Adamson University

Languages Department

Human Acts that Causes Environmental Problems

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in English Communication 2

Presented by:
Antonio, Ricardo M.
Gasmin, Hyacinth T.
Librando, Kimberly A.

Presented to:
Prof. Mariedith B. Garcia

March 20, 2015

REFERENCES

Andaya, C. V. (2008). Understanding the Earth Through Environmental Science.

157-199.
Biado, E. (2010). Facts about Climate Change. Manila Standard Today.
Dela Cruz, J.M.N. (2010). Most Filipinos Know About Climate Change. Business
Mirror.
Miller Jr.,G.T. (Fourteenth Edition). Environmental Science. 387-428.
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/15-current-environmental-problems.php

Our environment originally should be taken cared by us, humans. The

relationship between the two should be give and take, we get something from it and
in return we have to take care of it. But nowadays, people only take something from
our environment but never took care of it. Because of it, we are now witnessing

disasters and calamities that affect our lives. We cant blame our environment for
our sufferings for in the first place, human activities are the main reason in the
destruction of our environment.
Nowadays, we are experiencing different situations related in our environment
mainly caused by human activities. This destruction should be stopped before its
too late for us. In order to do this, first, we need to find out how and why is this
happening then put a solution to end this problem.
According to the famous physicist Albert Einstein, The environment is
everything that isnt me or in other words, environment is everything that is
around us. Environment is more on others and your relationship with them.
The

earth

is

facing

severe

environmental

crisis.

For

now,

these

environmental problems make us vulnerable to disasters and tragedies and will

worse in the future. The following are the list of major environmental problems that
people must give attention;
1. Global Warming: Global warming is the rising of earths surface
temperature causing the melting of the polar ice caps, rising sea level and
unnatural patterns of precipitation.
2. Climate Change: Climate change is the outcome of global warming which
occurs due to high temperature of the atmosphere caused by the harmful
gases of the industries and burning of fossil fuels. Climate change has
various harmful effects such as unpredictable weather, existing new
diseases, and frequent appearance of floods.

3. Pollution: Substances that make land, water, air, etc., dirty and not safe
or suitable to use (Merriam-Webster). Pollution in air, soil and water is not
easy to clean and it takes millions of years of in order for it to clean.
4. Public Health Issues: The current environmental problems pose a high of
risk to human and animal health. Loss of clean water is the biggest threat
to the worlds quality of life. Rivers carries along pollutants such as toxins,
chemicals and disease carrying organisms. A big factor in spreading the
pollutants is the high temperature caused by global warming.
5. Overpopulation: Increasing population faces the shortage

of

the

resources coming from our environment. Overpopulation is considered as

one of the crucial current issue in our environment.
6. Loss of Biodiversity: The extinction of species and habitats are mainly
caused by the human activity. Example is the destruction of coral reefs in
the various oceans, which supports the richness of marine life.
7. Ozone Layer Depletion: The ozone layer has become attributed to
pollution caused by using of Chlorine and Bromine found in Chloro-fluoro
carbons (CFCs) The toxic gases that reach the upper atmosphere caused a
hole in the ozone layer. This is also considered as one of the most
important environmental problem.
8. Acid Rain: acid rain occurs because of the certain pollutants in the
atmosphere. Due to combustion of fossil fuels or erupting volcanoes or
anything which releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the
atmosphere. Acid rain is an environmental problem that has a serious
effect on human health, wildlife and aquatic species.
The Philippines is ranked as the worlds second largest developer of
Geothermal Energy. But after all, survey had showed that one in two Filipinos or 52
Percent has knowledge about climate change while remaining has little or almost
none. The issues in the Environment are caused by irresponsible human activities.

Eventually, lives of people are also affected for the appearance and high number of
environmental crisis. The following are the Human Activities that causes to
environmental problems;
1. Waste Disposal: The improper usage of plastics is creating a global crisis
of the plastics disposal. Plastic, fast food, packaging and cheap electronic
wastes is a threat to humans. Waste disposal in considered as one of the
urgent current problem in the environment.
a. Plastics one of the major components of todays garbage. It comes in
different forms as food wrappers, bags, bottle containers, and even as
diapers. The first plastics were made from plant materials cellulose.
These were easily decayed by microorganisms, and were, therefore,
biodegradable.
2. Deforestation: Forests are the natural sinkers of carbon dioxide and
producers of fresh oxygen and also regulates the temperature and rainfall.
But during these days, forests cover 30% of the land and will decrease due
to deforestation. Deforestation is the clearing of green cover or forest to
make the land be residential, industrial or commercial purpose.
3. Assessing Energy Resources: Burning of the fossil fuels is found out to
be the reason of Global warming. Depleted fossil fuels posing a greater
concern amidst global demand for energy resources. This issue affects the
prices of fossil fuels in the world market that affects many countries just
like the Philippines.
4. Dynamite Fishing: This is the method of catching fish using an explosive
device that kills many fishes and creatures under the sea. This method is
an illegal practice that is mostly done by people who believe that this is the
best way of catching fish.

5. Smoke Belching Vehicles: This has become a major factor of air

pollution. In the world, huge number of vehicles emitting a smoke affects
not only the cleanliness of the air but also to the health of humans.
6. Producing Hazardous wastes: Over 40 million tons of hazardous waste
regulated by RCRA (the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) was
generated by more than 20,000 hazardous waste generators each year.
Humans are the responsible for the worlds environmental issues. Due to
different irresponsible activities made by people caused damage to the earth. When
people come to the time when different calamities are appearing around the world
and people cant hide the damage we made. Solutions have made by different
governments around the world. The following are some of the laws, preventions
and solutions proposed and made to solve the environment issues.
1. 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle): This has become the basic and
simplest way for an individual to contribute in saving the environment.
From their own homes and places, people can use the 3 Rs. The following
are some methods on how to apply the reduce, reuse and recycle;
Buying beverages in refillable glass containers.
Use reusable plastic bags.
Use reusable basket or cloth bag when carrying groceries and other
items.
Sell or donate items that are no longer to use.
2. Compositing: Burying of solid wastes. It is another form of recycling
where nutrients decomposed are added to the soil and passed to plants to
grow.
Waste-energy-incinerator the machine that recycle some of the
energy of the solid wastes and use it for heating and producing
electricity.

3. Comprehensive

Environmental

Response,

Compensation,

and

Liability Act: In 1980, the U.S. Congress passed CERCLA or Superfund

Program. The Goal of the Act is to identify sites, commonly called
Superfund

sites,

where

hazardous

wastes

have

contaminated

the

environment and to clean on a priority basis. The Superfund Act which is

designed to make the polluters pay for cleaning up abandoned hazardous
wastes sites, and to reduce the number of illegal dumpsites around the
world.
4. Lead Poisoning: Lead has become a pollutant in air, water, soil, plants
and animals. Lead is a chemical element so it cannot break down in the
environment. This dangerous element can harm the nervous system,
especially children. The following are some preventions and controls in
using

Lead;
Phase out leaded gasoline worldwide.
Ban use of lead in computer and TV monitors.
Ban candles with lead cores.
Wash fresh fruits and vegetables.
Remove lead from TV sets and computer monitors before incineration
or land disposal.
Remove leaded paint and lead dust from older houses and
apartments.

God always forgives, Creation never forgives and he warned if we destroy

Creation, in the end it will destroy us! (Pope Francis, 2014). Humans are the reason

for the earth to be destroyed, and also humans are the ones who are affected. There
is no way getting out to the responsibility of humanity, which is to take good care of
the environment. Humans are the ones who are responsible for all of the earths
destruction and no one else to blame. Each of us contributes to whether good or
bad things happening in our environment. Finding the solution was easy, but the
implementation of it was not. Even though some of the people, especially poor cant
turn back from what they do that harm the environment for they need to do those
things in orders to get money and continue to live.
Many years came in finding the solution of regaining whats lost in the
environment but also, many years will come in order to do that. People just have to
continue living without or less threat to environment and wait for the day that the
world ends.