Environmental problems have been a reality for a long time and everything indicates that its tendency in the coming years with the increasing economic and social development of our planet. Although in general, many of the environmental problems are common, the truth is that there are also environmental problems in the countryside and the city according to the most frequent activities.
In ecology, we tell you and, likewise, we will see that there is a variety of consequences of environmental problems They are serious.
Environmental problems in the city
The environmental problems of cities are more related to the emission of toxic gases, water pollution, excess domestic and industrial garbage, sound and light pollution. These pollutants have consequences on water, soil, atmosphere or people’s health. Thus, these are the main urban environmental problems.
Atmospheric pollution
Pollution or air pollution is the presence in the air of strange and harmful substances or the increase in its concentrations. These pollutants can be emitted in the form of gases or as small solid particles, but although all can be pollutants, their reactions and their half -life is very variable, so their effect on people’s health or in ecosystems is also very variable.
A common phenomenon in several cities in the world that occurs as a result of air pollution is The photochemical smog. This Smog is, above all, a consequence of the emission of toxic gases such as nitrogen oxides issued by industries, vehicles, heating systems or the use of aerosols, lacquers, paintings and other chemicals. In the atmosphere, these nitrogen oxides react with the sun’s rays and give rise to other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide. This photochemical smog can occasionally be seen on large cities as a dense fog, especially in those with a lot of traffic, sunny and with little air movement.
In addition to contaminating the atmosphere, the photochemical smog also causes problems to the health of people, damage to nearby and agricultural forest areas or damage to the health of animals.
Domestic and industrial waste
Domestic garbage or waste such as plastics, paper, food remains, cartons and different types of containers dirty cities and many of its components are not biodegradable, but also affect the air of cities, soils and waters. This is due to accumulating in the garbage dumps and landfills produce toxic and percolated gases of degraded organic matter (situation that worsens with the drag of the rains). In addition, landfills are a source for the proliferation of microorganisms.
Water pollution
The waters of the cities can be contaminated by infiltration of chemical to groundwater, industrial and urban waste. There is more and more water pollution and these harmed waters can also be sources of diseases for people. Therefore, consumption water is usually purified in wastewater treatment plants.
Sound, light and visual pollution
These types of pollution usually go unnoticed and are typical of cities. They are created due to the various activities that are developed in a city such as traffic, works or leisure activities. These contamination cause mostly damage to health such as stress, sleep problems, problems such as deafness or vision.
Find out better about these types of pollution in these other articles in ecology
- Acoustic or sound pollution: examples, causes and consequences
- Light pollution: definition, causes and consequences
- Visual pollution: causes, consequences and solutions.
Environmental problems in the field
They are usually produced mainly due to human activities that are developed in the field, although there are also natural ones, and have their impact on nature, being able to cause damage to ecosystems and biodiversity. The main environmental problems in the field are:
Agricultural pollution
The agricultural activity that is often carried out in the field generates various environmental problems. One of these is derived from use of pesticides, pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers During these activities. These products generate air pollution, for soils and for water. Contamination in turn causes damage to the ecosystem and its biodiversity.
Deforestation and desertification
The indiscriminate felling of forest or its burning to achieve land for agricultural use, livestock or infrastructure construction brings serious consequences for the environment such as the increase in carbon dioxide emissions or the reduction of its absorption. Deforestation is a very important environmental problem since it also has global effects such as its contribution to climate change.
One of the consequences of deforestation, together with over -plating, agricultural cultivation or the progress of deserts and decreased rainfall, is the desertification of land. One of its consequences is the increase in the sedimentation of rivers and lakes.
Erosion
The decrease in ecosystems vegetation contributes to the action of wind and water dragging the fertile soil to other places, leading to soil erosion. For example, sediments pushed into the seabed can bury their vegetation or cover caves.
Eutrophication
Eutrophication consists of an increase in nutrients in fresh and coastal water ecosystems, leading to an increase in plankton and superficial algae that does not allow the diffusion of oxygen to deep water and, as a consequence, the death of fish and other species occurs. These nutrients can reach these ecosystems from residues of agricultural, industrial or deforestation activities.
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