative of an intelligent race.

Ecological problem is a change in the natural environment as a result of human activity, leading to disruption of the structure and functioning nature . This is a man-made problem. In other words, it arises as a result of the negative impact of humans on nature.

Environmental problems can be local (affecting a specific area), regional (a specific region) and global (impacting the entire biosphere of the planet).

Can you give an example of a local environmental problem in your region?

Regional problems cover large regions and their impact affects a large part of the population. For example, pollution of the Volga is a regional problem for the entire Volga region.

The drainage of the Polesie swamps caused negative changes in Belarus and Ukraine. Changes in the water level of the Aral Sea are a problem for the entire Central Asian region.

Global environmental problems include problems that pose a threat to all of humanity.

Which of the global environmental problems, from your point of view, are of greatest concern? Why?

Let's take a quick look at how environmental issues have changed throughout human history.

Actually, in a sense, the entire history of human development is a history of increasing impact on the biosphere. In fact, humanity in its progressive development has moved from one environmental crisis to another. But crises in ancient times were local in nature, and environmental changes were, as a rule, reversible, or did not threaten people with total death.

Primitive man, engaged in gathering and hunting, unwittingly disrupted the ecological balance in the biosphere everywhere and spontaneously caused harm to nature. It is believed that the first anthropogenic crisis (10-50 thousand years ago) was associated with the development of hunting and overhunting of wild animals, when the mammoth, cave lion and bear, on which the hunting efforts of the Cro-Magnons were directed, disappeared from the face of the earth. The use of fire by primitive people caused especially a lot of harm - they burned out forests. This led to a decrease in river and groundwater levels. Overgrazing of livestock on pastures may have resulted ecologically in the creation of the Sahara Desert.

Then, about 2 thousand years ago, there followed a crisis associated with the use of irrigated agriculture. It led to the development of a large number of clayey and saline deserts. But let’s take into account that in those days the population of the Earth was small, and, as a rule, people had the opportunity to move to other places that were more suitable for life (which is impossible to do now).

During the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries, the impact on the biosphere increased. This is due to the development of new lands, which was accompanied by the extermination of many species of animals (remember, for example, the fate of the American bison) and the transformation of vast territories into fields and pastures. However, human impact on the biosphere acquired a global scale after the industrial revolution of the 17th-18th centuries. At this time, the scale of human activity increased significantly, as a result of which the geochemical processes occurring in the biosphere began to transform (1). In parallel with the progress of scientific and technological progress, the number of people has increased sharply (from 500 million in 1650, the conditional beginning of the industrial revolution - to the current 7 billion), and, accordingly, the need for food and industrial goods, and for more and more fuel, has increased , metal, cars. This led to a rapid increase in the load on environmental systems, and the level of this load in the middle of the 20th century. - beginning of the 21st century reached a critical value.

How do you understand in this context the contradictory results of technological progress for people?

Humanity has entered an era of global environmental crisis. Its main components:

• depletion of energy and other resources of the planet's interior
• Greenhouse effect,
• ozone layer depletion,
• soil degradation,
• radiation hazard,
• transboundary transfer of pollution, etc.

The movement of humanity towards an environmental catastrophe of a planetary nature is confirmed by numerous facts. People are continuously accumulating the number of compounds that cannot be utilized by nature, developing dangerous technologies, storing and transporting many pesticides and explosives, polluting the atmosphere, hydrosphere and soil. In addition, the energy potential is constantly increasing, the greenhouse effect is being stimulated, etc.

There is a threat of loss of stability of the biosphere (disruption of the eternal course of events) and its transition to a new state, excluding the very possibility of human existence. It is often said that one of the reasons for the environmental crisis our planet is in is a crisis of human consciousness. What do you think of it?

But humanity is still able to solve environmental problems!

What conditions are necessary for this?

• Unity of good will of all inhabitants of the planet in the problem of survival.
• Establishing peace on Earth, ending wars.
• Stopping the destructive effect of modern production on the biosphere (resource consumption, environmental pollution, destruction of natural ecosystems and biodiversity).

Development of global models of nature restoration and scientifically based environmental management.

Some of the points listed above seem impossible, or not? What do you think?

Undoubtedly, human awareness of the dangers of environmental problems is associated with serious difficulties. One of them is caused by the non-obviousness of its natural basis for modern man, psychological alienation from nature. Hence the disdainful attitude towards compliance with environmentally appropriate activities, and, to put it simply, the lack of an elementary culture of attitude towards nature on various scales.

To solve environmental problems, it is necessary to develop new thinking among all people, to overcome stereotypes of technocratic thinking, ideas about the inexhaustibility of natural resources and a lack of understanding of our absolute dependence on nature. An unconditional condition for the further existence of humanity is compliance with the environmental imperative as the basis for environmentally friendly behavior in all areas. It is necessary to overcome alienation from nature, to realize and implement personal responsibility for how we relate to nature (for saving land, water, energy, for protecting nature). Video 5.

There is a phrase “think globally, act locally.” How do you understand this?

There are many successful publications and programs devoted to environmental problems and the possibilities of solving them. In the last decade, quite a lot of environmentally oriented films have been produced, and regular environmental film festivals have begun to be held. One of the most outstanding films is the environmental education film HOME, which was first presented on June 5, 2009 on World Environment Day by the outstanding photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand and the famous director and producer Luc Besson. This film tells about the history of life on planet Earth, the beauty of nature, and environmental problems caused by the destructive impact of human activity on the environment, which threatens the death of our common home.

It must be said that the premiere of HOME was an unprecedented event in cinema: for the first time, the film was shown simultaneously in the largest cities of dozens of countries, including Moscow, Paris, London, Tokyo, New York, in an open screening format, and free of charge. Television viewers saw an hour and a half film on large screens installed in open areas, in cinema halls, on 60 TV channels (not counting cable networks), and on the Internet. HOME was shown in 53 countries. However, in some countries, such as China and Saudi Arabia, the director was denied permission to conduct aerial filming. In India, half of the footage was simply confiscated, and in Argentina, Arthus-Bertrand and his assistants had to spend a week in prison. In many countries, the film about the beauty of the Earth and its environmental problems, the demonstration of which, according to the director, “borders on a political appeal,” was banned from showing.

Yann Arthus-Bertrand (French: Yann Arthus-Bertrand, born March 13, 1946 in Paris) - French photographer, photojournalist, Knight of the Legion of Honor and winner of many other awards

With a story about the film by J. Arthus-Bertrand, we end the conversation about environmental problems. Watch this movie. Better than words, it will help you think about what awaits the Earth and humanity in the near future; understand that everything in the world is interconnected, that our task now is common and that of each of us - to try, as far as possible, to restore the ecological balance of the planet that we have disrupted, without which the existence of life on Earth is impossible.

In Video 6 den excerpt from the film Home. You can watch the whole film - http://www.cinemaplayer.ru/29761-_dom_istoriya_puteshestviya___Home.html.