THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITY ON THE ENVIRONMENT
OBJECTIVES: explain the negative impact of human activity on the environment.
-Consider pollution by agricultural practices such as use of chemical fertilizers, products of industrialization and
improper garbage disposal. Impact on eco-tourism.
Many human activities have a negative impact on living organisms and the environment e.g. agriculture, industry,
mining and waste disposal.
The impact of these activities include:
• the destruction and consequent loss of habitats and the organisms living in them.
• Release waste and harmful substances into the environment which damage the environment, harm living
organisms and have a negative effect on human health.
POLLUTION
Pollution is the contamination of land, water or air by the discharge of harmful substances into the environment.
Pollution caused by agricultural practices
Many modern agricultural practices and industry produce waste products that pollute the environment.
Pollution caused by agricultural practices and industry
POLLUTION CAUSED BY THE IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF GARBAGE
Only a very small amount of human garbage is recycled; most is dumped in landfills, garbage dumps, gullies,
waterways, oceans, by the roadside, or is incinerated.
The improper disposal of garbage is a threat to the environment in a number of ways. These include:
• Toxic chemicals in the garbage can leach out and contaminate the soil, aquatic environments and water sources.
• Greenhouse gases, e.g. methane and carbon dioxide, can be released into the atmosphere where they contribute
to the greenhouse effect.
• Hydrogen sulfide gas can be released into the air. This gas is extremely toxic, and even low concentrations irritate
the eyes and respiratory system.
• Plastics can enter waterways and oceans where they are harmful to aquatic organisms.
• Bacteria from untreated sewage can enter groundwater and cause disease, e.g. cholera.
• Garbage attracts rodents, which can spread disease.
• Garbage creates an eyesore, which impacts negatively on tourism, especially eco-tourism.
Pollution of marine and wetland ecosystems
• Marine ecosystems are aquatic ecosystems where the water contains dissolved compounds, especially salts, i.e. it is
‘salty’. They include coral reefs, seagrass beds, rocky and sandy shores, mangrove swamps, estuaries and the open
ocean.
• Wetland ecosystems are transitional ecosystems where dry land meets water and the water may be fresh, brackish
or salt. They are areas of land that are covered with water for either part or all of the year, and are usually found
alongside rivers, lakes and coastal areas. They include mangrove swamps, freshwater swamps, marshes and bogs.
Because of their rich biodiversity and beauty, these ecosystems are major contributors to the economies of many
small island developing states of the Caribbean through tourism, fisheries and coastal protection.
Many of these ecosystems are being polluted by untreated sewage, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, industrial waste,
hot water, garbage and oil from oil spills. This pollution impacts negatively on both the overall health of the
ecosystems and their aesthetic appeal. They are also being overfished and destroyed for development purposes, e.g.
to build harbours or marinas.
Damage to coral reefs, mangrove swamps and other marine and wetland ecosystems results in a loss of:
• Biodiversity; coral reefs and mangrove swamps being some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet.
• Habitats for many organisms, e.g. reef fish and mangrove oysters.
• Natural resources, e.g. fish, crabs, lobsters, oysters, seaweeds and wood.
• Attractions and recreational sites for tourists.
• Nursery grounds for reef fish which mangrove swamps provide, resulting in a reduction in population sizes of fish
on reefs.
• Nesting and breeding grounds for birds, e.g. egret and scarlet ibis.
• Protection for shorelines against wave action and tidal forces, resulting in increased coastal erosion.
• Flood control provided by wetlands.
Due to the pollution and destruction of marine and wetland ecosystems and the coastal erosion that often follows,
the tourism and fishing industries of Caribbean states are in danger of declining and this will have a negative impact
on their economies.
