Ecological resources include various components of the environment that create balance in nature. These include: earth, man, air, flora and fauna, geological formations and much more. In general, it can be argued that environmental resources are divided into 3 large groups: organisms, substances and the energy that binds them.

In the modern world, there is no balance between environmental components, which is why man-made disasters, natural disasters, and health problems among the planet's population are observed. What is the biggest threat to Earth right now?

Air pollution

Air is the basis of life for any person: it contains oxygen vital for breathing, and it also receives carbon dioxide from the lungs, which plants process.

Unfortunately, it is into the air that most of the waste from the work of factories, machines, and household appliances enters. Atmospheric pollution is a global environmental resource problem.

Due to the fact that the air contains substances uncharacteristic for it, the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere is destroyed. This leads to strong ultraviolet radiation, which leads to an increase in the temperature of the planet.

In addition, an excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases the greenhouse effect, which also contributes to rising temperatures, melting glaciers, and drying up previously fertile soils.

In many cities, the content of harmful substances in the air is exceeded, therefore the number of patients with cancer, respiratory diseases and heart diseases is increasing. Only by taking an ecological resource under protection, it is possible to achieve a weakening of dangerous influences.

All participants in polluting industries must take measures to install treatment facilities and traps of harmful substances. The scientific community must join forces to find alternative energy sources that will not pollute the atmosphere when burned. Even an ordinary city dweller can contribute to air protection by simply changing from car to bicycle.

Noise pollution

Each city is a whole mechanism that does not stop even for a minute. Every day there are thousands of cars on the roads, hundreds of factories and dozens of construction sites. Noise is an inevitable ally of any human activity, and in a metropolis it turns into a real enemy.

Scientists have proven that constant noise affects the psychological state of a person, his hearing organs and even the heart, sleep is disturbed, and depression occurs. Children and pensioners are especially affected.

It is very difficult to reduce the noise level, because it is impossible to block all roads and close factories, but it is possible to reduce its impact on a person, for this you need:

• Personal protective equipment for workers in hazardous industries.
• Green spaces around noise sources. Trees will take on noise vibrations, thereby saving residents of nearby houses.
• Competent development of the city, which will exclude the passage of busy avenues next to residential buildings. Bedrooms should face opposite sides of the road.

light pollution

Many do not even realize that light is a source of pollution, if it is of anthropogenic origin.

There are thousands of lighting devices in cities that are installed for ease of movement at night, but doctors have long been sounding the alarm, because due to the fact that in settlements there is light almost around the clock, people's health is undermined, and the animal world is suffering.

It has long been known that a person lives according to biological rhythms. The change of day and night is the main lever for controlling the internal clock, but due to constant lighting, the body begins to get confused when to go to bed and when to get up. The rest regime is disturbed, diseases grow, nervous breakdowns appear.

What can we say about animals that, focusing on the light of cities, go astray, die, crashing against buildings.

Light pollution is one of the world's environmental problems, and the ways to solve them in different cities can be different: the introduction of curfew hours without light, the use of street lamps with caps that will not scatter light in vain, the mode of saving light in buildings and simply turning off the lights where it is used solely for the sake of beauty.

Nuclear pollution

Radioactive fuel is good and evil for mankind. On the one hand, the benefits of using it are great, on the other hand, there are catastrophically many victims of it.

Radiation pollution is present in the natural background from metal rocks in the soil, as well as from the very core of the planet. But everything that goes beyond the permissible, causes extraordinary harm to nature. Gene mutations, radiation sickness, soil contamination are the consequences of the interaction of man and radioactive substances.

The preservation of ecological natural resources and the human being himself will be possible only when atomic weapons are not used and tested, and radiation waste from production is disposed of in even safer storage facilities.

Global warming

Climate change has long been regarded as an environmental problem in its own right. The consequences of human activity are simply horrifying: glaciers are melting, the oceans are warming, and the water level rises in them, new diseases appear, animals move to other latitudes, desertification occurs and fertile lands disappear.

The reason for this effect is active human activity, as a result of which emissions appear, forests are cut down, water is polluted, and the areas of cities increase.

Solution:

1. Use of new technologies that conserve environmental resources.
2. Increase in the area of ​​green spaces.
3. Search for non-standard solutions for removing harmful substances from air, soil and water.

So, for example, scientists are now developing a technology for capturing and storing carbon dioxide underground.

Landfills

The further a person develops, the more he uses ready-made consumer goods. Tons of labels, packaging, boxes, used equipment are taken out of the settlements every day, and every day the amount of waste is only growing.

Under now, simply catastrophically huge areas are involved. Some are even visible from space. Scientists are sounding the alarm: pollution of the soil, air, land in places where garbage is stored has a very strong effect on the environment, all components of nature suffer, including humans.

This can only be defeated by the introduction of waste recycling technologies everywhere, as well as by ensuring the transition to fast-degradable packaging material.

In order for future generations to live in a safe world, it is necessary to think about serious environmental problems for all and ways to solve them. Only by uniting the efforts of all countries, it is possible to reverse the catastrophic situation in ecology. Unfortunately, many states are not ready to sacrifice economic benefits for the sake of their children and grandchildren.

The right to a favorable environment is enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. This regulation is enforced by a number of authorities:

• Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia;
• Rosprirodnadzor and its territorial departments;
• environmental prosecutor's office;
• executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in the field of ecology;
• a number of other departments.

But it would be more logical to consolidate the obligation of everyone to conserve natural resources, minimize consumption waste, and respect nature. A person has many rights. What does nature have? Nothing. Only the obligation to satisfy ever-growing human needs. And this consumer attitude leads to environmental problems. Let's take a look at what it is and how to improve the status quo.

The concept and types of environmental problems

Ecological problems are interpreted in different ways. But the essence of the concept comes down to one thing: it is the result of a thoughtless, soulless anthropogenic impact on the environment, which leads to a change in the properties of landscapes, depletion or loss of natural resources (minerals, flora and fauna). And a boomerang is reflected in the life and health of a person.

Environmental problems affect the entire natural system. Based on this, several types of this problem are distinguished:

• Atmospheric. In the atmospheric air, most often in urban areas, there is an increased concentration of pollutants, including particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxide, carbon monoxide. Sources - road transport and stationary objects (industrial enterprises). Although, according to the State Report “On the state and protection of the environment of the Russian Federation in 2014”, the total amount of emissions decreased from 35 million tons / year in 2007 to 31 million tons / year in 2014, the air is not getting cleaner. The dirtiest Russian cities by this indicator are Birobidzhan, Blagoveshchensk, Bratsk, Dzerzhinsk, Yekaterinburg, and the cleanest are Salekhard, Volgograd, Orenburg, Krasnodar, Bryansk, Belgorod, Kyzyl, Murmansk, Yaroslavl, Kazan.
• Water. There is depletion and pollution of not only surface, but also groundwater. Take, for example, the "great Russian" river Volga. The waters in it are characterized as "dirty". The norm of the content of copper, iron, phenol, sulfates, organic substances is exceeded. This is due to the operation of industrial facilities that throw untreated or insufficiently treated effluents into the river, the urbanization of the population - a large proportion of domestic effluents through biological treatment facilities. The decrease in fish resources was influenced not only by the pollution of rivers, but also by the construction of a cascade of hydroelectric power stations. Even 30 years ago, even near the city of Cheboksary, it was possible to catch the Caspian beluga, but now nothing larger than a catfish will come across. It is possible that the annual actions of hydropower engineers to launch fry of valuable fish species, such as sterlet, will someday bring tangible results.
• Biological. Resources such as forests and pastures are degrading. They mentioned fish resources. As for the forest, we have the right to call our country the largest forest power: a quarter of the area of ​​​​all forests in the world grows in our country, half of the country's territory is occupied by tree vegetation. We need to learn how to treat this wealth more carefully in order to save it from fires, to identify and punish “black” lumberjacks in a timely manner.

Fires are most often the work of human hands. It is possible that in this way someone is trying to hide traces of the illegal use of forest resources. Perhaps it is no coincidence that Rosleskhoz includes the Zabaikalsky, Khabarovsk, Primorsky, Krasnoyarsk Territories, the Republics of Tyva, Khakassia, Buryatia, Yakutia, the Irkutsk, Amur Regions, and the Jewish Autonomous Region as the most “burning” areas. At the same time, huge funds are spent on extinguishing fires: for example, over 1.5 billion rubles were spent in 2015. There are also good examples. Thus, the republics of Tatarstan and Chuvashia did not allow a single forest fire in 2015. There is someone to take an example from!

• Land . We are talking about the depletion of the subsoil, the development of minerals. To save at least part of these resources, it is enough to recycle waste as much as possible and send it for reuse. Thus, we will contribute to the reduction of landfill area, and enterprises can save on quarrying by using recycled materials in production.
• Soil - geomorphological. Active agriculture leads to gully formation, soil erosion, and salinization. According to the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia, as of January 1, 2014, almost 9 million hectares of agricultural land were subject to degradation, of which over 2 million hectares were degraded. If erosion occurs as a result of land use, then the soil can be helped: by terracing, creating forest belts to protect against wind, changing the type, density and age of vegetation.
• Landscape. Deterioration of the state of individual natural-territorial complexes.

Modern world environmental problems

Local and global environmental problems are closely interrelated. What happens in a particular region is ultimately reflected in the general situation around the world. Therefore, the solution of environmental issues must be approached comprehensively. First, let's highlight the main global environmental problems:

• . As a result, protection from ultraviolet radiation is reduced, which leads to various diseases in the population, including skin cancer.
• Global warming. Over the past 100 years, there has been an increase in the temperature of the surface layer of the atmosphere by 0.3-0.8°C. The area of ​​snow in the north has decreased by 8%. There was a rise in the level of the world ocean up to 20 cm. For 10 years, the growth rate of the average annual temperature in Russia amounted to 0.42°C. This is twice as much as the rate of increase in the global temperature of the Earth.
• . Every day we inhale about 20 thousand liters of air saturated not only with oxygen, but also containing harmful suspended particles and gases. So, if we take into account that there are 600 million cars in the world, each of which emits up to 4 kg of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, soot and zinc into the atmosphere every day, then by simple mathematical calculations we come to the conclusion that the fleet emits 2.4 billion kg of harmful substances. We should not forget about emissions from stationary sources. Therefore, it is not surprising that every year over 12.5 million people (and this is the population of the whole of Moscow!) die from diseases associated with poor ecology.

• . This problem leads to pollution of water bodies and soils with nitric and sulfuric acids, cobalt and aluminum compounds. As a result, crop yields are falling and forests are dying. Toxic metals get into drinking water and poison us.
• . 85 billion tons of waste per year, humanity needs to be stored somewhere. As a result, the soil under authorized and unauthorized landfills is contaminated with solid and liquid industrial waste, pesticides, and household waste.
• . The main pollutants are oil and oil products, heavy metals and complex organic compounds. In Russia, the ecosystems of rivers, lakes, reservoirs are preserved at a stable level. The taxonomic composition and structure of communities do not undergo significant changes.

Ways to improve the environment

No matter how deep modern environmental problems penetrate, their solution depends on each of us. So what can we do to help nature?

• Use of an alternative fuel or alternative vehicle. To reduce harmful emissions into the atmospheric air, it is enough to switch the car to gas or transfer to an electric car. A very environmentally friendly way to travel by bike.
• Separate collection. It is enough to install two waste containers at home in order to effectively introduce separate collection. The first is for non-recyclable waste, and the second is for subsequent transfer to recycling. The cost of plastic bottles, waste paper, glass is becoming more expensive, so separate collection is not only environmentally friendly, but also economical. By the way, while in Russia the volume of waste generation is twice as high as the volume of waste use. As a result, the amount of waste in landfills triples in five years.
• Moderation. In everything and everywhere. An effective solution to environmental problems involves the rejection of the consumer society model. A person does not need 10 boots, 5 coats, 3 cars, etc. to live. It is easy to switch from plastic bags to eco-bags: they are stronger, the service life is much longer, and the cost is about 20 rubles. Many hypermarkets offer eco-bags under their own brand: Magnit, Auchan, Lenta, Karusel, etc. Everyone can independently evaluate what he can easily refuse.
• Ecological education of the population. Participate in environmental campaigns: plant a tree in the yard, go to the restoration of forests affected by fires. Take part in the Saturday. And nature will thank you with the rustle of leaves, a light breeze ... Raise in your children a love for all living things and teach competent behavior on a walk in the forest, on the street.
• Join the ranks of environmental organizations. Do not know how to help nature and preserve a favorable environment? Join the ranks of environmental organizations! These can be the global environmental movements Greenpeace, the Wildlife Fund, the Green Cross; Russian: All-Russian Society for Conservation of Nature, Russian Geographical Society, ECA, Separate COLLECTION, Green Patrol, RosEco, Non-Governmental Environmental Fund named after V.I. you!

Nature is one, there will never be another. Already today, by starting to solve environmental problems together, by combining the efforts of citizens, the state, public organizations and commercial enterprises, it is possible to improve the world around us. Many people are concerned about environmental issues, because how we treat them today depends on the conditions in which our children will live tomorrow.

According to world studies, the country is included in the list of the most polluted countries in the world. The difficult ecological situation entails a poor quality of life and adversely affects the general condition of citizens. The reason for the emergence of problems of environmental pollution is the dynamic desire of a person to influence the environment. In response to the selfish actions of the most rational being, nature aggressively repays what they deserve. The ecological situation in Russia needs to be resolved as soon as possible, otherwise there will be a serious imbalance between the person and the environment.

The geographic environment needs to be divided into two component categories. The first includes the habitat of living beings, the second - nature as a colossal storehouse of resources. The task of mankind is to learn how to extract minerals without violating the integrity of the objective environment.

Pollution of the environment, irrational use of materials, thoughtless extermination of flora and fauna - these mistakes are top-priority for the Russian Federation and have existed for a long time. Large industrial enterprises, agricultural corporations and the individual desire of a person to maximize the provision of needs become the main argument in the case of an extremely alarming environmental situation (see). Insufficient desire to resolve a difficult situation involves the state in a greater crisis. The main environmental problems in Russia are as follows:

The government has practically left the activities of corporations involved in uncontrolled. To date, the situation has deteriorated sharply in the north-west of the country and in the regions of Siberia, where hundreds of hectares of trees are being destroyed. Forests are being modified in order to create agricultural plots in their place. This provokes the displacement of many species of flora and fauna from the areas that are their real home. With any form of cutting down the green zone, 40% of wood is an irretrievable loss. Reforestation is difficult: a planted tree needs 10 to 15 years to fully grow. In addition, legislative permission is often required for restoration (see).

Energy objects are among the bases that intensively depress the biosphere. Currently, the methods of extraction of electrical or thermal resources are focused on the prospect of operation, while in the former periods the course was directed towards minimizing financial costs. Each energy facility accumulates a huge risk of causing significant damage to our planet. Even the regulation of the limits of negative impacts is not able to fully eliminate the danger.

Extracting useful resources, a person clogs groundwater, soil and atmosphere. Animals and plants are forced to live in unsuitable conditions. Oil being transported on ships spills, resulting in the death of many creatures. A colossal amount of harm is caused by the process of mining coal and gas. Radiation pollution pose a threat and change the environment. These environmental problems in Russia will cause irreparable damage to the country if no significant measures are taken.

Interesting! On the territory of the Gulf of Finland is the largest oil "dump" of the country. Pollution covers nearby soils and groundwater. There are alarming statements: a large percentage of drinking water on the territory of the state is no longer suitable for consumption.

Polluted reservoirs do not allow the use of the life-giving element to feed creatures. Industrial enterprises dump waste into the aquatic environment. In Russia, there are a small number of treatment facilities, and much of the equipment is out of order, and this exacerbates the problem. As water is polluted, it becomes scarce, which leads to the death of ecosystems.

Industrial facilities are the main sources of air pollution. According to the testimony of special services, a quarter of the waste of all production is thrown into the environment. Most residents of large metallurgical cities daily breathe air overflowing with heavy metals. A fly in the ointment in this case is added by vehicle exhaust gases.

There are more than four hundred nuclear reactors in the world, 46 of them are located on the territory of the Russian Federation. Nuclear explosions that irradiate water, soil, and organisms produce radioactive contamination. The danger also comes from the operation of stations, and leakage is possible during transportation. Dangerous rays also come from certain rocks (uranium, thorium, radium) that lie deep under the ground.

Only 4% of all garbage in Russia is recycled, the rest is transformed into huge landfills that provoke the emergence of epidemics and infectious diseases in animals living nearby. People do not strive to keep their own home, city, country clean, so there is a huge risk of infection (see).

Poaching in Russia is the most important problem, the essence of which is the unauthorized extraction of natural resources. Criminals, despite the attempts of the state to suppress any falsehood, cleverly disguise themselves with false licenses and avoid punishment. Fines for poaching are fundamentally inconsistent with the harm done. Many breeds and varieties of nature are difficult to restore.

How are environmental problems solved in Russia?

In our state, supervision over the extraction of minerals has been significantly weakened, despite the fact that the preservation and improvement of the environment is in the first place. The developed laws and local documentation do not have sufficient power to work effectively, completely leveling or reducing the main environmental problems in Russia.

Interesting! The Ministry of Ecology of the Russian Federation, reporting directly to the government, has existed since 2008. It has a large amount of activity towards improving the quality of local systems. However, there is no body in the country that would control the implementation of laws, so the ministry remains in a suspended and passive state.

The government, however, is carrying out organized measures aimed at resolving the situation in the most unfavorable industrial regions of the Russian Federation. It uses innovative technologies, strengthens the monitoring of large-scale facilities, and introduces energy-saving procedures into production.

A comprehensive approach to the problem is needed, including promising actions in all areas of human life and society. The cardinal resolution of the environmental situation in the Russian Federation includes the following categories:

The legal system creates a large body of environmental laws. International experience plays an important role here.

Eliminating the consequences of the irrational use of the planet's resources requires considerable financial support.

The use of new technologies in industry will reduce environmental pollution. The main goal of development is the creation of environmentally friendly energy. Special plants allow you to dispose of waste with the highest percentage of utility. Consequently, the extra territory is not occupied, and the energy from combustion is used for the needs of industry.

Landscaping of settlements will bring benefits. It is necessary to plant trees near places of high pollution, as well as carry out measures to protect the soil from erosion. (cm. )

The plans consider reducing the amount of household waste, wastewater treatment. Modern technologies make it possible to achieve a transition from oil and coal to sources based on solar and hydropower. Biofuels significantly reduce the concentration of harmful elements in the atmosphere.

An important task is to teach the population of the Russian Federation to take care of the environment.

The decision to switch vehicles to gas, electricity and hydrogen will reduce emissions of toxic exhaust. A technique for obtaining nuclear energy from water is under development.

Expert Opinion - Environmental Issues and Corporations

Nowadays, the topic of environmental protection is heard more and more often, many countries are concerned about water, soil and air pollution, deforestation and global warming. In Russia, new norms in the field of construction and regulation of emissions, social movements and programs are emerging. This is certainly a positive trend. However, all this solves only part of the problems. It is necessary to develop and stimulate voluntary efforts to reduce the burden on the environment, including among large companies.

Environmental responsibility of mining and manufacturing corporations

Mining and manufacturing corporations have a particularly high potential for causing environmental damage, therefore, as a rule, significant resources are directed to the implementation of an environmental program.

For example, the SIBUR corporation holds numerous subbotniks throughout Russia, and the Gazprom group invested more than 22 billion rubles last year. on environmental protection, the AVTOVAZ group reported on its success in reducing harmful production emissions and reducing the volume of solid waste. Environmental responsibility is an international practice.

For the last 5 years, 3M International Corporation has been conducting an annual environmental audit to assess the effectiveness of its sustainable development policy. One of its first points is the economical use of wood and mineral resources, including by increasing the use of recycled materials. 3M, a member of the international association The Forest Trust, also motivates many other companies to protect the bowels of the Earth by raising environmental requirements for their suppliers.

On the other hand, manufacturing corporations can help preserve the environment by inventing and introducing sustainable products. An example is special coating for solar panels, invented by 3M, to improve the efficiency and lifespan of these renewable energy sources.

Application of an integrated approach while preserving the environment

Tangible results are achievable with the implementation of an integrated approach, which implies the leveling of all manageable factors that negatively affect the environment.

For example, it is not enough to organize tree planting in the fight against global warming. Companies must also reduce the consumption of greenhouse gases that live in the atmosphere for years, including halon used in refrigeration, fire fighting and chemical production.

Example. An adult tree on average absorbs 120 kg of CO2 per year, and the release of 1 cylinder with fire extinguishing freon will be several tons of CO2 equivalent. That is, the choice of an ecological fire extinguishing system, for example, with Novek® 1230 FOFS, which has a minimum global warming potential, will be equal in effect to planting a small park of trees.

The complexity of an effective nature conservation program lies in taking into account and prioritizing all factors affecting the environment. The task of the professional community is to form a center of competence, a set of ready-made environmental solutions that will be convenient for companies to implement and use.

International environmental organizations in Russia

A whole complex of specialized structures for environmental protection operates in the country. These organizations coordinate security specifics regardless of the political situation. Russia participates in the work of a large number of international structures for the protection of the environment. These organizations are strictly divided into areas of interest. Below is a list of systems operating in the Russian Federation.

• The UN has developed a special UNEP program that protects nature from inappropriate use.
• WWF - International is the largest organization protecting biological resources. They provide financial support for the protection, development and training of such structures.
• GEF - created to help developing countries in solving environmental problems.
• Active since the beginning of the 70s, UNESCO supports peace and environmental security in the country, and also deals with regulations on the development of culture and science.
• The FAO organization functions in the direction of improving the quality of agricultural crafts and the extraction of natural resources.
• Arc is an environmental movement that promotes the idea of ​​selling food and goods that do not litter or pollute the environment.
• WCP is a program that develops methods for long-term climate change and its improvement.
• WHO is an organization whose goal is to achieve the best living conditions for humanity on the planet by monitoring the use of resources.
• WSOP - the program accumulates the experience of all states and builds ways to resolve problems.
• WWW is a service that collects information on meteorological conditions in all countries.

The work of international environmental organizations in Russia helps to increase the national interest in cleansing the native land and to increase the overall level of cleanliness of the environment.

Interesting! Distrust of the authorities, accusations of espionage, the ban on obtaining proper information hinder the activities of these structures. Domestic systems do not want to spend money on environmental protection activities and do not accept the essence of environmental management, for which international institutions are convened.

Specialists of the social structure conducted a survey on this topic. Based on the results, lists of favorable and unfavorable cities were compiled. The course of the study was formed on the opinions of residents who distributed 100 items. Respondents rate the situation as a whole at 6.5 points.

• The most environmentally friendly city in Russia is Sochi. Second place goes to Armavir. These settlements have excellent climatic features with clean air, sea and a lot of vegetation. In these cities, the desire of the inhabitants themselves to build gazebos, flower beds or front gardens is noted.
• Sevastopol took the third place. The metropolis is distinguished by a variety of flora, a small amount of transport and a fresh atmosphere.
• The top ten environmental favorites include: Kaliningrad, Grozny, Stavropol, Saransk, Nalchik, Korolev and Cheboksary. The capital is located on the 12th place, and St. Petersburg - in the middle of the third ten.

Rating of Russian cities by ecology 2017 - the dirtiest megacities

Here are the settlements, which were originally planned as industrial. Despite the efforts of the authorities, the situation in these cities remains virtually unchanged.

• The respondents placed Bratsk on the last, 100th place in the list. Respondents note the huge amount of garbage on the streets and the minimum number of green spaces. People living here constantly smell emissions.
• Novokuznetsk is on the 99th place. The "coal capital" of Russia is experiencing a glut of heavy metals in the atmosphere. It is difficult for residents to breathe in calm weather, there is always a thick smog.
• Chelyabinsk closes the top three outsiders of the environmental rating. Respondents note poor water quality and dirty oxygen. Magnitogorsk, Makhachkala, Krasnoyarsk and Omsk are next to each other on the list.

Expert opinion – Experience of other countries in addressing environmental problems

Alexander Levin, Executive Director of the Fund for Support of Foreign Economic Activity of the Moscow Region

In my opinion, when solving environmental problems in our country, it is necessary to adopt the experience, first of all, of the countries of the European Union, in particular, such as Denmark, Germany, Austria. These states are focusing on improving the efficiency of enterprises, cleaning emissions into the atmosphere and recycling wastewater.

In addition, in Europe a lot of attention is paid to the recycling of raw materials, as well as the creation of renewable energy sources. In Russia, the problem is the elementary lack of industrial treatment facilities and storm water treatment facilities. There is also a technological backwardness of the existing reconstruction processes. I think that now we need to increase funding for activities related to the reconstruction of such facilities in the structure of housing and communal services and the road sector, as well as to subsidize the creation of a new treatment infrastructure where it does not exist. This is the only way we can save water resources on the territory of our country.

Solving environmental problems in Russia is a priority task not only for government agencies, but also for the population, which must reconsider their own views on the preservation and protection of the surrounding world.

The goal of the science of ecology is to study the relationship between plants and animals with their physical and biological environments. The task of ecology today is not only the study of various living organisms and the environment in which they live, but also careful conservation of the ecosystem with its natural circulation.

The deterioration of the general ecological situation in the modern world is a great risk not only for fauna and flora, but also for people. Examples of environmental problems are numerous. Pollution of water bodies is the biggest danger to the life and health of the entire population of the planet. The water is polluted with sewage: pathogens, chemicals and toxic substances. Dirty drains cause infectious diseases and other diseases. How are these and other problems solved?

In contact with

The relevance of the environmental problem

The farther, the environmental problems in the vast modern world are becoming more open. Their relevance is obvious, so ecology has become public term despite its original scientific nature. The term "ecology" was first used in 1866 by the German biologist Ernst Heinrich Haeckel and is derived from the Greek word for "house" and refers to the study of economy in nature.

In order to understand the state of the environment, it is necessary to distinguish between physical and biological environment. The term "physical environment" means:

• light;
• warm;
• atmosphere;
• water;
• wind;
• oxygen;
• the soil;
• carbon.

The biological environment consists of plants and animals.

The role of ecology in the modern world

Modern ecology is associated with Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution and natural selection, where Darwin pointed out a strong connection between animals and natural habitats.

But this connection is weakening because people think more about how to satisfy their needs. Top takes consumer attitude to natural resources. The plans of people usually do not include caring for plants and animals.

What is the role of ecology today? Lack of concern for our planet is the main reason why so many endangered animal species.

Pollution can be seen in all corners of the world. But still, the number of supporters of environmental protection in the modern world is growing, and we can also join and make our small contribution to the common cause.

The ecological situation has a quantitative, emotional or qualitative assessment. If the environmental situation requires improve or prevent then it is an environmental problem. Each person can make a small contribution to the elimination of the environmental problem in his locality if he sorts garbage before disposal. Everything starts small. We have only one planet, and we cannot change it.

Important! Ecology is a complex and comprehensive discipline, very demanding on other areas of science: hydrology, climatology, oceanography, chemistry, geology.

The environmental problems of our time can be summarized as the following list:

1. Insufficient water supply.
2. Wastewater.
3. radioactive waste.
4. Loss of green areas.
5. The expansion of urban areas.
6. Soil pollution poisons and chemicals.
7. Air pollution from industrial waste.
8. Vehicle exhaust gases.
9. Noise of railway transport.

All these problems are found in countries where there is conflict between short-term economic plan and environmental protection.

Environmental issues at the local level

Environmental pollution is local, regional and global, depending on the extent of pollution. Local environmental problems include several types:

Loss of biodiversity

It took millions of years for the ecosystem to improve natural processes. Pollination of plants in a natural way is of great importance for the survival of the ecosystem.

With deforestation now are under threat certain types animal and plant world. An example of a problem is the destruction of coral reefs in the oceans that support abundant marine life.

Human activity leads to the disappearance of certain species of animals, plants and their habitats, which leads to loss of biological diversity.

Waste recycling

Excessive consumption of resources by people creates a global crisis - waste disposal.

• In the process of human life, an excessive amount of garbage is obtained, which enters underground and open water bodies.
• Disposal of waste from the military industry (nuclear waste) is associated with a huge threat to public health.
• Plastic and electronic waste also threatens human health.

Recycling them remains life problem for the environment.

Air and water pollution

A huge concentration of industrial production, road transport has environmental problems in cities with a high population density. Water bodies are polluted by industrial and domestic wastewater. The consumption of polluted water is a source of infectious diseases. Today, ferrous metallurgy, chemical industries and other facilities have a negative impact on air condition that we breathe. grow up oncological diseases Therefore, special attention should be paid to environmental problems at enterprises of this kind.

Overpopulation

The inhabitants of the planet are facing lack of natural resources: fuel, food, water. Population growth in less developed countries exacerbates the situation. Overpopulation of the continents exacerbates environmental problems.

Deforestation

The woods produce oxygen and are natural carbon dioxide sinks, and also help regulate temperature and rainfall. Currently, forests cover 30% of the land. Every year the number of trees is decreasing as a result of growing public demand. Deforestation means the destruction of fauna and the loss of entire ecosystems.

These are local environmental problems. But there are those that cover vast territories. These are regional environmental problems.

Environmental problems on a regional scale

The main problem of the regions remains the state polluted atmospheric air. Regional environmental problems are pollution that is present within large areas, but does not cover the entire planet.

Emissions enter and natural waters. If the process is prolonged, the atmosphere is damaged, which is the reason for the regional environmental pollution.

Local environmental problems turn into regional ones with the expansion of the boundaries of cities, the formation of huge megacities.

General problems

Global environmental problems have large-scale negative consequences.

global warming

Greenhouse evaporation is result of human activity which contributes to global warming. The earth is losing snow cover, and arctic flora and fauna are on the brink of extinction. An increase in the temperature of the World Ocean and the surface of the Earth is causing the melting of polar ice formations and a rise in sea levels. happening unnatural forms of precipitation(excessive snow, rain), in connection with this, floods and flooding of the mainland are becoming more frequent.

Change in the ozone layer

Life originated on Earth after the appearance of the ozone layer. The ozone layer around the Earth is depleted in volume (in comparison with 1980), ozone holes. They are over Antarctica and Voronezh. The reason for the change is the active launches of rockets, aircraft and satellites.

Important! Changing the ozone layer is a threat to humans as well as animals. The ozone layer protects us from ultraviolet rays. Without the ozone layer, all people would be susceptible to a number of skin diseases, including skin cancer.

A large amount of exhaust gases are emitted by vehicles and various industries. Gas contamination goes beyond acceptable level. When gases: dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide interact with water, the corresponding acid is obtained. If this happens in , then we have acid rain.

Acid rain

The second cause of acid rain is operation of power plants. This problem leads to pollution of water bodies and soils with cobalt and aluminum compounds, nitric and sulfuric acids.

If you follow the current path, it may come environmental degradation, then people will be afraid to go outside in the rain, so as not to damage the skin.

Acid rain contributes loss of crops and forests. They destroy entire ecosystems.

For example, in Great Britain, Czechoslovakia and Greece more than 65% of forests are destroyed by such rains. To fight it, humanity planting trees.

Climate change on the planet

Warming occurs as a result of burning fuel from thermal power plants and the emission of harmful gases by industry. Climate change is having harmful impact on nature. Along with the melting of the polar ice came seasonal changes, new diseases, frequent natural disasters, change in general weather conditions.

Solving environmental problems in poor countries

In poor countries, there is a deterioration of the ecological situation. People on the brink of survival. The position of destruction must be changed to the preservation of peace and harmony with nature. However, the situation will not change if the developed countries are preoccupied with solving only their own global problems, ignoring the terrible state in the poor countries. The tasks of protecting the environment should not be the last concern of people.

How environmental problems are solved in the modern world

The state of ecology is catastrophic– issues are regulated slowly. People still need environmental consciousness. We are collectively responsible for saving our planet. We need to fix the mistakes before it's too late. Some small steps have already been taken, but many more steps are needed. at the global level.

Important! Modern technologies should use the peaceful coexistence between ecology and industry, in which the main emphasis is on the use of energy resources with the least negative impact on the environment.

The state of ecology will improve today if the main energy resources are wind, water and the sun. The ecological crisis calls for an appropriate legislative support, which should prohibit modern technologies with a negative impact on the environment. Only those technologies should be allowed save the environment.

The impact of humanity on the eco-systems of the planet

Pollution and environmental protection

Conclusion

We have already witnessed many environmental disasters on the planet. Passive observation is not enough. Who knows, maybe this is our only chance to save the Earth. So what are we waiting for?

To follow the right path of solving environmental problems, you need to understand the essence of natural crises in general and its individual manifestations, to draw conclusions from the mistakes made. Otherwise, the crisis will develop into an irreversible one. ecological catastrophe with complete destruction of the biosphere. Environmental issues are at the top of the list of urgent tasks.

SOLVING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS: THREE MAIN WAYS.

But humanity not only litters its "nest". It has developed ways to protect the environment and has already begun to implement them.

The first way is to create various kinds of treatment facilities, the use of low-sulphur fuel, the destruction and processing of waste, the construction of chimneys 200-300 m or more high, land reclamation, etc. However, even the most modern facilities do not provide complete purification. And ultra-high chimneys, reducing the concentration of harmful substances in a given place, contribute to the spread of dust pollution and acid rain over much larger areas: a 250 m high chimney increases the dispersion radius to 75 km.

The second way is to develop and apply a fundamentally new environmental ("clean") production technology, in the transition to low-waste and waste-free production processes. Thus, the transition from direct-flow (river-enterprise-river) water supply to circulation, and even more so to "dry" technology, can first ensure a partial, and then a complete cessation of wastewater discharge into rivers and reservoirs.

This path is the main one, because it not only reduces, but prevents environmental pollution. But it requires huge expenditures, unsustainable for many countries.

The third way is in a deeply thought out, most rational distribution of the so-called "dirty" industries that have a negative impact on the state of the environment. Among the "dirty" industries, first of all, are the chemical and petrochemical, metallurgical, pulp and paper industries, thermal power engineering, and the production of building materials. When locating such enterprises, geographical expertise is especially necessary.

Another way is to reuse raw materials. In developed countries, the reserves of secondary raw materials are equal to the explored geological ones. The centers for the procurement of recyclable materials are the old industrial regions of Foreign Europe, the USA, Japan, and the European part of Russia.

Table 14. The share of waste paper in the production of paper and cardboard in the late 80s, in%.

Tasks and tests on the topic "Solving environmental problems: three main ways."

• India - Eurasia 7th grade

  Lessons: 4 Assignments: 9 Tests: 1

• The Age of Discovery - Development of geographical knowledge about the Earth Grade 5

  Lessons: 8 Assignments: 10 Tests: 2

Leading ideas: the geographical environment is a necessary condition for the life of society, the development and distribution of the population and the economy, while the influence of the resource factor on the level of the country's economic development has recently been decreasing, but the importance of the rational use of natural resources and the environmental factor is increasing.

Basic concepts: geographic (environment) environment, ore and non-metallic minerals, ore belts, pools of minerals; structure of the world land fund, southern and northern forest belts, forest cover; hydropower potential; shelf, alternative energy sources; resource availability, natural resource potential (NRP), territorial combination of natural resources (RTSR), areas of new development, secondary resources; environmental pollution, environmental policy.

Skills: be able to characterize the natural resources of the country (region) according to the plan; use various methods of economic evaluation of natural resources; characterize the natural prerequisites for the development of industry and agriculture of the country (region) according to the plan; give a brief description of the location of the main types of natural resources, single out the countries "leaders" and "outsiders" in terms of availability of one or another type of natural resources; give examples of countries that do not have rich natural resources, but have reached a high level of economic development and vice versa; give examples of rational and irrational use of resources.