HUMAN IMPACT ON THE LIVING ENVIROMENT OUR EARLY HUMAN ANCESTORS

As the animals continued to migrate to warmer climates so did the hunters. Over time some of the groups of early humans changed their life styles. They settled in an area and became farmers.Over time villiges developed around these farms.As the populations of these villiges increased so did the need for food and more housing.As the early native Americans removed trees from sections of the forest, the soil beneath those trees was exposed to the weather. Wind,rain and overuse of the topsoil caused the farms to become less productive.Deforestation of the rain forests and Desertification of grazing lands are serious issues now facing many countries. The rapid growth of the worldwide human population has placed a great demand on the use available land.This may upset the ecosystem processes that maintain a balance of nature.The major function of trees and other green plants in the ecosystem is to obsorb carbon dioxide from the air and recycle it into breathable oxygen.As the combustion of fossil fuels increases and the number of trees in the forest decreases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere becomes greater. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.It allows the solar energy of the sun to pass through it,but it prevents the energy from reflecting back into space.This buildup of the sun's solar energy may be a cause of Global Warming,air pollution,water pollution and land pollution And have also had an impact on natural ecosystem processes. The United States Enviromental Protection Agency was established to protect the health of humans and to maintain the enviroment.The EPA monitors and enforces the rules and regarlations of the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. -----------Adapted from N.Y.Daily News 5-24-07