Environmental and Health Effects of Fracking
our environment is constantly changing. There is no denying that. However, as our
environment changes, so does the need to become increasingly aware of the problems that
surround it. With a massive influx of natural disasters, warming and cooling periods, different
types of weather patterns and much more, people need to be aware of what types of
environmental problems our planet is facing.
Global warming has become an undisputed fact about our current livelihoods; our planet is
warming up and we are definitely part of the problem. However, this isn’t the only
environmental problem that we should be concerned about. All across the world, people are
facing a wealth of new and challenging environmental problems every day. Some of them
are small and only affect a few ecosystems, but others are drastically changing the
landscape of what we already know.
Our planet is poised at the brink of a severe environmental crisis. Current environmental
problems make us vulnerable to disasters and tragedies, now and in the future. We are in a
state of planetary emergency, with environmental problems piling up high around us. Unless
we address the various issues prudently and seriously we are surely doomed for disaster.
Current environmental problems require urgent attention.
15 Major Current Environmental Problems
1. Pollution: Pollution of air, water and soil require millions of years to recoup. Industry and
motor vehicle exhaust are the number one pollutants. Heavy metals, nitrates and plastic are
toxins responsible for pollution. While water pollution is caused by oil spill, acid rain, urban
runoff; air pollution is caused by various gases and toxins released by industries and
factories and combustion of fossil fuels; soil pollution is majorly caused by industrial waste
that deprives soil from essential nutrients.
2. Global Warming: Climate changes like global warming is the result of human practices like
emission of Greenhouse gases. Global warming leads to rising temperatures of the oceans
and the earth’ surface causing melting of polar ice caps, rise in sea levels and also unnatural
patterns of precipitation such as flash floods, excessive snow or desertification.
3. Overpopulation: The population of the planet is reaching unsustainable levels as it faces
shortage of resources like water, fuel and food. Population explosion in less developed and
developing countries is straining the already scarce resources. Intensive agriculture
practiced to produce food damages the environment through use of chemical fertilizer,
pesticides and insecticides. Overpopulation is one of the crucial current environmental
problem.
4. Natural Resource Depletion: Natural resource depletion is another crucial current
environmental problems. Fossil fuel consumption results in emission of Greenhouse gases,
which is responsible for global warming and climate change. Globally, people are taking
efforts to shift to renewable sources of energy like solar, wind, biogas and geothermal
energy. The cost of installing the infrastructure and maintaining these sources has
plummeted in the recent years.
5. Waste Disposal: The over consumption of resources and creation of plastics are creating
a global crisis of waste disposal. Developed countries are notorious for producing an
excessive amount of waste or garbage and dumping their waste in the oceans and, less
developed countries. Nuclear waste disposal has tremendous health hazards associated
with it. Plastic, fast food, packaging and cheap electronic wastes threaten the well being of
humans. Waste disposal is one of urgent current environmental problem.
6. Climate Change: Climate change is yet another environmental problem that has surfaced
in last couple of decades. It occurs due to rise in global warming which occurs due to
increase in temperature of atmosphere by burning of fossil fuels and release of harmful
gases by industries. Climate change has various harmful effects but not limited to melting of
polar ice, change in seasons, occurrence of new diseases, frequent occurrence of floods
and change in overall weather scenario.
7. Loss of Biodiversity: Human activity is leading to the extinction of species and habitats
and and loss of bio-diversity. Eco systems, which took millions of years to perfect, are in
danger when any species population is decimating. Balance of natural processes like
pollination is crucial to the survival of the eco-system and human activity threatens the same.
Another example is the destruction of coral reefs in the various oceans, which support the
rich marine life.
8. Deforestation: Our forests are natural sinks of carbon dioxide and produce fresh oxygen
as well as helps in regulating temperature and rainfall. At present forests cover 30% of the
land but every year tree cover is lost amounting to the country of Panama due to growing
population demand for more food, shelter and cloth. Deforestation simply means clearing of
green cover and make that land available for residential, industrial or commercial purpose.
9. Ocean Acidification: It is a direct impact of excessive production of CO2. 25% of CO2
produced by humans. The ocean acidity has increased by the last 250 years but by 2100, it
may shoot up by 150%. The main impact is on shellfish and plankton in the same way as
human osteoporosis.
10. Ozone Layer Depletion: The ozone layer is an invisible layer of protection around the
planet that protects us from the sun’s harmful rays. Depletion of the crucial Ozone layer of
the atmosphere is attributed to pollution caused by Chlorine and Bromide found in Chloro-
floro carbons (CFC’s). Once these toxic gases reach the upper atmosphere, they cause a
hole in the ozone layer, the biggest of which is above the Antarctic. The CFC’s are banned in
many industries and consumer products. Ozone layer is valuable because it prevents
harmful UV radiation from reaching the earth. This is one of the most important current
environmental problem.
11. Acid Rain: Acid rain occurs due to the presence of certain pollutants in the atmosphere.
Acid rain can be caused due to combustion of fossil fuels or erupting volcanoes or rotting
vegetation which release sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. Acid rain is
a known environmental problem that can have serious effect on human health, wildlife and
aquatic species.
12. Water Pollution: Clean drinking water is becoming a rare commodity. Water is becoming
an economic and political issue as the human population fights for this resource. One of the
options suggested is using the process of desalinization. Industrial development is filling our
rivers seas and oceans with toxic pollutants which are a major threat to human health.
13. Urban Sprawl: Urban sprawl refers to migration of population from high density urban
areas to low density rural areas which results in spreading of city over more and more rural
land. Urban sprawl results in land degradation, increased traffic, environmental issues and
health issues. The ever growing demand of land displaces natural environment consisting of
flora and fauna instead of being replaced.
14: Public Health Issues: The current environmental problems pose a lot of risk to health of
humans, and animals. Dirty water is the biggest health risk of the world and poses threat to
the quality of life and public health. Run-off to rivers carries along toxins, chemicals and
disease carrying organisms. Pollutants cause respiratory disease like Asthma and cardiac-
vascular problems. High temperatures encourage the spread of infectious diseases like
Dengue.
15. Genetic Engineering: Genetic modification of food using biotechnology is called genetic
engineering. Genetic modification of food results in increased toxins and diseases as genes
from an allergic plant can transfer to target plant. Genetically modified crops can cause
serious environmental problems as an engineered gene may prove toxic to wildlife. Another
drawback is that increased use of toxins to make insect resistant plant can cause resultant
organisms to become resistant to antibiotics.
The need for change in our daily lives and the movements of our government is growing.
Because so many different factors come into play; voting, governmental issues, the desire to
stick to routine, many people don’t consider that what they do will affect future generations. If
humans continue moving forward in such a harmful way towards the future, then there will
be no future to consider. Although it’s true that we cannot physically stop our ozone layer
from thinning (and scientists are still having trouble figuring out what is causing it exactly,)
there are still so many things we can do to try and put a dent in what we already know. By
raising awareness in your local community and within your families about these issues, you
can help contribute to a more environmentally conscious and friendly place for you to live.
