Modern problems of science and education. Criteria for assessing the state of the natural environment

Introduction

Man has always used the environment mainly as a source of resources, but for a very long time his activities did not have a noticeable impact on the biosphere. Only at the end of the last century, changes in the biosphere under the influence economic activity attracted the attention of scientists. In the first half of this century, these changes increased and have now hit human civilization like an avalanche. In an effort to improve his living conditions, a person constantly increases the pace of material production, without thinking about the consequences. With this approach, most of the resources taken from nature are returned to it in the form of waste, often toxic or unsuitable for disposal. This poses a threat to both the existence of the biosphere and man himself. The purpose of the abstract is to highlight: the current state of natural environment; characterize the main sources of biosphere pollution; identify ways to protect the environment from pollution.

Current state of the natural environment

Let us consider some features of the current state of the biosphere and the processes occurring in it.

The global processes of formation and movement of living matter in the biosphere are connected and accompanied by the circulation of huge masses of matter and energy. In contrast to purely geological processes, biogeochemical cycles involving living matter have a significantly higher intensity, speed and amount of substance involved in circulation.

With the advent and development of humanity, the process of evolution has changed noticeably. On early stages civilization, cutting down and burning forests for agriculture, grazing livestock, fishing and hunting wild animals, wars devastated entire regions, led to the destruction of plant communities, extermination individual species animals. As civilization developed, especially rapidly after the industrial revolution at the end of the Middle Ages, humanity gained more and more power, more and more ability to involve and use huge masses of matter - both organic, living, and mineral, inert - to meet its growing needs.

Population growth and expanding development Agriculture, industry, construction, transport caused massive destruction of forests in Europe, North America. Livestock grazing on a large scale led to the death of forests and grass cover, erosion (destruction) of the soil layer (Central Asia, North Africa, southern Europe and the USA). Dozens of animal species have been exterminated in Europe, America, and Africa.

Scientists suggest that soil depletion on the territory of the ancient Central American Mayan state as a result of slash-and-burn agriculture was one of the reasons for the death of this highly developed civilization. Similarly in Ancient Greece Vast forests disappeared as a result of deforestation and excessive grazing. This increased soil erosion and led to the destruction of soil cover on many mountain slopes, increased the aridity of the climate and worsened agricultural conditions.

The construction and operation of industrial enterprises and mining have led to serious violations natural landscapes, pollution of soil, water, air with various wastes.

Real shifts in biosphere processes began in the 20th century. as a result of the next industrial revolution. The rapid development of energy, mechanical engineering, chemistry, and transport has led to the fact that human activity has become comparable in scale to natural energy and material processes, occurring in the biosphere. The intensity of human consumption of energy and material resources is growing in proportion to the population size and even outpacing its growth.

Warning about the possible consequences of man's expanding invasion of nature, half a century ago, Academician V. I. Vernadsky wrote: “Man is becoming a geological force capable of changing the face of the Earth.” This warning was prophetically justified. The consequences of anthropogenic (man-made) activities are manifested in depletion natural resources, pollution of the biosphere with industrial waste, destruction of natural ecosystems, changes in the structure of the Earth's surface, climate change. Anthropogenic impacts lead to disruption of almost all natural biogeochemical cycles.

As a result of the combustion of various fuels, about 20 billion tons are emitted into the atmosphere annually carbon dioxide and the corresponding amount of oxygen is absorbed. The natural reserve of CO2 in the atmosphere is about 50,000 billion tons. This value fluctuates and depends, in particular, on volcanic activity. However, anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide exceed natural ones and currently account for a large share of it. total number. An increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, accompanied by an increase in the amount of aerosol (small particles of dust, soot, suspensions of solutions of some chemical compounds), can lead to noticeable climate changes and, accordingly, to a disruption of the equilibrium relationships that have developed over millions of years in the biosphere.

The result of a violation of the transparency of the atmosphere, and, consequently, the heat balance, may be the occurrence of the “greenhouse effect,” that is, an increase in the average temperature of the atmosphere by several degrees. This can cause the melting of glaciers in the polar regions, an increase in the level of the World Ocean, changes in its salinity, temperature, global disruption climate, flooding of coastal lowlands and many other adverse consequences.

The release of industrial gases into the atmosphere, including compounds such as carbon monoxide CO (carbon monoxide), oxides of nitrogen, sulfur, ammonia and other pollutants, leads to inhibition of the vital activity of plants and animals, metabolic disorders, poisoning and death of living organisms.

Uncontrolled influence on the climate, coupled with irrational agricultural practices, can lead to a significant decrease in soil fertility and large fluctuations in crop yields. According to UN experts, in last years fluctuations in agricultural production exceeded 1%. But a decrease in food production by even 1% can lead to the death of tens of millions of people from starvation.

Forests on our planet are declining catastrophically; unsustainable deforestation and fires have led to the fact that in many places that were once completely covered with forests, to date they have survived only on 10-30% of the territory. Square tropical forests Africa decreased by 70%, South America - by 60%, in China only 8% of the territory is covered with forest.

Let us consider some features of the current state of the biosphere and the processes occurring in it.

The global processes of formation and movement of living matter in the biosphere are connected and accompanied by the circulation of huge masses of matter and energy. In contrast to purely geological processes, biogeochemical cycles involving living matter have a significantly higher intensity, speed and amount of substance involved in circulation.

As already mentioned, with the advent and development of humanity, the process of evolution has noticeably changed. In the early stages of civilization, cutting down and burning forests for agriculture, grazing livestock, fishing and hunting wild animals, and wars devastated entire regions, leading to the destruction of plant communities and the extermination of certain animal species. As civilization developed, especially rapidly after the industrial revolution of the end of the Middle Ages, humanity gained ever greater power, an ever greater ability to involve and use huge masses of matter - both organic, living, and mineral, inert - to meet its growing needs.

Population growth and the expanding development of agriculture, industry, construction, and transport caused massive destruction of forests in Europe, North America. Livestock grazing on a large scale led to the death of forests and grass cover, erosion (destruction) of the soil layer (Central Asia, North Africa, southern Europe and the USA). Dozens of animal species have been exterminated in Europe, America, and Africa.

Scientists suggest that the depletion of soils on the territory of the ancient Central American state of the Maya as a result of slash-and-burn agriculture was one of the reasons for the death of this highly developed civilization. Similarly, in ancient Greece, vast forests disappeared as a result of deforestation and excessive grazing. This increased soil erosion and led to the destruction of soil cover on many mountain slopes, increased the aridity of the climate and worsened agricultural conditions.

The construction and operation of industrial enterprises and mining have led to serious disturbances of natural landscapes, pollution of soil, water, and air with various wastes.

Real shifts in biosphere processes began in the 20th century. as a result of the next industrial revolution. The rapid development of energy, mechanical engineering, chemistry, and transport has led to the fact that human activity has become comparable in scale to the natural energy and material processes occurring in the biosphere. The intensity of human consumption of energy and material resources is growing in proportion to the population size and even outpacing its growth.

Warning about the possible consequences of man's expanding invasion of nature, half a century ago, Academician V. I. Vernadsky wrote: “Man is becoming a geological force capable of changing the face of the Earth.” This warning was prophetically justified. The consequences of anthropogenic (man-made) activities are manifested in the depletion of natural resources, pollution of the biosphere with industrial waste, destruction of natural ecosystems, changes in the structure of the Earth's surface, and climate change. Anthropogenic impacts lead to disruption of almost all natural biogeochemical cycles.

As a result of the combustion of various fuels, about 20 billion tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere annually and a corresponding amount of oxygen is absorbed. The natural reserve of CO 2 in the atmosphere is about 50,000 billion tons. This value fluctuates and depends, in particular, on volcanic activity. However, anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide exceed natural ones and currently account for a large share of its total. An increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, accompanied by an increase in the amount of aerosol (small particles of dust, soot, suspended solutions of certain chemical compounds), can lead to noticeable climate changes and, accordingly, to a disruption of the equilibrium relationships that have developed over millions of years in the biosphere.

The result of a violation of the transparency of the atmosphere, and, consequently, the heat balance, may be the occurrence of the “greenhouse effect,” that is, an increase in the average temperature of the atmosphere by several degrees. This can cause the melting of glaciers in the polar regions, an increase in the level of the World Ocean, changes in its salinity, temperature, global climate disturbances, flooding of coastal lowlands and many other adverse consequences.

The release of industrial gases into the atmosphere, including compounds such as carbon monoxide CO (carbon monoxide), oxides of nitrogen, sulfur, ammonia and other pollutants, leads to inhibition of the vital activity of plants and animals, metabolic disorders, poisoning and death of living organisms.

Uncontrolled influence on the climate, coupled with irrational agricultural practices, can lead to a significant decrease in soil fertility and large fluctuations in crop yields. According to UN experts, in recent years fluctuations in agricultural production have exceeded 1%. But a decrease in food production by even 1% can lead to the death of tens of millions of people from starvation.

Forests on our planet are declining catastrophically. Unsustainable deforestation and fires have led to the fact that in many places that were once completely covered with forests, to date they have survived only on 10-30% of the territory. The area of ​​tropical forests in Africa has decreased by 70%, in South America - by 60%, in China only 8% of the territory is covered with forest.

Pollution of the natural environment. The appearance of new components in the natural environment caused by human activity or some grandiose natural phenomena(for example, volcanic activity) are characterized by the term pollution. In general, pollution is the presence in the environment of harmful substances that disrupt the functioning of ecological systems or their individual elements and reducing the quality of the environment from the point of view of human habitation or economic activity. This term characterizes all bodies, substances, phenomena, processes that in a given place, but not at the time and not in the quantity that is natural for nature, appear in the environment and can bring its systems out of balance.

The environmental effects of polluting agents can manifest themselves in different ways; it can affect either individual organisms, manifest at the organismal level, or populations, biocenoses, ecosystems, and even the biosphere as a whole.

At the organismal level, there may be a violation of individual physiological functions of organisms, a change in their behavior, a decrease in the rate of growth and development, a decrease in resistance to the effects of other unfavorable factors external environment.

At the population level, pollution can cause changes in their numbers and biomass, fertility, mortality, changes in structure, annual migration cycles and a number of other functional properties.

At the biocenotic level, pollution affects the structure and functions of communities. The same pollutants have different effects on different components of communities. Change accordingly quantitative relationships in a biocenosis, up to the complete disappearance of some forms and the appearance of others. The spatial structure of communities changes, chains of decomposition (detritus) begin to predominate over pasture ones, and death begins to prevail over production. Ultimately, ecosystems degrade, deteriorate as elements of the human environment, reduce their positive role in the formation of the biosphere, and depreciate in economic terms.

There are natural and anthropogenic pollution. Natural pollution occurs as a result of natural causes - volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, catastrophic floods and fires. Anthropogenic pollution is the result of human activity.

Currently, the total power of anthropogenic pollution sources in many cases exceeds the power of natural ones. So, natural springs nitrogen oxides emit 30 million tons of nitrogen per year, and anthropogenic ones - 35-50 million tons; sulfur dioxide, respectively, about 30 million tons and more than 150 million tons. As a result of human activity, almost 10 times more lead enters the biosphere than through natural pollution.

Pollutants resulting from human activities and their impact on the environment are very diverse. These include: compounds of carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, heavy metals, various organic substances, artificially created materials, radioactive elements and much more.

Thus, according to experts, about 10 million tons of oil enter the ocean annually. Oil on water forms a thin film that prevents gas exchange between water and air. As oil settles to the bottom, it enters bottom sediments, where it disrupts the natural life processes of bottom animals and microorganisms. In addition to oil, emissions of household and industrial waste into the ocean have increased significantly. Wastewater containing, in particular, such dangerous pollutants as lead, mercury, arsenic, which have a strong toxic effect. Background concentrations of such substances in many places have already been exceeded tens of times.

Each pollutant has a certain negative impact on nature, so their release into the environment must be strictly controlled. The legislation establishes for each pollutant a maximum permissible discharge (MPD) and a maximum permissible concentration(MPC) it in the natural environment.

Maximum permissible discharge (MPD) is the mass of a pollutant emitted by individual sources per unit of time, the excess of which leads to adverse consequences in the environment or is dangerous to human health. Maximum permissible concentration (MPC) is understood as the amount of a harmful substance in the environment that does not have a negative impact on human health or his offspring with permanent or temporary contact with it. Currently, when determining maximum permissible concentrations, not only the degree of influence of pollutants on human health is taken into account, but also their impact on animals, plants, fungi, microorganisms, as well as natural community generally.

Special environmental monitoring (surveillance) services monitor compliance with established MPC and MPC standards for harmful substances. Such services have been created in all regions of the country. Their role is especially important in large cities, near chemical plants, nuclear power plants and other industrial facilities. Monitoring services have the right to take measures provided for by law, up to and including suspension of production and any work, if environmental protection standards are violated.

In addition to environmental pollution, anthropogenic impact is expressed in the depletion of natural resources of the biosphere. The huge scale of natural resource use has led to significant changes in landscapes in some regions (for example, in the coalfields). If at the dawn of civilization a person used only about 20 chemical elements for his needs, at the beginning of the 20th century he used 60, but now more than 100 - almost the entire periodic table. About 100 billion tons of ore, fuel, mineral fertilizers.

The rapid increase in demand for fuel, metals, minerals and their extraction has led to the depletion of these resources. Thus, according to experts, if current rates of production and consumption are maintained, proven reserves of oil will be exhausted in 30 years, gas - in 50 years, coal - in 200. A similar situation has developed not only with energy resources, but also with metals (depletion aluminum reserves are expected in 500-600 years, iron - 250 years, zinc - 25 years, lead - 20 years) and mineral resources, such as asbestos, mica, graphite, sulfur.

This is not a complete picture of the environmental situation on our planet at the present time. Even individual successes in environmental protection activities cannot noticeably change the overall course of the process of the harmful influence of civilization on the state of the biosphere.

Air pollution. Various, negative changes in the Earth's atmosphere are associated mainly with changes in the concentration of minor components atmospheric air.

There are two main sources of air pollution: natural and anthropogenic. The natural source is volcanoes, dust storms, weathering, Forest fires, decomposition processes of plants and animals.

The main anthropogenic sources of air pollution include enterprises of the fuel and energy complex, transport, and various machine-building enterprises.

According to scientists (1990s), every year in the world as a result of human activity, 25.5 billion tons of carbon oxides, 190 million tons of sulfur oxides, 65 million tons of nitrogen oxides, 1.4 million tons of chlorofluorocarbons (freons), organic lead compounds, hydrocarbons, including carcinogenic ones (causing cancer).

In addition to gaseous pollutants, the atmosphere enters a large number of solid particles. This is dust, soot and soot. Pollution of the natural environment with heavy metals poses a great danger. Lead, cadmium, mercury, copper, nickel, zinc, chromium, and vanadium have become almost constant components of the air in industrial centers. The problem of lead air pollution is particularly acute.

Global air pollution affects the state of natural ecosystems, especially the green cover of our planet. One of the most visual indicators of the state of the biosphere is forests and their health.

Acid rain, caused mainly by sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, causes enormous damage to forest biocenoses. It has been established that coniferous species suffer from acid rain to a greater extent than broad-leaved ones.

In our country alone, the total area of ​​forests affected by industrial emissions has reached 1 million hectares. A significant factor forest degradation in recent years is due to environmental pollution with radionuclides. Thus, as a result of an accident at Chernobyl nuclear power plant 2.1 million hectares of forests were affected.

Green spaces in industrial cities, whose atmosphere contains large amounts of pollutants, suffer especially hard.

The air environmental problem of ozone layer depletion, including the appearance of ozone holes over Antarctica and the Arctic, is associated with the excessive use of freons in production and everyday life.

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Introduction

Man has always used the environment mainly as a source of resources, but for a very long time his activities did not have a noticeable impact on the biosphere. Only at the end of the last century, changes in the biosphere under the influence of economic activity attracted the attention of scientists. In the first half of this century, these changes increased and have now hit human civilization like an avalanche. In an effort to improve his living conditions, a person constantly increases the pace of material production, without thinking about the consequences. With this approach, most of the resources taken from nature are returned to it in the form of waste, often toxic or unsuitable for disposal. This poses a threat to both the existence of the biosphere and man himself. After studying this chapter, you will learn:

ABOUT current state natural environment;

About the main sources of biosphere pollution;

On ways to protect the environment from pollution.

1. Atmosphere - the outer shell of the biosphere

The mass of our planet's atmosphere is negligible - only one millionth the mass of the Earth. However, its role in natural processes The biosphere is huge. The presence of an atmosphere around the globe determines the general thermal regime of the surface of our planet and protects it from harmful cosmic and ultraviolet radiation. Atmospheric circulation affects local climatic conditions, and through them - on the regime of rivers, soil and vegetation cover and on the processes of relief formation.

The modern gas composition of the atmosphere is the result of a long historical development globe. It is mainly a gas mixture of two components - nitrogen (78.09%) and oxygen (20.95%). Normally, it also contains argon (0.93%), carbon dioxide (0.03%) and small amounts of inert gases (neon, helium, krypton, xenon), ammonia, methane, ozone, sulfur dioxide and other gases. Along with gases, the atmosphere contains solid particles coming from the surface of the Earth (for example, combustion products, volcanic activity, soil particles) and from space (cosmic dust), as well as various products of plant, animal or microbial origin. In addition, water vapor plays an important role in the atmosphere.

The three gases that make up the atmosphere are of greatest importance for various ecosystems: oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. These gases are involved in major biogeochemical cycles.

Oxygen plays a vital role in the life of most living organisms on our planet. Everyone needs it to breathe. Oxygen was not always part of the earth's atmosphere. It appeared as a result of the vital activity of photosynthetic organisms. Under the influence ultraviolet rays it turned into ozone. As ozone accumulated, an ozone layer formed in the upper atmosphere. The ozone layer, like a screen, reliably protects the Earth's surface from ultraviolet radiation, which is fatal to living organisms.

The modern atmosphere contains barely a twentieth of the oxygen available on our planet. The main reserves of oxygen are concentrated in carbonates, organic substances and iron oxides; some of the oxygen is dissolved in water. In the atmosphere, there appears to be an approximate balance between the production of oxygen through photosynthesis and its consumption by living organisms. But recently there has been a danger that as a result human activity oxygen reserves in the atmosphere may decrease. Particularly dangerous is the destruction of the ozone layer, which has been observed in recent years. Most scientists attribute this to human activity.

The oxygen cycle in the biosphere is unusually complex, since a large number of organic and inorganic substances, as well as hydrogen, react with it, combining with which oxygen forms water.

Carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) is used in the process of photosynthesis to form organic matter. It is thanks to this process that the carbon cycle in the biosphere closes. Like oxygen, carbon is part of soils, plants, animals, and participates in various mechanisms of the cycle of substances in nature. The amount of carbon dioxide in the air we breathe is approximately the same in different parts of the planet. The exception is big cities, in which the content of this gas in the air is higher than normal.

Some fluctuations in the carbon dioxide content in the air of an area depend on the time of day, season of the year, and vegetation biomass. At the same time, studies show that since the beginning of the century, the average content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, although slowly, has been constantly increasing. Scientists attribute this process mainly to human activity.

Nitrogen is essential biogenic element, since it is part of proteins and nucleic acids. The atmosphere is an inexhaustible reservoir of nitrogen, but the majority of living organisms cannot directly use this nitrogen: it must first be bound in the form of chemical compounds.

Partial nitrogen comes from the atmosphere into ecosystems in the form of nitrogen oxide, which is formed under the influence of electrical discharges during thunderstorms. However, the bulk of nitrogen enters water and soil as a result of its biological fixation. There are several species of bacteria and blue-green algae (fortunately quite numerous) that are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen. As a result of their activity, as well as due to the decomposition of organic residues in the soil, autotrophic plants are able to absorb the necessary nitrogen.

The nitrogen cycle is closely related to the carbon cycle. Although the nitrogen cycle is more complex than the carbon cycle, it tends to occur more quickly.

Other components of air do not participate in biochemical cycles, but the presence of large amounts of pollutants in the atmosphere can lead to serious disruptions in these cycles.

2. Air pollution

Air pollution. Various negative changes in the Earth's atmosphere are associated mainly with changes in the concentration of minor components of atmospheric air.

There are two main sources of air pollution: natural and anthropogenic. Natural source- these are volcanoes, dust storms, weathering, forest fires, decomposition processes of plants and animals.

The main anthropogenic sources of air pollution include enterprises of the fuel and energy complex, transport, and various machine-building enterprises.

According to scientists (1990s), every year in the world as a result of human activity, 25.5 billion tons of carbon oxides, 190 million tons of sulfur oxides, 65 million tons of nitrogen oxides, 1.4 million tons of chlorofluorocarbons (freons) enter the atmosphere. , organic lead compounds, hydrocarbons, including carcinogenic (causing cancer).

In addition to gaseous pollutants, large amounts of particulate matter are released into the atmosphere. This is dust, soot and soot. Pollution of the natural environment with heavy metals poses a great danger. Lead, cadmium, mercury, copper, nickel, zinc, chromium, and vanadium have become almost constant components of the air in industrial centers. The problem of lead air pollution is particularly acute.

Global air pollution affects the state of natural ecosystems, especially the green cover of our planet. One of the most visual indicators of the state of the biosphere is forests and their health.

Acid rain, caused mainly by sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, causes enormous damage to forest biocenoses. It has been established that coniferous species suffer from acid rain to a greater extent than broad-leaved species.

In our country alone, the total area of ​​forests affected by industrial emissions has reached 1 million hectares. A significant factor in forest degradation in recent years is environmental pollution with radionuclides. Thus, as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, 2.1 million hectares of forests were damaged.

Green spaces in industrial cities, whose atmosphere contains large amounts of pollutants, suffer especially hard.

The air environmental problem of ozone layer depletion, including the appearance of ozone holes over Antarctica and the Arctic, is associated with the excessive use of freons in production and everyday life.

Human economic activity, gaining more and more global character, begins to have a very noticeable impact on the processes occurring in the biosphere. You have already learned about some of the results of human activity and their impact on the biosphere. Fortunately, up to a certain level, the biosphere is capable of self-regulation, which makes it possible to minimize Negative consequences human activity. But there is a limit when the biosphere is no longer able to maintain equilibrium. Irreversible processes begin, leading to environmental disasters. Humanity has already encountered them in a number of regions of the planet. atmosphere air environmental ozone

Humanity has significantly changed the course of a number of processes in the biosphere, including the biochemical cycle and migration of a number of elements. Currently, although slowly, a qualitative and quantitative restructuring of the entire biosphere of the planet is taking place. A number of complex environmental problems in the biosphere have already emerged that need to be resolved in the near future.

2.1 Greenhouse effect

As a result of the combustion of various fuels, about 20 billion tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere annually and a corresponding amount of oxygen is absorbed. The natural reserve of CO2 in the atmosphere is about 50,000 billion tons. This value fluctuates and depends, in particular, on volcanic activity. However, anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide exceed natural ones and currently account for a large share of its total. An increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, accompanied by an increase in the amount of aerosol (small particles of dust, soot, suspended solutions of certain chemical compounds), can lead to noticeable climate changes and, accordingly, to a disruption of the equilibrium relationships that have developed over millions of years in the biosphere.

The result of a violation of the transparency of the atmosphere, and therefore the heat balance, may be the occurrence of a “greenhouse effect,” that is, an increase in the average temperature of the atmosphere by several degrees. This can cause the melting of glaciers in the polar regions, an increase in the level of the World Ocean, changes in its salinity, temperature, global climate disturbances, flooding of coastal lowlands and many other adverse consequences.

The release of industrial gases into the atmosphere, including compounds such as carbon monoxide CO (carbon monoxide), oxides of nitrogen, sulfur, ammonia and other pollutants, leads to inhibition of the vital activity of plants and animals, metabolic disorders, poisoning and death of living organisms. According to the latest data from scientists, in the 80s. average temperature air in the northern hemisphere has increased compared to late XIX V. by 0.5-0.6 "C. According to forecasts, by the beginning of 2000, the average temperature on the planet may increase by 1.2" C compared to the pre-industrial era. Scientists attribute this increase in temperature primarily to an increase in carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) and aerosols in the atmosphere. This leads to excessive absorption of the Earth's thermal radiation by the air. Obviously, the heat released from thermal power plants and nuclear power plants also plays a certain role in creating the so-called “greenhouse effect”.

Climate warming can lead to intensive melting of glaciers and rising sea levels. The changes that may occur as a result are simply difficult to predict.

Decide this problem it would be possible by reducing carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere and establishing balance in the carbon cycle.

2.2 Azone depletion

Depletion of the ozone layer. In recent years, scientists have become increasingly concerned about the depletion of the atmosphere's ozone layer, which acts as a protective shield against ultraviolet radiation. This process occurs especially quickly over the poles of the planet, where so-called ozone holes have appeared. The danger is that ultraviolet radiation is harmful to living organisms.

The main reason for the depletion of the ozone layer is the use by people of chlorofluorine hydrocarbons (freons), widely used in production and everyday life as refrigerants, foaming agents, and solvents. aerosols. Freons intensively destroy ozone. They themselves collapse very slowly, over 50-200 years. In 1990, the world produced more than 1,300 thousand tons of ozone-depleting substances.

Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, oxygen molecules (O2) break down into free atoms, which in turn can join with other oxygen molecules to form ozone (O3). Free oxygen atoms can also react with ozone molecules to form two oxygen molecules. Thus, an equilibrium is established and maintained between oxygen and ozone.

However, pollutants such as freons catalyze (accelerate) the process of ozone decomposition, disturbing the balance between it and oxygen towards a decrease in ozone concentration.

Considering the danger looming over the planet, international community took the first step towards solving this problem. Signed international agreement, according to which the production of freons in the world should be reduced by approximately 50% by 1999.

Conclusion

Due to the increasing scale of anthropogenic impact (human economic activity), especially in the last century, the balance in the biosphere is being disrupted, which can lead to irreversible processes and raise the question of the possibility of life on the planet. This is due to the development of industry, energy, transport, agriculture and other types of human activity without taking into account the capabilities of the Earth's biosphere. Already, humanity is facing serious environmental problems that require immediate solutions.

Used Books

1. E. A. Kriksunov, V.V. Pasechnik, A.P. Sidorin "Ecology"

2. Publishing house "Drofa" 1995

3. N.A. Agadzhanyan, V.I. Torshin “Human Ecology” MMP “Ecocenter”, KRUK 1994

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The state of the natural environment is an indicator of the quality of life of the population. Where the quality of the natural environment is not favorable, there is a high level of morbidity in the population, environmental diseases are most common, and a low level of average life expectancy. The most critical environmental situation in Russia has developed in Kuzbass, the Urals and Altai, Norilsk, and the Caspian region.

There are four states of the natural environment:

1. Normal (natural) state of the environment;

2. Abnormal (disturbed) state of the environment;

3. Crisis state of the environment;

4. Ecologically dangerous state (or destruction) of the environment.

Normal (natural) state of the environment - an ecologically balanced state of the natural environment, corresponding to the balance of the totality natural conditions and the scale of social production. At in good condition environment, there is a certain ecological balance, human interaction with social production, which does not lead to a significant change in the environment or the health of the person himself. The rate of restoration processes in ecosystems exceeds or is equal to the rate of anthropogenic disturbances. Morbidity and mortality of the population tend to decrease, and life expectancy tends to increase. Special measures other than the protection of flora and fauna are not required here.

An abnormal (disturbed) state of the environment can be called a state in which one or more parameters of the state of the environment reach values ​​that differ significantly from the background characteristics of a given area or some properties of the environment are disturbed. In an anomalous state, the environment does not yet lose its systemic integrity, but acquires the characteristics of an ecologically unbalanced system and can have an impact on harmful effects on a person, or not satisfy his needs, unless special measures are taken to counteract this harmful influence or neutralize it.

This requires measures to locally improve the living environment, environmental optimization of farming, and organizational work to protect wildlife.

A crisis state of the environment occurs when the parameters of the state of the environment approach the permissible limits of change, the transition through which entails a loss of stability of the system, and subsequently its destruction. An environmental crisis may result from anthropogenic pollution or other impacts on the environment when threshold values ​​are reached. This condition is characterized by degradation (change, destruction) of natural systems. Replacement of existing systems with less productive ones, as well as partial desertification. This makes it difficult to maintain traditional farming. A deterioration in the health status of the population is observed or predicted (increasing morbidity in children and adults) and a reduction in life expectancy of the population. There is a threat of an increase in negative phenomena in a number of generations (increase in genetic diseases).

At this stage, environmental planning, design and optimization of the economy are required, it is necessary to improve the living environment of the population through improving public utilities and special protection of the population, medical care and material benefits (introducing payment for the harmfulness of living in environmentally unfavorable areas), as well as measures for population reproduction .

An environmentally hazardous state of the environment is a state in which the environment becomes unsuitable for human habitation or becomes unsuitable for use as a natural resource. This condition is characterized as an environmental disaster or environmental catastrophe. For example, the 30-kilometer zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

This state of the environment requires careful monitoring and environmental monitoring environment, environmental planning, environmental optimization of the economy, increasing the environmental safety of technical devices. The population should receive material compensation for living in environmentally unfavorable areas.

Arkhangelsk environmental pollution

Modern humanity lives in an era of unprecedented development of scientific and technological progress, accompanied by an active impact on the natural environment. And although in recent decades measures have been taken to protect and improve it, nevertheless, general state the environment continues to deteriorate. In the process of his life and activity, man constantly influences nature and changes it.

The current state of nature is the result of its long-term interaction with humans.

Currently, the total power of anthropogenic pollution sources in many cases exceeds the power of natural ones. Pollutants resulting from human activities and their impact on the environment are very diverse. These include: compounds of carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, heavy metals, radioactive elements and much more.

The scale of the impact of economic activities on the natural environment has become truly gigantic. The entry into the waters of land and ocean, into the atmosphere and soil of various chemical compounds (and there are approximately 100 thousand of them) resulting from production activities human, tens of times greater than the natural supply of substances during weathering rocks and volcanism. Every year, over 100 billion tons of minerals are extracted from the bowels of the Earth, 800 million tons of various metals are smelted, more than 60 million tons of synthetic materials unknown in nature are produced, over 500 million tons of mineral fertilizers and approximately 3 million are applied to agricultural soils. tons of various toxic chemicals, 1/3 of which are washed off by surface runoff into water bodies or linger in the atmosphere (when dispersed from airplanes). The amount of iron entering the natural environment by anthropogenic means has amounted to about 6.5 billion tons over the past 150 years, and possible consequences"ferruginization" of the earth's crust is not yet known. The release of lead and cadmium into the environment, elements with high toxic properties, has increased by an order of magnitude.

According to experts, about 10 million tons of oil enter the ocean annually. Oil on water forms a thin film that prevents gas exchange between water and air. As oil settles to the bottom, it enters bottom sediments, where it disrupts the natural life processes of bottom animals and microorganisms. In addition to oil, there has been a significant increase in the release of domestic and industrial wastewater into the ocean, containing, in particular, such dangerous pollutants as lead, mercury, and arsenic, which have a strong toxic effect. Background concentrations of such substances in many places have already been exceeded tens of times.

Humanity uses for irrigation, industrial production, household supplies account for more than 13% of river flow and annually discharge more than 500 billion cubic meters of industrial and municipal wastewater into water bodies. Their neutralization requires (depending on the degree of purification) a 5-12-fold dilution of natural clean water. Solid runoff into the ocean has no less than doubled, which now amounts to 17.4 billion tons per year. In reservoirs alone, the accumulation of land erosion products amounts to 13.4 billion tons per year. In general, under the influence of the anthropogenic factor, land removal from land has increased approximately 2.5 times and annually amounts to 50 billion tons of substances in solid, liquid and gaseous forms.

As a result of fuel combustion, more than 20 billion tons of carbon dioxide and more than 700 million tons of other vapor and gaseous compounds and solid particles enter the atmosphere annually. Excess sulfur in the environment and pollution of air and air with sulfur compounds are becoming a serious problem. surface waters. Currently, the technogenic supply of sulfur is 7 times higher than that during natural processes; When low grades of coal and fuel oil are burned, 150 million tons of sulfur dioxide are released into the atmosphere per year. As you know, in humid air, carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid, which falls to the ground along with rain. When metal dust or metals dissolved in water enter the air and soil, even more toxic salts of sulfuric acid are formed, killing all living things. Salts of cadmium, mercury, and lead are especially dangerous.

Industrial and agricultural waste has become a serious environmental problem.

Also, when analyzing environmental pollution, one should take into account not only direct pollution resulting from losses of raw materials and industrial by-products, which range from 2% to 33%, but also the dispersion of the substance during use finished products due to its corrosion, wear, mechanical abrasion, etc.

Through their activities, humans not only disrupt the geochemical cycle, but also have a significant impact on the energy balance in nature. It releases the energy of photosynthesis accumulated in fossil fuel deposits, intensively uses hydropower, and, more recently, the energy of the atom and the sun. In areas of the globe with a high concentration of population and industrial production, the scale of energy generated by humans has become comparable to the energy of the radiation balance and has a noticeable impact on changes in microclimate parameters. Zones with noticeable thermal pollution have emerged and tend to expand. An increase in heat input into the atmosphere can have not only local, but also global environmental consequences.

The increased technogenic impact on the natural environment has given rise to a number of environmental problems, the most acute of which are related to the state of atmospheric air, water and land resources.

There are three sources of air pollution: industry, domestic boiler houses and vehicles.

Compared to other components of the geosphere, the atmosphere has a number of unique features - high mobility, the variability of its constituent elements, the uniqueness of molecular reactions in which inert gases can also participate. The state of the atmosphere determines the thermal regime of the Earth's surface; the ozone shield protects our planet from excessive ultraviolet radiation. The ratio of heat and moisture in the atmosphere is the main reason for existence geographical zones on Earth, determining the characteristics of river regimes, soil and vegetation cover and important processes relief formation.

A person can not only directly, but also indirectly influence the atmosphere and the processes occurring in it. Particularly strong indirect impacts of economic activities on local climate and the climate of entire regions - deforestation, plowing of vast territories, inter-basin water transfers, large reclamation works (irrigation, drainage), mining, burning of fossil fuels, military operations, etc. Arkhangelsk region environmental pollution

According to scientists, the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere decreases annually by more than 10 million tons. If its consumption continues at this rate, then two-thirds of the total amount of free oxygen in the atmosphere and hydrosphere will be exhausted in just over 100 thousand years. Accordingly, the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere will reach excessive concentrations.

Therefore, one of the most important results that attracts the attention of scientists and is widely discussed in the literature is an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

In addition, sharp, rapid climate changes over vast areas can also lead to severe economic consequences, as they will require a reorientation of many sectors of the world economy, including agriculture and energy production.

River pollution poses a great danger, since rivers are a source of drinking water.

Thus, changes in natural conditions are a powerful factor influencing the life of society, and they must be taken into account when making global forecasts, especially for a long time.