Write a paper on the environment and the damages that humans have done Research

Write a on the environment and the damages that humans have done to it - Research Paper Example Human activities lead to different impacts on various components of the ecosystem such as land, biodiversity, and aquatic, terrestrial, marine and the atmosphere. Humans are inherently selfish and want the best for themselves without caring about the impacts of their activities to other members of the ecosystem. Global warming is the most critical problem facing the globe today. Global warming is described as the rise in the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and the oceans. This increase was noted to have started in the 19th century and is anticipated to continue rising. Goudie (22) notes that since the beginning of the 20th century, global temperatures have risen by about 0.8o C with approximately two thirds of this increase happening since 1980. Global warming is attributed to increased concentration of greenhouse gases which include carbon dioxide, methane and ozone. However, carbon dioxide is the most significant greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases lead to global warming by trapping infrared radiations emitted from the earth’s surface in the lower atmosphere thereby causing the temperatures to become warmer. These gases, however, allow radiations from the sun to get to the earth surface but absorb them as they absorb short wave radiations when re-emitted coming fr om the land. Greenhouse gases are important to maintain warm temperatures with the earth surface, but increased concentration of these gases can lead to devastating impacts on the environment, as explained by Goudie (22). Human activities are the most significant causes of increased carbon dioxide levels. Goudie (23) observes that since industrial revolution, the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased significantly. He notes that carbon dioxide and methane concentration has risen by 36 and 148 percent respectively from 1750 levels. Burning of fossil fuels is attributed for more than