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How Have Humans Impacted Planet Earth?

Can you imagine what something would look like if it were 4.54 billion years old? (How

Old is Earth) Scientists estimate that is the age of our big blue planet! Humans have been around

for roughly 200,000 of those years. In this relatively short amount of time, we have left a

significant mark on our home. It is important that we examine our impact on the planet so that it

remains sustainable for life.

When the human population was in its infancy, they were polluting the environment with

things such as shell mounds and fires. The population was so small and settlements were more

spread out, so pollution was not something that was studied or even noticed. As the population

grew, so did the problem. Not only did more people fuel the problem, but also technological

advancements. Some examples would be: the harvesting of fossil fuels, emissions from cars and

factory emissions. The increased use of these and other things has made pollution a serious

concern among environmental scientist. It takes many different forms such as water, air and light

pollution.

Air pollution is a major concern for environmental scientists and all of the human race.

Air pollution is can be caused by burning fossil fuel, car emissions, agricultural activities and

exhaust from factories and industries. In some of the larger cities, you may be able to see a cloud

of smog looming. Air pollution gets a lot of attention because can be noticeable to the human

through its effects. One of the most noticeable effects is smog. The term “smog” describes a

mixture of emissions under specific climate conditions. These emissions include: industrial

pollutants, vehicle pollutants, open burning and incinerators. Smog can be harmful to humans if

you are exposed for a long period of time. “Smog also contains a pollutant called ozone, and

elevated ozone levels can have a variety of negative effects on your lungs. Exposure can also
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lead to coughing, throat or chest irritation, difficulty breathing and lung damage.” (Healthline)

Acid rain is another result of air pollution. Acid rain can also be caused from natural sources like

the emissions from a volcano explosion. It is a result of toxic gasses such as nitrogen oxides and

sulfur oxides being emitted into the air and mixing with the rain. The contaminated rain falls thus

contaminating the ground below. This acidic rain has the power to change the pH levels of our

water and soil. It can also cause corrosion of buildings and make plants more vulnerable to

disease.

Water is another resource that humans have severely impacted. Oceans have been heavily

littered with trash. There are portions of the oceans that are completely covered by a blanket of

trash. This can be trash thrown directly into the water or something that was left on the beach

that was swept off by the tide. By 2050, there will be so much plastic floating in the ocean it will

outweigh the fish, according to a study issued by the World Economic Forum. (Washington Post)

Animals that live in the water have been known to confuse water with food. Digesting human

waste can be lethal for these animals depending on what it is made of. Animals dying can cause

an upset in the oceans ecosystem. Animals have also gotten trapped in the various pieces of trash

thrown into the ocean. Trash can also in end up in fresh water bodies as well. Another source of

pollutions is waste-water. This is water that has essentially been used for something. Some

examples of this are sewage, commercial and storm runoff. This water mixes with unused water

and contaminates it. Humans have tried to reduce their water waste by treating water at treatment

plants and reusing it if possible. A major source of water pollution is oil spills. When humans are

transporting oil, there is the risk of a spill. This is especially tragic if it happens in a body of

water. Oil is also leaked by consumers on land. Oil and gas can drip and end up being carried to

the ocean through rain run-off. This isn’t something that is usually considered when trying to
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understand how so much oil ends up in the ocean. Oil contamination is expensive and hard to

clean. Oil is toxic for animals to consume and swim in.

Fresh water is a vital resource to sustain human life. In the United States, most people

have access to clean water and often don’t consider what would happen if nothing came out of

the sink when it was turned on. There are some exceptions such as Flint, Michigan whose water

has been contaminated. On a wider scale, there are plenty of third-world countries who do not

have access to clean water and there is no solution in sight. If we do not do more to protect our

fresh water supply, we will eventually run out. “Our drinkable water sources are finite: less than

1 percent of the earth’s freshwater is actually accessible to us.” (NRDC) In 2012, the

Environmental Protection Agency released a study on fresh water in the United States. They

found nearly half of our rivers and streams and more than one-third of our lakes are unfit for

recreation and human consumption. Water that has been contaminated can cause illness in

humans and has been known to be lethal. Pathogens that are harmful to humans thrive in

contaminated water. Some ways to protect our supply are to lower our use, avoid cross

contamination and utilize treatment plants more often.

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Humans have made quite a mess on the planet. When I say mess, I am referring to the

massive amounts of man-made trash. In America, we don’t usually see the bulk of the problem.

This is because we have a fairly good system in place for disposing of our waste. We utilize

landfills, burning and recycling to help manage our waste. About 32.5 percent of the trash is

recycled or composted, 12.5 percent is burned and 55 percent is buried in land-fills. (EPA) There

are some countries that are not as fortunate. India, for example, is highly populated and is

considered a third world country. They do not have a good waste management system in place.

India’s urban population of 429 million citizens produce a whopping 62 million tons of garbage

every year. (Swachhindia). India is not the only country with poor waste management. Many

third-world countries do not have a waste management system in place. The result is trash piling

up all over the country. This trash winds up either polluting the water or harming animals. Waste

can emit toxic fumes into the atmosphere that make humans sick and cause air pollution. The

solution to the trash problem has gained some attention recently and there has been initiatives to

help with the issue. Since 2000, the World Bank has contributed about $4.5 billion to support

329 solid waste programs around the globe. They include projects such as basic trash collection

and disposal, reuse and recycling, and initiatives aimed at changing habits related to waste.

(LATimes).
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Pollution has been an ongoing problem, so there have been initiatives to improve our

situation that are on the rise. In order to combat the amount emissions, put out by vehicles,

hybrid and electric cars have been invented. These cars are meant to be both energy and fuel

efficient. They are now mass produced and have gained some attention from consumers for both

economical and environmental reasons. People have also begun to utilize renewable energy

sources such as solar or wind energy. In 2017, renewable energy sources accounted for about

11% of total U.S. energy consumption and about 17% of electricity generation. (EIA) Hopefully

that percentage will increase over the next few years. Recycling is waste disposal method that is

gaining more popularity as well. The U.S. recycles approx. 32% of its total waste. (BYUI)

Hopefully that number will increase over time. The amount of money and energy saved with

recycling is astronomical.

It is very clear humans have made a large impact on the planet. This can be seen in the

oceans, air and all around us. Our mark on the planet can be reduced through eco-friendly ways

of living. As the world continues turning, it my hope that more people will strive for a greener

lifestyle.
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Work Cited

“The Dangers of Smog: What You Need to Know About Air Pollution.” Healthline, Healthline
Media, www.healthline.com/health/dangers-smog-what-you-need-know-about-air-
pollution.

Redd, Nola Taylor. “How Old Is Earth?” Space.com, Space.com, 21 Feb. 2018,
www.space.com/24854-how-old-is-earth.html.

“Causes, Effects and Solutions of Acid Rain.” Conserve Energy Future, 25 Dec. 2016,
www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-acid-rain.php.

Denchak, Melissa. “Water Pollution: Everything You Need to Know.” NRDC, 27 July 2018,
www.nrdc.org/stories/water-pollution-everything-you-need-know.

“Recycling Statistics.” BYU-Idaho, www.byui.edu/university-operations/facilities-

management/recycling-and-sustainability/recycling-statistics.

“U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis.” Chinese
Coal-Fired Electricity Generation Expected to Flatten as Mix Shifts to Renewables -
Today in Energy - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA),
www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=92&t=4.

http://www.latimes.com/world/global-development/la-fg-global-trash-20160422-20160421-snap-
htmlstory.html#
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