The Impact of Man on the Environment

The Impact of Man on the Environment

Man has had many far-reaching effects on the environment over the

years. Global warming, pollution and the damage to the ozone layer are

a few of the major things that can be heard about in the news. Man has

damaged the earth gradually over the years and this damage is next to

impossible to be reversed, we are now trying to stop more damage being

caused to the environment. For example, hedgerows have been destroyed

but now people have realised what effects this has on the environment,

the government are paying farmers to replant them instead of just

fencing. Not all of man's effects on the environment are harmful some

are beneficial. Conservation work is going on across the country and

this is helping to preserve the wildlife and countryside that we have

left. The expanding human population has placed a huge demand on the

food production of the country. The resources are limited but the

population is increasing quite rapidly so the problems are growing.

The demand for food means that crops need to be perfect so the use of

fertilisers and herbicides is increasing too.

Phosphates are products formed by the replacement of some or all of

the hydrogen of a phosphoric acid by metals. Depending on the number

of hydrogen atoms that are replaced, the resulting compound is

described as a primary, secondary, or tertiary phosphate. Also known

as trisodium phosphate, tertiary sodium phosphate is used as a

detergent and water softener. Primary and secondary phosphates contain

hydrogen and are acid salts. Phosphates are important to metabolism in

both plants and animals. Primary calcium phosphate, Ca(H2PO4)2, i...

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... becoming more popular with the consumer, the demand for organic

produce is increasing. Organic food tends to be more expensive as the

entire crop isn't perfect but it is environmentally friendly.

Man's effects on the environment are many but the effects are being

slowed down and where possible reversed. The consequences of many

years of abuse to the earth are being realised and people are trying

to do something about it. Tillage operations that prepare the soil for

planting and control weeds expose bare soil to possible erosion by

wind and water. Global warming is being reduced as much as possible by

the reduction of toxic emissions and wastewater is being recycled

instead of pumped into rivers and seas. Man is trying to reverse and

slow down the effects on the environment although some things cannot

be reversed.