SCI 219 Milestone Two Worksheet
Part II: Human Impact
Ecological Processes
Explain how human activities directly and indirectly impact the related ecological processes. Support your explanation with examples. Include citations for your resources using APA guidelines as needed.
Humans affect the water cycle in many ways. Some actions intentional while others are unintentional. Water from the water cycle is pulled out of the ground for humans to use it. Because the Water cycle flow has been changed by humans creating irrigations, dam, lakes, and rivers. In return, many of these man-made water resources are now being used to produce electricity for humans.
Another issue at hand is pesticides, herbicides, and excess nitrogen that is used for farming. The runoff from these pesticides eventually run into rivers and streams and pollute groundwater. Finally, deforestation, this is the biggest issue of all. As timber is cleared, land for agriculture or development les empty spaces which makes a prime area for runoff.
Because my living area is an industrial area, the threat of water contamination is much higher. Certain emissions from industrial facilities also cause acid rain (Kate, 2017.) This rain falls back to earth and causes not only water contamination, but food resource contamination for the earth. So therefore, humans can play a major role in both harming and helping the earth.
Explain how human activities in your local community directly and indirectly impact the related ecological processes. Support your explanation with examples. Include citations for your resources using APA guidelines as needed.
Birmingham is an big industrial city. It was founded on its steel and manufacturing plants. Because of the location and mountains Birmingham is also known for farming and wine. But, past dumping in rivers and streams from the industrial plants prior to EPA regulations, has left the city is full of natural resources that can not be used for many more years to come. Many of the waterways are contaminated with mercury which cause the fish and animals that drink from these waterways to be too contaminated for food consumption. The water can not be used for plants or soil as well. Therefore, Birmingham has adopted new greener methods such as recycling, green farming, and water testing of industrial plants to avoid any future toxic dumping and runoff.
Part III: Potential Solutions
Potential Solutions
Identify potential solutions that have been proposed by the scientific community for mitigating the environmental issue, and briefly describe each. Include citations for your resources using APA guidelines as needed.
Water pollution is one the main environmental issues that we are facing, as more than 70% of the Earth’s surface is water-covered. Some of the potential solutions for mitigating the environmental issue are wastewater treatment, green agriculture, stormwater runoff reduction, and air pollution management. For example, agriculture accounts for 70% of water resource contamination, so it is essential to have climate-friendly crops, efficient irrigation that reduces the need for water and energy-efficient food production. Green agriculture is also crucial to limit the chemicals that enter the water (Solar institute, 2022). Another example could be avoiding runoff contamination by disposing of trash the properly and properly treating wastewater.
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of each proposed solution. Support your explanation with scientific facts. Include citations for your resources using APA guidelines as needed.
The advantages of wastewater treatment would be the ability to use water and recycle it for human use again. By recycling and disposing of rubbish properly, there will be less contamination that returns to the streams and rivers. The green agriculture would not only produce food resources for humans to eat, but less contamination to the soil that will cause runoff. But just like advantages, there are disadvantages. One of the overall disadvantages is not all people will comply with being environmentally friendly. Wastewater recycling also can be quite expensive as well as green agriculture.
Briefly describe how human behavior would have to change in order for the solutions to be effective. Support your description with specific examples. Include citations for your resources using APA guidelines as needed.
Humans are going to need to change their way of living to protect the one resource that his needed for survival. Recently, there has been an increase in “tiny homes.” These homes not only provide shelter but is an environmentally friendly phenomenal. Food consumption and disposal is another change that humans will have to overcome. People must become less wasteful and more aware of the basic consumption needed. By this, people are going to have to find less ways to dispose of unused rubbish, foods, and other items that can be recycled and avoid runoff and prepare meals with less waste.
Part IV: Reducing Personal Impact
Reducing Personal Impact
Identify your personal habits and daily activities that impact the ecological processes related to the larger environmental issue and describe the impact of each habit or activity.
Personally, I try to keep rubbish in the proper disposal containers and recycle as much as possible to prevent runoff. Another issue that I find is that I try my best to follow the water laws on water consumption and usage. Meaning I try to avoid watering my lawn as much and rely on natural water from rain. Although these seem like simple changes, they are changes that help with the bigger picture of water pollution.
Based on the ecological impact of your previously identified habits and activities, describe how your daily life impacts the larger environmental issue.
Daily we all eat and drink water. I find myself with lots of recyclable rubbish from disagreed food to food containers from fast food etc. To do my part, I try to recycle as much as possible. Even when going to the grocery store, I try to bring reusable grocery bags. Certain places for example, Starbucks, I bring my own Starbucks cup for purchases. Simple things that cause major problems in the environment can be decreased by small changes.
Prioritize your previously identified habits and daily activities by which have the greatest impact on the environmental issue. Support your prioritization with scientific evidence.
Although, I think all of my habits make a change in the environment, I would say the use of electricity has the greatest impact because there are many items that are using electricity throughout my home that are not being used. For example, rooms that have clocks, lamps, and televisions that are receiving power that are not being used at all. This would be followed by recycling and rubbish disposal has the greatest impact on the environment. I state this because the runoff is one of the major causes of water contamination.
Based on your prioritization, list three strategies that will help mitigate the negative environmental impacts of the top three personal habits and daily activities you have identified. For each strategy, you must do the following:
Explain how the corresponding habit or activity will be altered by the strategy. Support your explanation with specific examples.
The three strategies that may help the negative environmental impacts are using less electricity which will help with less water resources being used to produce electricity. Another strategy is using foods that require less fertilization and can be produced in abundance this will help with runoff of toxins from fertilizers in waterways and streams. Finally, recycling rubbish and compost would help with runoff as well and stop waterways from becoming contaminated.
Based on your prioritization, list three strategies that will help mitigate the negative environmental impacts of the top three personal habits and daily activities you have identified. For each strategy, you must do the following:
Explain how your use of this strategy and corresponding changes in your personal life will contribute to the previously identified potential scientific solutions. Support your explanation with scientific facts.
By unplugging items that are not being used in the home this should help contribute to less electrical resources being used. Another contribution would be to recycle as much as possible and try to purchase and consume only the amounts of food necessary to avoid waste. Also, consider a food compost if possible. Just these three changes would have a very large impact on the environmental water cycle