Effect of People on the Environment

• Use of fossil fuels, such as natural gas, for heating our homes
• Automobile emissions
• Solid waste (garbage or trash) production
• Use of pesticides and other products containing chemicals in and around our homes

Unquestionably, the development of cities and the rapid increase in the world’s population have had an overwhelming impact on the environment in a number of ways, including:

• Industrialization, or the development of industry on a large scale
• Urbanization or the development of cities Deforestation or the clearing of trees from forests
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• Air and water pollution
• Changes in plant and animal life due to worsening air and water quality
• Depletion of resources, including water and fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas
• Creation of hazardous waste sites and landfills

How do the depletion of our resources and the addition of pollutants to our environment affect human health?

Effect of the environment on health

Without a doubt, the environment has a profound effect on public health. Pollutants released into the air, water, and earth can persist in the environment and have negative impacts on human well-being. For example, coal-burning power plants that provide the electricity necessary for our modern lifestyles release air pollution. Additionally, the soot emitted from the smokestacks of these plants contains sulfur dioxide along with a host of other substances. Sulfur dioxide is known to contribute to the development or worsening of respiratory illness, especially in children, the elderly, or people who already have heart or lung disease. Clearly, the choices society makes in terms of pollution and production of chemicals in the end will have some effect on human health and life.