This is one of the best Netflix videos I have seen regarding the human impact on the environment, painting a very clear, indisputable picture of the overall human impact on the environment. David Attenborough is a skilled, knowledgeable expert on the subject. This is a must-watch video!!
Another excellent video available on Netflix does an excellent job of explaining with museum quality the wildlife and geological history of the earth.
Greed:
Nearly all human problems are the consequence of greed, including having more than 2 children that leads to negative consequences for oneself and others resulting in corruption, injustice, violence, and environmental degradation.
While I want to focus on positive actions that connect people to people and nature, my wife keeps urging me to read the overwhelming number of negative articles the world is producing. I feel like I can’t keep up with my purpose while the world is becoming more biased and pessimistic. I think this is partly due to the influence of population and negative media. I learned about the importance of ecology in 10th grade and then wondered why everyone else didn't get the picture I received.
Ecology is the study of the relationships among living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment.
So, this was my concern.
Human relationship problems are:
1. People-to-people - imbalance
2. people-to-earth. - imbalance
Ecology - balance
1. species-to-species
So, while ecology is keeping the balance of nature, humans are in the process of destroying the balance of nature. What is important for us to understand about that?
Human population growth has many negative consequences for the environment, society, and morality. These consequences can be classified into three categories: ecological, socio-economic, and ethical.
Therefore, human population growth poses a serious challenge to the sustainability and well-being of the planet and its inhabitants.
It is clear that if people don't recognize the vanishing beauty, wilderness, the replacement of the environment with increased housing, the loss of animal habitat, wildlife, biodiversity, freedom to explore wild places, and the loss of wonderful places to explore, then the attachment value we assigned to the environment is low enough to be obscured in our awareness.
In the above model, the child's dreams are depicted as showing the potential fears in a child's mind that might be connected to the environment. Those fears in this example may keep a child from enjoying all that there is to explore in the wild. Ultimately, the lack of interest in environmental exploration leaves the child with a low attachment value to the environment, resulting in a low faded positive attachment value of 4. The child has less of an appreciation for the environment and doesn't notice or even care about the destruction of the environment.
The model suggests that attachment theory can help us understand the causes and consequences of human conflicts, cooperation, and loss of habitat.
Transpiration flow of water from 9 cottonwoods .5’ to 2’ in diameter will put out 50 to 200 gallons of water/day while lowering the temperature as much as 15 degrees F. 15 Billion trees are lost/yr, 25% of global forest loss is deforestation. The remaining 73% came from degradation: logging from plantations (26%); shifting, local agriculture (24%); and wildfires (23%). Standing out in the sun and moving into the shade of a tree, it's hard to deny it's cooler under the shade of a tree and that people cut down trees. One study estimates nearly 1/2 or 46% of trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 yrs.
https://www.nature.com/articles/natureoc/download?doi=14967 https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewd10.1.1.489.9417&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Garbage pollution is the accumulation of solid waste in the environment that has lost its usefulness or value. It affects terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and produces air, soil and water pollution. It also causes health problems for humans and wildlife by spreading bacterial and infectious diseases . Garbage often contains dangerous pollutants such as oils, chemicals, and ink. These pollutants can leech into the soil and harm plants, animals, and people. Inefficient garbage collection systems contribute to land pollution. Often, the garbage is picked up and brought to a dump, or landfill. Garbage is buried in landfills . The methane that is released due to the decomposing waste is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change. The air pollutants escaping from the landfill can also cause respiratory problems in people who live close to the landfill . Every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes. Plastic pollution is a global problem. Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas .
It’s important to note that we can all take steps to reduce our contribution to garbage pollution. For example, we can reduce our use of single-use plastics such as straws, bags, and bottles; recycle whenever possible; compost food waste; and properly dispose of hazardous materials such as batteries and electronics .
.warbletoncouncil.org. earthday.org. nationalgeographic.org. nationalgeographic.org. unep.org . bing.com theworldcounts.com
Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air that are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole 1. The sources of air pollution are diverse, but most air pollution comes from energy use and production, such as burning fossil fuels . Air pollution can cause a range of health problems, including respiratory diseases, heart disease, and stroke . It can also harm the environment by causing acid rain, reducing crop yields, and contributing to climate change 1. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), each year air pollution is responsible for nearly seven million deaths around the globe .
To reduce air pollution, it is important to take steps such as using public transportation or carpooling, reducing energy consumption at home, and supporting clean energy policies . By taking these steps, we can help protect our health and the environment.
I hope this information helps!
Learn more:
nrdc.org. en.wikipedia.org. who.int. nationalgeographic.com. nationalgeographic.org
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One study calculated that a kilowatt hour of nuclear-generated electricity has a carbon footprint of 4 grams of CO2 equivalent, compared to 4 grams for wind and 6 grams for solar energy — versus 109 grams for coal, even with carbon capture and storage.
According to a Greenpeace report, there are approximately 250,000 tons of high-level nuclear waste in temporary storage across 14 countries 1. The US alone has almost 90,000 tons of high-level waste awaiting permanent disposal 1. While governments and industry agree that deep burial is the best solution for nuclear waste, no country currently has a site for deep burial in operation 1. One nuclear expert has stated that “there is no scientifically proven way” of disposing of high- and intermediate-level waste 1.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for the disposal of radioactive waste from the nation’s nuclear weapons program and for siting, building, and operating a geologic repository to dispose of nuclear waste 2. The DOE has yet to build such a facility because policymakers have been at an impasse over what to do with spent fuel since 2010 2. As a result, the amount of spent nuclear fuel stored at nuclear power plants across the country continues to grow by about 2,000 metric tons a year 2. Meanwhile, the federal government has paid billions of dollars in damages to utilities for failing to dispose of this waste and may potentially have to pay tens of billions of dollars more in coming decades 2.
It is important that we continue to explore safe and effective ways to dispose of nuclear waste. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) oversees the treatment and disposal of radioactive waste from commercial nuclear power plants. There are three main types of nuclear waste: high-level, transuranic, and low-level waste. Each type must be disposed of according to its risk to human health and the environment 3.
It is important to note that while mini nuclear plants have been recognized as an important tool in fighting climate change due to their low carbon footprint, concerns about safety and waste disposal remain 1354.
1. interestingengineering.com2. defenseone.com3. bing.com4. bbc.com5. popularmechanics.com
The State of Nuclear Energy Today — and What Lies Ahead - Biden-Harris Administration (columbia.edu)
1. nrc.gov2. gao.gov3. nrc.gov4. disasterrally.com5. link.springer.com6. ukinventory.nda.gov.uk7. world-nuclear.org8. world-nuclear.org9. geoengineer.org10. iaea.org11. radwasteplanning.ca12. nuclear-power.com13. iaea.org14. felsics.com
U.S. views on Climate Change (Pew Research):
Failure of environmental education:
The Failure of Environmental Education (and How We Can Fix It) - PMC (nih.gov)
Study, Environmental Literacy among College Students:
Environmental Literacy among College Students - PMC (nih.gov)
2023 U.N. Global sustainable Development Report FINAL GSDR 2023-Digital -110923_1.pdf (un.org)
2023 U.N. August 8 2023
It’s official: July 2023 was the warmest month ever recorded | UN News
According to Steven Stosny, Ph.D., a great crisis of our times is the failure to realize that we have a drive to make the world we live in a better place. It is true that many people do not think about the impact of their actions on the environment.
The world is facing very serious problems like pollution, scarcity of water, food, appropriate shelter, economic conditions, and climate change. It is important to be aware of the impact that our actions have on the environment and to take steps to reduce our carbon footprint or. There are many ways that individuals can help reduce their impact on the environment, such as reducing waste, conserving energy, using public transportation or carpooling, eating a plant-based diet, and supporting environmentally friendly policies 1.
One of the best videos demonstrating environmental concerns was put together by one who knows, David Attenborough. Watch his video titled "A Life on a Planet" on Netflix. David Attenborough A Life On Our Planet 2020 (1080p) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Watching the video, one can develop a sense of what I mean when I say to know what is healthy, appropriate and positive it helps to know what is negative and not in the best interest of everyone and earth.
In conclusion, while it may be true that many people do not think about the impact of their actions on the environment, there are many ways that individuals can help reduce their carbon footprint and positively impact the environment. We can encourage the reduction of pollution. But we can also enthusiastically encourage the support of a healthier more beautiful world by enhancing the healthy growth of natural native vegetation, moisture, and wildlife.
The Impact of Environmental Education Activities on Primary School Students’ Environmental Awareness and Visual Expressions EJ1260775.pdf (ed.gov)
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