10.

Public Health
Many of the issues we face all tie back into one central concern – public health. Pollution, water
scarcity and overpopulation all present a clear threat to public health. Nearly one out of every
four deaths each year are directly caused by unhealthy environments, according to the WHO.

Even in developed countries, the growing anti-vaccination movement threatens public health,
causing a resurgence in diseases like measles that were almost completely obliterated.

The health and wellness of human beings is an important issue to watch. What people eat, drink
and breathe in play a significant role in their wellness. Polluted air and water are a mounting
crisis we need to address.

Without water, humans won’t survive long. Polluted water poses threats through airborne water
diseases and chemicals or toxins contaminating water. Without clean water, people’s health
declines substantially.

One way to bring clean water to people is through digging wells. Another way is through water
filters. There are people willing to take the initiative to bring clean water to those who need it.

9. Land Management & Urban Sprawl

Urban sprawl, or the uncontrolled expansion of urban areas, is a modern problem but one that
threatens the environment. Moving to a new location isn’t hard these days. Contractors keep
building developments in record time, and undeveloped land is becoming scarce. Covering the
landscape with concrete interrupts the natural water cycle, preventing rainwater from soaking
into the ground. This was evident during the catastrophic floods in Houston during Hurricane
Harvey in 2017.

Studies have found that this sprawl is increasing exponentially on both sides of the Atlantic
Ocean, with cities slowly creeping outward and negatively affecting the land around them.

With less natural land, the environment takes a hit.

More houses lead to more pollution. Buildings emit their gasses into the air, which affect the
health of the environment. Take China for example: Would you want to wear a face mask every
time you went outside because of air pollution?

It’s time to put habitats of the environment first. We need to preserve land, stop building, and
start restoring.

8. Waste Disposal
It’s easy to throw something in a trash can. We don’t usually think about our local landfills
unless complaining about the smell when we drive by them, but the average person generates 4.6
pounds of trash per day.

This trash ends up in two places. It’s in landfills or it ends up in environmental habitats and the
ocean. Waste disposal poses a threat to not only the Earth and its environment but humans as
well.

When waste is in the ocean, the ocean dwellers mistake it for food or get tangled up in it. When
waste is disposed of via burning or nuclear, it emits hazardous toxins in the air, which people
breathe in.

People can limit this crisis by reducing the amount of waste. By choosing to use products that
can be recycled or placed in a compost pile, every household can reduce their waste.

7. Overpopulation
We have more than seven billion people on the planet right now – and that number is expected
to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, and 11.2 billion by 2100. While that might not sound like a bad
thing, we live on a planet that can only support roughly 10 billion souls, which means we’re less
than a century away from overpopulation becoming a serious and even life-threatening problem.

As the world’s population rises, the amount of resources available for survival decreases. In fact,
the population has grown to an unsustainable level.

The more people there are on the planet, the more they release carbon dioxide and other gasses
into the air. The growing population comes with the cost of greenhouse gasses and climate
change. Until people realize that they have a direct impact on these pressing environmental
issues, their behavior won’t change. Resources aren’t always sustainably sourced, but without
those resources, the population won’t survive. Hopefully, we don’t realize this too little too late.

Fortunately, renewable energy sources are a great way to combat carbon emissions. By raising
the amount of sustainable energy such as wind power and solar power, the resources needed can
be sustainably sourced, reducing carbon emissions. You can’t change the population, but you can
change what the population emits into the environment.

6. Loss of Biodiversity
Biodiversity, or the variety of life in the world or a particular ecosystem, is declining. The levels
of biodiversity across the board have significantly lowered to a dangerous amount. According to
the World Wildlife Federation, biodiversity has declined 27 percent in the last three decades.
Biodiversity is in critical condition due to various threats including urban sprawl, deforestation
and climate change.
The lack of biodiversity puts the food chain, water sources and other resources at risk. Without
enough biodiversity, ecosystems deteriorate until they no longer exist. The world just can’t
afford the cost of biodiversity loss.

Education and protection are keys to conserve biodiversity. Think with a sustainable mind. Make
green choices. Spread the word.

5. Water Scarcity & Water Pollution

A major issue happening now is water scarcity. There is a difference between water and fresh,
clean water. Saltwater, freshwater, groundwater and surface water are the essential sources of
water. There are two ways water can be scarce: the lack of water and the lack of drinkable water.

We often take the water coming out of the tap for granted — we turn the handle and water flows
– but that’s not the case in many places around the world. Cape Town, South Africa, may be
the first city to run out of water.

Potable water can become contaminated with things such as airborne diseases, toxins, and
hazardous chemicals. An estimated 780 million people have no access to clean water at all. This
isn’t just a problem in undeveloped countries through. The 2017 drought in California, and the
fact that Flint, Michigan hasn’t had clean water in nearly four years, serves as the perfect
example to show us that water scarcity and pollution isn’t just a problem everywhere else — it’s
a problem here at home too. Like the Earth, your body is made up of a lot of water, too. Both
land and your body need clean water to survive.

You can take action to reduce water scarcity. First people must admit this is a problem; then they
have to do something about it. Start by turning the water off while brushing your teeth or while
soaping up in the shower. You’re not just saving the fish — you’re saving the population.

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4. Pollution
Pollution comes in many forms. Air, soil, and water all have the capability to be polluted.
Pollution poses a current and future threats to people and the environment. Contaminated waters
are undrinkable. Polluted air weakens the ozone layer and causes health problems. Contaminated
soil destroys habitats and irrigation.

As a human, your body is majorly affected by pollution if it’s in the air you breathe or the water
you drink. Pollution puts animals and the environment in critical condition that only humans can
restore. It is one of the biggest killers on the planet, and it takes more than 100 million lives
every single year — and that’s just human lives. People who live in areas with high levels of air
pollution are 20 percent more likely to die of lung cancer — even if they’ve never picked up a
cigarette in their lives. We dump millions of pounds of garbage and trillions of gallons of
untreated sewage and storm water into the oceans and rivers every single year.

In order to see restored air, water, and soil, it’s essential to recover from pollution. By caring for
the ecosystems, making sustainable choices and limiting the number of resources used, there is
potential for recovery from pollution.

3. Deforestation
At least 15 percent of greenhouse gas emissions don’t come from cars or factories — they come
from deforestation. By 2030, we may only have 10 percent of the rainforests left – the rest have
been cut down for wood or wood pulp products, or cleared for agricultural uses.

In addition to this, more than 70 percent of the planet’s plant and animal species live in
forests. Species lose their habitat. Ecosystems die out. Climate change continues. There are
fewer trees to produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. It’s all due to deforestation. Lumber
and land are leading reasons people cut down forests, but no idea is good enough if it means
someday there won’t be any forests left. Deforestation has many side effects people don’t realize.

To preserve the remaining forests, humans should simply stop cutting down trees. Forests are in
major need of preservation. For every tree that’s cut down, a new one needs to be planted in its
place.

2. Ecosystems & Endangered Species

Due to the list of environmental issues happening on this planet, both ecosystems and species are
affected. In fact, one out of every 10 plants and animal species is expected to go extinct by 2050.
The endangered species list continues to grow as ecosystems continue to decrease. Lost habitats
mean losing the species that live there. While some may be able to migrate elsewhere, others are
not so lucky.

With the rising temperatures of the Arctic, sea ice melts, which eliminates the habitat of polar
bears. The list of endangered species includes other animals as well.
The best way to save species is to support organizations dedicated to fighting species extinction.
By supporting the cause, you’re helping to combat the issue. You can also find laws and
government acts available to sign that protect ecosystems and endangered species.

1. Climate Change
Unfortunately, the climate change debate continues despite decades of research on the subject.
Climate change is here and it is happening. Ninety-seven percent of scientists who study the
climate agree that greenhouse gasses, both natural and those created by humans, are the main
cause. Global temperatures are climbing, ice caps are melting, and droughts, wildfires, and super
hurricanes are tearing their way across the landscape.

While the truth is plain to see, the inaction of deniers in power positions will only make matters worse. Not
only does the Earth’s temperature continue to rise, but the sea levels are rising, too. Both the ocean and the
Earth are growing warmer.

Greenhouse gasses are a leading cause of climate change, specifically those emitted from the
human population. This has an impact on habitats, agriculture, the ocean and natural disasters.

The best way to reduce climate change is to build sustainably. Using renewable energy sources
such as solar and wind power will assist the fight against climate change. Limiting waste and
pollution will help preserve the environment.

Don’t let this year be another year of environmental loss. This list of environmental issues is
nothing to joke about. The consequences of these environmental issues cannot go ignored. Give
the planet a win by making sustainable choices and supporting the right causes.

Want to learn more ways make a difference right now? Check out my new article
about how you can help reverse top environmental issues and tell me how you’ve made a
difference in the comments below!

The Biggest Environmental Problems

17. Genetic Modification of Crops
Environmental issues caused by man-made chemicals are becoming clearer. For
example, there has been a 90% reduction in the Monarch butterfly population in the
United States that can be linked to weed killers that contain glyphosate.
There is also some speculation that genetically-modified plants may leak chemical
compounds into soil through their roots, possibly affecting communities of
microorganisms.

16. Waste Production

The average person produces 4.3 pounds of waste per day, with the United States
alone accounting for 220 million tons per year. Much of this waste ends up in landfills,
which generate enormous amounts of methane.

Not only does this create explosion hazards, but methane also ranks as one of the
worst of the greenhouse gases because of its high global warming potential.

15. Population Growth

Many of the issues listed here result from the massive population growth that Earth has
experienced in the last century. The planet’s population grows by 1.13% per year,
which works out to 80 million people.

This results in a number of issues, such as a lack of fresh water, habitat loss for wild
animals, overuse of natural resources and even species extinction. The latter is
particularly damaging, as the planet is now losing 30,000 species per year.

14. Water Pollution

Fresh water is crucial to life on Earth, yet more sources are being polluted through
human activities each year. On a global scale, 2 million tons of sewage, agricultural and
industrial waste enters the world’s water every day.

Water pollution can have harmful effects outside of contamination of the water we
drink. It also disrupts marine life, sometimes altering reproductive cycles and increasing
mortality rates.

13. Deforestation
The demands of an increasing population has resulted in increasing levels of
deforestation. Current estimates state that the planet is losing 80,000 acres of tropical
forests per day.
This results in loss of habitat for many species, placing many at risk and leading to
large-scale extinction. Furthermore, deforestation is estimated to produce 15% of the
world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

12. Urban Sprawl

The continued expansion of urban areas into traditionally rural regions is not without its
problems. Urban sprawl has been linked to environmental issues like air and water
pollution increases, in addition to the creation of heat-islands.

Satellite images produced by NASA have also shown how urban sprawl contributes to
forest fragmentation, which often leads to larger deforestation.

11. Overfishing
It is estimated that 63% of global fish stocks are now considered overfished. This has
led to many fishing fleets heading to new waters, which will only serve to deplete fish
stocks further.

Overfishing leads to a misbalance of ocean life, severely affecting natural ecosystems in

the process. Furthermore, it also has negative effects on coastal communities that rely
on fishing to support their economies.

10. Acid Rain

Acid rain comes as a result of air pollution, mostly through chemicals released into the
environment when fuel is burned. Its effects are most clearly seen in aquatic
ecosystems, where increasing acidity in the water can lead to animal deaths.

It also causes various issues for trees. Though it doesn’t kill trees directly, acid rain
does weaken them by damaging leaves, poisoning the trees and limiting their available
nutrients.

9. Ozone Layer Depletion

Ozone depletion is caused by the release of chemicals, primarily chlorine and bromide,
into the atmosphere. A single atom of either has the potential to destroy thousands of
ozone molecules before leaving the stratosphere.
Ozone depletion results in more UVB radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. UVB has
been linked to skin cancer and eye disease, plus it affects plant life and has been linked
to a reduction of plankton in marine environments.

8. Ocean Acidification
Ocean acidification is the term used to describe the continued lowering of the pH levels
of the Earth’s oceans as a result of carbon dioxide emissions. It is estimated that ocean
acidity will increase by 150% by 2100 if efforts aren’t made to halt it.

This increase in acidification can have dire effect on calcifying species, such as shellfish.
This causes issues throughout the food chain and may lead to reductions in aquatic life
that would otherwise not be affected by acidification.

7. Air Pollution
Air pollution is becoming an increasingly dangerous problem, particularly in heavily-
populated cities. The World Health Organization (WHO) has found that 80% of people
living in urban areas are exposed to air quality levels deemed unfit by the organization.

It is also directly linked to other environmental issues, such as acid rain and
eutrophication. Animals and humans are also at risk of developing a number of health
problems due to air pollution.

6. Lowered Biodiversity
Continued human activities and expansion has led to lowered biodiversity. A lack of
biodiversity means that future generations will have to deal with increasing vulnerability
of plants to pests and fewer sources of fresh water.

Some studies have found that lowered biodiversity has as pronounced an impact as
climate change and pollution on ecosystems, particularly in areas with higher amounts
of species extinction.

5. The Nitrogen Cycle

With most of the focus being placed on the carbon cycle, the effects of human use of
nitrogen often slips under the radar. It is estimated that agriculture may be responsible
for half of the nitrogen fixation on earth, primarily through the use and production
of man-made fertilizers.
Excess levels of nitrogen in water can cause issues in marine ecosystems, primarily
through overstimulation of plant and algae growth. This can result in blocked intakes
and less light getting to deeper waters, damaging the rest of the marine population.

4. Natural Resource Use

Recent studies have shown that humanity uses so many natural resources that we
would need almost 1.5 Earths to cover our needs. This is only set to increase as
industrialization continues in nations like China and India.

Increased resource use is linked to a number of other environmental issues, such as air
pollution and population growth. Over time, the depletion of these resources will lead to
an energy crisis, plus the chemicals emitted by many natural resources are strong
contributors to climate change.

3. Transportation
An ever-growing population needs transportation, much of which is fueled by the
natural resources that emit greenhouse gases, such as petroleum. In 2014,
transportation accounted for 26% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Transportation also contributes to a range of other environmental issues, such as the

destruction of natural habitats and increase in air pollution.

2. Polar Ice Caps

The issue of the melting of polar ice caps is a contentious one. While NASA studies have
shown that the amount of ice in Antarctica is actually increasing, these rises only
amount to a third of what is being lost in the Arctic.

There is strong evidence to suggest that sea levels are rising, with the Arctic ice caps
melting being a major contributor. Over time, this could lead to extensive flooding,
contamination of drinking water and major changes in ecosystems.

1. Climate Change
The majority of the issues previously listed contribute or are linked to climate change.
Statistics created by NASA state that global temperatures have risen by 1.7 degrees
Fahrenheit since 1880, which is directly linked to a reduction in Arctic ice of 13.3% per
decade.
The effects of climate change are widespread, as it will cause issues with deforestation,
water supplies, oceans and ecosystems. Each of these have widespread implications of
their own, marking climate change as the major environmental issue the planet faces
today.

The Final Word

The impact that human activities have on the environment around us is undeniable and
more studies are being conducted each year to show the extent of the issue.

Climate change and the many factors that contribute to emissions could lead to
catastrophic issues in the future.

More needs to be done to remedy the major environmental issues that affect us today.
If this doesn’t happen, the possibility exists that great swathes of the planet will
become uninhabitable in the future.

The good news is that many of these issues can be controlled. By making adjustments,
humanity can have a direct and positive impact on the environment.

Please feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below or engage your
friends in discussion about the environment on social media.