The environmental problem is the deterioration of the natural environment associated with the negative impact of a natural nature, and in our time, the human factor plays a big role. The destruction of the ozone layer, environmental pollution or its destruction - all this, one way or another, entails adverse consequences now or in the near future.
North America, whose environmental problems are quite significant, and the issue of environmental protection is extremely acute, is one of the most progressive regions in the world. For the sake of prosperity, the United States and Canada have to sacrifice their nature. So what are the difficulties in ensuring environmental safety facing the inhabitants of the North American continent, and what do they face in the future?
Technological progress
First of all, it should be noted that over time the living conditions of the urban population worsen, especially for industrial centers. The reason for this is the active exploitation of natural resources - soil, surface water, air and environmental pollution, destruction of vegetation. However, the most important links in the natural environment - soil, hydrosphere and atmosphere - are interconnected, and the human impact on each of them is reflected in the rest, so the destructive processes become global.
As North America develops, the continent's environmental problems are becoming ever more acute. Even with progress, the destruction and displacement of the natural landscape takes place, followed by its replacement with an artificial environment, which can be harmful and even unsuitable for human life. Already in the second half of the 20th century, the mass of waste on the North American continent was 5-6 billion tons per year, of which at least 20% were chemically active.
Traffic fumes
The problem of exhaust gases is relevant today all over the world, but the situation is especially difficult on the western coast of the USA in the state of California. In these places, a cold current passes along the mainland , as a result of which steam condenses over the coastal waters, in which large volumes of automobile exhaust are concentrated. In addition, during the summer half of the year there is anticyclone weather, which contributes to an increase in the influx of solar radiation, as a result of which complex chemical transformations occur in the atmosphere. The consequence of this is a dense fog in which a mass of toxic substances is concentrated.
Experts studying the environmental problems of the North American continent call excessive exhaust emissions a serious challenge to society, because they not only adversely affect nature, but also cause many human diseases.
Water depletion
What other environmental problems exist in North America? On the mainland today things are very bad with water resources - they are simply being depleted. The level of water consumption is constantly growing on the continent, and today it is already exceeding the permissible level. As far back as the last century, the American specialist A. Walman published the results of studies according to which more than half of the United States population consumes water that has been used at least once and that has passed through the sewer.
Under such circumstances, it is difficult to fulfill two very important conditions: along with restoring water quality, it is necessary to continuously ensure the presence of its natural volume in rivers and other bodies of water. In 2015, the water level in the country's largest reservoir significantly decreased, and scientists warn that this could be the beginning of a longer drought.
Water pollution
The environmental problems of the rivers of North America are not limited to exhaustion alone . The list of negative factors in this area is quite long, but mainly pollution of water bodies. They throw waste in which nothing is contained, shipping is also causing significant damage.
Also today, quite a lot of damage is caused by thermal pollution. About a third of the water withdrawn annually from the rivers falls on nuclear and thermal power plants, in which it is heated and returned to the reservoir. The temperature of such water is 10-12% higher, and the oxygen content is noticeably lower, which plays a significant role and is often the cause of the death of many living organisms.
Already in the second half of the 20th century, 10-17 million fish died every year from pollution of water bodies in the USA, and the Mississippi, which is the largest river in North America, is now one of the ten most polluted in the world.
Rest nature
The unique landscape and very rich flora and fauna of North America is located in almost all latitudes of the hemisphere. Environmental problems got to the pristine nature of the mainland. On its territory there are several dozens of national parks, which in today's conditions have become almost the only corners in which many millions of city residents can relax from the noise and dirt of megacities. The influx of visitors and tourists, increasing at an incredible speed, affects their ecological balance, which is why today some unique species of animals and plants are on the verge of extinction.
The sad fact is that not only a person is a source of pollution - they are washed away by rainwater and blown away by the wind, and then various toxic substances contained in the dumps of rocks are transported to rivers. Such dumps can often stretch along the river for long distances, constantly polluting the reservoir.
Even in northern Canada, where natural resources are not being developed as intensively, significant changes in nature can be seen today. The environmental problems of taiga in North America are studied by employees of Wood Buffalo, one of the largest national parks in the world.
Exploitation of natural resources
As already mentioned, the environmental problems of the continent are largely related to the high technological level of development of the United States and Canada. The natural resources of North America are diverse and numerous: the bowels of the mainland are rich in oil, natural gas, and most important minerals. The huge timber reserves in the north and the agricultural land of the south favorable for agriculture for many years have been used too heavily, which has been the result of many environmental problems.
Shale gas
Recently, a big hype has arisen around shale gas - North America is increasingly extracting it. Environmental problems that may arise when using certain technologies, apparently, are of little concern to companies engaged in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons from shale formations. Unfortunately, political intrigues play a role in promoting this type of extraction of energy resources, and the possible consequences for the environment are sometimes not taken into account at all. Thus, the US government has set its sights on gaining independence from energy supplies from foreign markets, and if yesterday the country purchased gas from neighboring Canada, today it is already positioning itself as a state exporting hydrocarbons. And all this is done to the detriment of the environment.
Conclusions for the future
This short article briefly reviewed the environmental problems of North America. Of course, we did not consider all the information, but, based on the available material, we can conclude that in the pursuit of profit and in the pursuit of material wealth, people methodically inflicted and continue to cause serious damage to the environment, while rarely thinking about the consequences of their actions.
Trying to achieve the maximum effect in the exploitation of natural resources, we paid little attention to preventive measures, and now we have what we have. A vivid example of this is the North American continent, perhaps the most highly developed region in the world, whose environmental problems are also very significant.