Synopsis of Environmental Studies EDU-886: Topic
Synopsis of Environmental Studies EDU-886: Topic
Synopsis of Environmental Studies EDU-886: Topic
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
EDU-886
Some of the largest problems now affecting the world are Acid Rain, Air Pollution,Global
Warming, Hazardous Waste, Ozone Depletion, Smog, Water Pollution,Overpopulation,
and Rain Forest Destruction,land degradation
Land Degradation
Land degradation is a concept in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by
one or more combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land. It is viewed as any
change or disturbance to the land perceived to be deleterious or undesirable.
Causes
The major causes include:
Waste
Waste (also known as rubbish, trash, refuse, garbage, junk) is unwanted or useless
materials. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly.
In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living
organisms; such as urea, sweat or feces.
Waste is directly linked to human development, both technologically and socially. The
compositions of different wastes have varied over time and location, with industrial development
and innovation being directly linked to waste materials. Examples of this include plastics and
nuclear technology. Some components of waste have economical value and can be recycled once
correctly recovered.
Overpopulation
Overpopulation is a condition where an organism's numbers exceed the carrying capacity of
its habitat. The term often refers to the relationship between the human population and
its environment, the Earth. Steve Jones, head of the biology department at University College
London, has said, "Humans are 10,000 times more common than we should be, according to the
rules of the animal kingdom, and we have agriculture to thank for that. Without farming, the
world population would probably have reached half a million by now." The world’s population
has significantly increased in the last 50 years, mainly due to medical advancements and
substantial increases in agricultural productivity.
Effects of human overpopulation
Noise pollution
Noise pollution is excessive, displeasing human, animal or machine-created environmental
noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life. The source of most outdoor
noise worldwide is mainly construction and transportation systems, including motor
vehicle noise, aircraft noise and rail noise. Poor urban planning may give rise to noise pollution,
since side-by-side industrial and residential buildings can result in noise pollution in the
residential area.
Indoor and outdoor noise pollution sources include car alarms, emergency service sirens,
mechanical equipment, fireworks, compressed air horns, groundskeeping equipment, barking
dogs, appliances, lighting hum, audio entertainment systems, electric megaphones, and loud
people.
Effects
Human health
Noise health effects are both health and behavioral in nature. The unwanted sound is called
noise. This unwanted sound can damage physiological and psychological health. Noise pollution
can cause annoyance and aggression, hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus, hearing loss, sleep
disturbances, and other harmful effects. Furthermore, stress and hypertension are the leading
causes to health problems, whereas tinnitus can lead to forgetfulness, severe depression and at
times panic attacks.
Environment
Noise can have a detrimental effect on animals by causing stress, increasing risk of death by
changing the delicate balance in predator/prey detection and avoidance, and by interfering with
their use of sounds in communication especially in relation to reproduction and in navigation.
Acoustic overexposure can lead to temporary or permanent loss of hearing.