Human Impacts on the Physical Environment

Everything people do on a daily basis affects the planet in some way. In just one day people drive cars, use electricity, eat food that was treated with a pesticide and produce garbage. The consequences of overuse and abuse of the environment can lead to things such as global warming, pollution, depletion of species and plants and poor air and water quality. Although there is a very long list of things that humans are doing to affect the physical environment, some of the common ones are overpopulation, overfishing, human accidents and transportation

Overpopulation

• A growing world population leads to urbanization. Urbanization leads to an increased demand for homes, towns, roads, recreation and agriculture. The largest consequence of expansion is the reduction in wildlife habitats, forests and plant species. Smaller habitats limit animal interactions and migrations resulting in a change in the gene pool and more competition for food. Many plant species are now threatened due to the reduction in the natural environment.

Overfishing

• The unsustainable harvesting of fish and shellfish by commercial fisherman upsets the ecological balance. Fisherman use sonar and nets capture entire schools of fish, making it almost impossible for fish populations to rebound. Some species such as halibut, tuna, swordfish and cod are so depleted that they may be nonexistent someday.

Transportation

• Transportation is the biggest source of pollution in the world. Carbon monoxide from cars, planes and trains pollutes the air, which disrupts the ozone layer, leading to global warming. It also can cause respiratory problems in people, increasing medical costs. Building roads and highways affects natural habitats. New roads take land from natural habitats and can put wildlife in danger.

Accidents and Irresponsibility

• Large corporations are responsible for oil spills, chemical spills, irresponsible chemical use and other disasters. People themselves do the same thing on a smaller scale by putting chemicals on lawns, littering and disposing of used oil incorrectly. These actions affect the soil and air, runoff goes into lakes and streams and is absorbed by plants and animals that we eat.