Each day, the world is surrounded by even more environmental problems. We are headed into a crisis we are not yet ready to face. Starting from pollution, global warming, deforestation, soil degradation, loss of biodiversity, and resource depletion, all topped up with overpopulation, and the list goes on. Scary.

There isn’t just one type of pollution we face; instead, there are three main ones- air, water, and soil. The increase in production has led factories into overdrive which directly influences our air quality. Moreover, the combustion of fossil fuels has played a significant role in polluting the environment. New reports of oil spills daily have severely affected the water quality and are the main reason for water pollution. The irresponsible waste disposal of industries containing plastic and heavy metals releases toxins into the ground, destroying fertile soil. Soil degradation is also a product of overgrazing, erosion, and land-use conversion.

We often hear the word- Global Warming- these days. Well, what is it? It is the rise in the temperature of the Earth due to the emission of certain greenhouse gases. These gases, like carbon dioxide, are emitted into the environment due to human activities. Global warming leads to natural disasters such as flooding, melting ice caps, etc.

The world population is growing at an unprecedented rate, and the reality is, we don’t have the resources to match the increase. We are currently facing a shortage of fuel, water, and food. Due to lack of food, we have gotten into practising unsustainable methods of agriculture such as over-grazing. This leads to soil degradation and leaves the land useless. They are causing us to get stuck in a relentless loop. Natural resources are being depleted faster than they can be replenished, which leads to global warming and deforestation. The added pressure on resources leads to varying amounts of waste disposal, which is not adequately treated, leading to more pollution.

Deforestation is widespread owing to the need for more land for agriculture to produce more food to cater to the increasing demands of our population. Forests are also being cleaned out for land needed for housing and recreational activities; this practice is mainly done in developing countries. As we get more capitalised, more industries are being set up for which land is already scarce. The loss of trees, which we all know are significant for the health of our planet, leads to climate change and natural disasters.

These factors have led to one major threat to the environment: the loss of biodiversity. This is the decrease in the living beings that make up our planet Earth. The decline can take a turn for the worse and result in extinction. This will harm our environment due to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions or even more soil and air quality deterioration.

If you have managed to get to the end of the article, I know you must be biting your nails, wondering what happens next. Well,  it’s simple, we need to wake up, gear up, and save our home