Single use plastic anything (shopping bags, water bottles, straws) are something frequently brought up when it comes to the topic of environmental issues. The production as well as the disposal of these products create a myriad of issues for our climate. To stop these issues, many places throughout the country have created bans on such products.

In my town, Great Barrington, plastic shopping bags were officially banned in 2016. The town adapted easily to this change. Most locals now bring their own reusable shopping bags, and paper bags are available for purchase at many stores. This seemed to be a great and easy solution to a widespread problem.

However, with recent events, the cleanliness and safety of almost everything is now being called into question. With the coronavirus outbreak, it is very important for us to be preventing the spread of germs and keeping to ourselves as much as possible. However, one of the few places that are much harder to stay away from is grocery stores. It is inevitable that people need to eat, which is why grocery stores are one of the few “essential businesses” that are allowed to continue operation.

This means, if people are still going to be frequenting grocery stores, it is important to make sure it is being done in the safest way possible, with minimal spreading of germs. This brings back up the use of reusable shopping bags, which can transmit the virus, and potentially carry it into the grocery stores. Due to this potential hazard, Governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker, put a ban on these reusable bags just two days ago. Many other areas throughout the country have formed a similar response.

Almost immediately after news was received of this ban, it was obvious something needed to be changed in my town (and many others across the country) as we we were now without disposable and reusable shopping bags. My town quickly lifted the ban on plastic bags, until further notice. They plan on reinstating this ban as soon as possible, whenever it is safe and acceptable to once again use reusable shopping bags.

The coronavirus is all anyone is talking about right now, and with good reason. It is a scary, new, and unknown situation for us all. What many people probably haven’t considered, however, is the effect that our social distancing due to the virus is having on the environment. Many posts have been popping up around social media comparing the importance of social distancing in this time to the importance of fighting climate change, but what if we could be doing both at once? The environmental footprint of the world essentially shutting down due to the virus is noticeable.

In countries including China, Italy, and South Korea, where significant measures have been taken to prevent the further spread of the disease, something else interesting has been noticed. Not only are these precautions effective at stopping the spread of coronavirus, they have significantly cut down the amount of pollution in these areas.

In northern Italy, which is the one of the most concentrated areas of coronavirus cases, the government put in place several restrictions in effort to stop the spread of the disease. Since these restrictions have been put in place, a drastic decrease in pollution picked up on satellite cameras has been seen in the same area. The same can be seen for China, where since lockdown policies have been enforced, the pollution levels have taken a significant drop.

Pictured above, quarantined areas in northern Italy.

The image above shows the pollution levels in China at this time last year vs. this year. As you can see, there is significantly less pollution present this year. A direct result of the policies put in place due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The most obvious explanation for why we are observing this is the reductions in transportation that the social distancing has called for. The biggest source of greenhouse emissions is from driving. Another large contributer is flying. With people staying at home, avoiding travel, and not going to work/school, the amount of transportation is vastly diminished. This means that all the pollution that typically comes from these means of transportations are simply not occurring.

While we are all worried about the spread of this disease, rightfully so, and the idea of staying locked inside sounds very unappealing, we can always look on the bright side, and see that not only are we preventing the spread of this awful disease by staying home, we are helping to heal our earth.

In the past, birth rate and death rate have typically been able to balance each other out, meaning the human population maintained a steady growth rate that was sustainable. However, several factor have changed which has lead to overpopulation. Overpopulation is defined as “an undesirable condition where the number of existing human population exceeds the carrying capacity of Earth” (Conserve-energy-future.com). Overpopulation has many negative effects on our Earth, and although effects underdeveloped countries more, its effects can be seen everywhere.

To begin to understand the effects of overpopulation, we should begin by looking at the causes. The most notable cause of overpopulation is a declining death rate and an increasing life expectancy. If there are more children being born than people dying, the population is going to be growing exponentially. One large contribution to the increasing separation between birth rates and death rates in the improvement of medical care and medical facilities. The medical industry has come a very long way in curing what used to be fatal diseases. With the invention of vaccines and medications, diseases that used to wipe out many, are now easily fought off.

In addition to a decline in death rate, we have also seen an increase in birth rate contribute to overpopulation. One reason for this changing number is the introduction of fertility treatments. People who were previously unable to have children can now try a wide array of methods to increase their chances of becoming parents. In addition, to coincide with the previous point, the development of medical facilities has made pregnancy and childbirth a safer process, resulting in fewer lost pregnancies. These two factors together have lead to an increasing birth rate. This increased birth rate coupled with the decreased death rate, overtime has lead to a vast over population.

For more information, data, and graphs like the one above, visit this website.

All of the causes of overpopulation are apparently positive aspects of human society today. However, we can not overlook the slew of negative consequences we face as a result of overpopulation. One effect of overpopulation is the depletion of natural resources. The Earth can only produce so much water and food. With more and more people, the Earth can not possibly keep up with the demands of nourishing this many people.

Overpopulation also leads to more conflicts among countries and people. With not enough resources to support all humans, conflict breaks out over the limited supply. The overpopulation also causes more diseases and allows them to spread much faster and become harder to control. We can see a clear example of this in the world right now with the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Overpopulation also leads to a rise in unemployment coupled with a higher cost of living. When there are more people, it only makes sense that there will be more unemployed people. There are only so many jobs, and too many people for everyone to find employment.

Soil degradation, as one would expect from the name, means the decline in soil quality. Quality can be defined by multiple factors including alkalinity, acidity, salinity, erosion, flooding, use of soil pollutants, and the deterioration of the soil’s structural condition. Soil degradation is caused mainly by land being used improperly, agriculture, and land being used for industrial and urban purposes. Soil degradation occurs naturally, however, human actions are largely responsible for catalyzing it.

Image source here

The occurrence of soil degradation can be blamed mostly on several large factors. The first factor being chemical components. These components include soil degradation due to chemical reasons including alkalinity or acidity. Changes in these chemical properties leads to the irreversible decrease in the soils nutrients.

The next factor contributing to soil degradation is deforestation. The presence of trees and other plants provides a shelter for soil. The plants act as a shield between the soil and erosion and toxins. During the process of deforestation, soil becomes more vulnerable as it no longer has the plants to act as protection.

The next few factors that contribute to soil degradation all directly relate to human actions: misuse of fertilizers (adds excess harmful pesticides and chemicals to the soil), urbanization (alters drainage pattern, compresses soil, and removes the vegetation), and finally overgrazing (which increases soil erosion by breaking down soil particles).

With all of these things causing soil degradation, it is important to look at the effects this is having.One of the most evident effects of soil degradation is land degradation. A decrease in soil quality causes land to be unable to regenerate. The erosion of soil and the use of chemical fertilizers has lead to 40% of the world’s agriculture land becoming unusable.

Soil degradation is also associated with increases in flood occurrence and severity. Soil is naturally capable fo holding significant water. However, when soil is damaged, it loses this ability and therefore contributes to more flooding.

Finally, soil degradation leads to pollution and the clogging of waterways. When soil is eroded from land, it, along with the fertilizers and pesticides, ends up in waterways. This not only leads to the clogging of the waterways and therefore scarcity of water, but also causes damage to freshwater ecosystems.

photo of soil erosion; source here

To read more about the effects of soil degradation, click here.

Acid rain is precipitation, including rain, snow, fog, hail, and dust, that contains acidic components, such as sulfuric acid or nitric acid. Acid rain is caused by sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides reach the atmosphere and mix with oxygen and other chemicals to form acid before falling back to the ground. There are several natural sources that can contribute to the presence of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere, however the majority results from one of the following three reasons:

1. Burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity
2. Vehicles and heavy equipment
3. Manufacturing, oil refineries, and other industries

Acid rain is not only an issue in the areas directly near one of the above three causes, because strong winds  blow the acidic components all over the atmosphere. For more information on the formation of acid rain read here.

Image source here

The image above shows the pH scale, which is used to measure acidity. The lower the number on the scale, the more acidic. As shown in the diagram, normal rain has an acidity of 5.6, while acid rain has an average acidity of 4.3, significantly lower.

Acid rain has a slew of negative effects – the most obvious being its effect on aquatic ecosystems. When environments such as streams, lakes, and marshes are hit with acid rain, it can be very harmful to fish and other organisms. Some of the plants and animals are able to tolerate a lower pH, however it will have an impact on the entire ecosystem. Many adult fish are able to sustain some acidity, although they will die at a very low pH, however most fish eggs can not hatch at a pH of 5 or lower. Other organisms can sustain a relatively low pH, such as frogs, but the animals that are their food source can not. Frogs rely on mayflies as a food source, but these will not be able to survive a pH below 5.5. The image below shows the critical pH levels for several aquatic animals.

Image source here

Acid rain also has a great negative impact on plants and trees. The presence of acid rain itself does not cause trees to die, however, its effects on trees does increase their risks. Acid rain leaches aluminum from the soil, which can be very harmful to plants. Acid rain also destroys the nutrients and minerals that are typically present in the soil, which trees need in order to grow. Acidic fog and clouds can also be responsible for killing trees’ leaves at high elevations. This decreases the trees ability to absorb sunlight, which again weakens them and increases their chances of dying.

Deforestation is the removal of trees from a forested area to make room for something else – other than trees. Since the beginning of the 20th century, over 3.9 million square miles of forest have been lost too deforestation. In the past 25 years alone, about 502,000 square miles of trees have been lost. In 2018, the Guardian repotted that every single second, an area the size of a soccer field worth of trees is lost.

Image source here

The reason behind the massive deforestation is, for the most part, agriculture. The most common reasons for deforestation are: beef, soy, palm oil, and wood products. Palm oil is the most common vegetable oil, and according to rainforest-rescue.org, is found in half of all supermarket products. The popularity of palm oil has lead to widespread deforestation in tropical areas. Rainforests are being destroyed in order to grow more palm trees. Shown below is a palm tree farm being grown where there once stood a rainforest.

Image source here

In 2015, the global palm oil market was valued at $65.73 billion, and is expected to hit $92.84 by 2021.

The most obvious effects of deforestation is its huge impact on wildlife and biodiversity that relies on these forests as a home. However, the effects of deforestation extend far beyond just this. The immediate impact of deforestation can be seen in the local areas where it is occurring. In many areas, forests provide essential benefits to human populations. These benefits include “erosion prevention, flood control, water filtration, fisheries protection, and pollination (Mongabay).  The loss of forests is having the largest immediate effect on poorer populations who rely on natural resources for survival. Forest loss also decreases the availability of resources such as timber, medicinal plants, nuts and fruit, and game.

Beyond these immediate consequences pf deforestation, there are long-term effects that effect the greater population on a larger scale. Many of these effects are harder to observe as they happen over longer time periods than the previously discussed immediate effects. Deforestation causes: reduced rainfall, increased air temperature, decreased CO2 absorption and therefor increased greenhouse gas emissions. These effects will have a significant and lasting effect on our climate and overall environment.

For more facts about deforestation, click here.

Air Pollution in the United States has been on the rise since 2016, before which they had been steadily declining. Research done by the National Bureau of Economic Research’s Environment and Energy Program concluded that between 2016 and 2018, air pollution was the cause of 9,700 premature deaths in the United States.

During this same timeframe, air pollution was found to increase by 5.5 percent. In addition to the United States air pollution issue, similar issues are being seen all over the world. In Europe, about 390,000 premature deaths are due to air pollution every single year. The increasing issue of poor air quality is a serious threat to people’s health. Beyond just the deaths linked to air pollution, there are many more cases linking air pollution to asthma, heart and lung disease, strokes, lung cancer, and respiratory infections.

Beyond health issues, air pollution is also to blame for serious damage to wildlife, irreversible damage to ecosystems, and the loss of biodiversity.

The National Bureau of Economic Research attributes the recent increase of air pollution to both the increase of wildfires, and the decrease of the Clean Air Act being enforced. The Clean Air Act is a federal law that is supposed to limit national air pollution. There was a 40 percent decline in recorded violations of the Clean Air Act between in 2016-2018. There is no way to tie this directly to a lack of enforcement, however paired with the increase in air pollution during the same time, it can be inferred.

Another factor that can be blamed for the increasing air pollution is the increase in industrial activities which have also been observed since 2016 – this is also a factor in accelerating climate change. Climate change in turn increases air pollution as it increases risk of wildfires and allows the release of harmful toxins. Air pollution and climate change fuel each other in a circular way. Air pollution contributes to climate change, and in turn climate change contributes to air pollution.

The environment has also been affected by enforcement of laws and other environmental regulations. To read more about that, follow this link.

The new year is a time to celebrate, stay up late and watch the ball drop, and start listing your new years resolutions. This past new year marked the start of a new decade and the end of the 2010s. This year, while making your new years resolutions, you may want to not only look forward to the coming decade, but reflect on the past one. The start of 2020 marks not only the end of the 2010s, but the end of the warmest decade that has ever been recorded (since global temperature records began in 1880), bringing to the light the critical and urgent effects of climate change.

This increased temperature over the past decade is not just an isolated occurrence. According to NASA’s Gavin Schmidt, “every decade since the 1960s clearly has been warmer than the one before.” 2019 was the second hottest year ever recorded, only trailing 2016 by a small margin. The increasing temperatures over the past decades is not without reason. The temperature is direct evidence of global warming, and can be linked directly to the actions of people.

The picture above shows how much temperatures have increased since the middle of the 20th century, in degrees celsius. Areas in darker red depict a more drastic increase than those in lighter shades and blue.

2019 was not only record breaking in its temperature, it was also the year to produce the highest amount of greenhouse gas emissions ever. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has hit a record high not ever seen before in all of human history. These findings are supported by not just one but four different organizations who all found similar results: NASA, Berkeley Earth, U.K. Met Office, and the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

The above image shows when various regions of the world experienced their hottest year. As you can see, for the majority of the planet, it was sometime during the previous decade. And for 36 countries (regions shown in yellow) 2019 was the hottest year to date.

The effects of the steadily increasing temperatures are widespread and significant. Global warming is responsible for fueling the wildfires in places such as California and Australia; it is responsible for melting permafrost, for causing more severe storms and floods, and destroying marine ecosystems, and therefore endangering wildlife who rely on the oceans.