Padua Girls Academy -9th 

Life as We Know It

The environment is affecting us because the water levels are rising. We need fresh air. We need clean water and if we don’t think about the things that we are doing now, and in the future, our kids and our grandkids will not have a place to live in the future because eventually, the planet will die because of the way the air and water is right now. 

Our planet’s water levels are on the move, and the consequences are more profound than we might realize. Rising water levels can disrupt not only the ecosystems but also our very way of life. It’s not just about having a soggy backyard; it’s about reevaluating how we live, where we live, and the very essence of our existence. Clean water, the elixir of life, is a resource we often take for granted. But if we continue down this path of negligence, the purity of this life-giving liquid will be compromised, jeopardizing the health and well-being of generations to come.

Moreover, our present actions carry immense weight in shaping the future landscape for our descendants. It’s not just about securing a comfortable present but laying the groundwork for an environment where our kids and grandkids can thrive. If we persist in treating the Earth as a dumping ground, the consequences will reverberate into the future, leaving our offspring with a compromised and potentially inhospitable place to call home.

Consider a future where the necessities we take for granted today become scarce commodities. Imagine a world where our grandkids struggle to find a clean, fresh water source or a serene spot to relax amidst the chaos of a deteriorating environment. The planet’s health is a direct reflection of our choices, and failing to address the environmental issues at hand is akin to handing our future generations an inheritance tarnished by shortsightedness and neglect.

 The choices we make today regarding the environment resonate far beyond our immediate concerns. The rising water levels and the need for clean water are not isolated issues; they are interconnected components of a much larger puzzle. Our responsibility extends beyond our lifetimes; it encompasses the legacy we leave for our children and grandchildren and all the other generations to come after us. The air and water bring different diseases like brain cancer, heart disease, and lung cancer. Some adults and kids already have some type of heart and maybe even brain condition One of the lung diseases that kids and adults might have is asthma but asthma is mostly found in adults the percentage is 8.0 in adults and 6.5 in kids. Back in 2021, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warned the world that we’re headed for a climate catastrophe. The floods, fires, and other extreme weather events that have devastated many parts of the planet recently are only set to become more frequent at the hands of human-induced climate change. 

The human impact on the environment (or anthropogenic environmental impact) refers to changes to biophysical environments and ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources caused directly or indirectly by humans. Modifying the environment to fit the needs of society (as in the built environment) is causing severe effects including global warming, environmental degradation (such as ocean acidification, mass extinction, and biodiversity loss, ecological crisis, and ecological collapse.

 Human health and well-being are related to our natural environment. Pollution causes health problems such as respiratory diseases and cancer. However, pollution doesn’t affect everyone equally. Climate change can cause heat-related illnesses, enhance pollution, and may lead to new infectious diseases. Air pollution can also affect lung development and is implicated in the development of emphysema, asthma, and other respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

 ​​Materials from the Earth are used to support life and meet people’s needs. More than 12 million people around the world die every year because they live or work in unhealthy environments.1 Healthy People 2030 focuses on reducing people’s exposure to harmful pollutants in air, water, soil, food, and materials in homes and workplaces. actions taken by humans that contribute to a heated environment stem from the burning of fossil fuel from a variety of sources, such as electricity, cars, planes, space heating, manufacturing, or the destruction of forests.

Our insatiable appetite for fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, drives much of our energy production. However, the combustion of these non-renewable resources releases copious amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere.

If you’re interested in addressing the issue of greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to the shift towards sustainable energy solutions, there are numerous job opportunities in the field of renewable energy worth exploring.

Moreover, excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides leads to water pollution. These chemicals leach into rivers, lakes, and groundwater, causing harmful effects on aquatic life and posing risks to human health.

The modern world’s consumer-driven lifestyle has led to an alarming surge in waste generation, creating a pressing environmental challenge. From plastic packaging to electronic waste, the improper disposal of waste poses significant risks to our planet. As urban areas grow, wildlife is displaced from their natural habitats, leading to biodiversity loss and potential conflicts between humans and animals. Species that once thrived in diverse ecosystems struggle to adapt to fragmented and altered environments.