Some people say we humans are harming the Earth through our activities, but other people say we are improving the quality of life on our planet. In my opinion, humans are harming the Earth by their activities.
Humans have harmed the Earth in numerous ways. Global warming is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about harm that has been done to the Earth. Global warming means that air and ocean temperature is increasing. Global warming occurs when there is a high concentration, or elevated levels, of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases exist primarily because of human activity. For example, we burn a lot of fossil fuels. When these fossils fuels burn, harmful gases are released into the atmosphere. They form a sort of "blanket" that keeps warm air in. Humans are now responsible for causing changes in the environment that hurt animals and plant species. We take up more space on Earth for our homes and cities. We pollute habitats. We illegally hunt and kill animals. We bring exotic species into habitats. All of these activities take resources and habitats away from plants and animals. Human activity often changes or destroys the habitats that plants and animals need to survive. Because human populations are growing so fast animals and plants are disappearing 1000 times faster than they have in the past 65 million years. Scientists estimate that in the 21st century 100 species will become extinct every day.
Humans have changed the natural landscape of the earth dramatically. Cities are not naturally occurring. Humans plow the fields and cut down the rain forests, and build large skyscrapers that are not going anywhere soon. This dramatically changes the landscape.
Land pollution, the degradation of the Earth's surfaces and soil, is caused by human activity and a misuse of natural resources. Causes of land pollution and degradation include: Urban sprawl, Poor agricultural practices, Personal consumption, Industrial activities. All land pollution is...