B3- how humans affect the environment

the effects of population increase

• people demand a better standard of living
• we use raw materials like fossil fuels that are non renewable
• goods being produced makes lots of industrial waste
• humans take up land used for farming and plants by building, quarrying and dumping waste
• humans pollute water with sewage and fertilisrs
• air with smoke like sulfur
• land with toxic chemicals like perticides and herbicdes

land and water pollution

• sewage contains human waste and waste from our homes that needs to be treated to remove parasites or toxic chemicals that can end up in water ways or soil
• chemicals leak out in landfill due to rain and are washed into rivers, some waste is radioactive
• herbicides and pesticides can get into the land and therefore the food chain which will end up in rivers

air pollution

• power stations and cars release harmful air pollution
• like sulfur dioxide which creates acid rain
• the rain can kill treees and organisms
• can change soil ph and damage roots
• trees and plants begin a food chain so this would mean no food for other animals

deforestation and peat destruction

• deforestation is the excessive cutting down of trees
• deforestation occurs due to the need for timber and land for agricultural farming
• deforestation has increased co2 in air, reduced rate at which co2 is removed and reduced biodiversity due to loss of habitats
• land can be used for cattle and rice which produced methane
• destruction of peat bogs result in the release of co2 in…