PLANET EARTH IS IN THE DANGER ZONE If someone asked you what your biggest concern for the environment is today, what would you answer? Tick the ecology issues you are particularly concerned about. Then discuss your worries with your classmates. If you share any of the environmental concerns below, you must take action to reduce your impact on the planet. Acid rain Air pollution Climate changes Consumerism Desertification Deforestation Energy exhaustion Environmental pollution Species extinction Floods Food shortage Fresh water scarcity Global epidemics Global warming Greenhouse effect Light pollution Melting glaciers Noise pollution Nuclear power risks Oil spills Overpopulation Ozone depletion Soil contamination Throwaway lifestyle Tornadoes Tsunamis Volcanic eruptions Water pollution 176 Module 5 ELEMENTS 1 EARTH S GREATEST THREATS The Earth is facing a variety of threats most of which derive from human impact on the planet. Terms such as climate change , global warming , greenhouse effect , acid rain , deforestation and carbon footprint have become the everyday jargon for those concerned about the environment. Overpopulation of humans is the issue from which all other environmental problems derive. The increasing population creates a load that the entire environment has to support, both because of our demands on the earth s natural resources, and because of the amount of waste we generate. Climate change is affecting the whole planet and concerns all of us in ways we can see and feel. Global warming is causing the melting of glaciers and even of the polar ice-caps, which in turn causes the rising of sea levels and the consequent flooding of many areas. The causes of climate change are controversial: greenhouse gas emissions seem to be mainly responsible, but some scientists consider such changes as the result of the natural processes of an evolving living planet. Climate change is also a major contributor to the loss of biodiversity, as some species unable to adapt to changing temperatures become extinct. Currently, many animals are in danger of disappearing not only because of global warming, but also because of deforestation, overpopulation and pollution. Environmental pollution is another one of the greatest problems that the world is facing today, one which is causing serious and permanent damage to the natural world and human society. Recently, there has been a significant increase in the levels of harmful environmental pollution mostly due to direct or indirect human activities. Pollution can take many forms: the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soil we use to grow our food, the lit-up skies and even the noise we hear can contribute to health problems and a lower quality of life with major disruptions and effects on wildlife and ecosystems. Pollutants in the atmosphere are also causing the depletion of the ozone layer which protects the Earth from the harmful ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun.