Infographic Click Here | Have you ever wondered how the present-day environmental conditions may affect our Mother Earth? Human activities can impact the earth in a number of ways. With growing technologies and advancements, there is a simultaneous rise in environmental threats. It is important to stay aware of how we as humans are becoming the main reason behind extinctions, disruption of ecosystems, depletion of resources and the list goes on. Though there may be some natural disasters which can also attribute to environmental impacts, human impacts must be considered as serious threats and efforts must be taken to mitigate these issues. |
For a moment, let us imagine if Earth were a human like us. Our activities might have been quite disastrous for the Human Earth!
- The Human Earth would have breathing troubles.
With growing urbanization and industrialization, more and more gases are released from automobiles, factories, industries which deplete oxygen levels and make the air unhealthy to breathe. Moreover, the green blanket is depleting too fast to replenish the polluted air with fresh and clean air. The Human Earth might have developed respiratory problems, by inhaling such air.
- The Human Earth would have an upset stomach.
Water bodies on Earth are contaminated through poor waste disposal systems, resulting in direct entry of wastes into lakes, rivers, seas, oceans affecting the aquatic species. Infectious agents, organic chemicals, radioactive materials can all lead to infectious diseases and they make water unfit for drinking. Had the Earth been a human, its stomach might have contracted severe infection.
- The Human Earth would have skin itching and rashes.
There are a number of daily human activities leading to different kinds of pollution such as air, water and land pollution. Agricultural activities use fertilizers, chemicals and pesticides, polluting land area. Plastic, chemical and metallic wastes from industries can also lead to soil degradation. With such a polluted land, Earth might have developed severe skin problems.
- The Human Earth would have been BALD!
A huge number of forests are being cutting down by human population for various purposes including growth of crops, cattle grazing, increased demand of paper, wood and spaces for construction and living. Destruction of forests may result in loss of natural habitats for thousands of plant and animal species, reduced rainfall, dry lands with loss of fertility, loss of biodiversity and increased atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), leading to global warming.
- Human Earth would have had high temperature.
Global warming, hands down has been one of the most serious concerns of environmental impacts on this planet. With increasing global population and pollution each year, the CO2 levels have constantly been on the rise. Large amounts of pollutants such as CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapour, etc. constitute the greenhouse gases which are responsible for trapped heat resulting in high atmospheric temperatures.
Few of the greatest contributors of global warming include industrial pollution, automobile gases, transportation fuel and electricity production. All of these combined factors causing global warming also lead to harmful climatic changes.
- Human Earth would have lost its protective shield.
The ozone layer is a protective layer of the earth’s atmosphere that absorbs harmful Ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun and prevents them from reaching the planet. Continuous human activities have been causing extensive damage to the ozone layer. Ozone depleting chemicals such as chlorine and fluorine compounds when released into the air, reach the absorption zone of the ozone layer and destroy their absorption capacity.
This in turn leads to entry of harmful UV rays into the earth’s atmosphere causing harmful effects on humans and decreased productivity of plants.
Conclusion:
Whether human or not, should the Earth not be protected from the grave consequences of the present-day human activities? As humans, it is our responsibility to take steps towards protecting our planet from further damage. Stay aware of what is happening around you and do your bit to make your planet a safer place to live in for yourself and your future generations as well!
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