HUMAN PRACTICES
- Deforestation
- Pollution
DEFORESTATION
The loss of trees and other vegetation can cause climate change, desertification, soil erosion, fewer crops, flooding, increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and a host of problems for indigenous people.
Deforestation not only removes vegetation that is important for removing carbon dioxide from the air, but the act of clearing the forests also produces greenhouse gas emissions. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says that deforestation is the second-leading cause of climate change.
POLLUTION
Pollution may muddy landscapes, poison soils and waterways, or kill plants and animals. Humans are also regularly harmed by pollution. Long-term exposure to air pollution, for example, can lead to chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer and other diseases.
Additionally, environmental pollution is triggered by the introduction of harmful materials, such as gaseous pollutants, toxic metals, and particulate matter (PM) into the atmosphere; sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoffs, and electronic wastes into water bodies; and activities such as mining and many more.
