Running Head: ECOLOGICAL DEGRADATION 1

The Treacherous Effects of Ecological Degradation

Jenna M. Potter

South Lyon High School

March 15th, 2018

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Abstract

Ecological Degradation is emerging as one of the most problematic issues affecting our

environment. This issue is human induced, and the outcome can result in a destroyed earth. It is

facilitated by the growth of our environment globally, and the widespread sharing of ideas and

methods being carried out by multiple places around the globe. Through globalization, pollution,

global warming, deforestation, and the spread of disease all have increased. These issues have a

considerable effect on the health of all living species and ecosystems, creating a dangerous

environment for all of them. It is difficult to pin the blame on a specific area of the world, now

that we are globalized. The United States has contributed a significant amount of new ways to

pollute and strip our earth of its once bountiful resources, to use them up and turn them into

waste. The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader on the main causes and effects of

ecological degradation, therefore providing he or she with enough information to reverse the

damage already done. I believe that with all of the issues surrounding the environment, it is

important to be apart of the solution. We have caused this destruction to our earth, so we now

have to fix it. (210)

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Ecological Degradation: What is happening to our earth?

The earth is disintegrating, and it is our fault.

Think back to a time where resources were plentiful, animals were alive and roaming the

area, the trees were bountiful and were providing us with food and oxygen to breath. The skies

were as blue as the sea, which had the whitest, sandiest beaches. In a way, the earth was smiling

at us. We took care of it, kept it clean, and did not have the technologies for destruction.

This seemingly harmonic life could only last for so long. Because of progressives and the

technological advancements that came along with them, our earth would experience the change

of a lifetime. The industrial revolution fueled the era of environmental carelessness. We

overused resources to the point that they could not be replenished. Factories carelessly pollute

the air and water resulting in the death of millions of plants, animals, and humans.

We, as humans, do not realize the massive footprint we leave behind as we continue to

mindlessly destroy our home. We also do not realize why this has happened or how we can lower

our extreme levels of emission. Mainly, the cause for the extreme amount of ecological

degradation we witness is globalization. Globalization is the widespread integration of new

technologies and ideas across the world. Externally, globalization is a phenomenon that would

change the world for the better, leaving us with new methods and aspects to life that were hiding

away in far off countries. Instead of creating new opportunities for developing countries, it lead

to a stronger gap between developed and undeveloped nations. Leaving countries with little to no

way to get rid of waste, and no access to clean water. Each new step we take in creating a more

globalized world leads to a greater chance of leaving behind other countries. More apparently,
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the negative impact of globalization is most noticeable in the increment of environmental

degradation, and the world must find a way to lessen the effects of this destruction.

Causes

Environmental degradation continues to cause problems within our society, and humanity

can be to blame. Instead of being conscientious of our actions and how they will affect the

environment, we continue leading wasteful lives. Therefore, humanity has caused several

irreversible problems including pollution, global warming, and the depletion of natural resources

and habitats. In hopes to realize the damage already done, it is important to realize these issues to

be serious, and to understand how each problem has come about.

Pollution

As the world becomes more globalized, new technology advancements contribute to the

sudden rise of pollution levels . Suddenly, due to the growing amount of factories, there is an

unbearable amount of pollution production. Now, the amount of pollution is so large that it is

almost impossible to reverse the effects it has caused.

Factories contribute to the pollution in the air and water we use everyday. Conserve

Energy Future (n.d.) reports that we breathe in 3,400 gallons of air per day which is

contaminated by smog and the burning of fossil fuels. Because of air pollution, the life

expectancy is 1-2 years shorter. Also, the pollution in China has become so potent that it caused

a disease, Beijing Cough, it causes 300,000 deaths each year due to pollution induced heart

disease, and it has made Asia the most polluted continent on the planet (Conserve Energy Future,

n.d.). In addition to the widespread effects of air pollution, water pollution also has a large part in

contaminating the earth. We dump chemicals into the water, we throw trash into bodies of water,
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and countries that do not have access to sewage facilities deal with sewage in their water. It is

almost impossible to find clean water in many parts of the earth. The consumption of

contaminated water has caused 15 million deaths annually for children under five. It has also

resulted in ground water contaminated with arsenic in India, diseases like cholera and typhoid,

and the deaths of more than 100,000 sea animals and birds that consume plastic (Conserve

Energy Future, n.d.).

Though factories contribute considerably more to pollution levels, we also struggle to

keep waste levels down as well. We simply do not care how our daily actions emit dangerous

chemicals into the air, or how dumping trash or chemicals may affect other organisms. Many

human-caused oil spills have lead to the mass murder of aquatic animals. For example, the BP oil

spill in 2010 caused “over 1,000 animals [to] have been reported dead and many were added to

the endangered species list” (Conserve Energy Future). Along with situations like oil spills,

humans also pollute the ground, making it difficult to produce food through farming. As

explained in “Globalization and Its Impact on the Environment,” chemicals are thrown into soil

and account for “interfering with their genetic makeup” (2016). As the soil is poisoned, we can

no longer use it to plant trees, as well as food. We lose out on resources because of the ignorance

we present about these environmental issues.

Noise pollution is another example of pollution that spreads through globalization. It is

mostly created in large cities across the globe and is accountable for hearing problems and ear

damage among humans. It is also completely preventable. Light pollution also impacts urban

cities across the world. The excess light is responsible for brighter night skies, and it can result in

vision problems due to glare (Conserve Energy Pollution).

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Climate change

Climate change is a somewhat controversial topic, but scientific research proves it to be

true. It is a common hoax to many people, who establish it as a political issue; however, the

warming of the earth contributes to ecological degradation and is an environmental issue. Over

and over again, global warming and climate change have proven to destroy the earth bit by bit.

Global warming is greatly impacting our climate. It begins with the mass production of

carbon dioxide, which occurs because of the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Paul

Roberts brings up the process of how global warming arose, scientifically stating that ​“humans

and animals convert oxygen to carbon-dioxide, and trees and plants convert carbon-dioxide to

oxygen. It’s a simple truth that burning fossil fuels increases atmospheric carbon-dioxide.

Carbon-dioxide is one of several greenhouse gases so named because they contribute to

atmospheric warming. The atmospheric carbon-dioxide molecular count has steadily increased

since measurements were first made decades ago” (2016, sec.4).

According to Roberts, ​scientists found a recent incline in the levels of carbon dioxide in

the air content. He states several facts proving the validity of climate change. Roberts also points

out that scientists analyzed the cores of glaciers and found there to be extremely high levels of

carbon dioxide (2016). This high level of carbon dioxide can only be

explained from the increment of fossil fuels in

the air along with deforestation. The recent

levels of carbon dioxide are displayed in

Figure 1. They prove the large jump in carbon

dioxide emissions throughout the past, seeing

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an increase of over 80 parts per million in just 50 years (Climate Change Evidence, n.d.).

Another way the earth is being warmed is because of the large amounts of chemicals

produced by the ocean, animals, and farming. Specifically, the production of a greenhouse gas,

methane, “prove to be toxic to the biosphere” (Roberts 2016). Methane is trapped in glaciers, and

as they continue to melt, due to a warmer climate, all of the gas trapped inside will be released

into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases already impact the atmosphere, but if the temperature

keeps rising and the same effects continue to happen more often, there is a possibility that they

will completely destroy the atmosphere that protects life on earth.

“Scientific evidence for warming of the climate system is unequivocal”​ claims the

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This greater cause paves the path for many issues

among the health of the environment along with the species that inhabit it.

Effects

As a result of environmental degradation, there is an unfathomable amount of effects that

emerge. These effects range from health issues arising, to effects on the ecosystems around us.

However contrary to common knowledge, each problem affects humans directly.

General Health

Many environmental issues experience a 360 trip back to humanity. We experience many

health issues due to the effects of environmental degradation, and globalization has facilitated the

spreading of these effects. The increase in widespread pollution causes contamination in the air,

water, and food.

As a result of pollution, there is an increment in diseases and a decrease in the health of

each human being. Indirectly, air pollution has caused several deaths. It has also caused many
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respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia and asthma, in places that have predominantly higher

levels of air pollution (Conserve Energy Future). In addition to having contaminated air, the

water contamination causes several problems as well. Many people do not have access to clean,

drinkable water. Instead of going through the correct water filtration process, they often drink the

contaminated water. Because of situations like these, many diseases arise. Human waste,

chemicals, and unhealthy bacteria can cause life-threatening diseases.

Additionally, the global trade of disease-ridden animals also affects the general health of

the earth. With the accretion of globalization, trade is more globalized. Trade has always been

the main way to get an even deal, but now, trade has produced infectious diseases only carried by

animals. The United States has a considerable participation in the trade of animals, specifically

importing. The Center for Disease Control asserts that “there have been anecdotal reports of high

rates of death among animals in these shipments” calling them “a substantial risk to human

health” (Marano, 2010, par.3 and 4). If the CDC calls out animal trade as a health risk, then there

is an evident problem with it.

It is difficult to modify our daily lives, but the risk we take by polluting our air and water

threatens our lives and the lives of people surrounding us. It is important to be aware of our

emissions to prevent pollution levels from rising and generating a larger effect throughout the

world.

Loss of Biodiversity

Due to the major issues, deforestation and extinction of animals, there is a particular loss

of biodiversity among plant and animal species. As a result of the surge of pollution levels, many

animals develop diseases. The plastic and garbage tossed into the ocean can cause animals to die.
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Plastic is harmful for them to ingest or get tangled in. Contamination is also present through

chemicals and gases that can modify and hurt certain organs. Animals that live in contaminated

zones suffer from suffocation because the air or water they consume is tainted.

Deforestation also harms the original amount of biodiversity that was present.

Globalization has forced ideas that claim that urbanization is the only way to attract tourism to a

country or city. Therefore, we prioritize creating a city-like atmosphere in countries that could

have potentially had lush forests that produce oxygen. Without trees and plants, the amount of

carbon dioxide in the air increases to the point that it is dangerous for us to breathe. When we cut

down trees we do not just strip the air of oxygen, we also rob animals of their natural habitats.

We disrupt cordial ecosystems to burn wood and produce more pollution that will come back and

affect us negatively. Our normal actions will always find a way to harm us.

Ozone Depletion

As a result of global warming and pollution, the atmosphere is deteriorating.

air quality atmosphere global warming. According to Conserve Energy Future, “the ozone layer

is responsible for protecting earth from harmful ultraviolet rays” (2016). The depletion of the

ozone layer stems from air pollution and leads to the warming of the earth. It is impossible to

determine the effects if the ozone layer is completely destroyed, but right now there are effects of

this degradation. Due to the increase in UVB rays, skin cancer is a possible risk. Exposure to

these rays also “​affects the physiological and developmental processes of plants” (Health and

Environmental, n.d.) commonly found in the inability to maintain growth patterns. It also has a

warming effect on the water temperatures, tampering with marine life and the ecosystems and
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food chains already established. The grand effects of the ozone layer depletion can lead back to

how the globalized world deals with contamination and other environmental issues.

Though it is difficult to admit, we are the main source of the depletion of our

environment. As our world has become globalized, it is apparent that our actions can

unintentionally destroy the ecosystems around us. Often times, we do not contemplate our daily

actions and remind ourselves to limit our ecological emissions, but it is important to remember

how to do so. According to Mother Earth News, we must closely monitor our outputs, impose

resource limiting policies, and economically balance the wealth while providing government

cooperation (2014). These ideas are more complicated than they seem. They are not easy to carry

out globally because not all governments will agree with the established policies. Instead, we

must individually compute our output and figure out specific ways to limit our emissions such as

limiting car use, recycling, and conserving water. By educating ourselves on environmental

issues, and becoming environmentally aware, we can reverse our actions and preserve the earth

for future generations.

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References

Causes and Effects of Environmental Degradation. (2016, December 24). Retrieved March 07,
2018, from
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-environmental-degradatio
n.php

Climate change evidence: How do we know? (2018, February 08). Retrieved March 18, 2018,
from ​https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/​ (Figure 1)

Dietz, R., & O'Neill, D. (2014, May 19). Limiting Humanity's Ecological Footprint.
Retrieved March 06, 2018, from
https://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/environmental-policy/limitin
g-ecological-footprint-ze0z1405zhou

Globalization and Its Impact on the Environment. (2016, June 09). Retrieved March 06, 2018,
from
https://www.environment.co.za/environmental-issues/globalization-and-its-impact-on-the
-environment.html

Health and Environmental Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion. (2016, December 28). Retrieved
March 22, 2018, from
https://www.epa.gov/ozone-layer-protection/health-and-environmental-effects-ozone-lay
er-depletion
Marano, N., Arguin, P. M., & Pappaioanou, M. (2010, July 06). Impact of Globalization and
Animal Trade on Infectious Disease Ecology - Volume 13, Number 12-December 2007 -
Emerging Infectious Disease journal - CDC. Retrieved March 07, 2018, from
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/13/12/07-1276_article

Roberts, P. C., & Abert, G. (2016). The Globalization of Environmental Degradation. Retrieved
March 06, 2018, from
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2017/02/13/globalization-environmental-degradation/