Causes of Environmental Problems

Environmental concerns are defined as environmental pollution, global warming, loss of diversity or harm to animals and their ecosystems. While there may be many different causes, not one source is to blame. It will be only through acknowledgment and serious action that the concerns can be eliminated and possibly reverse the damage that has already been done.

Over Population and Over Consumption of Natural Resources

Both population and consumption go hand-in-hand. As the world population increases, so do the natural resources consumed. Without a way to limit, or restrict population, resource usage grows out of control at a rate where the resources cannot possibly recover. The average family today now consumes as much if not more resources as the larger families from previous generations, and the larger the family the more quickly resources are depleted.

Landfills and Lack of Recycling

Many remember being taught the three R’s, which are Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Unfortunately, while some may do this at the household level, many countries do not have policies nor enforce them if they even exist. This is why there are landfills today and why they are still overflowing, filled to the brim with items that will never decompose. What can't be stored is shipped out to where storage is available, and if none is available, it is dropped in the middle of the ocean. Most trash, such as plastics or synthetic materials were never made to decompose, instead they leach into the soil and the ocean, where they will remain for an indefinite amount of time.

Use of Chemicals

Chemicals are used everyday around the world. They are sprayed on food, used in manufacturing and sometimes used to make new chemicals. However, chemicals can cause damage to the environment, and while some chemicals are beneficial, a lot are causing more harm than good. These chemicals can harm the soil, the air and bodies of water. In doing so it also harms wildlife as it destroys or alters their ecosystems. In previous generations, chemicals such as DDT were once thought to be safe but have since proven to be destructive to the environment and ecosystem.