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Factors Causing Imbalance
Our day-to-day activities for fulfilling our luxuries disrupts the natural phenomenon of our ecosystem
and cause environmental imbalance. For instance, excessive amount of CO is produced by factories and
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automobiles, excessive use of air conditioners, cement factories, coal mines, etc. increases the temperature of
the earth, which results in global warming, famine, cyclone, flood, hurricanes, etc.
There are various factors that cause environmental imbalance with serious consequences and for this, humans
are held responsible one way or the other.
Population: The increasing population results in increasing
demands and services. Increasing population is affecting our
natural ecosystem as our mother nature has got a certain
capacity to fulfill every living being’s requirement. Its resources
are limited but we are overburdening it with our unlimited
demands for more food, infrastructure (i.e. buildings, factories,
transportation) and facilities.
Overexploitation: This occurs when the rate of harvesting resources surpasses
their natural reproduction or replenishment. This unsustainable practice can lead
to the extinction of species, disrupt the ecological balance and impact the
environment. Examples of overexploitation include excessive harvesting of wild
medicinal plants, overgrazing of pastures by livestock, deforestation, depletion
of water aquifers, overfishing and overhunting. These activities degrade forests
and natural habitats, threatening biodiversity and ecosystem stability.
Deforestation: Cutting down trees and elimination of forests
leads to disturbance of the natural habitat of living organisms. We
all know that plants and trees are one of the major factors that
cause rainfall and disturbing them leads to scanty rainfall which in
turn causes water crisis. The percentage of fresh breathable natural
air and quality of air is also decreasing at an alarming rate. It leads
to various unusual climatic changes that are not in accordance
with the natural cycle.
Mining: The process of digging the earth for the extraction of the ores
results in erosion, formation of sinkholes and contamination of soils
that cause severe damage to the environment. It disturbs the natural
living and breeding place of various living organisms and the life of
people residing in the nearby areas. It leads to soil erosion, landslide,
noise pollution and contamination of surface and groundwater due
to the chemicals released during the extraction process.
Pollution: It is the contamination of the environment (land, air and water) due to the presence of some
unnatural elements i.e., pollutants. Pollutants are harmful. It can be in solid, liquid or gaseous form.
For example, Poisonous gases emitted from factories
and vehicles, chemicals and garbage dumped in the
waterbodies, excessive sound of vehicles, etc. Noise
pollution is caused due to the sound generated by
industrial and constructional activities, factory equipment, generators, electric saws, drills and other
machinery.
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