ENVIRONMENT PAST & PRESENT

Three to four billion years ago

Bhupinder Singh
Bhabour Sahib, Punjab

Three to four billion years ago the sun emitted only 70% as much power as it does today. If the atmospheric composition had been the same as today, liquid water should not have existed on Earth. However, there is evidence for the presence of water on the early Earth, in the Hadean and Archeaneons, leading to what is known as the faint young Sun paradox. Hypothesized solutions to this paradox include a vastly different atmosphere, with much higher concentrations of greenhouse gases than currently exist. Over the following approximately 4 billion years, the energy output of the sun increased and atmospheric composition changed. The Great Oxygenation Event oxygenation of the atmosphere- around 2.4 billion years ago was the most notable alteration. Over the next five billion years the sun's ultimate death as it becomes a red giant and then a white dwarf will have large effects on climate, with the red giant phase possibly ending any life on Earth that survives until that time.

Solar Energy effects on earth:

Solar output also varies on shorter time scales, including the 11-year solar cycle and longer-term modulations. Solar intensity variations are considered to have been influential in triggering the Little Ice Age, and some of the warming observed from 1900 to 1950. The cyclical nature of the sun's energy output is not yet fully understood; it differs from the very slow change that is happening within the sun as it ages and evolves. Research indicates that solar variability has had effects including the Maunder Minimum from 1645 to 1715 A.D.., part of the Little Ice Age from 1550 to 1850 A.D. which was marked by relative cooling and greater glacier extent than the centuries before and afterward. Some studies point toward solar radiation increases from cyclical sunspot activity affecting global warming, and climate may be influenced by the sum of all effects (solar variation, anthropogenic radiative forgings, etc.).

Present Environment Issues:

Environmental issues are a global concern in the current scenario. This has been prompted by the realization that human activities have already inflicted much damage on the surrounding environment and it is high time that we take stock of our activities to take care of the same. The sun is the predominant source for energy input to the Earth. Both long- and shortterm variations in solar intensity are known to affect global climate. There are too many environmental issues that require attention. These can be grouped under three broad categories. These global warming, waste management and obviously the overuse of the natural resources. Environmental pollution is not meant only air pollution but also water, soil, noise and light pollution. Scientists generally define the five components of earth's climate system to include Atmosphere, hydrosphere, cry sphere, lithosphere (restricted to the

surface soils, rocks, and sediments), and biosphere. Though the categories are different, the activities of one category have consequently resulted in the impact mentioned in the other category. For example, the Earth once had plentiful resources in the form of rich reserves of fossil fuels. But the overuse of these fossil fuels have not only depleted their reserves but also led to excessive emission of greenhouse gases that have caused much harm to the ozone layer. It is responsible for global warming that has resulted in climate changes all across the world that has had an impact on life on Earth. We can discuss few issues as under:

Air Pollution:
This is one of the greatest problems that now world is facing Air Pollution and causing grave and irreparable damage to the ozone layer. Air pollution is cause by the injurious smoke emitted by cars, buses, trucks, trains, and factories, namely sulpher dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. Evidence of increasing air pollution is seen in lung cancer, asthma, allergies, and various breathing problems along with severe and irreparable damage to flora and fauna. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), released from refrigerators, air-conditioners, deodorants and insect repellents cause severe damage to the Earth's environment. This gas has slowly damaged the atmosphere and depleted the ozone layer leading to global warming.

Water pollution:
Water pollution caused industrial waste products released into lakes, rivers, and other water bodies. Humans pollute water with large scale disposal of garbage, flowers, ashes and other household waste. Domestic sewage also refers to waste water that is discarded from households. Also referred to as sanitary sewage, such water contains a wide variety of dissolved and suspended impurities. In many rural areas one can still find people bathing and cooking in the same water, making it incredibly filthy. Acid rain further adds to water pollution in the water. In addition to these, thermal pollution and the depletion of dissolved oxygen aggravate the already worsened condition of the water bodies. Water pollution can also indirectly occur as an offshoot of soil pollution through surface runoff and leaching to groundwater. Burning of fossil fuels the emitted ash particles usually contain toxic metals (such as As or Pb). Burning will also add a series of oxides including carbon dioxide to air and respectively water bodies.

Noise pollution
Noise pollution, soil pollution and light pollution too are the damaging the environment at an alarming rate. Noise pollution include aircraft noise, noise of cars, buses, and trucks, vehicle horns, loudspeakers, and industry noise, as well as high-intensity sonar effects which are extremely harmful for the environment. Maximum noise pollution occurs due to one of modern science's best discoveries the motor vehicle, which is responsible for about ninety percent of all unwanted noise worldwide.

Soil pollution
Soil pollution, which can also be called soil contamination, is a result of acid rain, polluted water, fertilizers etc., which leads to bad crops. Soil contamination occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground storage tank leakage which releases heavy contaminants into the soil. These may include hydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE, herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons. carrying fertilizers, pesticides/insecticides/herbici des and other pollutants into water bodies such as lakes, rivers, ponds). The usual effect of this type of pollution consists in algae growing in affected water bodies. This is a sign of increased nitrates and phosphates in water that could be harmful for human health. mining activities involve crushing the rock that usually contains many trace metals and sulfides. The left material may easily generate sulfuric acid in the presence of precipitation water. Please, read more at Mining Sites. Light Pollution includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference. Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average (e.g., more or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region or may occur across the whole Earth. The most general definition of climate change is a change in the statistical properties of the climate system when considered over long periods of time, regardless of cause. Accordingly, fluctuations over periods shorter than a few decades, such as El Nio, do not represent climate change. The term sometimes is used to refer specifically to climate change caused by human activity, as opposed to changes in climate that may have resulted as part of Earth's natural processes. In this sense, especially in the context of environmental policy, the term climate change has become synonymous with anthropogenic global warming. Within scientific journals, global warming refers to surface temperature increases while climate change includes global warming and everything else that increasing greenhouse gas levels will affect.