World Regional Geography 110

Posted: August 25th, 2021

World Regional Geography 110

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World Regional Geography Student Project

Deforestation in the United States

Overview.Deforestation has remained a significant concern in tropical rain forests for over fifty years now. Even as forests continue to harbor a more substantial share of world’s biodiversity, their distribution is under threat of human invasion as a result of people’s greed: they are ready to clear, destroy, or deliberately remove the trees to create space for social and economic activities (“Effects of Deforestation”). Over the past fifty years, Amazon alone has lost 17% of its forest cover, mostly to give enough room for ranching (Rawles). Deforestation in the United States is growing in populated regions, near rivers and roads, though people have begun to invade distant locations of Amazon (Rawles). A report by World Wildlife indicated that as long as the human population can still initiate wildfires and depend entirely on agriculture, by 2030, over 420 million acres of forest could be lost.

Human Impacts of Deforestation.Forest constitutes 31% of the surface cover of our planet. Data from World Wildlife indicates that over 13.2 million people across the globe earn their living working in the forest sector (Rawles). Another 41 million, though not directly working in the forests, have their jobs associated with the woods (Rawles). Deforestation, therefore, will not only result in loss of employment by this population but then, it will lead to a more devastating outcome for the humans. Practically, deforestation has contributed to disrupted livelihoods. Around 1.25 billion people worldwide depend on forests for food security, water, and place to live,and over 60 million people constitute indigenous forest inhabitants (Rawles). Thus, destroying forests results in interference with this harmony, leading to more devastating impacts including global food shortage, hunger, and starvation.

Environmental Impacts of Deforestation.Ecological effects of deforestation originate from above or below the atmosphere. Destruction of trees and plant covers is a direct way of interfering with the quality of the ecosystem. Firstly, it leads to loss of habitat. Over 70% of land animals and plants reside in forests as their homes (“Effects of Deforestation”). However, most of them cannot survive in case deforestation destroys their shelter. In essence, trees havethe canopy which helps to stabilize temperatures, meaning that when cut or removed, the affected areas begin to experience temperature change which leads to a realignment of plant and animal population (“Effects of Deforestation”). Secondly, deforestation can also result in an increased greenhouse effect. Forests serve as carbon sinks, preventing over-accumulation of carbon dioxide gas. Thus, forest degradation and deforestation are the cause of over 15% of the total greenhouse gas emissions, which leads to changes in weather patterns and severe weather incidents as well as annual temperatures rising (Rawles). Soil erosion is another threat to the integrity of the ecosystem. Ideally, deforestation has never had and will not have anything positive for the people who facilitate it.

Solution to Deforestation.Due to the devastating outcome of deforestation for humans and the environment, the United States’ government agencies together with local communities, some academic institutions, and individual companies have developed approaches meant to revamp the ecosystem. Place-based conservation is the central strategy ideal for reduction of irresponsible expansion of agricultural operations in areas covered by forests, especially in Amazon (Rawles). In addition, the other ecosystem strategy under consideration is the creation of sustainable infrastructure to address challenges associated with infrastructural-related drivers of deforestation (Rawles). Furthermore, the key players can integrate mechanisms that will lower over-reliance on the forest for wood and charcoal. Instead, the production of bioenergy should be focused on residues, wastes, and scrap wood as alternatives (Rawles). This approach will work best if policymakers enforce lasting policy guidelines and repercussions where necessary.

Runoff in the United States

Overview.Runoff occurs whenever there is a surplus volume of water that the soil can no longer absorb. The excess water on land surface flows into other water bodies including ponds and streams (”Runoff”). In most cases, while natural factors like volcanic eruptions can result in surface runoff, human activities are the leading cause of this problem. In the United States, for instance, areas around Amazon jungle experience persistent storms which are responsible for the runoffs (”Runoff”). It is possible to assess the impacts of surface runoff depending on whether it erodes soil or chemicals into rivers and creeks.

Impacts of Runoff on People.First, runoff is an economic threat. People doing agribusiness as their primary source of income lose significant amounts of money every year (”Runoff”). Since runoff involves excess water flowing on the earth’s surface, it erodes and washes away topsoil that anchors crops and other plants (”Runoff”). By losing the topsoil, most agricultural lands in the affected areas become infertile and less productive. Farmers living around Amazon forests have been losing tons of topsoil after every storm, which prompts them to divert to fertilizer-supported farming, equally dangerous for the integrity of the soil (”Runoff”). Fertilizers are similarly dangerous as they lower the fertility of the land and affect the level of biodiversity in the ground, making it less aerated.

Impacts of Runoff on Environment.Secondly, some runoffs carry with them toxic substances dangerous for human, plant, and animal survival. For instance, volcanic eruptions are known to emit poisonous gases which dissolve in streams causing health problems to human and animal population (”Runoff”). Other chemicals including fertilizers and other farm inputs also gain their way into rivers, streams, and other passageways, causing more harm to the aquatic ecosystem (”Runoff”). It has become a common trend in the United States that after every storm, the environmental agencies close beaches in California all through New Jersey to prevent people from ingesting the dangerous materials swept by water (”Runoff”). Overall, the runoff avails environmental pollutants into the space allowing biomagnification, a sign that no organism, human or animal are safe.

Solutions to Runoff in the United States.Human activities serve as the central point of focus when dealing with the impacts of runoff on the ecosystem. Farmers and gardeners are in a better position to prevent cases of runoff pollution by limiting the amount of fertilizers they use for agricultural activities including weeding and planting (”Runoff”). In most cases, soil plays a critical role in filtering the excess chemicals that would otherwise fill the surface or flow into waterways. It is, therefore, advisable to avoid impervious surfaces, particularly in urban setups (”Runoff”). Lastly, planting of cover crops and supporting the growth of shrubs on the surfaces will be helpful for the people living around the runoff-prone areas since it will prevent eroded materials from reaching waterways (”Runoff”). All these interventions have lasting benefits for the environment as a whole.

Air Pollution in the United States

Overview.The United States has shown a long-standing concern to improve the quality of air for its citizens. Following the enactment of the Clean Air Act fifty years ago, the country has achieved positive trends in dealing with dangers associated with air pollution (Sullivan et al. 69). Some of the examples include removal of tetraethyl lead from gasoline which facilitated lead contamination (Sullivan et al. 69). Through environmental monitoring and research, the U.S. has managed to enhance visibility. Finally, the country has managed to control, to a lesser extent, the risks associated with airborne particulate matter that has been harmful to the human population.

Impacts of Air Population on Human Beings.Globally, air pollution contributes significantly to cases of early deaths of most people in the affected regions, particularly in highly industrialized urban centers. Outdoor exposure to contaminated air is responsible for most respiratory diseases, including asthma (Sullivan et al. 72). Other ailments targeting such a susceptible population range from lung cancer to cardiovascular-related conditions (Sullivan et al. 72). Overall, air pollution undermines the social benefits and economic viability of the affected people. Before the enactment of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. had been losing a significant amount of money in dealing with mortality and human health cases (Sullivan et al. 72). Fortunately, this trend has since reversed.

Environmental Impact of Air Pollution in the U.S.In general, air pollution has a degrading effect on the quality of ecosystems. In the past, the unfavorable atmosphere undermined the wellbeing of organisms, plants, higher animals, and human beings, affecting the healthy ecosystem together with its economic and cultural benefits (Sullivan et al. 72). Lack of quality air then interfered with the distribution of forestry in the United States, reduced the frequency of tourism visits, and increased the greenhouse effect (Sullivan et al. 72). Nevertheless, the country has made several positive attempts which have collectively mitigated these impacts in the past few years.

The solution to Air Pollution.Management of air pollution is not an easy venture for the United States. It has been a journey of several years with advancement in policy enforcement and environmental condition assessment (Sullivan et al. 69). The strategies to regulate excess emission of harmful gases were developed nearly half a century ago. So far, the United States has made progress by reducing levels of mercury bioaccumulation, improving visibility by eliminating haze, and maintaining low levels ozone to prevent its severity on the ecosystem (Sullivan et al. 71). In general, whereas the country is still experiencing some challenges with the quality of air, it stands a better chance in its war against air pollution.

Works Cited

“Effects of Deforestation”. The Pachamama Alliance, https://www.pachamama.org/effects-of-deforestation. Accessed 19 Apr 2019.

Rawles, Simon. “Deforestation and Forest Degradation”. World Wildlife Fund, https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation-and-forest-degradation. Accessed 19 Apr 2019.

“Runoff”. National Geographic, https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/runoff/. Accessed 19 Apr 2019.

Sullivan, Timothy J., et al. “Air Pollution Success Stories in the United States: The Value of Long-Term Observations.” Environmental Science & Policy, vol. 84, 2018, pp. 69-73. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901117312352. Accessed 19 Apr 2019.