A message on the topic of how humans harm nature. Human influence on nature, negative impact
In the modern world, there is a point of view that man, through his activities, harms the environment by extracting minerals, polluting and destroying the environment. People have appeared who openly fight human activity, denying the benefits of civilization in favor of living in “harmony with nature.” At the same time, these people enjoy these benefits no less than others, but they consider it possible to consider themselves good. The other side is the people who mine, build, and produce. They give humanity the opportunity to live in the industrial world, but from this point of view they are considered rapists against nature... But lately I have become increasingly aware of another point of view regarding what is happening in the world.
The statement that a person harms nature, firstly, is very selfish and does not pursue the goal of improving the state of nature, but solely the interests of the person who says it. Secondly, this statement is based on the opinion that man is not a part of nature. Let's take a closer look at this concept.
Man over nature
Man in his development has reached a stage where he began to globally influence the world around him. It uproots forests and extracts minerals in gigantic quantities, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, which were formed over millions of years. It pollutes soil, water, air and even space.
Therefore, man begins to oppose nature, to separate from it. As a result of industrialization, people began to believe that they should use nature for their own purposes: “We cannot wait for favors from nature; taking them from her is our task,” (I.V. Michurin). This phrase has become a symbol of consumerism towards nature.
Such people began to be opposed by others who shouted that animals should not be killed, the environment should not be polluted, fossil remains should not be mined because... they are finite. In 100 years, oil, gas, and coal will run out and people will face an energy crisis. Such people blame others for making life on the planet worse, but what they themselves have done to improve the situation.
A person I know who studies water says, “I hate people. They are polluting the Earth." But what did he do? He simply incited aggression in people, which will be directed at him. He, like everyone else, enjoys the benefits of civilization. He hasn’t improved the lives of others in any way, hasn’t figured out how to improve living conditions on earth... But he hates.
At the same time, in reality, everyone only pursues their own goals. Some mine minerals. Others spend public money on imitation environmental improvement activities. This state of affairs benefits everyone... except humanity.
Man is part of nature
However, there is another point of view. Man is a part of nature. If you think about it, the consequences of accepting this simple postulate are enormous.
Throughout the history of the development of the Earth, periods have arisen many times during which thousands of species of living beings were destroyed. There were also creatures that also significantly influenced the world around them. And they also died out. Life on earth has constantly evolved, and now the crown of creation of evolution on Earth is man.
However, evolution continues. The activity of any creature, including humans, is exactly what was given by nature. It is nature (or one might say planet Earth) that strives to constantly develop. It now seeks to go beyond the boundaries of one planet and spread further into space. And it is man who now drives the development of nature through his activities.
Let's think about what minerals are... For the last millions of years, life has been in full swing on the surface of the Earth. And dying, living organisms (animals, plants, microorganisms) turned into soil. This process went on continuously, and gradually this layer grew larger and larger. Substances were removed from the cycle of life and deposited in the Earth. Gradually, all this turned into those fossil substances that people now extract.
Through his activities, man again extracts what was buried millions of years ago and introduces it into the cycle of substances. What is the use to nature of meaningless substances? There is nothing useless in nature, and through human activity the Earth shakes up all its resources, striving to develop further.
The statement that man, through his activities, harms the Earth is not true. He only harms himself. As a result of this activity, in the near future he will use up the materials he came up with. If he cannot come up with something new and goes extinct, then this is solely the problem of a species that was unable to adapt and develop. The earth will continue to be as it was before. She will strive to ensure that other species can go further where man has failed.
By polluting the environment, people only worsen their living conditions. Chernobyl now is one of the cleanest places in Ukraine, except for radiation. There is the cleanest air, many animals, many plants. In just 25 years, the Earth has already begun to forget about the presence of people there. The same thing will happen if a person cannot cope with his brain and figures out how to destroy himself. This means that the species is defective, and we need to develop differently.
So you don’t need to think about how to take care of nature, it will take care of itself. There will be a nuclear war. In a million years, life will flourish again on Earth, but without people. And some other species will begin to dominate and develop, and perhaps go further than humans. 60 million years ago, 99% of land living species, including dinosaurs, became extinct, and mammals began to dominate. They lived before, but dinosaurs did not give them the opportunity to develop. Now they have this opportunity. Everything in the world happens expediently, and if a person does not live up to the expectations of evolution, then he will be forced to leave in favor of others.
Future
It turns out that we need to care not about the world in which we live, but about humanity. If a person destroys himself, the planet will “shake itself off” and move on. But if a person starts to think about how to improve his living conditions by purifying the air, water, food from harmful substances; develop intellectually and promote those branches of science that are really capable of improving the environment around him; study new sources of energy and use those that are least harmful to the person himself, then he has a chance to conquer the universe.
The difference here is that in the first understanding of the world there are two types of activities: one of them worsens human living conditions (pollutes the environment, affects water, food, etc.), and the other tries to improve (purifies). It's like bending an iron rod in different directions. Sooner or later you can break it. This is similar to how a person drinks a lot of coffee, and then immediately takes Valocardine so that the heart can survive this portion of coffee. But with both actions a person only worsens his condition.
People who fight human activity (the industry) fight themselves. They come out with banners and call for something, but in reality they only contribute to it.
In the second understanding of the world, there is the idea that it is necessary not to fight activity, but to put human activity for the benefit of humanity. Those. we need not fight against factories that emit waste into the air, but come up with ways to replace these factories with something new, more progressive, which will not have such a detrimental effect on a person, and better yet, will also improve his well-being. Instead of talking about saving endangered species (i.e., activities directed against evolution), we need to save the main dominant species on the planet - humans. Only when human activity is aimed at the benefit of humanity itself, only then will man have a chance to continue his evolutionary development.
Incredible facts
It's lunchtime, but there's no food at home, so you get behind the wheel and drive to the nearest grocery store.
You walk among the stalls hoping to buy something. In the end, you choose chicken and a prepared salad and return home to enjoy your meal.
Let's look at how a seemingly harmless trip to the store impacts the environment.
First, driving a car contributed to carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. The electricity in the store is nothing more than the result of burning coal, the mining of which has devastated the Appalachian ecosystem.
The salad ingredients were farmed and treated with pesticides, which then entered waterways, poisoning fish and aquatic plants (which help keep the air clean).
The chicken was raised on a very remote poultry farm where animal waste releases large amounts of toxic methane into the atmosphere. When delivering goods to the store, many modes of transport were involved, each of which caused its own harm to the environment.
Even the smallest human actions initiate changes in the environment. How we heat our homes, power our electrical appliances, what we do with our garbage and the origins of our food all place enormous pressure on the environment.
Looking at the problem at a societal level, it can be noted that human behavior has significantly impacted the environment. The Earth's temperature has increased by one degree Fahrenheit since 1975, and the amount of polar ice has decreased by 9 percent in just one decade.
We have caused enormous damage to the planet, much more than you can imagine. Construction, irrigation, and mining significantly spoil the natural landscape and disrupt the flow of important ecological processes. Aggressive fishing and hunting can deplete species, and human migration can introduce alien species into established food chains. Greed leads to catastrophic accidents, and laziness leads to destructive practices.
10. Public projects
Sometimes public works projects don't actually work to benefit the public. For example, dam projects in China, designed to produce clean energy, have devastated the surrounding area, causing flooding in cities and environmental waste areas, greatly increasing the risk of natural disasters.
In 2007, China completed 20 years of construction of the world's largest hydroelectric dam, called the Three Gorges Dam. During the implementation of this project, more than 1.2 million people had to leave their usual habitats, as 13 large cities, 140 ordinary towns and 1,350 villages were flooded. Hundreds of factories, mines, dumps and industrial centers were also flooded, plus the main reservoirs were heavily polluted. The project altered the ecosystem of the Yangtze River, turning the once mighty river into a stagnant basin, thereby wiping out much of the native flora and fauna.
Diverted rivers also significantly increase the risk of landslides along banks that are home to hundreds of thousands of people. According to forecasts, about half a million people living along the river are planning to be resettled by 2020, as landslides are inevitable and the ecosystem will continue to be depleted.
Scientists have recently linked dam construction to earthquakes. The Three Gorges Reservoir was built on top of two major fault lines, with hundreds of minor tremors occurring since its opening. Scientists have suggested that the catastrophic 2008 earthquake in the Chinese province of Sichuan, which killed 8,000 people, was also caused by the accumulation of water in the area of the dam, located less than half a mile from the center of the earthquake. The phenomenon of dams causing earthquakes is due to the water pressure created beneath the reservoir, which in turn increases the pressure in the rocks and acts as a softener for fault lines that are already under stress.
9. Overfishing
“There are a lot of fish in the sea” is no longer a completely reliable statement. Humanity's appetite for seafood has devastated our oceans to such an extent that experts fear for the ability of many species to rebuild their populations on their own.
According to the World Wildlife Federation, global fish catches exceed the permissible limit by 2.5 times. More than half of the world's fish stocks and species have already been depleted, and one quarter of species are overdepleted. Ninety percent of large fish species - tuna, swordfish, cod, halibut, flounder, marlin - have lost their natural habitat. According to forecasts, if the situation does not change, the stocks of these fish will disappear by 2048.
It is worth noting that the main culprit is advances in fishing technology. Today, commercial fishing vessels are mostly equipped with fish-finding sonar. Once they find the right spot, fishermen release huge nets, the size of three football fields, that can sweep up all the fish within minutes. Thus, with this approach, fish populations could be reduced by 80 percent in 10-15 years.
8. Invasive species
Throughout the founding era, man himself has been a distributor of invasive species. Even though it may seem like your beloved pet or plant is doing much better in its new location, the natural balance is actually being disrupted. Invasive flora and fauna have been proven to be the most destructive thing humanity has done to the environment.
In the United States, 400 of the 958 species are listed as endangered because they are considered at risk due to competition with invasive alien species.
Invasive species problems mostly affect invertebrate animals. For example, in the first half of the 20th century, the Asian fungus destroyed more than 180 million acres of American chestnut trees. As a result, more than 10 species dependent on chestnuts have become extinct.
7. Coal mining industry
The biggest threat posed by coal mining is climate change, but it also threatens local ecosystems.
Market realities pose serious threats to coal, especially in the United States. Coal is a cheap source of energy - one megawatt of energy produced by coal costs $20-30, as opposed to one megawatt produced by natural gas - $45-60. Moreover, one quarter of the world's coal reserves are located in the United States.
Two of the most destructive forms of the coal mining industry are mining coal from mountaintops and using gas. In the first case, miners can "cut down" more than 305 meters of a mountain peak in order to reach a coal deposit. Extraction using gas occurs when the coal is closer to the surface of the mountain. In this case, all the “inhabitants” of the mountain (trees and any other creatures living in them) are exterminated to extract valuable minerals.
Every practice of this kind creates a large amount of waste along the way. Vast damaged and old forest areas are being dumped into nearby valleys. In the US alone, in West Virginia, it is estimated that more than 121,405 hectares of hardwood forests have been destroyed by coal mining. By 2012, it is said that 5,180 square kilometers of Appalachian forest will cease to exist.
The question of what to do with this kind of “waste” still remains open. Typically, mining companies simply dump unwanted trees, dead wildlife, etc. into nearby valleys, which in turn not only destroys natural ecosystems, but also causes the drying up of large rivers. Industrial waste from mines finds refuge in river beds.
6. Human disasters
Although most of the ways in which humans harm the environment develop over several years, some events can happen in an instant, but that instant will have far-reaching consequences.
The 1989 oil spill in Prince Williams Sound, Alaska, had devastating consequences. About 11 million gallons of crude oil were spilled and killed more than 25,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 seals, 250 eagles, about 22 killer whales, and billions of salmon and herring. At least two species, the Pacific herring and the guillemot, did not recover from the disaster.
It's too early to assess the damage to wildlife caused by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, but the scale of the disaster is unlike anything seen before in American history. For several days, more than 9.5 million liters of oil per day leaked into the Gulf - the largest spill in American history. By most estimates, damage to wildlife is still lower than the 1989 spill due to lower species density. However, despite this, there is no doubt that the damage from the spill will continue for many years to come.
5. Cars
America has long been considered the land of cars, so it's no surprise that one-fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States come from cars. There are 232 million cars on this country's roads, very few of which are powered by electricity, and the average car consumes about 2,271 liters of gasoline annually.
One car emits about 12,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in the form of exhaust fumes. In order to clear the air of these impurities, 240 trees will be needed. In America, cars emit about the same amount of carbon dioxide as coal-burning factories.
The combustion process that occurs in a car engine produces fine particles of nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and sulfur dioxide. In large quantities, these chemicals can harm a person's respiratory system, causing coughing and suffocation. Cars also generate carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas produced by burning fossil fuels that blocks the transport of oxygen to the brain, heart and other vital organs.
At the same time, oil production, which is necessary to create fuel and oil to move a car, in turn, also has a serious impact on the environment. Land-based drilling is displacing native species, and offshore drilling and subsequent transportation has created an incredible amount of problems over the years, with more than 40 million gallons of oil spilled around the world since 1978.
4. Unsustainable agriculture
In all the ways humanity harms the environment, there is one common theme: we are failing to plan for the future. But nowhere is this more evident than in our method of growing our own food.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, agricultural practices are responsible for 70 percent of the pollution in the country's rivers and streams. Chemical runoff, contaminated soil, animal waste all end up in waterways, of which more than 173,000 miles are already in poor condition. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides increase nitrogen levels and decrease oxygen levels in water.
Pesticides used to protect crops from predators threaten the survival of some species of birds and insects. For example, the number of bee colonies on US farmland fell from 4.4 million in 1985 to less than 2 million in 1997. When exposed to pesticides, bees' immune systems are weakened, making them more vulnerable to the enemy.
Large-scale industrial agriculture also contributes to global warming. The vast majority of meat products in the world are produced on factory farms. On any farm, tens of thousands of livestock are concentrated in small areas to save space. Among other things, when unprocessed animal waste is destroyed, harmful gases are released, including methane, which, in turn, has a significant impact on the process of global warming.
3. Deforestation
There were times when most of the land on the planet was covered with forests. Today, forests are disappearing before our eyes. According to the United Nations, 32 million acres of forest are lost every year, including 14,800 acres of primary forest, that is, land not occupied or damaged by human activity. Seventy percent of the planet's animals and plants live in forests, and, accordingly, if they lose their home, they themselves will be at risk of extinction as a species.
The problem is particularly acute in tropical forests with humid climates. Such forests cover 7 percent of the world's land area and provide homes for about half of all species on the planet. At current rates of deforestation, scientists estimate that tropical forests will be wiped out in about 100 years.
Deforestation also contributes to global warming. Trees absorb greenhouse gases, so fewer trees mean more greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere. They also help perpetuate the water cycle by returning water vapor to the atmosphere. Without trees, forests will quickly turn into barren deserts, leading to even greater fluctuations in global temperatures. When forests burn, trees release carbon into the atmosphere, which also contributes to the problem of global warming. Scientists estimate that the trees of the Amazon forest processed the equivalent of 10 years of human activity.
Poverty is one of the main causes of deforestation. Most tropical forests are in third world countries, and politicians there regularly stimulate economic development in weak regions. Thus, loggers and farmers are slowly but surely doing their job. In most cases, deforestation occurs due to the need to create a farm plot. A farmer typically burns trees and vegetation to produce ash, which can then be used as fertilizer. This process is called slash-and-burn farming. Among other things, the risk of soil erosion and flooding increases as nutrients from the soil evaporate over several years, and the land is often unable to support the crops planted for which the trees were cut down.
2. Global warming
The average temperature of the Earth's surface has increased by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 130 years. Ice caps are melting at an alarming rate—more than 20 percent of the world's ice has disappeared since 1979. Sea levels are rising, causing floods and having a significant impact on the catastrophic natural disasters that are increasingly occurring around the world.
Global warming is caused by the greenhouse effect, in which certain gases release the heat received from the sun back into the atmosphere. Since 1990, annual greenhouse gas emissions have increased by about 6 billion tons worldwide, or 20 percent.
The gas most responsible for global warming is carbon dioxide, which accounts for 82 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Carbon dioxide is produced by burning fossil fuels, mainly when running cars and when factories are powered by coal. Five years ago, global atmospheric concentrations of gases were already 35 percent higher than before the Industrial Revolution.
Global warming can lead to the development of natural disasters, large-scale food and water shortages, and devastating impacts on wildlife. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, sea levels could rise by 17.8 - 58.4 cm by the end of the century. And since most of the world's population lives in coastal areas, this is a very big danger for both people and ecosystems .
1. Overcrowding
"Overpopulation is the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about," says Dr John Guillebaud, professor of family planning and reproductive health at University College London. "Unless we can do humane family planning ourselves reduce the population, nature will do it for us through violence, epidemics and famine,” he adds.
Over the past 40 years, the world population has grown from 3 to 6.7 billion. 75 million people (equivalent to the population of Germany) are added annually, or more than 200,000 people daily. According to forecasts, by 2050 the world population will exceed 9 billion people.
More people means more waste, more demand for food, more production of consumer goods, more needs for electricity, cars, etc. In other words, all the factors that contribute to global warming will only get worse.
Increasing demand for food will force farmers and fishermen to increasingly harm already fragile ecosystems. Forests will be removed almost entirely as cities continually expand and new areas for farmland are needed. The list of endangered species will become longer and longer. In fast-growing countries such as India and China, increased energy consumption is expected to increase carbon emissions. In short, the more people, the more problems.
The AiF project “Explaining What’s Happening” is dedicated to clarifying simple and at the same time complex questions about the life of Voronezh residents in society. The project is being implemented within the framework of the program “Improving media coverage of problems of socially oriented NPOs and social (charitable) projects of representatives of the real sector of the economy (including support for NPOs).”
From April 15 to June 5, the All-Russian Days of Protection from Environmental Hazards take place. AiF correspondent talked with Victoria Labzukova, head of the department of events in the field of ecology and environmental management of the VROO Center for Environmental Policy, and learned shocking facts. An average family generates an average of 1.5 kg of garbage per day, about 10 kg per week and 40 kg per month. Now remember the arithmetic and multiply this figure by the number of families living in your high-rise building. And then on the number of high-rise buildings in the city. And then on the number of cities on the planet...
Victoria Labzukova spoke about the Center’s project - environmental classes “Water Lesson”, “Cleanliness Lesson”, “Ecological Problems of the City” - and shared how communication with schoolchildren can help the environment in the future.
Garbage Pest
“When throwing another plastic bottle or piece of paper into the trash bin, few people think about where it ends up? When you look at photographs of huge landfills for disposal of household waste, you begin to come to a simple thought. If we do not collect waste separately, the number of landfills will increase,” says Victoria Labzukova. - Why not return the paper and plastic bottle separately? Plastic takes about 200 years to decompose, although a bottle may not decompose during this period. Who knows? Everything that can be submitted separately must be submitted. Another problem is waste batteries and mercury lamps, which many residents throw away with household garbage. But this waste is considered hazardous and causes irreparable harm to the environment when it ends up in a waste disposal site.”
When you put it away yourself, the next time you think about whether to throw the piece of paper or not. Photo: Environmental Policy Center
- How to properly handle household waste?
In our opinion, one of the most competent ways to manage waste is to collect it separately. In large cities this is easier - there are points that accept recyclable materials. You can donate glass, cardboard, waste paper, textiles, plastic bottles, and polyethylene. It is desirable that such points be within walking distance for any resident of our city and region.
- What to do if you do not live in the regional center and want to dispose of waste separately?
We are doing everything we can. We go to the districts of the Voronezh region, negotiate with the heads of municipalities to hold an action to collect secondary material resources. In advance, the participants of the action - the population, educational institutions, business entities - begin to collect waste paper and plastic bottles. On the day of the event, all separately collected waste is transferred to specialized organizations. For this purpose, such organizations specially go to the area on the day of the action. During the campaign, waste batteries - batteries, accumulators from mobile devices - are also collected.
- What happens to the batteries that we sell at promotions?
Collected used batteries are sent for disposal. The only plant in Russia that recycles used batteries is located in Chelyabinsk. Few people know that you have to pay money to neutralize batteries. Last year, the cost of this service was 110 rubles per 1 kg of batteries. In 2015, together with the environmental department, the collection of used batteries was organized. For this purpose, containers for collecting batteries were installed in all district administrations, as well as in universities, schools, and libraries. About 500 kg of batteries were collected. In carrying out the campaign, we were supported by partner organizations who paid for the transfer of batteries for neutralization.
If you think that construction near your home, dumping or cutting down trees is illegal, you can contact the Environmental Policy Center for help.
- What to do with used mercury lamps?
According to the decree of the Voronezh administration, companies managing apartment buildings must accept waste mercury lamps from residents of these buildings. You can take your used light bulb to your property management company or homeowners association. There is, however, one requirement - the light bulb must be in the package so that it does not break. And management companies must transfer spent mercury lamps to specialized organizations licensed to collect this type of waste. If your management company rejected you, you can report this to the administration of the Voronezh city district or contact us.
If you live in the private sector, the mercury lamp must be transferred directly to a specialized organization. The problem is that such organizations, as a rule, are located in an industrial zone, which is not very convenient to get to. But if you throw away a mercury bulb in your household trash, it will end up in a landfill. During the burial process, the light bulb will most likely break, thereby releasing mercury compounds into the soil and water, causing great harm to nature.
Children's lessons for adults
Schoolchildren are taught rational environmental management and waste management rules. Photo: Environmental Policy Center
- Is it possible to develop this habit in society - to think about what you throw away?
Every person must start with himself. Now each of us can, for example, stop using plastic bags and use paper ones or buy fabric bags. Paper bags can be returned with waste paper, and fabric bags last much longer than a regular bag.
Vending machines for accepting plastic and aluminum containers have long appeared in Moscow. Perhaps they will appear here too. Solving issues in the waste management system requires an integrated approach, and this cannot be done without the support of our government. Nowadays, legislation in the field of waste management is changing greatly. Soon, I hope, we will come to a more civilized approach. For our part, our organization carries out a lot of educational work in this direction.
- How can you tell a whole city about an ecological lifestyle?
The Center for Environmental Policy organizes and conducts various environmental events and campaigns, both in the city and in the region. For example, dedicated to significant environmental dates - Water Day, Earth Day, Bird Day, Forest Day, etc. We invite people of all ages to participate, but most of the events are aimed at working with the younger generation. We conduct environmental lessons “Water Lesson”, “Cleanliness Lesson”, “Ecological Problems of the City”. All meetings are held in an interesting game form. The children learn rational environmental management, waste management rules, and rules of behavior in nature. We also organize excursions for school students to enterprises that collect secondary material resources.
- Why do you focus specifically on lessons for children?
It is easier to communicate with children; they perceive new information with interest and try to apply the acquired knowledge in everyday life. Children tell their parents and relatives about what they learned during classes. Again, students who take part in cleanup days develop a more caring attitude towards nature. When you put it away yourself, the next time you think about whether to throw the piece of paper or not. And the relatives will have the thought: “My child cleaned up here, I won’t litter here.”
Eco-active lifestyle
It's easy to take care of the environment - you can stop using plastic bags or start making birdhouses. Photo: Environmental Policy Center
- Where to go if you want to become an environmental activist?
There are initiative groups of citizens and movements that are not indifferent to environmental issues. They create their own pages on various social networks, for example, VKontakte, and inform about their events there. The Center for Environmental Policy is ready to share its experience. We have ready-made presentations and handouts. We need volunteers who could carry out the environmental activities we have developed.
And there are people who, without waiting for help, try to do something themselves to improve the environmental situation. Thus, in Voronezh an active group of citizens appeared who purchased containers for collecting plastic bottles and installed them in the courtyards of apartment buildings. The containers have phone numbers written on them to call when they are full. This initiative has found a great response from the townspeople; calls are received several times a day. From this we can conclude that Voronezh residents are ready to collect waste separately. Such initiatives, of course, should be supported by the government of our region.
- What to do if you notice illegal dumping or cutting of trees?
You see some kind of violation. For example, it seems to you that construction near your house is illegal, or you discovered a garbage dump, or noticed that trees are being cut down. You can contact our organization, call, write by email or leave information in the VKontakte group. To do this, you need to indicate the exact address where, in your opinion, the environmental violation is occurring, leave your coordinates, it is advisable to record the fact of the violation and forward it to us. It happens that they call anonymously, report that something is happening somewhere and hang up. It is important to leave your contact information so that we have the opportunity to contact you and clarify the necessary information. In turn, we send an appeal to the executive authorities, whose competence includes resolving these issues.
Regarding the cutting down of trees in the city, you can contact the environmental department directly. There they will tell you whether there is permission to cut or not. If there is no permission, the necessary measures will be taken to suppress this fact.
Our organization cooperates with social movements, initiative groups of citizens who are not indifferent to problems related to environmental protection, and we also actively interact with authorities to solve these problems.
To the question How do people harm nature? given by the author Victoria Okun the best answer is Well, firstly, man destroys virgin nature, turning more and more of it into anthropogenic, as it is called in the social environment, creating a “second nature” .... this naturally disrupts the level of oxygen release into the atmosphere, since valuable trees and other plants are also destroyed by humans... secondly, this situation is aggravated by inventions in industry. With the development of various industries, new methods of manufacturing goods, etc., appear, which negatively affects the environment, since as production proceeds, a huge amount of dangerous gases are released into the atmosphere, and even modern filters installed on factory pipes do not protect from harm and pollution... thirdly, from the above problem follows the problem with garbage, which appears in large quantities after consuming the same industrial products... water bodies are polluted by irresponsible factories that throw industrial waste directly into the seas and lakes, without thinking about their future... again, man exterminates many species of innocent animals for the sake of daily money and simply for his own pleasure... in fact, there are many such negative influences of man on nature, one might even say that they are at every step...
Reply from Flush[guru]
Disposes waste into rivers and lakes. Drains swamps, cuts down forests, releases exhaust gases into the atmosphere, creates artificial reserves,
destruction of animals
Reply from Alla Mikhailets[newbie]
Roman bitch
Reply from Grow up[newbie]
1. Man is designed in such a way that he strives to consciously change nature, to adapt it to his needs, and this is the main harm that he causes to it. Man builds huge factories that poison the atmosphere and hydrosphere with toxic emissions, man cuts down forests, plows up fields, extracts underground natural resources, leaving voids underground and mountains of ugly rock on the surface, disrupting the ecological balance. Man has destroyed and is destroying various species of animals and plants. Man builds cities, lays roads, makes fires, litters. Sometimes it seems that the very presence of humans causes harm to nature.
But man is still a rational being, and in recent years he has begun to think about the harm he is causing and how it can be corrected. If he acts consistently in this endeavor, soon the damage to nature can be significantly reduced.
2. As a conscious and more organized being, man causes great damage to nature (Paradoxical as it may seem). Let's start with banal garbage. Picnics in the spring in nature, after which, as a rule. garbage is not removed. The fire doesn't really go out. For example, plastic bags and bottles are not subject to decay and rotting. Which means polyethylene hell. If something like this isn't recycled, it won't be far off. Exhaust gases from cars, a great addiction to cleaning chemicals that only cause harm, cutting down trees and killing animals... And this is only a small part of the harm that humans can cause...
Reply from Marriage[newbie]
1.Irrational use of water
Everyone knows that water comes into the water supply system from natural sources. Now imagine the morning, the population of a large city and in every apartment, the shower and faucet are turned on. Now just think how much water flows away in just one morning. And this is only the beginning of the day, how many times during the day will the tap open and water flow. For example, all Muscovites taken together spend on average from 200 liters of water to 4 million cubic meters per day. Several years ago there was even a question of water resource shortages. And such a situation is quite possible, because the earth’s resources are not endless.
2. Toothpaste and hygiene products
Let's continue about water. Everything you flush down the sink or toilet ends up in wastewater. Today, a system for their purification has been developed, but it only concerns the central sewerage system. That is, before wastewater is discharged into a reservoir, it is subjected to several stages of purification. However, it cannot completely cope with the chemical components of hygiene products. The same toothpaste contains fluorine, which, like chlorine, interacts with organic substances and forms dangerous chemical compounds. What can we say about hygiene products that contain various dangerous fragrances, peahens, and polymer molecules. All these components, one way or another, penetrate into the environment.
3. Car
Everything seems clear about the car. A single vehicle's exhaust releases over ten thousand pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Thanks to the large number of vehicles, Moscow and St. Petersburg are considered one of the dirtiest cities in the country. Unfortunately, so far the share of alternative eco-mobiles accounts for only a small part.
4.Smoking
In addition to the fact that harmful substances are released into the air during smoking, almost five million hectares of forest are destroyed every year in order to dry tobacco.
5. Improper waste disposal
We have written repeatedly about the fact that improper waste disposal harms the environment. You can read about this on our website here and here.
6. Perfume
Musk is often used in perfume compositions; it is musk that causes the greatest concern among environmentalists. It can penetrate the fatty tissue of aquatic species. Imagine you are on vacation, perfumed yourself with your favorite scent (which, by the way, may contain a number of chemicals hazardous to health and nature) and plunged into the sea. Congratulations, all harmful substances, along with musk, have entered the reservoir. You might want to have a fresh fish dinner afterwards. There is a possibility that you will not only inhale all the harmful components of your perfume, but also eat it.
7. Household cleaning and laundry products
We also wrote about the dangers of such products. Read this text.
8. Means for repairing premises
Today, there are environmental analogues to unsafe paints, adhesives, varnishes and other repair products that contain hazardous components. True, such funds are more expensive. If you resort to economical renovations, be prepared for the fact that your home will harm the environment and your health.
9. Carcinogens produced by frying foods
Do you want fried cutlets for dinner? Stop. Think again and steam them, because frying produces a dangerous carcinogen that can cause cancer in humans and animals.
Do not forget that harm to nature is caused not only by harmful emissions from production, mountains of garbage, pollution of rivers and seas, deforestation, destruction of animals and plants, but also by our weekend trips to barbecue or pick mushrooms. Naturally, the harm to the environment caused by a fire we make is not comparable to what a chemical plant or a landfill for household waste “gives” to nature, but it is still noticeable.
Have you ever noticed how a mother, walking with her child in the park, suddenly exclaims “ugh, what disgusting!” Is he diligently pressing something with his foot? The child is receptive and will quickly learn that a butterfly fluttering in a clearing is cute and beautiful, but something crawling underfoot is disgusting and not worthy of life. A lesson learned in childhood will remain for life: “I myself determine what and who is worthy to live and grow on this earth.”
Lately, nature has increasingly made it clear to us that it is offended by our stupid activities: snow will fall where it has never been seen before - in Africa or southern Asia, rain will flood Europe, or drought will leave vast regions without crops.
Recently, more and more people are beginning to understand that we must learn to live in harmony with nature, to obey the laws of ecology - the science of our common home.
The term “ecology” was proposed in 1866 by the German scientist Ernst Haeckel, who defined it as the science of the relationship of all living things to the environment. In Greek, “oikos” means dwelling, house, place of residence, and “logos” means word, teaching.
Let’s not delve into the scientific jungle; the essence of ecology can be formulated in one short phrase: “Man, do no harm.” But, unfortunately, we do a lot of harm and in a sophisticated way, causing irreparable harm to nature. We are already accustomed to the fact that every summer television shows a lot of fires that destroy thousands of hectares of forests. And most fires are the work of man.
An unextinguished cigarette butt or ember, a transparent glass bottle thrown onto dry grass (the effect of a magnifying glass) in dry windy weather, can in a few minutes turn a calm green forest into a fiery hell in which a lot of living things will die.
Scientists have calculated that 1 hectare of forest absorbs at least 5 tons of carbon dioxide per year, releasing 10 tons of oxygen during the same time. For example: in one hour, a hectare of forest will absorb all the carbon dioxide released by the breathing of 200 people.
Convincing numbers, aren't they? And many similar examples can be given.
Do not forget that in city parks and squares there are perhaps not much fewer living creatures than in the wild forest, but they are much more vulnerable and are entirely dependent on human whim. Our ancestors long ago formulated the basic principles of human behavior in relation to nature. Let's follow them too.
Try not to keep wild animals at home. In most cases, turning them into pets will not work. Most often, your inept “care” is disastrous for them. If you decide to help a wild animal, think about whether you can do it without harming it.
Under no circumstances should you bring grown chicks or young animals from the forest. In the vast majority of cases, they are not abandoned by their parents; the parents are simply busy looking for food.
You should not approach animal holes and bird nests if they contain young animals, which usually give themselves away by squeaking.
If your dog is poorly trained, in the spring and early summer, do not let it off the leash in the park, forest, or vacant lots, where there may be bird nests or young wild animals. Try not to create unnecessary noise during this period, which scares away birds and animals. Cubs that do not have time to run away after the adults may get lost and die.
Treat the smallest inhabitants of the forest with care. Don't cut the webs, just walk around them. Do not destroy anthills or step on ant paths.
Unnecessarily, do not turn over stones, snags, old logs, or break mossy stumps. A large number of living beings live under them and in them. If you want to make sure of this, sit aside for a while. The anxiety caused by your steps will subside, and lizards will crawl out onto the stumps, centipedes will rush about their business, beetles will appear, birds will fuss, a mouse will crawl out of its hole - the forest will begin to live its normal life.
For nature, all living beings are important and necessary; they all have their own niche and complex relationships with others. There are no “vile and nasty” people among them, so there is no need to put pressure on anyone or step on anyone. Tomorrow, a scary-looking hairy caterpillar will turn into a beautiful butterfly and pollinate flowers.
Try not to unnecessarily disturb the forest soil. Do not forget that a passing car compacts it with its wheels, leading to the death of many living beings. Exhaust gases also do not benefit the forest. It is advisable to walk through the forest along existing paths, without unnecessarily creating new ones. If you go off-road, try not to break or trample plants.
There is no need to pick plants just to admire them. To do this, just bend over to a flower, which in its natural environment will always look better than in your hands. If there is a need to pick plants - for example, when collecting medicinal herbs, do not do a “total weeding”, pick them little by little in different places, trying not to harm other plants.
When collecting mushrooms, berries, and nuts, try not to cause unnecessary harm to nature. Don't destroy everything around to get to the coveted mushroom or berry cluster. Don’t pick every last berry and nut - there are many other people who have their sights on them besides you. Do not forget that in nature all plants are needed, this applies to fly agarics, and toadstools, and to various tinder fungi.
By the way, collecting our beloved birch sap is by no means harmless to trees. It’s difficult to give up this delicacy, but don’t overdo it, and be sure to cover up the wounds on birch trees, preferably with garden varnish, or with regular plasticine.
It is clear that the harm that a particular tourist, hunter or mushroom picker can cause to nature is usually small, but if possible we should try to minimize it to the limit. Nature generously shares its gifts with us, but also expects careful treatment and care. Don't forget the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
“We’re all...on the same planet—we’re all the crew of the same ship.”
