Running head: PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONENT 1

People and the Environment

Name

Institutional Affiliation
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People and the Environment

Growing up in Puerto Rico, one has a lot to learn about the environment and how human

activities influence it. Personally, I grew up in Lares, a small town located on the western side of

Puerto Rico, a city rich in natural resources including rivers, creeks, and a more massive lake.

While growing up, many experiences have since remained in my memory thanks to the beauty of

the environment then. Most of my weekends were spent on fishing, swimming, or sometimes

picking culantro plants for my grandmother because they grew in plenty because of the wet and

affluent soils that dominated the area. Other experiences I enjoyed included taking care of my

grandmother’s chicken in the backyard, going to pick plantains that we liked eating with rice,

and watching my grandfather roast and grind coffee beans. From these experiences, I learned

how to grow animals such as pigs, chickens, and rabbits. Nevertheless, human activities have

severally interfered with the natural composition of the environment making most species

extinct, jeopardized the agricultural production leading to higher reliance on genetically modified

foods, and made most of the traditional activities be things of the past hence leading to an

environment characterized by unsustainability.

Although knowledge such as rearing of animals including pigs, chickens, and rabbits

could be passed from generation to generation during our tender years, it is unfortunate that the

same is not possible today because of changes in economic preferences currently experienced in

the island as well as the increased rate of contamination that has made it hard for animals and

plants to survive (McKena, 2017). Thus, the next generation is at a disadvantaged end because

while we grew up seeing the beauties of the environment, ecology has considerably evolved and

what used to be common are currently exterminating at higher rates. Most of this condition has

been caused by the problems of contamination of the waterways, the increased rate of
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deforestation, and the colossal pollution hoax happening in town and the entire island that has

continued to impact the environment negatively.

Furthermore, most conservative movements in the town have always advocated for the

conservation of coffee, plantains, as well as vegetables such as malanga, yuca, among others but

ignoring some essential traditional species. Besides, the high yields of banana production in the

city were not without consequences. Apart from leading to the establishment of new factories in

the city, it also led to purchases of new vehicles for transportation and other machines that made

use of higher amounts of petroleum products that are considered dangerous to the environment.

Moreover, since agriculture was considered more profitable, the rate of the use of other farm

materials on banana and coffee plantations increased drastically leading to contamination of

rivers and creeks that were initially meant for fishing and swimming. Because of the pollution of

the natural resources, the traditional swimming activities and fishing have significantly been

interfered with. In fact, the culantro is no more in areas where they used to be in plenty. Other

effects include the killing of the plantain near water bodies and the darkening of rocks that were

initially attractive to the eyes just because of industrialization in the city. Noteworthy, the

American Dole Food Company also had a substantial contribution to the status quo. Six years

after its establishment, the company had already exploited the town and overused the land and

other resources. However, the output was not as anticipated and because of the consistent loss of

profits, the company was forced to shut down leaving behind massive damages to the town’s

environment. In fact, Phil McKena (2017) reiterates, “The disaster facing the U.S. territory—and

mirrored to an extent in the nearby Virgin Islands—is exacerbated by long-standing

environmental justice issues facing a poor, underrepresented minority population on an island

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where climate experts have long warned of the increasing risks of such a catastrophe” (McKena,

2017).

Undeniably, one of the most contentious issues in the US currently is food consumption

thanks to advancement in technology. Most companies who are rolling out fresh produce are

those from abroad or those experimenting varieties of foodstuff such as the Monsanto. Such

companies have been linked to creating food materials that are perceived mainly as dangerous

for human consumption. A good example is a grapple that is an apple with grape flavor created

back in China due to environmental factors such as drought and pollution, and that has made

China a hub for manufacturing artificial foods (Houdebine, 2014). Such types of food made from

what are known as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and have dominated most markets

including prominent businesses such as McDonalds, Wendy’s, and other fast food joints that

have continued to source GMO foods as a way of meeting the rising customers’ demands with a

limited supply of natural food because of environmental factors. The companies have thus been

associated with utilizing products such as tomatoes, lettuce, beef, chicken, and other foodstuffs

from genetic modification. Since its invention, genetic engineering has continued to impact the

food production industry significantly. Genetic engineering is the modification of the genetic

make-up of organisms through technology with the aim of giving the animal or plant new and

“desirable” traits (Houdebine, 2014). Although there is no substantive scientific proof on the

health risk of such organisms in human beings, there have been beliefs that the same have many

health risks based on the reason that they can lead to alteration of human cells and genes leading

to adverse effects. Although FDA has always indicated some signs of support for the GMOs, a

study conducted shows that the products might have associated health risks (Houdebine, 2014).

Similarly, Monsanto company, which is the chief producer, has always defended itself on any
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claim of health risks with genetically modified materials. Other areas where genetical

engineering has been largely applied include the production of high-yield milk in cows or even

altering the growth hormones to make animals grow faster.

Currently, the food industry has concentrated mainly on the improvement of quantity and

taste and not the quality of foods. The outward quality might be impressive, but overall, they

might be so harmful for consumption. Although several factors can be attributable to the current

situation, the roles played by the humans and the ecosystem are enormous. Currently, the

environment is so polluted that we cannot grow quality food to sustain the whole population.

Other factors include the persistent droughts and wildfires that are prevalent in most areas.

Although bioengineering came in to save the situation, the same cannot be enough because of the

rate at which population is growing each day. Besides, air pollution from the use of fossil fuels

has also impacted the ecosystem negatively primarily due to the toxic and rain that are harmful to

the environment and the overall agricultural production.

To date, contamination and pollution of the atmosphere have become some of the most

dramatic yet controversial issues in the United States. Evidently, the natural resources are getting

depleted with time, and the result can be felt through the effects of global warming. Extremely

colder and hotter temperatures together with frequent natural disasters like hurricanes,

unbearable snow storms, among others have been common in the US of late. Considering that

climate is more of a global agenda, the Paris Agreement was formed and whose aim is to

reinforce the global response to the danger of climate change as well as enhancing the countries’

ability to deal with the impacts of climate change (United Nations, 2017).
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Noteworthy, most of these catastrophes do not happen by coincidence or just naturally.

Occurrences such global warming mostly occur because of human activities that lead to the

emission of greenhouse gases that consequently get trapped in the atmosphere hence resulting

into the variation and alteration of the natural pattern and cycle of atmospheric gases thus leading

to increases in the average surface temperatures (NASA, 2017). For example, since the 19th

Century, the earth’s average surface temperature has increased by about 2.0 degrees Fahrenheit

(1.1 degrees Celsius) (NASA, 2017). This has primarily been associated with the increased

carbon dioxide and other artificial emissions into the atmosphere (NASA, 2017). However, the

US through President Trump pulled out of the Paris Agreement which means that the regulations

will not be as harsh. Justifiably, there was no reason ratifying the agreement because in any case,

India and China are the countries that need it more considering that their environmental

situations are worse (European Commission, 2017). The rate of pollution is so high in these

countries that often, citizens are given warnings to stay indoors. In fact, India has continued to

put little efforts in fighting environmental pollution despite the economic booms through palm

oil that has necessitated deforestation to give way to the production of more palm plantations.

Nevertheless, the rate at which the US citizens are using non-renewable sources of energy

is alarming. In 2016, approximately 10% only of the total US energy consumption was from

renewable sources (US Energy Information Administration, 2017). However, about 55% of the

renewable energy was from electricity, and only 15% of the electricity generated was from

renewable sources (US Energy Information Administration, 2017). These statistics are worrying

considering the number of adverse effects that the non-renewable sources of energy pose on the

environment. The US government and the world at large have quite an enormous task to
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accomplish in ensuring the production and use of renewable energy including solar,

hydroelectric, among others that have been proven to encourage environmental sustainability.

For example, the US states have enacted some policies that are aimed at reducing the

consumption of non-renewable sources of energy. For instance, the use of solar panels and salt

water are currently prevalent in Florida as a good sign of efforts towards conserving the

environment. On the other hand, the Midwest is also investing in windmills as sources of energy

considering the area is rich in winds. The government has since gone as far as hiring private

companies to ensure the strategy is successful. Although many other regions are expected to

follow suit, it is apparent that regulations with better implementation mechanisms are sure

predictions for the success of the fight on the use of non-renewable sources of energy. If most of

the state can give priority to the use of windmills, solar panels, and hydroelectric power, America

can have a newer and more natural face.

In conclusion, it is apparent that human activities have significantly impacted the

ecosystem negatively. Some of the plants and animals that used to beautify our environment

have now become extinct because of pollution, deforestation, and other activities of the people.

Key to the situation is the urbanization that has facilitated the use of machines and vehicles with

higher consumption rates of fossil fuels that have continued to emit greenhouse gases dangerous

to the atmosphere. Also, the use of non-renewable sources of energy has had some contribution

to the status quo. The result of all these has been global warming, extinction of some species of

creatures, higher dependence on genetically modified foods, among others. Although most states

in the US have made considerable steps in attempts to reverse the situation, a lot still needs to be

done because the restoration of the natural ecosystem is not just a matter of the state but that of

the nation and the entire world.

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References

Houdebine, L. M. (2014). Impacts of genetically modified animals on the ecosystem and human

activities. Global Bioethics, 25(1), 3-18.

McKenna, P. (2017). What’s Happening in Puerto Rico Is Environmental Injustice. Slate

Magazine. Retrieved 11 December 2017, from

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2017/09/puerto_rico_is_experi

encing_a_crisis_created_by_environmental_injustice.html.

European Commission. (2017, February 16). Climate Action – Paris Agreement. Retrieved 11

December 2017, from

https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/international/negotiations/paris_en.

United Nations. (2017). The Paris Agreement: Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Retrieved 11 December 2017, from http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9485.php.

US Energy Information Administration. (2017, June 1). Renewable Energy Explained. Retrieved

December 11, 2017, from https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/?page=renewable_home.

NASA. (2017, August 10). Climate change causes: A blanket around the Earth. Retrieved

December 11, 2017, from https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/.