Essay on Environment for Students and Children
500+ words essay on environment.
Essay on Environment – All living things that live on this earth comes under the environment. Whether they live on land or water they are part of the environment. The environment also includes air, water, sunlight, plants, animals, etc.
Moreover, the earth is considered the only planet in the universe that supports life. The environment can be understood as a blanket that keeps life on the planet sage and sound.
Importance of Environment
We truly cannot understand the real worth of the environment. But we can estimate some of its importance that can help us understand its importance. It plays a vital role in keeping living things healthy in the environment.
Likewise, it maintains the ecological balance that will keep check of life on earth. It provides food, shelter, air, and fulfills all the human needs whether big or small.
Moreover, the entire life support of humans depends wholly on the environmental factors. In addition, it also helps in maintaining various life cycles on earth.
Most importantly, our environment is the source of natural beauty and is necessary for maintaining physical and mental health.
Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas
Benefits of the Environment
The environment gives us countless benefits that we can’t repay our entire life. As they are connected with the forest, trees, animals, water, and air. The forest and trees filter the air and absorb harmful gases. Plants purify water, reduce the chances of flood maintain natural balance and many others.
Moreover, the environment keeps a close check on the environment and its functioning, It regulates the vital systems that are essential for the ecosystem. Besides, it maintains the culture and quality of life on earth.
The environment regulates various natural cycles that happen daily. These cycles help in maintaining the natural balance between living things and the environment. Disturbance of these things can ultimately affect the life cycle of humans and other living beings.
The environment has helped us and other living beings to flourish and grow from thousands of years. The environment provides us fertile land, water, air, livestock and many essential things for survival.
Cause of Environmental Degradation
Human activities are the major cause of environmental degradation because most of the activities humans do harm the environment in some way. The activities of humans that causes environmental degradation is pollution, defective environmental policies, chemicals, greenhouse gases, global warming, ozone depletion, etc.
All these affect the environment badly. Besides, these the overuse of natural resources will create a situation in the future there will be no resources for consumption. And the most basic necessity of living air will get so polluted that humans have to use bottled oxygen for breathing.
Above all, increasing human activity is exerting more pressure on the surface of the earth which is causing many disasters in an unnatural form. Also, we are using the natural resources at a pace that within a few years they will vanish from the earth. To conclude, we can say that it is the environment that is keeping us alive. Without the blanket of environment, we won’t be able to survive.
Moreover, the environment’s contribution to life cannot be repaid. Besides, still what the environment has done for us, in return we only have damaged and degraded it.
FAQs about Essay on Environment
Q.1 What is the true meaning of the environment?
A.1 The ecosystem that includes all the plants, animals, birds, reptiles, insects, water bodies, fishes, human beings, trees, microorganisms and many more are part of the environment. Besides, all these constitute the environment.
Q.2 What is the three types of the environment?
A.2 The three types of environment includes the physical, social, and cultural environment. Besides, various scientists have defined different types and numbers of environment.
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Essay on Save Environment
- Updated on
- Apr 24, 2020
Essay writing is an important part of the school curriculum, competitive exams like GRE , IELTS , TOEFL , etc. and higher education as well. One must know how to precisely select arguments, collect the data based on them and put it all together in their write-up. Usually, the essay topics given to students are based on the latest political, social and environmental issues. Due to the changes occurring in our surroundings, essays based on saving the Environment are becoming very popular. Keeping that in mind, this blog presents you some sample essays on Save Environment.
Sample Essay 1 on Save Environment
This essay on save environment can help you in the PTE Writing Essay, TOEFL Essay Topics and TOEFL Sample Essays !
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Sample essay 3 on save environment.
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Home Essay Samples
Essay Samples on Environment
Writing essays that relate to the environment is quite popular today as we are dealing with global warming, green energy, solar engineering, and many other subjects. Regardless of whether you are an engineer or media studies learner, you must start with a deeper exploration of what you already know. For example, writing about the benefits of solar energy is not enough without statistical data. The same relates to the local factory that contributes to pollution in your community. You must provide the facts and include at least one news report or statistical information from the special reports (if and when available). See our free environment essay examples that we have collected for you. These will help you see how to structure and format your paper. As you work on your introduction paragraph, provide statistical information and explain why the problem exists. Your thesis statement must be a claim or an assumption that leads to specific results of your research. The final part (your conclusion) must sum things up and make a call to action as it’s often done in such papers. As a helpful solution, use our environment essay samples as a template as you learn about citations and structure.
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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Environment Problems — Environmental Issues
Essays on Environmental Issues
Environmental issues are a crucial topic for essays, as they address some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet today. When choosing an environmental issues essay topic, it's important to consider the significance of the subject matter and the potential for impactful discussions. This article will offer advice on selecting a compelling topic and provide a diverse list of recommended essay topics, divided by category.
The Importance of Environmental Issues Essay Topics
Environmental issues encompass a wide range of challenges, including climate change, pollution, deforestation, and endangered species. These topics are critical because they directly impact the health of our planet and all its inhabitants. By addressing environmental issues in essays, students can raise awareness, promote solutions, and contribute to the global conversation about sustainability and conservation.
When choosing a topic for an environmental issues essay, it's essential to consider your interests, the current relevance of the issue, and the potential for generating thought-provoking discussions. You should also take into account the availability of credible sources and data to support your arguments. Additionally, choosing a specific aspect of a broader environmental issue can help narrow the focus of your essay and make your arguments more compelling.
Recommended Environmental Issues Essay Topics
- Climate Change
- The impact of climate change on global food security
- Policy responses to climate change in developing countries
- The role of renewable energy in mitigating climate change
- Climate change adaptation strategies for vulnerable communities
- Carbon pricing and its effectiveness in reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- The impact of climate change on wildlife
- Strategies to mitigate climate change
- The role of renewable energy in combating climate change
- Climate change and its effect on agriculture
- The importance of international cooperation in addressing climate change
- Plastic pollution in the world's oceans
- The health effects of air pollution in urban areas
- Regulatory approaches to controlling industrial pollution
- The impact of electronic waste on the environment
- Strategies for reducing water pollution in agricultural areas
- The effects of air pollution on human health
- Ways to reduce water pollution
- The role of government regulations in controlling pollution
- The impact of industrial pollution on the environment
- Deforestation
- The effects of deforestation on biodiversity in tropical rainforests
- Community-based forest management as a solution to deforestation
- The role of corporate responsibility in combating deforestation
- The impact of deforestation on indigenous communities
- Reforestation efforts and their impact on climate change mitigation
Endangered Species
- The ethical implications of captive breeding for endangered species conservation
- The impact of illegal wildlife trade on endangered species populations
- Conservation strategies for protecting endangered marine species
- The role of ecotourism in supporting endangered species conservation
- The potential for de-extinction in preserving endangered species
Sustainable Development
- Challenges and opportunities for sustainable urban development
- The role of sustainable agriculture in addressing food insecurity
- The impact of consumer behavior on sustainable development goals
- Corporate sustainability initiatives and their impact on the environment
- The role of education in promoting sustainable development practices
Environmental Policy
- The effectiveness of international agreements in addressing environmental issues
- The role of government regulation in promoting environmental conservation
- The impact of environmental lobbying on policy-making decisions
- The potential for market-based solutions in environmental policy
- The influence of public opinion on environmental policy development
Water Scarcity
- The causes of water scarcity in developing countries
- Technological solutions to address water scarcity
- The impact of water scarcity on agriculture
- Strategies for sustainable water management
- The role of government policies in addressing water scarcity
Biodiversity Loss
- The importance of preserving biodiversity
- The impact of habitat destruction on biodiversity
- Strategies for conserving endangered species
- The role of ecotourism in promoting biodiversity conservation
- The ethical implications of biodiversity loss
Waste Management
- The challenges of e-waste disposal
- Strategies for promoting recycling and composting
- The impact of waste management on public health
- The role of circular economy in reducing waste
- The economic benefits of effective waste management
These environmental issues essay topics provide a wide range of options for students to explore and analyze. By choosing a compelling environmental issues essay topic, students can engage in meaningful discussions and contribute to the ongoing efforts to address the challenges facing our planet. It's climate change, pollution, deforestation, endangered species, sustainable development, or environmental policy - there are countless opportunities to explore and raise awareness about important environmental issues through essays.
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Air pollution: causes, effects, and solutions, environmental issues: the problem of climate change, the main factors of adapting to a new environment, the power of change: how you can change the world, different types and sources of pollution, the ecological footprint caused by human activities, geography's role in addressing global environmental risks, water pollution, its factors, and ways to reduce, human – the significant wellspring of global warming, climate change as the one of the biggest threats to humanity now, the long term effects of littering and pollution on the environment, a research on the relationship between the global economy and the environmental protection issues, the environment hazard of plastics, deforestation and the ways to overcome it, global warming and what people can do to save earth, we are causing environmental problems and we are suffering from them, the impact of china's progress on the environment, air pollution its causes and damaging effects, the top three individual contributors to climate change, relevant topics.
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- Invasive Species
- Ocean Pollution
- Water Pollution
- Fast Fashion
- Animal Ethics
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- Environmental Pollution Essay
Essay on Environmental Pollution
The environment is the surrounding of an organism. The environment in which an organism lives is made up of various components like air, water, land, etc. These components are found in fixed proportions to create a harmonious balance in the environment for the organism to live in. Any kind of undesirable and unwanted change in the proportions of these components can be termed as pollution. This issue is increasing with every passing year. It is an issue that creates economic, physical, and social troubles. The environmental problem that is worsening with each day needs to be addressed so that its harmful effects on humans as well as the planet can be discarded.
Causes of Environmental Pollution
With the rise of the industries and the migration of people from villages to cities in search of employment, there has been a regular increase in the problem of proper housing and unhygienic living conditions. These reasons have given rise to factors that cause pollution.
Environmental pollution is of five basic types namely, Air, Water, Soil, and Noise pollution.
Air Pollution: Air pollution is a major issue in today’s world. The smoke pouring out of factory chimneys and automobiles pollute the air that we breathe in. Gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulphur dioxide are emitted with this smoke which mixes with air and causes great harm to the human body, flora, and fauna. The dry-farm waste, dry grass, leaves, and coal used as domestic fuels in our villages also produce harmful gases. Acid rain occurs due to an excess of sulphur dioxide in the air.
The Main Sources of Air Pollution are as Follows:
Automobile pollution
Industrial air pollution
Burning garbage
Brick kilns
Indoor air pollution
Decomposed animals and plants
Radioactive elements
Water Pollution: Water pollution is one of the most serious environmental issues. The waste products from the growing industries and sewage water are not treated properly before disposing of the wastewater into the rivers and other water bodies, thus leading to water pollution. Agricultural processes with excess fertilizers and pesticides also pollute the water bodies.
The Main Sources of Water Pollution as Follows:
Marine commerce.
Industrial effluents joining seas and oceans.
Dumping of radioactive substances into seawater.
Sewage is disposed of into the sea by rivers.
Offshore oil rigs.
Recreational activities.
Agricultural pollutants are disposed of into the water bodies.
Soil or Land Pollution: Soil pollution or land pollution results from the deposition of solid waste, accumulation of biodegradable material, deposition of chemicals with poisonous chemical compositions, etc on the open land. Waste materials such as plastics, polythene, and bottles, cause land pollution and render the soil infertile. Moreover, the dumping of dead bodies of animals adds to this issue. Soil pollution causes several diseases in man and animals like Cholera, Dysentery, Typhoid, etc.
The Main Causes of Soil Pollution are as Follows:
Industrial waste
Urban commercial and domestic waste
Chemical fertilizers
Biomedical waste
Noise Pollution: With an increasing population, urbanization, and industrialization, noise pollution is becoming a serious form of pollution affecting human life, health, and comfort in daily life. Horns of vehicles, loudspeakers, music systems, and industrial activities contribute to noise pollution.
The Main Sources of Noise Pollution as Follows:
The machines in the factories and industries produce whistling sounds, crushing noise, and thundering sounds.
Loudspeakers, horns of vehicles.
Blasting of rocks and earth, drilling tube wells, ventilation fans, and heavy earth-moving machinery at construction sites.
How Pollution Harms Health and Environment
The lives of people and other creatures are affected by environmental pollution, both directly and indirectly. For centuries, these living organisms have coexisted with humans on the planet.
1. Effect on the Environment
Smog is formed when carbon and dust particles bind together in the air, causing respiratory problems, haze, and smoke. These are created by the combustion of fossil fuels in industrial and manufacturing facilities and vehicle combustion of carbon fumes.
Furthermore, these factors impact the immune systems of birds, making them carriers of viruses and diseases. It also has an impact on the body's system and organs.
2. Land, Soil, and Food Effects
The degradation of human organic and chemical waste harms the land and soil. It also releases chemicals into the land and water. Pesticides, fertilisers, soil erosion, and crop residues are the main causes of land and soil pollution.
3. Effects on water
Water is easily contaminated by any pollutant, whether it be human waste or factory chemical discharge. We also use this water for crop irrigation and drinking. They, too, get polluted as a result of infection. Furthermore, an animal dies as a result of drinking the same tainted water.
Furthermore, approximately 80% of land-based pollutants such as chemical, industrial, and agricultural waste wind up in water bodies.
Furthermore, because these water basins eventually link to the sea, they contaminate the sea's biodiversity indirectly.
4. Food Reaction
Crops and agricultural produce become poisonous as a result of contaminated soil and water. These crops are laced with chemical components from the start of their lives until harvest when they reach a mass level. Due to this, tainted food has an impact on our health and organs.
5. Climate Change Impact
Climate change is also a source of pollution in the environment. It also has an impact on the ecosystem's physical and biological components.
Ozone depletion, greenhouse gas emissions, and global warming are all examples of environmental pollution. Because these water basins eventually link to the sea, they contaminate the sea's biodiversity indirectly. Furthermore, their consequences may be fatal for future generations. The unpredictably cold and hot climate impacts the earth’s natural system.
Furthermore, earthquakes, starvation, smog, carbon particles, shallow rain or snow, thunderstorms, volcanic eruptions, and avalanches are all caused by climate change, caused entirely by environmental pollution.
How to Minimise Environmental Pollution?
To minimise this issue, some preventive measures need to be taken.
Principle of 3R’s: To save the environment, use the principle of 3 R’s; Reuse, Reduce and Recycle.
Reuse products again and again. Instead of throwing away things after one use, find a way to use them again. Reduce the generation of waste products.
Recycle: Paper, plastics, glass, and electronic items can be processed into new products while using fewer natural resources and lesser energy.
To prevent and control air pollution, better-designed equipment, and smokeless fuels should be used in homes and industries. More and more trees should be planted to balance the ecosystem and control greenhouse effects.
Noise pollution can be minimised by better design and proper maintenance of vehicles. Industrial noise can be reduced by soundproofing equipment like generators, etc.
To control soil pollution, we must stop the usage of plastic. Sewage should be treated properly before using it as fertilizers and as landfills. Encourage organic farming as this process involves the use of biological materials and avoiding synthetic substances to maintain soil fertility and ecological balance.
Several measures can be adopted to control water pollution. Some of them are water consumption and usage that can be minimized by altering the techniques involved. Water should be reused with treatment.
The melting icebergs in Antarctica resulted in rising sea levels due to the world's environmental pollution, which had become a serious problem due to global warming, which had become a significant concern. Rising carbon pollution poses a risk for causing natural disasters such as earthquakes, cyclones, and other natural disasters.
The Hiroshima-Nagasaki and Chernobyl disasters in Russia have irreversibly harmed humanity. Different countries around the world are responding to these calamities in the most effective way possible.
Different countries around the world are responding to these calamities in the most effective way possible. More public awareness campaigns are being established to educate people about the hazards of pollution and the importance of protecting our environment. Greener lifestyles are becoming more popular; for example, energy-efficient lighting, new climate-friendly autos, and the usage of wind and solar power are just a few examples.
Governments emphasise the need to plant more trees, minimise the use of plastics, improve natural waste recovery, and reduce pesticide use. This ecological way of living has helped humanity save other creatures from extinction while making the Earth a greener and safer ecology.
Conclusion
It is the responsibility of every individual to save our planet from these environmental contamination agents. If preventive measures are not taken then our future generation will have to face major repercussions. The government is also taking steps to create public awareness. Every individual should be involved in helping to reduce and control pollution.
FAQs on Environmental Pollution Essay
1. What do you understand by ‘Environmental Pollution’?
Environmental pollution is the contamination of the environment and surroundings like air, water, soil by the discharge of harmful substances.
2. What preventive measures should be taken to save our environment?
Some of the preventive measures that should be taken to save our environment are discussed below.
We can save our environment by adopting the concept of carpooling and promoting public transport to save fuel. Smoking bars are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations that prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and other public places.
The use of Fossil fuels should be restricted because it causes major environmental issues like global warming.
Encourage organic farming to maintain the fertility of the soil.
3. What are the main sources of soil pollution?
The main sources of soil pollution as follows:
Industrial waste
Urban commercial and domestic waste
Chemical fertilizers
Biomedical waste
4. What is organic farming?
It is a farming method that involves growing and nurturing crops without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
Environmental Pollution: Causes and Consequences Essay
Environmental pollution is the unwarranted discharge of mass or energy into the planet’s natural resource pools, such as land, air, or water, which detriments the environment’s ecological stability and the health of the living things that inhabit it. There is an intensified health risk and pollution in middle and low-income countries due to the increased use of pesticides, industrialization, the introduction of nitrogen-based fertilizers, forest fires, urbanization, and inadequate waste management (Appannagari, 2017). Air pollution, lead and chemicals exposure, hazardous waste exposure, and inappropriate e-waste disposal all result in unfavorable living conditions, fatal illnesses, and ecosystem destruction. The essay will provide an overview of pollution and proffer solutions to combating pollution for a sustainable environment and health.
In addition to hindering economic development and considerably accelerating climate change, pollution exacerbates poverty and inequality in urban and rural areas. The most pain is always experienced by the poor, who cannot afford to protect themselves against pollution’s harmful effects. The main environmental factor contributing to sickness and early mortality is pollution due to premature deaths resulting from pollution (Appannagari, 2017). Due to the unacceptably high cost to human capital and health, as well as the resulting GDP losses, pollution must be addressed. Through initiatives like reducing black carbon and methane emissions, which are responsible for air pollution and climate change, pollution management can also significantly contribute to climate change mitigation (Appannagari, 2017). Additionally, pollution control can promote competitiveness through, for instance, job growth, increased energy efficiency, better transportation, and sustainable urban and rural development. Below are the various approaches for solutions to health and pollution problems.
First, governments should evaluate pollution as a national and international priority and integrate it into the city and country planning process. Pollution affects the health and well-being of societies and, as such, cannot be solely viewed as an environmental issue (The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health, 2017). All levels of government should give pollution prevention a high priority, incorporate it into development planning, and tie it to commitments regarding climate change, SDGs, and the prevention of non-communicable diseases. Some options are both affordable and offer good returns on investment.
Secondly, governments should increase funding for pollution control and prioritize it by health impacts. There should be a significant increase in the financing for pollution management in low- and middle-income nations, both from national budgets and international development organizations (The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health, 2017). The most effective international support for pollution reduction is when it mobilizes additional actions and funding from others. Examples include helping towns and nations that are quickly industrializing concerning technical capacity building, regulatory and enforcement support, and support for direct actions to save lives. Monitoring financing initiatives are necessary to determine their cost-effectiveness and to raise accountability.
Thirdly, organizations should work to build multicultural partnerships for pollution control. Public-private partnerships and interagency cooperation can be powerful tools in creating clean technology and energy sources that will ultimately prevent pollution at its source (The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health, 2017). Collaborations between ministries that include the ministries of finance, energy, development, agriculture, and transport, as well as the ministries of health and the environment, are crucial in pollution control. Governments should promote monitoring systems that could identify and apportion pollution sources, measure pollution levels, guide enforcement, and assess progress toward goals. The use of new technology in pollution monitoring, such as data mining and satellite images, can boost effectiveness, broaden the monitoring area, and cut costs.
One of the main issues facing the world in the current period is pollution. Natural resources are depleting daily due to car emissions, new technologies, factories, and chemicals added to food. All of these factors seriously harm the world. However, the problems caused by pollution can be prevented by building multicultural partnerships, increasing funding for pollution control, integrating it into the country’s planning process, and adopting new technology for monitoring pollution. Preventing pollution lowers the cost to the environment and the economy.
Appannagari, R. R. (2017). Environmental pollution causes and consequences: A study . North Asian International Research Journal of Social Science and Humanities , 3 (8), 151-161. Web.
Excell High School. (2018). Environmental Science . Excel Education Systems, Inc. Web.
The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health. (2017). Pollution and health: Six problems and six solutions. Knowledge, Evidence, and Learning for Development.
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Building a Foundation for Sound Environmental Decisions (1997)
Chapter: 5 summary, conclusions, and recommendations, 5 summary, conclusions, and recommendations.
Pressures on the environment will continue to increase. Global population increase, rising incomes, and agricultural and industrial expansion will inevitably produce unanticipated and potentially deleterious ecological, economic, and human health consequences. Environmental research has proven its value in helping to respond to and prevent many environmental problems, and it continues to be a wise and necessary investment.
The charge to this committee was to provide an overview of significant emerging environmental issues; identify and prioritize research themes and projects that are most relevant to understanding and resolving these issues; and consider the role of EPA's research program in addressing these issues, in the context of research being conducted or sponsored by other organizations. After careful deliberation, the committee decided not to simply present a limited list of "emerging" issues with specific research projects to address them. Such an exercise would provide a mere snapshot in time, based on the insights of one particular collection of individuals. Instead—and hopefully more valuably—this report provides an overview of important environmental issues and presents a framework for organizing environmental research. The report also describes major research themes and programs of relevance to EPA; suggests criteria that can be used to identify and prioritize among important research areas; recommends actions EPA should take to build its scientific capacity; and provides illustrations of the kinds of research projects that EPA should consider.
CONCLUSIONS
As a key environmental agency, EPA needs to support and maintain a strong research program. An evolving understanding of the complexity, magnitude,
and inter-relatedness of environmental problems leads us to conclude that a new balance of research programs may be helpful. This report describes a framework for conducting research in a way that will help alleviate the problems of the moment while providing a basis for solving tomorrow's problems.
In the past, pressing environmental issues have been addressed primarily through focused research efforts directed toward solving particular problems. Although this approach to environmental research can be effective, has often been necessary, and will surely continue, it also has limitations. In order to address the abundance of established, emerging, and as-yet-unknown environmental issues, an expanded understanding of the scientific principles underlying environmental systems is needed. Achieving this understanding will require innovative, interdisciplinary approaches.
To develop the knowledge needed to address current and emerging environmental issues, EPA should undertake both problem-driven research and core research . Problem-driven research is targeted at understanding and solving identified environmental problems, while core research aims to provide broader, more generic information that will help improve understanding of many problems now and in the future. Core research includes three components: (1) understanding the processes that drive and connect environmental systems; (2) development of innovative tools and methods for understanding and managing environmental problems; and (3) long-term collection and dissemination of accurate environmental data.
Research activities within problem-driven and core research programs may often overlap. Fundamental discoveries can be made during the search for a solution to a narrowly defined problem; likewise, as illustrated earlier in this report, breakthroughs in problem-solving often occur as a result of core research efforts. Both kinds of investigations are needed, and feedback between them will greatly enhance the overall environmental research endeavor (see Figure 5-1 ).
Because EPA's task of protecting the environment and human health is so vast and difficult, and because resources to undertake the necessary research are very limited, choices will have to be made among many worthwhile projects. The approaches for making these choices will be different in the core and problem-driven portions of the research program. The former should seek better understanding of fundamental phenomena and generate broadly relevant research tools and information. The latter will be more responsive to regulatory activities and other immediate needs and should be guided by the paradigm of risk reduction. Because there are so many specific issues of importance to the public, the Congress, and EPA's own program and regional offices, there is a temptation to include many problems for attention. It is important to resist this trend: it will inevitably lead either to the dilution of efforts to solve the most pressing problems or to the reduction of funding available for critical core research needs.
FIGURE 5-1 A framework for environmental research at EPA.
Interactions among the natural environment, plants, animals, and the evergrowing human population are highly complex and inherently unpredictable. Although this report provides a broad overview of current and emerging environmental issues, it is important to note that this is merely a snapshot in time. Identification of issues requiring attention is a dynamic, continuous process.
With its limited budget, staff, and mandate, it is not possible or reasonable for EPA to act alone in understanding and addressing all environmental problems. Many other federal agencies, state agencies, other organizations (including utilities), universities, and private companies have played and will continue to play important roles in environmental research. Cooperation with others will be particularly needed in the area of environmental monitoring, a complex and costly undertaking, and in the investigation of global-scale issues.
Another factor to consider in determining EPA's research role on a particular environmental issue is whether the private sector has any incentive to study or develop better solutions, or whether the primary research must originate from the public sector to serve the public good. Examples of areas of "public good" that might deserve EPA attention include municipal wastewater and drinking water treatment, nonpoint-source pollution control, restoration of degraded ecosystems, and large-scale regional and global air pollution problems.
RECOMMENDATIONS
To enhance the productivity and effectiveness of EPA's research efforts, the committee makes recommendations in three areas: a general approach to research, core research themes, and problem-driven research themes.
Approach to Research
EPA should establish a balance between problem-driven and core research. Although there is currently an emphasis on problem-driven research projects in EPA, the core component of EPA's research program should be developed to be approximately equal in magnitude.
EPA should develop an internal mechanism for continually identifying emerging issues and then applying a risk assessment evaluation to these issues to determine the highest priorities and areas of greatest uncertainty. One important method for identifying emerging issues is to review and synthesize new findings from the core research program. EPA research personnel should be fully engaged in the issue identification and research planning process.
EPA should cooperate closely with agencies, organizations, municipalities, universities, and industries involved in environmental research. In addition to providing research support, mechanisms for cooperation might include participation of EPA management in interagency coordination efforts, participation of staff in scientific meetings and conferences, and incentives and rewards for individuals who seek out and work with their counterparts in other organizations. Collaboration should be maintained in research endeavors, environmental monitoring, data archiving, and environmental policy formulation and evaluation. EPA should continue to act as a coordinator in bringing various environmental researchers together to exchange information and ideas, possibly in the form of interdisciplinary workshops on particular environmental topics. This would also help in ''scanning the horizon" to identify new environmental trends and emerging problems. Through these meetings, EPA can discuss the relative risks as well as solutions and policies and can determine which areas require more research.
EPA should compile, publish, and disseminate an annual summary of all research being conducted or funded by the agency in order to facilitate both better cooperation with others and better internal planning. The report should be organized into broad strategic categories, with sub-categories describing program areas. Publications and other output should be listed and made available upon request.
Core Research Themes
The core component of EPA's research program should include three basic objectives:
Acquisition of systematic understanding about underlying environmental processes (such as those displayed in Table 2.2 );
Development of broadly applicable research tools, including better techniques for measuring physical, chemical, biological, social, and economic variables of interest; more accurate models of complex systems and their interactions; and new methods for analyzing, displaying, and using environmental information for science-based decision making;
Design, implementation, and maintenance of appropriate environmental monitoring programs, with evaluation, analysis, synthesis and dissemination of the data and results to improve understanding of the status of and changes in environmental resources over time and to confirm that environmental policies are having the desired effect.
Core research projects should be selected based on their relevance to EPA's mission, whether such research is already being sponsored by other agencies, and the quality of the work proposed, as determined by a peer-review process. Cross-cutting, interdisciplinary studies that take advantage of advances in many different fields will be particularly valuable.
As part of its core research efforts, EPA should conduct retrospective evaluations of the effectiveness of environmental policies and decisions. Retrospective evaluations are critical to ensuring that environmental policies are achieving their intended goals without creating unpredicted, undesirable side-effects.
EPA should make a long-term financial and intellectual commitment to core research projects. Progress in core research generally does not come quickly; therefore it is important that the agency provide adequate long-term support to this kind of knowledge development, allowing it to follow its often unpredictable course. Tool development and data collection must be ongoing endeavors in order to be fully effective.
Problem-Driven Research Themes
EPA should maintain a focused, problem-driven research program. The problem-driven and core research areas will be complementary and result in the interaction of ideas and results.
Evaluation of problem-driven research areas should focus on reducing the risks and uncertainties associated with each problem. EPA should retain its emphasis on risk assessment to prioritize among problem-driven research areas. Using criteria such as timing, novelty, scope, severity, and probability satisfies this requirement, as does the more detailed risk assessment framework described in the EPA strategic plan for ORD. Although risk assessment and
TABLE 5-1 Recommended Actions for EPA
management provide a good framework for choosing among issues, the methodology must be refined to achieve more accurate assessments.
EPA should concentrate efforts in areas where the private sector has little incentive to conduct research or develop better solutions to environmental problems.
Problem-driven research should be re-evaluated and re-focused on a regular basis to ensure that the most important problems are being addressed. Unlike core research priorities, which may not change much over time, in the problem-driven area EPA must develop adaptive feedback capabilities to allow it to change directions when new issues arise and old issues are "solved" or judged to pose less risk than expected.
This committee was not asked to, and did not, address issues concerning EPA's research infrastructure, the appropriate balance between internal and external research, mechanisms for peer review, and other research management issues. Recommendations in these areas will be made by the Committee on Research and Peer Review at EPA (see Chapter 1 ). Table 5-1 summarizes recommended
actions that are intended to provide EPA with the knowledge needed to address current and emerging environmental issues.
Good science is essential for sound environmental decision-making. By implementing the recommendations contained in this report, EPA can increase the effectiveness of its research program and thus continue to play an important role in efforts to protect the environment and human health into the next century.
Over the past decades, environmental problems have attracted enormous attention and public concern. Many actions have been taken by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and others to protect human health and ecosystems from particular threats. Despite some successes, many problems remain unsolved and new ones are emerging. Increasing population and related pressures, combined with a realization of the interconnectedness and complexity of environmental systems, present new challenges to policymakers and regulators.
Scientific research has played, and will continue to play, an essential part in solving environmental problems. Decisions based on incorrect or incomplete understanding of environmental systems will not achieve the greatest reduction of risk at the lowest cost.
This volume describes a framework for acquiring the knowledge needed both to solve current recognized problems and to be prepared for the kinds of problems likely to emerge in the future. Many case examples are included to illustrate why some environmental control strategies have succeeded where others have fallen short and how we can do better in the future.
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- Essay On Environment
Environment Essay
500+ words essay on environment.
Every year, on the 5th of June, we all celebrate World Environment Day. All living beings and non-living beings present on the Earth represent the environment. Plants, creatures, water, air, and other living things exist in our environment. Our environment gets influenced by climatic interaction, geomorphic measures, and hydrologic measures. The life of humans and animals is entirely dependent on climate. Our environment supports life on Earth. Everything we inhale, feel, and energy comes from the environment. The environment is considered a cover that helps sustain life on Earth. Among all the planets, it is our planet Earth that supports life.
Importance of Environment
Everyday, we get to hear about threats to the environment. Our environment includes everything from the forests to the oceans, which impacts our everyday life. It can be deforestation, pollution, soil erosion, etc., which needs to be addressed seriously.
1. Livelihoods of People depend on the Environment
Billions of people depend on the environment for their livelihood. For example, over 1.5 billion people depend on forests for food, medicine, shelter and more. Farmers turn to the woods when their crops fail. Almost two billion people earn a living from agriculture, and the other three billion people are on the ocean.
2. Environment Strength Food Security
Many negative consequences are encountered due to biodiversity loss, but weakened food security is extensive. If we lose our precious animals and plant species, we become more vulnerable to pests and diseases. Due to this, our health is at a greater risk of related illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. So, we should protect our oceans and forests to ensure food for every human being.
3. Trees Clean the Air
Pollution is a crucial issue, and every year, 7 million people die due to pollution. Polluted air impacts our health and lifespans, including behavioural problems, developmental delays, and diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The trees work as a filter to remove air pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide while releasing oxygen.
Benefits of the Environment
Our environment provides us with enormous benefits which we can’t repay in our entire life span. The environment includes animals, water, trees, forest and air. Trees and forests filter the air and take in harmful gases, and plants purify the water, maintain natural balance and many others.
The environment keeps a regular check on its functioning as it helps regulate the vital systems essential for the ecosystem. It also helps in maintaining culture and quality of life on Earth. The environment regulates natural cycles that occur daily. These natural cycles balance living things and the environment. If we disturb these natural cycles, it will ultimately affect humans and other living beings.
For thousands of years, the environment helped humans, animals, and plants flourish and grow. It also provides us with fertile land, air, livestock, water and essential things for survival.
Cause of Environmental Degradation
Human activities are the primary cause of environmental degradation because most humans somehow harm the environment. The activities of humans that cause ecological degradation are pollution, defective environmental policies, chemicals, greenhouse gases, global warming, ozone depletion, etc.
Due to the industrial revolution and population explosion, the demand for environmental resources has increased, but their supply has become limited due to overuse and misuse. Some vital resources have been exhausted due to the extensive and intensive use of renewable and non-renewable resources. Our environment is also disturbed by the extinction of resources and the rapidly rising population.
The waste generated by the developed world is beyond the absorptive capacity of the environment. So, the development process resulted in environmental pollution, water, and the atmosphere, ultimately harming the water and air quality. It has also resulted in an increased incidence of respiratory and water-borne diseases.
To conclude, we can say that it is the environment that is keeping us alive. Without the blanket of the environment, we won’t survive.
Moreover, the environment’s contribution to life cannot be repaid. Besides, what the environment has done for us, we only have damaged and degraded it.
From our BYJU’S website, students can also access CBSE Essays related to different topics. It will help students to get good marks in their exams.
Frequently Asked Questions on Environment Essay
How can we protect the environment around us.
The first step is to change our mindset and stop littering public places. Take steps to reduce plastic usage as it is one of the biggest threats to our environment. Remember the slogan ‘Reduce, reuse and recycle’ and take a bold step towards protecting the environment. At all costs, avoid pollution of water, soil, and air.
How does the proper maintenance of the environment help human beings?
Human beings derive most of their daily needs from the environment. Moreover, environmental pollution can lead to increased risk of diseases, illness.
What are the main reasons for environmental pollution?
Over-usage of environmental and natural resources, reduction in environmental protection, destruction of natural resources are the main reasons for environmental pollution.
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Counselling
Uncomfortable knowledge in sustainability science: essays in honor of David Pimentel (1925–2019)
- Published: 16 May 2024
Cite this article
- Mario Giampietro 1 , 2 ,
- Sandra G. F. Bukkens 1 ,
- Maurizio G. Paoletti 2 ,
- Luc Hens 3 ,
- Jingzheng Ren 4 &
- Tiziano Gomiero 5
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
David Pimentel (1925–2019) was a pioneer in the field of agroecology and more in general of sustainability science (for a biography see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Pimentel_(scientist )). His work stands out for its breadth and timeliness. Professor of entomology and agroecology at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences of Cornell University (Ithaca, New York, USA), David Pimentel published more than 500 scientific articles and book chapters, 3 monographs, and 34 edited books spanning a broad range of environmental issues related to socio-economic development. In 1999, together with Luc Hens and Bhaskar Nath, he founded the journal Environment, Development and Sustainability .
His work was characterized by transdisciplinarity, and he served as an inspiration for many researchers in the field of sustainability science to broaden their view and embrace a more holistic and critical vision of the functioning of social-ecological systems and human development.
Common sense combined with relatively simple quantitative reality checks, rather than complicated models, was the approach undertaken by David Pimentel to investigate the consistency of the narratives suggested in sustainability science. In this sense, he may be considered an early exponent of ‘quantitative storytelling’.
He also adopted a novel teaching approach. Moving away from the dominant reductionistic doctrine, he pushed his students to embrace a system approach, training them in teamwork and addressing real case studies. Often these group exercises resulted in publications in important scientific journals.
Most of Pimentel’s research addressed wicked environmental problems related to the sustainability of human development, such as biological control, pesticide use, organic and alternative farming practices, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, genetic engineering, biofuels and biomass energy, fossil energy dependence of the food system, and the relation between population growth and limited natural resources. His capacity to integrate a vast body of knowledge across different scientific fields and to address problems from different perspectives, his free spirit independent from politically correct ideologies and economic interests, and his great intuition, allowed him to bring this often “uncomfortable knowledge” to the attention of the scientific community, policy makers, and lay people alike, in a clear and unequivocal way.
For example, he was among the first scholars to alert to: (i) the dependence of our food system on fossil energy, making us aware that “we are eating oil”; (ii) the significant cost of producing meat, flagging that the USA could feed 800 million people with the grain consumed by livestock; (iii) the unviability and unsustainability of biofuels as alternative energy carriers to fuel modern society; (iv) the risk of increased herbicide use in genetically modified herbicide resistant crops. All this uncomfortable news challenged the sustainability myths of his time (some of which, unfortunately, persist to the present day).
The role of ‘uncomfortable knowledge’ as Steve Rayner defined it (Rayner, 2012, Economy and Society, pp. 107–125), played a major role in sustainability analysis. As Rayner puts it: “ to make sense of the complexity of the world so that they can act, individuals and institutions need to develop simplified, self-consistent versions of that world … knowledge which is in tension or outright contradiction with those versions must be expunged. This is uncomfortable knowledge which is excluded from policy debates, especially when dealing with ‘wicked problems’ ”.
In line with David Pimentel’s attention to wicked environmental problems, this special issue presents a number of contributions that address sustainability discussions in the field of agro-food systems.
In this topical issue, the paper by Crews and Polk illustrates the role for soil conservation and carbon accumulation of developing perennial grain agroecosystems, in an attempt to mimic prairies native ecosystems. Developing perennials, allowing a large-scale production, may represent a turning point toward a truly more sustainable agriculture.
Domínguez et al. explore in depth the advantages of alternative farming systems by expanding the set of criteria for evaluating the performance of food production and considering the nexus between the different factors of production.
Kleinman and Harmel look into the trade-offs of global nutrient redistribution, the analysis of which is essential to identify “challenges of” and “opportunities for” a global transformation to a more sustainable resource management.
Abdul Aziz et al. present an integrated assessment of sustainable foraging knowledge and practices, using examples from different geographic regions, and show that these have an important role to play in the future of sustainable agriculture.
Cadillo-Benalcazar et al. present a model to study the complexity of the society–agriculture–forest system and illustrate it for the case study of Huayopata in Cuzco (Peru), where public policies for tea production interact with the complexity of the society–agriculture–forest system.
Orozco-Meléndez and Paneque-Gàlvez challenge the predominance of the disciplinary vision that shapes the existing “corporate food regime”. Using literature review and a conceptual approach they show the need for a transition to another method of governance based on co-design and co-production of uncomfortable, transdisciplinary, and actionable knowledge.
Zanardo et al. address the controversial “horn manure” (Preparation 500) used in biodynamic agriculture. They studied the changes during the manure maturation of the fungal and bacterial communities inside the horns of cows. The analysis suggests that significant changes take place during the process. This work proves that notwithstanding the demonization of biodynamic agriculture as an esoteric quackery, still there are aspects of biodynamic agriculture that can be scientifically investigated.
Giampietro illustrates the “magic” of the unique procedure developed by David Pimentel to quantify systems of agricultural production in terms of profiles of inputs and outputs. This procedure establishes bridges among data referring to different dimensions (social, economic, technical, ecological) and to different scales, when utilizing the patterns of profiles in their scaled form—per hectare—and in the form of technical coefficients—unitary processes.
Ponti and Gutierrez address the important issue of invasive species and their environmental and economic impacts, and argue that it is essential to be able to monitor weather-driven dynamics and potential geographic distribution and abundance. To this purpose, the authors present a new approach—Physiologically Based, Demographic Models (PBDMs)—that avoids the limitations of existing methods.
Alfonso-Bécares et al. use the concept of societal and ecosystem metabolic analysis to study policies of forest conservation. Employing a quantitative characterization based on profiles of inputs and outputs, the authors establish a link between: (i) changes in the heterogeneity of livelihoods found in a given farming system, and (ii) changes in the patterns of land uses. This link is then used to run “what if” scenarios associated with different policy options.
Díaz-Siefer et al. study the factors that prevent a transition to greener agriculture in Chiapas, Mexico, and in particular the type of conditioning that the socio-economic context poses. They identify three relevant actors: (i) the policies and regulation developed by the governments; (ii) the choices of the consumers; (iii) the quantities of subsidies that can be used made available by financial agents and suggest possible adjustments to get out of the impasse.
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Mario Giampietro & Sandra G. F. Bukkens
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Mario Giampietro & Maurizio G. Paoletti
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Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
Jingzheng Ren
Mogliano Veneto, Italy
Tiziano Gomiero
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Giampietro, M., Bukkens, S.G.F., Paoletti, M.G. et al. Uncomfortable knowledge in sustainability science: essays in honor of David Pimentel (1925–2019). Environ Dev Sustain (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-04970-2
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Home > Andrew Young School of Policy Studies > Dissertations > 85
AYSPS Dissertations
Essays on environmental economics.
Zheng Li Follow
Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6756-7066
Date of Award
Spring 5-1-2024
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
First Advisor
Garth Heutel
Second Advisor
Spencer Banzhaf
Third Advisor
Stefano Carattini
Fourth Advisor
Charles Hankla
This dissertation consists of three essays on Environmental Economics.
The first chapter provides evidence of ’polluting my neighbor’ phenomenon at the province level based on two largest firm-level micro datasets and wind pattern information in China. I show that large air polluting manufacturing firms tend to be disproportionately situated near downwind borders, particularly when wind speeds are lower. Quantitatively, the expected number of new large air polluters (top 10%) in a county-year cell reduces by 11% as the countys distance to the downwind province border increases by one standard deviation, and a one standard deviation increase in wind speed will decrease the expected number of large air polluters by 6% in counties 100 km closer to the downwind border. The results are robust to different empirical strategies and survive a battery of placebo tests and robustness checks. The finding is predominantly driven by large air polluters since putting larger polluters closer to the border can externalize more environmental cost.
The second chapter offers the first causal investigation of the effect of air pollution on smoking. Using the rollout of a nationwide real-time air quality monitoring program in China, I distinguish between the direct impact of air pollution by itself and the effect of enhanced awareness of air pollution. Drawing upon both individual-level survey data and city-level aggregate online search data, my findings indicate that that while the awareness channel demonstrates significance, the direct channel exhibits less prominence.
The third chapter investigates influence activities in the context of China’s political system by examining whether local officials would deliberately reduce daily air pollution in response to top central leaders’ visits. I create a unique and comprehensive dataset of central leaders’ visits in China and examines the temporary effect of these visits on local air quality. I find that central leaders’ visits do improve air quality during high-pollution days, providing evidence of the existence of influencing activities. Moreover, the effect is much larger and more significant for the Presidents’ visits. Surprisingly, local officials’ age and political connection status do not significantly influence the observed effect.
https://doi.org/10.57709/36986685
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Li, Zheng, "Essays on Environmental Economics." Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/36986685
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Guest Essay
Bird Flu Is Already Here. Just Look at the Millions Killed.
By Alex Tey
Ms. Tey is a freelance reporter studying journalism and the environment at New York University.
We don’t yet know if H5N1 bird flu will spill over from animals to infect a large number of humans. Based on the few cases of transmission so far, the World Health Organization has expressed concerns that infection in humans “can cause severe disease with a high mortality rate.”
But already it has wrought devastation upon so many lives. The deaths of millions of birds and mammals around the globe in the last few years directly and indirectly from this outbreak should be enough to spur urgent action to stop the spread of the virus, as well as remind us of the role humans play in the proliferation of infectious diseases.
It’s my belief that humans have an obligation to the nonhuman life we share this planet with to mitigate the harm we’ve enabled this virus to cause. Our unsustainable activities — factory farming, climate-warming emissions and habitat destruction, to name a few — have helped turn bird flu from a natural phenomenon into an anthropogenic disaster. But even if you don’t share that conviction, it is still in our best interest to keep this virus from spreading.
Disease has always been part of avian natural history. Wild birds are routinely exposed to mild viruses, but are seldom killed by them. Humans, however, have introduced factors that favor disease: A warming climate can weaken avian immune systems, and infections spread more easily when birds come into more frequent contact while sharing what little habitat remains.
And factory farming makes things even worse. When farm animals are kept in large numbers and close quarters in poultry and dairy farms, viruses can spread and mutate more easily. It’s a human-facilitated training ground for diseases. The progenitor of today’s H5N1 strain, for example, emerged in 1996 when a virus infecting farmed geese in Guangdong Province in southern China spilled back into wild populations.
Maintaining the health of their animal holdings and their businesses — not to mention the potential risk to farm workers and the ever-present threat of human spillover — requires farmers to act quickly. And when bird flu hits farms, often the only real way to contain it is the precautionary culling of entire flocks, which has resulted in tens of millions of dead hens since 2022. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends that farms use killing methods that avoid suffering. But as many as 66 million chickens and turkeys have been culled with a technique that animal welfare groups call unnecessarily cruel: ventilation shutdown, which kills over several hours through overheating.
Given the animal suffering at stake, minimizing interactions between wild and captive birds is all the more important in preventing the spread of bird flu in both populations. But it’s a daunting task for the agriculture industry, given how difficult it can be to isolate dense animal populations kept in close quarters. When biosecurity measures at farms fail — or aren’t even properly attempted — wild populations take an extremely hard hit.
Though wild bird deaths are harder to tally than poultry culls, the numbers that we do have are disturbing. The strain of bird flu coursing through North America ignited a season of plague for Atlantic seabirds when it first appeared in late 2021 at a Newfoundland farm. From April to September 2022, bird flu killed about 41,000 wild birds in Canada. At least 17 percent of northwestern Europe’s breeding population of Sandwich terns — over 20,000 birds — died. And from November 2022 to January 2023, the virus killed thousands of wild Ross’s and snow geese in North Dakota , Kansas , Indiana and California .
The overall death toll may lie in the millions , with millions more threatened by potential infection thanks to the long-range migrations of waterfowl.
Under normal circumstances, most bird populations can bounce back from die-offs. But climate-warming human activity could impair future recoveries in North America.
When bird flu caused “ unprecedented reproductive failure ” at a Newfoundland breeding colony of northern gannets in 2022, it was probably worsened by a marine heat wave that coincided with the outbreak. Heat stress weakens birds’ immune responses , and is likely to become more common as the planet warms. Warmer temperatures can also make recovery from H5N1 more difficult by deepening the effects of decreased food supplies, pollution and habitat loss.
None of this is encouraging for North American birds, which have already lost billions in the last half-century because of habitat loss and other forces. We contributed to the conditions that helped bird flu mutate into a highly pathogenic form. “Now it’s taken off, and it’s totally out of our control,” said Samantha Gibbs, the lead wildlife veterinarian at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Worse may lie in store. If the virus spreads unencumbered, it could spell further disaster for species like the beloved Atlantic puffin or the regionally endangered roseate tern. Colony-nesting seabirds like these nest in close quarters and in high numbers, reducing predation but magnifying the effects of disease. Recent asymptomatic cases in Adélie penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula have spurred fears of outbreaks in tight-knit penguin colonies. The blurring of the lines between the wild and the domestic, as infections spill over and back again, also heightens the threats to livestock — and humans.
But to fret only about the prospect of human infection betrays an ecological narcissism. We must not ignore the nonhuman suffering for which, through factory farming, anthropogenic climate change and habitat destruction, we are responsible.
While you most likely need not worry about catching bird flu from meat, eggs or dairy, this is as good a time as any to cut down on products that contribute to climate change (like greenhouse gas-intensive beef) or perpetrate cruelty (like eggs from caged chickens). The same factory farms that cause excessive animal suffering can also function as a reservoir for disease.
An enduring commitment to nonhuman life on Earth would bring down the risk of zoonotic disease spreading to humans. But saving the planet for our own benefit is only by degrees less shortsighted than destroying it to our own detriment. As its most influential and destructive denizens, we owe a duty of care to all of nature — not just its human inhabitants.
Alex Tey is an editor at large of New York University’s student newspaper, Washington Square News.
The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .
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NY must make the electric school bus transition
New York State has mandated that by 2035 all school buses in the state be zero-emission, like the electric buses above.
Credit: Logan Bus Co. Inc.
This guest essay reflects the views of Bella Cockerell, New York organizing manager for Mothers Out Front, and Joseph Ambrosio, chief executive of Unique Electric Solutions Inc., a Holbrook-based company that repowers diesel buses into electric buses.
When New York’s all-electric school bus legislation passed in 2022, environmentalists lauded it as a visionary plan and a victory in the climate fight, while school administrators and parents cheered the health and safety benefits it would provide for the state's more than 2 million children who ride to and from school each day.
In the two years since that groundbreaking legislation passed, questions have been raised about the feasibility — both financially and operationally — of meeting the 2027 deadline for new purchases and the 2035 deadline for the entire fleet.
These concerns are misplaced, and the urgency remains to address the detrimental effects of diesel-powered buses on the environment and our children's health.
Air pollution inside a diesel bus can be as much as 12 times higher than outside the bus. That’s because when a school bus stops at a traffic signal, is stuck in traffic, or pauses to pick up or drop off students, the filthy tailpipe emissions drift back into the cabin for the children and driver to breathe in.
This is a major contributor to the surging asthma epidemic, which is especially prevalent in low-income communities and communities of color. For these children, that means difficulty breathing, regular visits to the emergency room, and missed classes. In fact, asthma affects 10% of children and is the leading cause of school absenteeism in New York, according to the state Department of Health. In the long term, it contributes to poorer learning outcomes, lower earning potential, and chronic health conditions.
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Alongside the public health benefits of electric school buses are unquestioned environmental benefits. With the transportation sector making up nearly 30% of statewide greenhouse emissions, transitioning our school bus fleet to electric is crucial to the climate fight.
Fortunately, substantial funding is available right now at the state and federal levels for electric school buses and charging stations, as well as for a pragmatic alternative to purchasing new buses — retrofitting existing gas buses to make them electric. Changing over an entire fleet to electric in one year is not always practical; retrofits can address cost concerns and provide more flexibility for a phased transition.
Funds from New York’s Environmental Bond Act and the state's School Bus Incentive Program are already easing the financial burden on school districts, as are the federal bipartisan Infrastructure Act and the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program. The state incentive program alone can provide up to $171,000 for each electric school bus purchased, which would pay for most of the cost of a repower or nearly 50% of a new electric bus. Enough resources exist for school districts to begin the transition immediately.
Even in rural upstate districts, where bus routes face longer commutes and colder temperatures, electric buses have the juice to make these journeys. In Havre, Montana, for example, a sparsely populated rural county, electric school buses have handled temperatures as low as minus-40 degrees.
With school budget votes taking place next week, the time is now for parents to tell their local school officials that they will not stand by while dirty diesel buses compromise their children’s health.
Starting small and learning as we go are key principles. School districts can begin with just a single bus, gaining valuable insights into the operational and logistical aspects.
As the saying goes, “Start small, but start now.”
This guest essay reflects the views of Bella Cockerell, New York organizing manager for Mothers Out Front, and Joseph Ambrosio, chief executive of Unique Electric Solutions Inc., a Holbrook-based company that repowers diesel buses into electric buses.
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500+ Words Essay on Environment. Essay on Environment - All living things that live on this earth comes under the environment. Whether they live on land or water they are part of the environment. The environment also includes air, water, sunlight, plants, animals, etc. Moreover, the earth is considered the only planet in the universe that ...
This part must contain maximum detail in this part of the Essay. For the Environment essay, students can describe ways the environment is hampered and different ways to prevent and protect it. Conclusion. In the essay on Environment, students can focus on summing the essay in 30-40 words, by writing its aim, types, and purposes briefly.
In this essay, we'll explore the importance of our environment, the challenges it faces, and what we can do to ensure a sustainable and thriving world for generations to come. Our environment is a complex and interconnected web of life. Every living organism, from the tiniest microbe to the largest mammal, plays a crucial role in maintaining ...
Usually, the essay topics given to students are based on the latest political, social and environmental issues. Due to the changes occurring in our surroundings, essays based on saving the Environment are becoming very popular. Keeping that in mind, this blog presents you some sample essays on Save Environment.
Protecting the environment is the act of taking care of natural resources and using them rationally to prevent annihilation and pollution. It also involves the use of comprehensive management measures that can create an environment that supports human activities and life. We will write a custom essay on your topic. 809 writers online.
Protecting the Environment. Protecting the environment is the act of taking care of natural resources and using them rationally to prevent annihilation and pollution. Mining and Its Impact on the Environment. The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the effects of mining on the environment.
Human Impact on Environment Essay. Ecological problem is one of the most important issues nowadays. Human activities have a negative impact on the environment. Humanity currently faces problems with air, water, and lands pollution, unreasonable agricultural systems, deforestation, and others. As a result, the number of available natural ...
In this protecting the environment essay, 200 words will be explained properly on how to save the environment. ... Environmental protection is the key to a safe and secure future with a beautiful environment to live in. Conclusion. With pollution increasing each year and causing deterioration of the natural environment, it has become necessary ...
Introduction. Environmental degradation is a major concern for the current generation. The devastating effects of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss threaten human health and our planet's sustainability.As a college student, I understand the importance of finding solutions to these complex issues.In this essay, I will argue that protecting the environment through sustainable ...
Air pollution, a significant environmental issue, poses threats to human health and the ecosystem. This essay delves into the causes of air pollution and examines its far-reaching effects on both the environment and human well-being. By exploring the complex interplay of pollutants, sources, and consequences,...
By addressing environmental issues in essays, students can raise awareness, promote solutions, and contribute to the global conversation about sustainability and conservation. ... These environmental issues essay topics provide a wide range of options for students to explore and analyze. By choosing a compelling environmental issues essay topic ...
Essay on Environment is an excellent way for students to learn about the environment and its implications. The environment, in the simplest of terms, refers to the interaction between living organisms and non-living things. Living organisms are classified as biotic components, while non-living things form the abiotic components.
Step 1: Return to your thesis. To begin your conclusion, signal that the essay is coming to an end by returning to your overall argument. Don't just repeat your thesis statement—instead, try to rephrase your argument in a way that shows how it has been developed since the introduction.. Example: Returning to the thesis Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind ...
Bahçeşehir College is committed to increasing students' awareness of the changing world we live in. This climate change essay competition saw many students submitting well thought out pieces of writing. These essays were marked on their format, creativity, organisation, clarity, unity/development of thought, and grammar/mechanics.
Essay on Environmental Pollution. The environment is the surrounding of an organism. The environment in which an organism lives is made up of various components like air, water, land, etc. These components are found in fixed proportions to create a harmonious balance in the environment for the organism to live in.
Environmental pollution is increasing globally and, together with climate change, is a priority on the environmental, political, business, and scientific agendas. Air, land, and water pollution have an impact on all ecosystems and our lives and can jeopardize our future and future generations. The importance of policies on public awareness and ...
Environmental Pollution: Causes and Consequences Essay. Environmental pollution is the unwarranted discharge of mass or energy into the planet's natural resource pools, such as land, air, or water, which detriments the environment's ecological stability and the health of the living things that inhabit it. There is an intensified health risk ...
Core research includes three components: (1) understanding the processes that drive and connect environmental systems; (2) development of innovative tools and methods for understanding and managing environmental problems; and (3) long-term collection and dissemination of accurate environmental data.
All living beings and non-living beings present on the Earth represent the environment. Plants, creatures, water, air, and other living things exist in our environment. Our environment gets influenced by climatic interaction, geomorphic measures, and hydrologic measures. The life of humans and animals is entirely dependent on climate.
Environment, Development and Sustainability - Most of Pimentel's research addressed wicked environmental problems related to the sustainability of human development, such as biological control, pesticide use, organic and alternative farming practices, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, genetic engineering, biofuels and biomass energy, fossil energy dependence of the food system, and the ...
Li, Zheng, "Essays on Environmental Economics." Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2024. This dissertation consists of three essays on Environmental Economics. The first chapter provides evidence of 'polluting my neighbor' phenomenon at the province level based on two largest firm-level micro datasets and wind pattern information in China.
Ms. Tey is a freelance reporter studying journalism and the environment at New York University. We don't yet know if H5N1 bird flu will spill over from animals to infect a large number of humans ...
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA) are essential tools for environmental and economic assessment and decision-making in an evolving world with continuous climate change. In the same conditions, one of the most used and assessed solutions for facing climate change is using pervious pavements, with many papers proving its benefits. However, the literature has shown ...
It calls for a comprehensive approach that considers economic, environmental, and social factors, including public perception and regulation, in REEs mining. In conclusion, our research provides vital insights for policymakers, illustrating how simulated policy interventions can facilitate informed decision-making in the REEs market.
This guest essay reflects the views of Bella Cockerell, New York organizing manager for Mothers Out Front, and Joseph Ambrosio, chief executive of Unique Electric Solutions Inc., a Holbrook-based ...
The Editorial Team of the rebirthed Sankofa: Ghana Journal of Archaeology and Heritage Studies invites a wide array of critical interdisciplinary essays for its maiden issue to be published in late 2024/early 2025. Topical areas may include broadly conceived disciplinary fields of Archaeology, Heritage Studies, Anthropology, History, Sociology, Religions, Politics, Economics, Classics and ...