The Earth is suffering from a variety of issues, and when the environment suffers, we all do. From climate change to fossil fuels, we need to understand what’s going on around us so we can help make a change and save our planet. With this list, we’re exploring the biggest problems the environment is facing this year.
Food Waste
It’s suggested that about a third of the food that we buy or intend to consume is wasted. That statistic shows us that’s enough for three billion people to eat. When you think of how many people are starving and can’t get to food, that thought is very sobering. Food loss is also one of the leading causes for greenhouse gas emissions at around 26% according to Our World In Data.
Plastic
Plastic is killing our environment. It’s everywhere, and now microplastics are in our food and water. We currently have more than fourteen million tons of plastic going to the ocean each year and species are dying every day. It’s speculated that more than 90% of plastic is not recycled and even if people try, most still don’t get recycled. Considering that plastic takes about four centuries to decompose, it’s going to keep causing pollution.
Overfishing
There are billions of people in this world that rely on fish as a part of their diet and as a primary source to get their protein in. The problem with this is that we’re eating fish faster than they can be replaced. Overfishing causes issues with the planet by creating more algae, ocean littering, biodiversity loss, and destroying fishing communities.
Fast Fashion
This can be seen all over social media. You’ll see videos every day about needing the latest fashions and buying more than we need. Fashion is suggested to account for 10% or more of the global carbon emissions which means it’s creating a huge problem. It also creates ninety-two million tons of textile waste and that number is rising. Not to mention the dumping in developing countries and putting microplastics into our water supply.
Air Pollution
So it goes without saying that we need to breathe. The World Health Organization estimates that about seven million people die from air pollution each year, and almost all of us are breathing things we shouldn’t. Motor vehicles are causing great emissions, and so are industrial sources. Air pollution can cut our lives down by five to ten years if it doesn’t cause issues that kill you before that, such as the horrible tragedy in Africa in 2017, where air pollution caused the death of two hundred and fifty-eight thousand souls.
Deforestation
Another issue the environment is suffering from is that forests are being cut down every day, and it’s suggested that in five years, only 10% of the forests will remain. Because trees provide us with air, imagine the devastation that will occur when no trees are left. Despite efforts, one-third of tropical deforestation occurs in Brazil’s Amazon forest, which houses over three million species of plants and animals.
Cobalt Mining
Cobalt is used as a component for the battery materials that power electric vehicles. Because more people are attempting to drive these, cobalt is in demand. The problem is that cobalt mining is associated with serious environmental and social issues, including dangers of worker exploitation. In some mines, you’ll see large amounts of uranium and high radioactivity levels. It produces pollution and damages our water, while the rocks being pulverized damage our air.
Global Warming
We’ve had record-breaking temperatures, and the news has shown that people are dying from the heat. Last year was considered to be the hottest year on record, and the past ten years have shown how the problem is getting worse. Greenhouse gases are at an all-time high, and all three planet-warming gases are also at an all-time high. This means the planet’s temperature is going to keep rising.
Fossil Fuel
We are at a spot in time where we’re more dependent on fossil fuels. Over the years, economists and others have been urging those in charge to increase the prices of activities that will cause greenhouse gases to be emitted. A national carbon tax is now in place in more than twenty-five countries across the globe. In Sweden, for example, the carbon tax is $127 per ton.
Acidification Of Our Oceans
Global temperature doesn’t just affect the land, it affects the ocean too. Our oceans are absorbing around 30% of the carbon dioxide that is released. What that does is cause problems in the ocean, including killing wildlife, making organisms dissolve entirely and bleaching our oceans, leading to coral reef loss. The coral reefs are now thought to have only twenty-five years of life left.
Agriculture System
Our food system accounts for one-third of human greenhouse gas emissions, and fish and livestock account for 30%. Crop production also releases these gases with fertilizers. Scientists and environmentalists alike are warning us to rethink our food system, create more sustainable methods, and reduce our meat intake. This reduces our carbon footprint.
Soil
Soil degradation is a huge problem, with 40% of the planet’s soil being degraded. Healthy soil has organic matter at about 3-6%. Unfortunately for us, the soil content in the world almost everywhere has far less than that. Because we use more pollutants and chemicals, the soil suffers, and if we don’t change these practices, food security for billions of people will be compromised. It’s already being suggested that in twenty years’ time we’ll have 40% less food.
The Ice Caps Are Melting
The ice caps are melting and the seas are rising. This has been made more concerning by the fact that in one summer, sixty billion tons of ice from Greenland were lost and the sea levels rose 2.2mm in a mere two months. If all of the ice sheets from Greenland melt, the sea will rise six meters. The last ice shelf that was fully intact in Canada has also collapsed. As the sea rises, four hundred and eighty million people living in coastal areas will be affected.
Insecurity
There is a great insecurity for food and water, with people dying every day from a lack of both. The soil is being eroded one hundred times faster than it can be replaced and our water is being contaminated. The global population is expected to reach nine billion and it’s suggested that food demand will increase to 70% in twenty-five years. We already have eight hundred and twenty million people in the world who don’t have enough to eat, and now that number is rising.
Biodiversity
The past half century has also seen biodiversity loss due to human consumption, population, and other issues. At the current rate, we’re using more of the Earth’s resources than it can replace. Five hundred species of animals are on the brink of extinction, and scientists have said that if it weren’t for human destruction, instead of the loss taking place in approximately twenty years, it would have naturally taken thousands of years.
Help Our Planet
There are a lot of ways we can help our planet and help stop the destruction that it’s facing. Making more mindful choices is the best way to start. For instance, even if the recycling center won’t recycle everything, if enough of us try, that could change. If we go meatless one or two times a week, that can help our planet too. Avoid fast fashion and buy things only when you need them. Making these small choices will help more than you think.
