Author: Omid Izadi
The United States is known for its vast and diverse landscapes, which are affected by environmental challenges, from smog-filled cities killing the inhabitants to water contamination destroying safe drinking water and wildfires that devastate communities. Climate change and increasing human development are the root causes of these issues, which are quickly disrupting Earth’s state of homeostasis. The signs of ecological stress are clear and are continuing to grow. These environmental dangers not only impact the natural ecosystem but pose risks to human health, economic stability, and the standard of living. Three examples of environmental dangers the United States faces today are air pollution, water contamination, and increasing wildfires. Understanding these dangers is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate them and to save human lives by spreading awareness.
When we usually talk about air pollution, we refer to the pollution in the troposphere, which is around six miles above Earth’s atmosphere. The six most harmful pollutants are sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, lead, particulate matter, and ground-level ozone. The main causes of air pollution in Bakersfield, California, the most polluted city in the USA, are SUVs, the growing fossil fuel industry, and a valley that traps air pollution. According to Energy Futures and Urban Air Pollution: Challenges for China and the United States (2008) the National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council describes, “As a result of the state’s poor air quality and large population, California residents receive more than 40 percent of the nation’s population-weighted exposure to ozone values above the nation’s population-weighted exposure to ozone values above the national 8-hour standard of 0.08ppm and more than 60 percent of the population-weighted exposure to PM_2.5” (Energy 282). The amount of harmful pollutants is enough to cause risks such as lung cancer and asthma in humans. Not only does air pollution cause acid rain due to the chemical reaction of sulfur dioxide to sulfuric acid, but it also causes rises in temperature due to atmospheric inversion. Atmospheric inversion is common in cities where hot vehicle exhaust is trapped above a cool layer, which causes warmer air to move down. The National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council says that California’s climate is becoming hotter, “Over the past century California has seen changes in climate-related conditions such as average temperature (up seven-tenths of a degree Fahrenheit), sealevel (up 3 to 8 inches), spring runoff (decreased by 12 percent), and the timing of snowmelt and spring bloom (advanced by 1 to 3 weeks) (Cal/EPA, 2002). Knowles and Cayan (2004) project that the Sierra snowpack that functions as the state’s largest reservoir could shrink by a third by 2060, and to half its historic size by 2090.”(Energy 284). Air pollution causes these hot climates, resulting in many deaths from overheating.
Water pollution can be characterized as a point source or a non-point source. Point sources are distinct locations such as factories or sewage pipes that directly dump the population. Non-point source pollution can be an entire farm or a city where pollution is spread and is difficult to control. The result of wastewater is the sludge will foster an environment for bacteria to grow, resulting in the depletion of oxygen-rich water. The amount of oxygen in water defines the quality of water. The less BOD or biochemical oxygen demand, the better the water is. Bacteria, viruses, and parasites in polluted water are responsible for several diseases that humans receive when in contact. Cryptosporidium, a bacteria in water, has caused a number of outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness that can be fatal for those with a weak immune system. Cities, factories, wastewater treatment plants, septic systems, and farms all contribute to water pollution in one way or another. According to the Comparison of potential drinking water source contamination across one hundred U.S. cities by Sean W. D. Turner, Jennie S. Rice, Kristian D. Nelson, Chris R. Vernon, Ryan McManamay, Kerim Dickson & Landon Marston, “Approximately 5% of large cities rely on water that is composed primarily of runoff from non-pristine lands (e.g., agriculture, residential, industrial)” (Turner et al. 1). Nitrate is an element which is highly susceptible to leeching, where a substance is easily washed by water. If a site is disturbed, nitrate leeching can significantly impact rivers and streams. In some cases, high amounts of nitrates accumulate, and in a process known as denitrification, nitrates turn into a gas nitrous oxide. Turner et al. say that “almost none of the nation’s surface water is drinkable without treatment and health-based water quality violations affect up to 45 million people annually. Nitrates from agricultural runoff contaminate the water supplied to millions of U.S. residents and the number of water supply systems experiencing nitrate concentration violations is increasing” (Turner et al. 2). Chemicals and fertilizers from farms erode with rain. These pesticides accumulate in rivers, leading to eutrophication, which is the mass growth of algae in water, depleting water nutrients and oxygen levels. Eutrophication would result in the deaths of fish and other species in marine ecosystems.
With the increase in warm temperatures, a threat that faces the environment is wildfires that devastate much of the forest, the homes, and their inhabitants. Wildfires continue to spring up faster globally, especially in the northern and western parts of the United States. According to the book “Firestorm: How Wildfire Will Shape Our Future by Edward Struzik, “On average, more than seven thousand wildfires burn in Canada each year. The area burned has doubled since the 1970s when global temperatures began to rise in earnest, far faster in northern climes than in temperate regions.” (Struzik 8). The Horse River fire on May 1, 2016, was a case where a fire caused lightning strikes nearby, causing a chain reaction of fires; in the end, around 88,000 people were displaced from their homes. Fires like these are continuing to increase as urban and industrial land are counting to move closer to undisturbed wildlife. These fires also contribute significant Carbon emissions into the atmosphere, continuing a positive feedback loop where the globe gets warmer and more trees burn. The results of these fires are devastating for families. As Struzik points out, “The Miramachi fire in New Brunswick and Maine burned 2.9 million acres (1.2 million hectares) and killed twelve hundred people in 1825. The Peshtigo fire of 1871 burned eighteen towns and 1.2 million acres of trees and killed twelve hundred people in Wisconsin.” (Struzik 7). Addressing the dangers of wildfires requires comprehensive strategies, including better forest management, increased public awareness, and more robust policies to mitigate climate change.
The U.S.'s environmental dangers impact human health and the natural ecosystem. Air pollution, with its harmful pollutants, degrades the air quality, contributes to global warming, and impacts the health of many, causing lung cancer and asthma. Water contamination from various sources poses a risk to safe drinking water, with millions unknowingly risking their lives by drinking them. As a result of eutrophication, the water becomes deoxygenated, resulting in the deaths of marine wildlife. Wildfires driven by rising temperatures will continue to displace communities, cause widespread destruction, and release vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. Each of these issues highlights the need for comprehensive action to mitigate these dangers to the U.S. biodiversity. Developing policies that address issues such as water contamination and air pollution may help reduce the fatalities. As we move forward, we must collectively protect Earth and ensure a sustainable future for future generations.
Works Cited
Sean W. D. Turner et al. “Comparison of Potential Drinking Water Source Contamination across One Hundred U.S. Cities.” Nature communications 12.1 (2021): 1–12. Web.
Struzik, Edward. Firestorm How Wildfire Will Shape Our Future. 1st ed. 2017. Washington, DC: Island Press/Center for Resource Economics, 2017. Web.
National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council “Energy Futures and Urban Air Pollution Challenges for China and the United States.” 1st ed. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press, 2008. Print.
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