IES - Current Environmental Problems (Lesson)

Current Environmental Problems

We were born on this Earth to enjoy its benefits and resources. Our ultimate goal will be to pass this "world" on to future generations in as good- perhaps even better- condition than when we arrived.

Conceivably the most amazing feature of our planet is the rich diversity of life that exists here. Millions of beautiful and intriguing species populate the earth and help sustain a habitable environment. This vast multitude of life creates complex, interrelated communities where towering trees and huge animals live together with and depend upon, tiny life-forms such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi. This thin section, though, is teeming with life. It is estimated that an acre of typical farm soil, six inches deep, has several tons of living bacteria, almost a ton of fungi, two hundred pounds of one-cell protozoan animals, about one hundred pounds of yeast, and the same amount of algae. Together all these organisms make up dense, moist forests, vast sunny savannas, and richly colorful coral reefs.

 

Watch the following video on Biodiversity created by the Vancouver Film School.

 

The extremely fine line between an environment where life can and cannot exist is illustrated by the fact that it is estimated a five-degree temperature change in the average worldwide temperature would, in time, seriously affect life on the Earth, and much greater temperature change could be disastrous to life.

With well over a billion humans currently, we're adding about 83 million more to the world every year. While demographers report a transition to slower growth rates in most countries, present trends project a population between 8 and 10 billion by 2050. The impacts of that many people on our natural resources and ecological systems are a serious concern.

  

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.