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We can make environment better

Robert Neunzig
Neunzig

Climate change is the result of environmental changes on planet Earth both natural and man-made. In this article I will focus on harmful environmental changes that occur as a result of man’s activities.

Air pollution is probably the most significant man-made environmental change with far reaching health, economic as well as global issues. Air pollution results in the production of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ground level ozone, nitrous oxide, gaseous oxide, sulfur dioxide, aerosols, particulates, ammonia, heavy metals and radioactive fallout all of which have significant consequences on the health and quality of life for civilization.

The 10 biggest contributors to air pollution are: Exhaust from combustion engines, use of coal and fossil fuels, petroleum, mining operations, industrial plants and mills, fertilizer dust and chemical pesticides.

To seeo this problem up close we only need to look in our own backyard where Charlotte/Gastonia are considered the eighth worst place for ozone pollution in the country.

The worst places in the U.S. for ozone, long-term particulate air pollution as well as year-round air pollution are all in California. Allegheny, Pennsylvania, has the worst short-term particulates pollution in America. Globally the 10 worst countries in the world for air pollution are Pakistan, Qatar, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Egypt, Mongolia, United Arab Emirates, India and Bahrain. Although China did not make the top 10 for air pollution there are places in China where breathing the air is like smoking and China along with Russia do make the list for the top 10 worst polluted countries in the world. It should be noted that the U.S. certainly has air pollution problems but as a country we are doing a much better job cleaning up our environment than many other countries and the U.S. is not among the worst 50 countries in the world for pollution.

Water Pollution is the next biggest cause of environmental change caused by man. There is an abundant number of examples where our streams, lakes and even oceans have been contaminated with a multitude of different chemicals leading to significant health issues for animals, plants and humans.

Recently the lead contamination in Flint, Michigan, as well as our own water contamination due to coal ash contamination are just two examples. Although there is no direct association with water pollution and a warmer planet, water pollution is one of the worst problems in the world today. Like with air pollution, the U.S. did not make the top 10 list for the worst water pollution. I would argue what good is there in having a planet with a safe temperature if you can’t drink the water?

De-forestation is a major cause of environmental change for several reasons. As forests are destroyed we lose billions of plants whose photosynthesis results in the absorption or trapping and conversion of carbon dioxide which some scientists believe is a major contributor to global warming. Forests provide local temperature control by filtering out sunlight and preventing it from being absorbed into the ground allowing the soil to remain moist and cool. Additionally as we lose forests much of that land often dries out resulting in more desert terrain. Deforestation can also result in less rain fall as there is a reduction in water vapor in the air. Deforestation often results in erosion and loss of soil which end up in rivers and lakes causing water pollution. Finally, deforestation results in the loss of habitat for millions of species.

Economic Development is another cause of environmental change locally, regionally and probably globally. With economic development comes increases in manufacturing, industrialization and increasing automobile and air conditioning usage, all of which result in the increased formation of man-made carbon dioxide along with many other hazardous chemicals and particulate matter. Additionally buildings, roads, parking lots, sidewalks, etc. are heat sinks (or traps) which result in a warmer surface temperature. As cities grow there are more issues with sewage and other waste disposal often resulting in significant local and regional pollution.

While there is still much debate of how significant man’s activities are in causing climate change as compared to natural causes there can be no debate that man’s activities have led to widespread local and regional pollution and adverse environmental changes on our planet. There is also a growing consensus that man’s activities do have some level of deleterious effect on global temperatures even if there is disagreement on the significance or even that the Earth is headed for a period of long-term global warming.

Cities, counties, states and nations should concentrate on how they can reduce the negative impacts on our environment in a manner that does not reduce but rather improves the qualityof life for its citizens. With greater conservation efforts, newer technology in regard to cleaner energy more efficient and cleaner transportation options, Increased use of nuclear for homes and industry as compared to fossil fuels for such purposes, continuing to improve on cleaner and healthier manufacturing and industrial centers society can not only address global warming concerns but many other environmental concerns.

Since the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970, the United States has cut down on air pollutants by more than 41 percent as of 2010, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. However, even with this improvement according to the American Lung Association almost half of the U.S. population lives in areas where air pollution is dangerously high. Since 2005, total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 7 percent. Electricity generation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, followed by transportation.

Although these improvements are encouraging it is obvious there is still much work that needs to be done in the United States and even more around the world. However, these improvements noted show humanity can clean up its environment as well as mitigate man-made sources of adverse climate change without reducing the quality of life for ourselves, our children and their children’s children.

The next article will discuss natural causes of climate and environmental change.

Robert Neunzig is a resident of Dallas.