The environmental impact of agriculture

The environmental impact of agriculture varies based on the wide variety of agricultural practices employed
around the world. Ultimately, the environmental impact depends on the production practices of the system
used by farmers. The connection between emissions into the environment and the farming system is
indirect, as it also depends on other climate variables such as rainfall and temperature. There are two types
of indicators of environmental impact: "means-based", which is based on the farmer's production methods,
and "effect-based", which is the impact that farming methods have on the farming system or on emissions
to the environment. An example of a means-based indicator would be the quality of groundwater, that is
effected by the amount of nitrogen applied to the soil. An indicator reflecting the loss of nitrate to
groundwater would be effect-based. The means-based evaluation looks at farmers' practices of agriculture,
and the effect-based evaluation considers the actual effects of the agricultural system.

Negatives Climate change

Climate change and agriculture are interrelated processes, both of which take place on a worldwide scale.
Global warming is projected to have significant impacts on conditions affecting agriculture, including
temperature, precipitation and glacial run- off. These conditions determine the carrying capacity of the
biosphere to produce enough food for the human population and domesticated animals. Rising carbon
dioxide levels would also have effects, both detrimental and beneficial, on crop yields. Assessment of the
effects of global climate changes on agriculture might help to properly anticipate and adapt farming to
maximize agricultural production.

Agriculture also alters the Earth's land cover, which can change its ability to absorb or reflect heat
and light, thus contributing to radiative forcing. Land use change such as deforestation and
desertification, together with use of fossil fuels, are the major anthropogenic sources of carbon
dioxide; agriculture itself is the major contributor to increasing methane and nitrous oxide
concentrations in earth's atmosphere.

Deforestation

clearing the Earth's forests on a large scale worldwide and resulting in many land damages. One of the
causes of deforestation is to clear land for pasture or crops. Deforestation causes the loss of habitat for
millions of species, and is also a driver of climate change. Trees act as a carbon sink: that is, they absorb
carbon dioxide, an unwanted greenhouse gas, out of the atmosphere. Removing trees releases carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere and leaves behind fewer trees to absorb the increasing amount of carbon dioxide
in the air. In this way, deforestation exacerbates climate change. When trees are removed from forests, the
soils tend to dry out because there is no longer shade, and there are not enough trees to assist in the water
cycle by returning water vapor back to the environment. With no trees, landscapes that were once forests
can potentially become barren deserts.

Pollutants
Synthetic pesticides such as 'Malathion', 'Rogor', 'Kelthane' and 'confidor' are the most widespread method
of controlling pests in agriculture. Pesticides can leach through the soil and enter the groundwater, as well
as linger in food products and result in death in humans and non-targeted wildlife. A wide range of
agricultural chemicals are used and some become pollutants through use, misuse, or ignorance. The erosion
of topsoil, which can contain chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides, can be carried away from farms
to other places. Pesticides can be found in streams and ground water. Atrazine is a herbicide used to control
weeds that grow among crops. This herbicide can disrupt endocrine production which can cause
reproductive problems in mammals, amphibians and fish that have been exposed.

Soil degradation

the decline in soil quality that can be a result of many factors, especially from agriculture termed as soil
degradation. Soils hold the majority of the world's biodiversity, and healthy soils are essential for food
production and an adequate water supply. Common attributes of soil degradation can be salting,
waterlogging, compaction, pesticide contamination, decline in soil structure quality, loss of fertility,
changes in soil acidity, alkalinity, salinity, and erosion. Soil erosion is the wearing away of topsoil by water,
wind, or farming activities. Topsoil is very fertile, which makes it valuable to farmers growing crops. Soil
degradation also has a huge impact on biological degradation, which affects the microbial community of
the soil and can alter nutrient cycling, pest and disease control, and chemical transformation properties of
the soil. The use of pesticides with plasticulture allows pesticides to be transported easier in the surface
runoff towards wetlands or tidal creeks. The runoff from pesticides and chemicals in the plastic can cause
serious deformations and death in shellfish as the runoff carries the chemicals towards the oceans.

Sustainable agriculture

Sustainable agriculture is the idea that agriculture should occur in a way such that we can continue to
produce what is necessary without infringing on the ability for future generations to do the same. The
exponential population increase in recent decades has increased the practice of agricultural land conversion
to meet demand for food which in turn has increased the effects on the environment. Agriculture can have
negative effects on biodiversity as well. Organic farming is a multifaceted sustainable agriculture set of
practices that can have a lower impact on the environment at the small scale. However, in most cases organic
farming results in lower yields in terms of production per unit area. Therefore, widespread adoption of
organic agriculture will require additional land to be cleared and water resources extracted to meet the same
level of production.

The environmental impact of the energy industry

Energy has been harnessed by human beings for millennia. Initially it was with the use of fire for
light, heat, cooking and for safety, and its use can be traced back at least 1.9 million years. In recent
years there has been a trend towards the increased commercialization of various renewable energy
sources. Rapidly advancing technologies can potentially achieve a transition of energy generation,
water and waste management, and food production towards better environmental and energy usage
practices using methods of systems ecology and industrial ecology. The scientific consensus on
global warming and climate change is that it is caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions,
the majority of which comes from burning fossil fuels with deforestation and some agricultural
practices being also major contributors.

Biofuel use
Biofuel is defined as solid, liquid or gaseous fuel obtained from relatively recently lifeless or living
biological material and is different from fossil fuels, which are
derived from long-dead biological material. Various plants and plant-derived materials are used for biofuel
manufacturing. Bio-diesel High use of bio-diesel leads to land use changes including deforestation.
Firewood Unsustainable firewood harvesting can lead to loss of biodiversity and erosion due to loss of
forest cover. Fossil fuel use The three fossil fuel types are coal, petroleum and natural
gas. It was estimated by the Energy Information Administration that in 2006 primary
sources of energy consisted of petroleum 36.8%, coal 26.6%, natural gas 22.9%,
amounting to an 86% share for fossil fuels in primary energy production in the world. In
2013 the burning of fossil fuels produced around 32 billion tonnes (32 gigatonnes) of
carbon dioxide and additional air pollution. This caused negative externalities of $4.9
trillion due to global warming and health problems (> 150 $/ton carbon dioxide). Carbon
dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases that enhances radiative forcing and contributes
to global warming, causing the average surface temperature of the Earth to rise in
response, which climate scientists agree will cause major adverse effects.

Petroleum

The environmental impact of petroleum is often negative because it is toxic to almost all
forms of life. The possibility of climate change exists. Petroleum, commonly referred to as
oil, is closely linked to virtually all aspects of present society, especially for transportation
and heating for both homes and for commercial activities.

Natural gas

is often described as the cleanest fossil fuel, producing less carbon dioxide per joule
delivered than either coal or oil., and far fewer pollutants than other fossil fuels. However,
in absolute terms it does contribute substantially to global carbon emissions, and this
contribution is projected to grow. According to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, in
2004 natural gas produced about 5,300 Mt/yr of CO2 emissions, while coal and oil produced 10,600 and
10,200 respectively (Figure 4.4); but by 2030, according to an updated version of the SRES B2
emissions scenario, natural gas would be the source of 11,000 Mt/yr, with coal and oil
now 8,400 and 17,200 respectively. (Total global emissions for 2004 were estimated at
over 27,200 Mt.) In addition, natural gas itself is a greenhouse gas far more potent than
carbon dioxide when released into the atmosphere but is released in smaller amounts.

Electricity generation

The environmental impact of electricity generation is significant because modern society

uses large amounts of electrical power. This power is normally generated at power plants
that convert some other kind of energy into electrical power. Each such system has
advantages and disadvantages, but many of them pose environmental concerns.

Reservoirs
 The environmental impact of reservoirs is coming under ever increasing scrutiny as the
world demand for water and energy increases and the number and size of reservoirs
increases. Dams and the reservoirs can be used to supply drinking water, generate
hydroelectric power, increasing the water supply for irrigation, provide recreational
opportunities and for flood control Nuclear power The environmental impact of nuclear
power results from the nuclear fuel cycle, operation, and the effects of nuclear accidents.
The routine health risks and greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear fission power are
smaller than those associated with coal, oil and gas.

Energy conservation Energy conservation refers to efforts made to reduce energy

consumption. Energy conservation can be achieved through increased efficient energy
use, in conjunction with decreased energy consumption and/or reduced consumption
from conventional energy sources. Energy conservation can result in increased financial
capital, environmental quality, national security, personal security, and human comfort.
Individuals and organizations that are direct consumers of energy choose to conserve
energy to reduce energy costs and promote economic security. Industrial and commercial
users can increase energy use efficiency to maximize profit. The increase of global
energy use can also be slowed by tackling human population growth, by using non-
coercive measures such as better provision of family planning services and by
empowering (educating) women in developing countries.

Energy policy Energy policy is the manner in which a given entity (often governmental)
has decided to address issues of energy development including energy production,
distribution and consumption.

The environmental impact of transport

it is significant because transport is a major user of energy, and burns most of the
world's petroleum. This creates air pollution, including nitrous oxides and
particulates, and is a significant contributor to global warming through emission of
carbon dioxide. Within the transport sector, road transport is the largest contributor
to global warming. Environmental regulations in developed countries have reduced
the individual vehicle's emission. However, this has been offset by an increase in
the number of vehicles, and increased use of each vehicle. Some pathways to
reduce the carbon emissions of road vehicles considerably have been studied.
Energy use and emissions vary largely between modes, causing environmentalists
to call for a transition from air and road to rail and human-powered transport, and
increase transport electrification and energy efficiency. The transportation sector
is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Other environmental
impacts of transport systems include traffic congestion and automobile-oriented
urban sprawl, which can consume natural habitat and agricultural lands. By
reducing transportation emissions globally, it is predicted that there will be
significant positive effects on Earth's air quality, acid rain, smog and climate
change. The health impact of transport emissions is also of concern. direct impacts
 such as noise and carbon monoxide emissions create direct and harmful effects
on the environment, along with indirect impacts. The indirect impacts are often of
higher consequence which leads to the misconception that it's the opposite since
it is frequently understood that initial effects cause the most damage.

Environmental Impacts due to Overpopulation

Survival used to mean repopulating. That, however, is quickly becoming true for
the opposite as we reach the maximum carrying capacity that our planet can
sustain. Overpopulation has grown into an epidemic since mortality rates have
decreased, medicine has improved, and methods of industrial farming were
introduced, thus
keeping humans alive for much longer and increasing the total population. The
effects of overpopulation are quite severe, with one of the most severe being the
degradation of the environment. Humans require space, and lots of it whether it is
for farmland, or industries which also takes up tons of space. An increased
population results in more clear- cutting, resulting in severely damaged
ecosystems. Without enough trees to filter the air, CO2 levels increase which
carries the potential to damage every single organism on Earth. Another issue is
our dependency on coal and fossil fuels for energy, the larger the population, the
more fossil fuels will be used. The use of fossil fuels (such as oil and coal) results
in copious amounts of carbon dioxide into the air- threatening the extinction of
thousands of species which adds to the effect that forest depletion.
Overpopulation, Briefly Defined The term overpopulation is used to describe a
situation in which the world or area has a population so large that the people there
are suffering as a result. In other words, the population exceeds the region or
planet's carrying capacity--the number of people, other living organisms, or crops
that can be supported without environmental degradation. Their suffering may
include a shortage of food, limited access to healthcare and other public services,
overcrowding, and high unemployment. Causes of Overpopulation
Overpopulation is largely attributed to trends such as people living longer and
enjoying higher live birth rates. Overpopulation of specific locations can also result
from migration. Oddly enough, the overpopulation of an area can occur without a
net gain of population. It can result from a reduction in the carrying capacity of a
region, such as reduced agricultural yield due to over farming or drought. Such
conditions may lead to an out-migration. Environmental Effects of
Overpopulation The relationship between overpopulation and environmental
impacts are often interrelated and complex.
Below are some of the key sustainability challenges associated with overpopulation. For
the sake of simplicity they are listed separately, but understand the connections
between them are complicated, which makes them more challenging to manage.
• Eutrophication Agricultural runoff is one of the main causes of
eutrophication, the presence of excessive nutrients in bodies of waster, such as
large pockets like the Dead Zone of the Gulf of Mexico. Worldwide, there are more
than 400 marine 'dead zones' caused by eutrophication, collectively covering an
area six times the size of Switzerland. Eutrophication causes the dense growth of
plant life that consumes oxygen, resulting in the death of aquatic animals. Other
major sources of eutrophication are industry and sewage disposal--both related to
population growth. The cost of mediating eutrophication in the U.S. is over $2.2
billion annually. Recent research points out that there are other important impacts
other than food production, such as clothing and manufactured good production.
Cotton or linen production, for example, can involve direct agricultural impacts
associated with growing crops. The use of fossil fuel for electrical production to
power factories also creates NOx emissions, which can ultimately be absorbed by
oceans to increase their nutrient load.
• Loss of Fresh Water While there is plenty of water on the planet, it is very
much a scarce resource. Only 2.5 percent of water resources are fresh water, and
just a small fraction of that is available as unpolluted drinking water. One of the
byproducts of population growth has been stress on freshwater supplies. "Water
stressed" is defined as a case of demand exceeding the supply of suitable water
available.
• Global Warming Human population growth and climate change have grown
hand in hand as the use of
fossil fuels has exploded to support industrialized societies. "More people means
more demand for oil, gas, coal and other fuels mined or drilled from below the
Earth’s surface that, when burned, spew enough carbon dioxide (CO2) into the
atmosphere to trap warm air inside like a greenhouse," notes Scientific American.
Most fossil fuel consumption comes from developed countries. It is a sobering
thought that most developing nations aspire to similar industrial economies as they
experience economic growth, which further escalates CO2 emissions into the
atmosphere. Deforestation is another important component of greenhouse gas
emissions. Globally, forests store more than twice the amount of carbon dioxide
than is found in the atmosphere. As forests are cleared and burned, that CO2 is
released into the atmosphere, accounting for an estimated 25 percent of total
greenhouse gas production. Outlook for Overpopulation and Sustainability
There are issues aplenty to overcome. Clearly, initiatives to switch to clean energy
sources such as solar, improve agricultural practices, better manage water
resources and fully embrace the principles of the circular economy will help us
mitigate the impact of population growth. At the other end of the spectrum, policies
that encourage family planning, education, gender equity and other measures to
help slow population growth will help reduce pressure on the planet. Take time to
understand the issues, and support policies that will make a difference. 2.
Pollution Pollution is everywhere. From the trash thrown out on the freeway, to
the millions of metric tons of pollution pumped into the atmosphere every year- it's
obvious, pollution and waste are inescapable. Pollution is so bad that to date, 2.4
billion people do not have access to clean water sources. Humanity is continuously
polluting indispensable resources like air, water, and soil which requires millions of
years to replenish. Air is arguably the most polluted with the US producing 147
million metric tons of air pollution each year alone. In 1950, smog was so bad in
LA that the ground level ozone (atmospheric gas that is great in the atmosphere,
not so much on the ground) surpassed 500 parts per billion volume (ppbv)- well
above the National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 75 ppbv (6.6 times more to be
precise). People thought they were under foreign attack as the smog burned their
eyes and left an odor of bleach in the air. That is when the devastating effect of
aerosols was discovered. While air quality in the US has slightly improved, the
quality in developing countries continues to plummet as smog continuously blocks
out the sun in a dense shroud of pollution. This is just one of the issues we have
to tackle in near future. 3. Global Warming Global warming is arguably the
greatest cause of impact to the environment. The largest of causes emanating
through CO2 levels from respiration to more detrimental causes like burning fossil
fuels and deforestation. At any rate, humans are consistently increasing CO2
levels globally- every year. The highest level of CO2 in recorded history before
1950 was about 300 parts per million. However, current measurements of CO2
levels have exceeded above 400 PPM, abolishing every record dating back
400,000 years. The increase of CO2 emissions has contributed to the planet's
average temperature increasing almost a whole degree. As the Temperature
increases, arctic land ice and glaciers melt which causes the
ocean levels to rise at a rate of 3.42mm per year, allowing more water to absorb
more heat, which melts more ice, creating a positive feedback loop which will
cause the oceans to rise 1-4 feet by 2100.
4. Climate Change Climate change is closely connected to historical
developement of industry and technology. As global temperatures increase,
Earth's weather patterns will drastically change. While some areas will experience
longer growing seasons, others will become barren wastelands as water will
deplete in vast areas, turning once floral regions into deserts. The increase will
impact weather patterns, promising more intense hurricanes in both size and
frequency, as well as intensifying and prolonging droughts and heat waves. But air
pollution does not just affect the environment. The evidence is mounting that poor
air quality and rising temperatures are ruining delicate ecosystems, even leading
to increased asthma and cancer rates in humans.
5. Genetic Modification Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been a
major contributor to the survival and prosperity of humans. GMO's are selected
bred crops or crops that have had DNA directly implanted into it in order to give an
advantage to the crop, whether that be to sustain colder temperatures, require less
water, or yield more product. But GMO's are not always intentional. For years
humans have used glyphosate, a herbicide designed to eliminate weeds - the
biggest threat to any plant. However, just as humans have a learning immune
system, certain weeds have developed a resistance to 22 of 25 known herbicides,
with 249 species of weeds completely immune according to the latest scientific
report. "Super weeds" threaten farming lands by chocking outcrops. One of the
only solutions is to till the land, turning over the soil to kill the weeds and give an
early advantage to the planted crops. The disadvantage of tilling, however, is that
it causes the soil to dry faster and kills off good bacteria, making its fertile lifespan
significantly shorter. To replenish the depleted soil, fertilizer is used, which
introduces a whole new set of problems to the environment and can be disastrous
for local agriculture in the long run.
 6. Ocean Acidification Ocean acidification is caused when CO2 dissolves into
the ocean bonding with sea water creating carbonic acid. The acid reduces the pH
levels in the water, essentially changing the Ocean acidity by 30% in the last 200
years according to analysis - a level that the ocean has not been at in over 20
million years. The acidity depletes the calcium concentrations, making it difficult
for crustaceans to build their shell, leaving them vulnerable without their armor.
Between the global temperature rise of one degree and the ocean acidification,
scientists say a quarter of all coral reefs are considered damaged beyond repair,
with two-thirds under serious threat. Coral reefs are home to 25% of aquatic life,
many of which are responsible for the natural filtration of the ocean and production
of necessary nutrients that are vital for life under the sea. However, acidification is
not the only watery threat as there are other human activities causing severe
changes.

7. Water Pollution Every year over 8 millions tons of garbage dumped into the
ocean. Not only is garbage introduced into the oceans, but also the excessive
amounts of fertilizer that
finds its way into the ocean through rains, floods, winds, or dumped in excess right
into the largest producer of oxygen we have. Fertilizer contains nitrogen, an
element essential for the growth of plants- but that does not limit it to what it was
intended for. Phytoplankton and algae thrive off of nitrogen, causing excessive
growth in what is known as "red tides" or "brown tides" in areas with high
concentrations of nitrogen. The brown tide is caused by the rapid growth of billions
of algae, which deplete water bodies of oxygen and cause poison to accumulate
in all life that consumes it, including fish and birds. But water pollution does not
end there. Year after year, millions of tons of garbage is dumped into the ocean.
Since the garbage mainly consists of plastics, it is largely indissoluble. The
garbage accumulates in large vortexes across the ocean. Marine life, including the
loggerhead sea turtles, are tricked into thinking they are eating food when really it
is only a floating plastic bag or other poisonous plastic that will cause starvation or
suffocation to any unfortunate animal that mistakenly ingests it. Pollution is the number one
threat to all aquatic life and is lead cause of reduced biodiversity. This is really sad given that water
and water life-forms are some of the most important natural resources at our
disposal.
8. Deforestation With an exponential expansion in human beings, more food,
materials, and shelter are being manufactured at stupendous rates, mostly
stemming from forestry.
Forests are cleared to make way for new humans, which in turn, makes more humans,
you can see the problem. According to international data, an estimated 18 million
acres of trees are clear-cut each year to make way for new development and wood
products- that is just under half of all the trees on the planet since the industrial
revolution began. With trees being one of the largest producers of oxygen, clearly that
is not a good thing for humans- and especially not for the animals that call the forest
home. With millions of different species that live in forests, deforestation is a major
threat to their survival and a big conservation issue. It also increases the greenhouse
gases within the atmosphere which leads to further global warming. Such human
 activities need to stop if we wish to survive. 9. Acid Rain When humans burn coal,
sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the atmosphere where they rise
up and accumulate in the clouds until the clouds become saturated and rain acid,
causing havoc on the ground beneath. When the rain falls, it accumulates in water
bodies which are especially harmful to lakes and small bodies of water. The ground
surrounding the water soaks up the acid, depleting the soil of essential nutrients.
Trees that absorb the acid accumulate toxins that damage leaves and slowly kills
large areas of forest. Acid rain has also been known to completely eliminate entire
species of fish, causing a snowball effect of damage to the ecosystem that relies on
diverse organisms to sustain the environment.
10. Ozone Depletion The ozone layer is renowned for its ability to absorb harmful UV
rays that would otherwise be detrimental to the health of all walks of life. Without an
ozone layer, walking outside would be unbearable. Ozone is made up of three bonded
oxygen's that float up to the stratosphere where they absorb a substantial amount of
UV radiation, protecting all life down below.
However "ozone-depleting substances" (or ODS) primarily made up of chlorine
and bromine find their way up to the stratosphere where they strip the O3 of an
oxygen, destroying its capabilities of absorbing UV light. The human impact is
devastating for plants that are extremely sensitive to UV light including wheat and
barley, two indispensable crops to humans. Although most chemicals that deplete
the ozone layer have been banned, the chemicals that have already been released
can take upwards of 80 years to reach the upper atmosphere, so it will be some
time before our protective boundary will be fully functional again. Until then, slap
on that sunscreen and be safe out there. It is imperative that we support the earth
that we live on, but no matter what, the earth will live on. Human impacts the natural
habitat in so many ways and we need to be aware of our personal environmental
input.