Life in the Wild West
5 Pressing environmental issues that are happening now
1. Climate change: One of the main causes of climate change is the emission of greenhouse gasses and change in land use. Climate change can have many effects on the area such change in temperature, precipitation, sea levels, and oceans. The amount of precipitation has increased while snow cover has been decreasing. Temperatures and sea levels have been rising as well as the oceans getting warmer. Many countries are developing or have already developed indicators of climate change. Some possible solutions to Western Europe's climate change problem are reducing the amount of energy used and focusing on finding ways to power things with renewable energy.
2. High air pollution: Belgium, France, and Germany, are experiencing high air pollution levels. Unlike the rest of the world, which started experiencing high pollution levels around the industrial revolution, western Europe has been tolerating it for over 2,000 years. Excessive use of cars and the skyrocketing population both contribute to the tremendous amount of pollution. This can cause plants and animals to suffer from the toxic air. Another concern is acid rain. Acid rain can cause water bodies to become acidic and will damage the environment.
3. Nuclear Power: Citizens of western Europe began to question long-term disposal of radioactive waste. Anti-nuclear arguments surprised government officials, and the citizens opinion towards building nuclear power plants became increasingly negative. The federal government responded by trying to educate the general public about nuclear energy. Hans Matt Hoefer, the Federal Minister for Research and Technology, said “The federal government’s goal in this campaign is to restore the trust of the population in the functioning of the democratic process, especially in that area where much of this trust has been lost-the nuclear energy controversy.”
4. Acid rain: Another concern is acid rain. Acid rain can cause water bodies to become acidic and will damage sculptures and buildings. It can also cause people to have health problems such as asthma. The main cause of acid rain is smoke from factories, burning fossil fuels, and harmful gases from cars. Being exposed to acid rain can make soil lose nutrients over time. A possible way to reduce the amount of acid rain is to find alternate energy sources besides fossil fuels. Another way could be to work together to reduce use of cars or other transportation methods and unneeded energy.
3. Nuclear Power: Citizens of western Europe began to question long-term disposal of radioactive waste. Anti-nuclear arguments surprised government officials, and the citizens opinion towards building nuclear power plants became increasingly negative. The federal government responded by trying to educate the general public about nuclear energy. Hans Matt Hoefer, the Federal Minister for Research and Technology, said “The federal government’s goal in this campaign is to restore the trust of the population in the functioning of the democratic process, especially in that area where much of this trust has been lost-the nuclear energy controversy.”
4. Acid rain: Another concern is acid rain. Acid rain can cause water bodies to become acidic and will damage sculptures and buildings. It can also cause people to have health problems such as asthma. The main cause of acid rain is smoke from factories, burning fossil fuels, and harmful gases from cars. Being exposed to acid rain can make soil lose nutrients over time. A possible way to reduce the amount of acid rain is to find alternate energy sources besides fossil fuels. Another way could be to work together to reduce use of cars or other transportation methods and unneeded energy.
5. Endangered Animals: Western Europe has about 155 endangered animal species and 16 species are about to go extinct. Cutting down forests can rob animals of their homes and rising temperatures are a place for diseases to thrive. Areas that may be getting cooler aren’t helping animals either because it gets harder to find food. Changes in sea levels affect the melting of freshwater which marine animals depend on, but can also be affected by gases from volcanoes. Acid rain, which is becoming more prominent in Western Europe, can also tarnish the water sources. Pollution, invasive species, and global warming can also cause species to become endangered. Countries are working on animal protection acts and reducing cutting down habitats.