Introduction
Biologist Edward O. Wilson says in his book named “The Future of Life” “The biospheric membrane that covers Earth, and you and me, is the miracle we have been given. And our tragedy, because a large part of it is being lost forever before we learn what it is and the best means by which it be savored and used”. It is very true that human activities have disturbed the most precious environment that we live in. The increasing population has put immense pressure on the limited resources of the earth such as the land, water and other natural resources.
Forest is cut down in different parts of the world for agricultural purpose, human settlement and other activities. This has resulted in increased degradation of natural ecosystems and is eroding the life supporting systems that uphold human civilization. Besides deforestation, destruction of habitat, and the extinction of species, land clearance for agriculture in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century precipitated other environmental and climatic changes. Ecologists point out that large scale deforestation resulted in increased flooding and drought. Erosion of soil is yet another problem with the loss of canopy cover (Marks 309-345).
Main Text
Today, globalization is converting Earth into a single social system. The entire life support system is now threatened by human behavior, and it is extremely essential at a global level to protect and cherish this system. The importance of nature and maintaining its basic life support system is of great importance. Take for example the deforestation in the Brazil’s Amazon rainforest since 1978, over 530,000 square kilometers of Amazon rainforest have been destroyed. The Amazon rainforest is being cleared mainly for cattle pasture, colonization and subsequent subsistence agriculture, infrastructure improvements, commercial agriculture and logging (Mongabay.com, 2005). This has resulted in land degradation, loss of biodiversity and several other ecological implications. Agriculture in the Amazon rainforest has shifted from subsistence farming to a commercial farming. It is essential that a collective though is put in as to how to preserve the environment and make in much more life supportive.
Air, water and land are under the great threat of pollution. For instance, soils that is necessary to grow crops and give nutrition to the entire living being is been depleted of its essential nutrients. Often soil receives a wide range of contaminants and it mainly comes from industrial activities, sewage sludge disposal, metal processing, and energy production. Decontamination of these sites is often expensive and intrusive to the ecosystem. In general, it is observed that heavy metals are widely-used in industry and these can be a major source of heavy metals leaching into the environment (Water Framework Directive, 2008).
One of the most significant ecosystems in the world is the coral reefs. Coral reef ecosystems are important for performing vital ecosystem services such as supporting major fishery resources, they are also important for educational, social, recreational, cultural, and medicinal opportunities. Additionally, they are a great source of income and generate economic benefits for millions of people, particularly through coastal tourism (Waddell, 2005). The total world economy of coral reefs is huge. Today, these ecologically significant structures and the organisms that it supports are in great threat. The data generated by the scientific community show decline in the area of coral reefs particularly due to the anthropogenic factors.
According to a study conducted by Wood (1998) there are several groups of extinct and extant organisms that have combined over 3.5 billion yr (Ga) to form the modern day reefs. In fact, the study points out that most of these communities over the years grew under ecological and environmental conditions that are greatly different from those of the present day coral reefs. Additionally, there is also drastic change in the global distribution of reefs over the geological time. Anthropogenic activities are a major threat to these unique and most beautiful ecosystems.
The problems due to climatic changes and global warming are also major problems. Human beings are involved in coral mining, polluting these ecosystems with organic and non-organic/chemicals, over-fishing, and also by the construction of canals and access ways into islands and bays. Excessive tourism and commercialization of these ecosystems for selfish desires also create problems. Eutrophication or excessive addition of nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates disrupt the delicate balance of the reef communities (globalcoral.org).
Today, the industrial agricultural is practiced all over the world. This agricultural system is defined as a large, intensive agricultural system involving the production of crops, poultry, fish and livestock for general consumption and also for commercial purpose. In other words, it refers to the industrialized production of crops, livestock, poultry, and fish. While industrial agricultural system is a profitable for a short term, it is not a sustainable system. Precious resources such as land water and air are continuously put under pressure of contamination by this technology.
The land, the different water systems and the atmosphere actively interact with the surface of the earth, thus when discussing land pollution, all potential contaminants may also become water and air contaminants and vice versa. For instance, if all possible land contaminants are disposed on a highly porous type of land, it can easily seep through, and easily contaminate groundwater or the runoff can contaminate the nearby water bodies. The natural movement of contaminants will be driven by gravity. The pollutants when in contact with the land, water or air, can easily pose threat to flora, fauna and human beings within the vicinity of industrial agricultural systems. Pollutants in water can travel as far as it goes, out into the sea or seep through the groundwater (Union of Concerned Scientists).
Human impacts on wildlife species upset basic life of wildlife and also cause pressure on wildlife to the extent that the health and viability of a species is threatened. Almost all human activities can positively or negatively affect wildlife populations. First and the foremost activity is the modification of natural ecosystem for various needs. Examples include activities such as agriculture, forestry, livestock grazing, and unregulated off-road vehicle use have a direct impact on wildlife. Studies by various ecologists have proven that the ecological side effects of these activities are readily apparent (e.g., Blair 506–519; Spies, et al. 1–16; Lichstein, et al. 836–857). Besides, in the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries the recreational activities such as hiking, wildlife viewing, and boating etc. sensitive wildlife species may be increasingly affected by these activities (Steidl and Anthony 258–268). Apparently, it is a proven fact that human resource development and consumption is resulting in amplified emission of greenhouse gases, pollutants and depletion of wildlife habitats through the conversion of landscapes. Additionally, infrastructure developments such as roads, power lines, airports and seaports are the most essential part of modern world, and spread the entire human expansion and deliberate land use change. These activates are taken up ignoring the underlying wildlife.
There are many who have commented on the Nature for instance, Joseph Campbell occasionally portrays the illustration of Nature, into a godly, aware life form from whom the whole lot, together with man, evolves. He says that “We are the fruits of an intelligent earth“. According to him the vary paradise or the heaven exists on the earth and mankind already lives in a wonderful, magnificent garden. He also says that it is important to safeguard this property with utmost care.
Love Canal is one of the most frightful ecological tragedies in American history. Landfills can certainly be an environmentally acceptable procedure of hazardous waste disposal, if it is properly located and managed. But it was not followed in case of the Love Canal. Parents who resided in Love Canal have children with birth blemish, learning problems, and bone infections that have been ascribed to hazardous wastes. Parents are concerned about the harmful health consequences and feel culpable about raising their children in such areas. The Deep Ecology Theory is that all are part of the earth and participating as segment of the living earth and all people have the responsibility in protecting the globe. This theory is deep since it is concerned with significat philosophical aspect of the role of human life as the part of the biosphere.
In the book Deep Ecology for the 21st Century: Readings on the Philosophy & Practice of the New Environmentalism, George Sessions brings out very clearly how the nature is harmed by human activities and has introduced the deep ecology in a very lucid manner. Different species are dependent on various other species for their survival. However nature has its own ways to balance the survival of these species. In other words Sessions says that “the species existing in an ecological unit have co-evolved, worked out interactions which aid to keep going the environment and the interaction inside it in such a way that allows all species to survive. He also says that these species have got so much adjusted to each other that they do not fight as much as they work together (Sessions 64-83).
Biologist Edward O. Wilson, one of the world’s most influential scientists, in his latest book, The Future of Life, describes the essential issue of the 21st century. This includes the methods to elevate the poor of humankind to a decent standard of living without destroying most of the other life around us. He says that the twentieth century was a time of great progress but at the same time was also time of destruction. However, the realization of this destruction was delayed and by then the destruction was already done. For instance, the overdependence on nonrenewable resources of the planet, extinction of valuable species, and introducing harmful greenhouse gases that is already depleted the ozone layer. Edward O. Wilson says that, “success or failure will come down to an ethical decision, one on which those now living will be judged for all generations to come.”
Wilson presents very lucidly the issues of Habitat Destruction, Invasive Species, Pollution, Population and Over-harvesting. He also gives us a brief idea of the impact of these man-made environmental changes. For instance, he elucidates on how global warming will speed up extinction of species to a greater extend than today, by altering habitats much faster than any species can adapt to these changes. Finally, he says that if current trends prolong, nearly all outstanding inheritance of the present day could be an “Age of Loneliness.” In this book Wilson also talks about biodiversity which is very important for the future medicinal and non-medicinal needs (Wilson).
Conclusion
Finally, it can be said that it is important to safeguard the environment and also protect the life on earth. It is only possible through sustainable and balanced approach towards development. Though species extinction is a natural part of evolution, it should be noted that biodiversity is a central component of Earth’s life support systems and is directly relevant to human societies. A sustainable management of the natural recourses, energy consumption and conservation of biodiversity is essential. Besides the degradation of the resources such as soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, species extinction, and deforestation of rainforest could lead to increasing global temperate and other global consequences. Hence it becomes essential for the involvement of the global community and the local government in conservation process. In order to understand the environmental challenges the global community facing today and to take appropriate level of actions in conservation process, environmental research should also be given priority. This is the only way to ensure a better future of a global society.
Work Cited
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Lichstein, J.W.,T.R. Simons, and K.E. Franzreb. Landscape effects on breeding song-bird abundance in managed forests. Ecological Applications (2002). 12, 836–857.
Marks, R. People said that extinction was not possible: The ecological consequence of land clearance. In: Tigers, Rice, Silk, and Silt. (1998). Cambridge University Press. 309-345.
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Spies, R.B., S.D. Rice, D.A.Wolfe, and B.A.Wright. The effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on the Alaskan coastal environment. American Fisheries Society Symposium (1996).18, 1–16.
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Union of Concerned Scientists. The Reality of Feed at Animal Factories. Food and Environment. 2009. Web.
Waddell, J.E. (ed.), The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Paci.c Freely Associated States: 2005. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 11. NOAA/NCCOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment’s Biogeography Team. Silver Spring, MD.
Water Framework Directive, Source of Pollution – Overview. (2005). Web.
Wilson, E.O. The Future of Life (2002) 1st edition. Published by Alfred A. Knopf.