New Environmental Impacts to Look Out For: Challenges and Solutions
When we talk about environmental concerns - deforestation, carbon emissions, and plastic pollution come to mind. Yet, the growth of technology and modernization has brought multiple pressing issues. Human activities have negative outcomes for the environment which will ultimately impact our health.
Microplastics
Microplastic infiltration in food chains and the undesirable impact of renewable energy technologies demand urgent attention. Let us highlight these issues, which need to be sorted before it gets late.
Microplastic Contamination in the Food ChainMicroplastics as the name indicates are tiny plastic particles less than 5mm in size. They have been recorded in oceans, rivers, soil, and even the air we breathe. First, it was an oceanic issue, yet now they are detected in human blood and lungs.
A 2022 study published in Environmental Science & Technology estimated that the average person ingests 50,000 microplastic particles every year through food and beverages. These particles originate from degraded plastics and personal care products. Plus, they were found in agricultural soils, so long-term health consequences are negative.
Products from Digital Technologies
The world is moving towards digitalization in every aspect. It is an effort to decrease paper waste, but the environmental outcomes of data centers and cryptocurrency mining cannot be ignored. The International Energy Agency (IEA) says that data centers are responsible for 1% of global electricity consumption.
Similarly, Bitcoin mining uses as much energy every year as some mid-sized countries. The carbon footprint of streaming services such as cloud computing, and artificial intelligence is enormous. We need energy-efficient server technologies to power the virtual infrastructure.
Cons of Renewable Energy Waste
Renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines have become highly regarded - but everything comes with some drawbacks as well. It has shifted the dependency on fossil fuels, but their end-of-life disposal is a huge environmental hurdle. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) predicts that by 2050, solar panel waste will reach 78 million metric tons across the globe. This is due to the absence of appropriate recycling systems for photovoltaic panels and wind turbine blades. This implies that these materials will end up in landfills. Without recycling strategies, clean energy will give rise to waste-related problems.
'Forever Chemicals' in Water Supplies
Renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines have become highly regarded - but everything comes with some drawbacks as well. It has shifted the dependency on fossil fuels, but their end-of-life disposal is a huge environmental hurdle. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) predicts that by 2050, solar panel waste will reach 78 million metric tons across the globe. This is due to the absence of appropriate recycling systems for photovoltaic panels and wind turbine blades. This implies that these materials will end up in landfills. Without recycling strategies, clean energy will give rise to waste-related problems.
Final Words!
The developed world brings up new environmental concerns that can negatively impact the health of humans and other living organisms as well. Proactive solutions are vital to eradicate or at least lessen their effects. We need strong regulations to control plastic production and recycling of products. Awareness and policy-driven action can guarantee that today’s solutions do not become tomorrow’s environmental problems.
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