| We read about them almost every day. Hear it all | | | | changes are occurring at a rapid rate. Ecosystems |
| over the news. Even watch video documentaries | | | | and natural habitats are altered or diminished to |
| about them. All of this information would not matter at | | | | accommodate human overpopulation. Dangerous |
| all if we fail to understand and be fully aware of the | | | | chemical waste products from industrial areas and |
| environmental issues threatening our planet. Here are | | | | agricultural chemicals find their way into nearby bodies |
| just some of the few environmental issues. | | | | of water causing contamination. Illegal hunting and |
| Many environmentalists and scientists will agree that | | | | trading is also threatening to deplete a number of our |
| one of the greatest problems that man has to face is | | | | endangered species. It all falls down to the fact that |
| Climate change or Global warming (Greenhouse | | | | these animals and plants do not have enough time to |
| effect). Satellite images captured and environmental | | | | react and adapt to these circumstances therefore are |
| research had proven the melting of polar ice caps | | | | on the verge of being extinct. |
| causing a significant increase in sea levels. Weather | | | | Overpopulation is also one of the complex problems in |
| patterns have extremely changed. Droughts, heat | | | | need of immediate attention. Critics say that we are |
| waves, wildfires are more widespread. Typhoons and | | | | coming to close to the sustainable capacity of the |
| hurricanes occur more frequent and with more | | | | Earth. Overpopulation arises from increased number of |
| intensity. Human health is continuing to be threatened | | | | births, low mortality rates and even increase in |
| as well, by the increase in epidemics and | | | | immigration. With overpopulation comes poverty. |
| climate-sensitive infectious diseases. | | | | People are also lead to war and violence from the |
| Human populations throughout a large region in many | | | | lack of sustainable resources. It is expected that by |
| parts of the world have experienced a large-scale | | | | the year 2050, the Earth's population will surpass the 9 |
| epidemic of infectious disease, or to what are called | | | | billion mark, which is a very significant increase from |
| as a Pandemic. To mention a few, notable pandemics | | | | the current number 6.5 billion. |
| were: Cholera, Tuberculosis, Malaria, SARS, Typhus, | | | | I believe that proper education is the only key to unlock |
| Influenza, Avian Flu, and Swine Flu. According to the | | | | awareness. We can either choose to be the |
| World Health Organization (WHO), the virus starts | | | | instrument for change or be a hindrance to it. It is |
| from infected animals, in some cases will then infect | | | | never too late for CHANGE because every single |
| nearby humans. The virus is then spread directly from | | | | effort counts. Put all the small efforts together |
| human to human. It is then considered as a pandemic if | | | | eventually will turn into a movement of a global-scale. It |
| this new virus is spread over the world. | | | | may take time before we turn things around, but who |
| Another environmental issue that should not be | | | | knows one day we might wake up to see our planet |
| brushed aside is the Endangered Species. Planetary | | | | in a better shape. |