As the human population continues to expand, more and more resources are needed to support the increasing number of people. As well as consuming more resources, the expanding population require more space in which to live. This leads to the destruction of animal habitats such as rainforests as land is cleared to make way for human occupation and settlement.
The destruction of forests and rainforests not only affects the plants and animals that live there by taking away their habitat, but also has severe consequences for people living all over the planet. Trees absorb the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and release oxygen which is needed for human respiration. As more and more trees are cut down, less carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere. This means the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases as more forests are cut down, causing global warming due to the thicker layer of greenhouse gases. The subsequent change in the Earth’s climate can be devastating for both plant and animal life all across the world, including for humans as crops fail and sea levels rise due to melting polar ice caps.
The finite amount of resources means that there has never been a greater need for actions such as sustainable development, like the planting of new trees to replace those cut down, as well as a better use of resources to make the finite amount last longer. This can be through increased recycling, reducing use, or reducing waste such as water leakage through pipes.
Science and the advancement of technology will play a key part in the fight to protect the environment. The development of new technologies which use less resources or, even better, replace the consumption of finite or damaging resources with other renewable or less damaging ones will reduce the strain and impact upon the environment. Examples of this include the greater use of solar power to generate electricity which would otherwise have to be created through the burning of fossil fuels such as oil or coal, or replacing older inefficient items with more energy efficient models which consume a lower amount of resources to produce the same level of output.
For more information on courses such as the Nebosh Environmental Certificate which can help your organisation reduce its environmental impact, please visit health and safety training provider BCF Group Limited and viewing the range of environmental courses.
