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Curious KidsThis series is for all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected].
Is it possible to reverse the damage done to the Earth by humans? – Anthony, age 13
Sometimes it seems that humans have made the Earth uninhabitable. Our planet is an amazing system that provides energy, water and carbon to sustain life. It is. About 4.5 billion year oldIt has experienced many significant changes.
At some points in Earth’s history, Fires erupted in large areas. Other times, much of it was Covered with ice. Also, mass extinctionsIt destroyed nearly every living thing that was on its surface.
Our living planet is resilient and can heal its self over time. The problem is that the Earth’s self-healing abilities are extremely slow. The Earth will be fine, but humans’ problems are more immediate.
People have The systems that sustain us have been damagedIn many ways. We have polluted airAnd Water, strewn plasticAnd Other trashBoth on land as well as in rivers and oceans. destroyed habitatsFor plants and animals.
But we know how to. Natural processes are encouragedMany of these messes must be cleaned up. There has been A lot of progressSince people These problems were first recognized 50 years ago..
USEPA
There are still many problems to be solved. Some pollutants, like plastic, They can last for thousands upon thousands of years, so it’s much better to stop releasing them than to try to collect them later. And ExtinctionIt is permanent so the only way to reduce it is by being more vigilant about protecting animals, plants, and other species.
Climate change can be reversed
Burning coal, oil, and gas is the most damaging thing humans do to the Earth. It has been dramatically warming its climate. These carbon-based fuels change the fundamental chemistry as well as physics of the oceans and air.
Every lump of coal or gallon of gasoline that’s burned releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It’s there. heats the Earth’s surfaceThis can lead to droughts, fires, floods, and other problems like fires. Some of this carbon dioxide dissolves in the oceans. Acidic makes them more acidicThe threat to ocean food webs is posed by
Climate change is a problem that will get worse until humans stop making it worse – and then it will take many centuries for the climate to return to what it was like Before the Industrial Revolution, when humans started to alter it on an enormous scale.
To avoid making things worse, we must stop setting carbon on flames. This means that societies must work hard in order to build an energy system capable of supporting everyone’s well-being without the need for carbon.
The good news? We know how to create energy without releasing any carbon dioxide or other pollution. Now, electricity made from solar, wind, and geothermal energy is possible The history of the cheapest energy. Ensure that the global electricity supply is clean and reliable. Everything electrifyingYou can stop carbon pollution quickly from getting worse.
This will require electric cars, trains, heating and cooking as well as electric factories. We’ll also need new kinds of transmission and storage systems to get all that clean electricity from where it’s made to where it’s used.
Rest of the carbon mess can still be cleaned up. Better farm and forest managementCarbon is stored in plants and land, rather than being released into the atmosphere. Scientists are able to solve this problem.
The Earth will heal, but it may take quite a while. Everyone can help to prevent further damage from happening.
Hey, curious children! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult for help. [email protected]. Please provide your name, age, and the location where you live.
And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.
