Human Impact on the Environment
When humans develop land, release chemicals, or build industries, we change our environment. These changes often harm natural ecosystems in ways that can last for generations.
Deforestation happens when forests are cleared for fuel, livestock pasture, plantations, or human settlements. Without trees, we lose biodiversity and important plants that produce oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the air.
Overpopulation occurs when too many people live in an area that can't support them. This leads to excessive waste production including hazardous, radioactive, and industrial wastes that harm environments.
Did you know? One of the biggest environmental threats is pollution from fossil fuels, which causes smog, acid rain, and contributes to ozone depletion!
Other harmful human activities include irrigation (which affects soil and water quality), soil erosion (when plants that hold soil are removed), mining (causing sinkholes and water contamination), and war (which can devastate large areas with modern technology).