Влияние людей на окружающую среду

Министерство  образования Российской Федерации

Федеральное государственное образовательное  учреждение

Тамбовский  государственный технический университет

Многопрофильный колледж 
 

Реферат

По дисциплине: «Английский язык»

Тема: «Влияние людей на окружающую среду»

Выполнил: студент группы М – 31к

Лапковская Оксана

Проверил: Циленко Л. П. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Тамбов 2009

Содержание:

1. Science ………………………………………………………………………………………….………...….3
2. Scientific and technological progress………………………………………………………….……..…..3
3. World Environmen……………………………………………………..……………………………..……4
4. Nature and Ecology………………………………………………………………………..…..….………..4
5. Why is it important to conserve biological diversity………..………………………………………….4
6. What should we do…………………………………………………………………………………..………5
7. Protection of nature…………………………………………………………………………..…….…..….5
8. Caring for the environment………………………………………………….………………….……….…6
9. Nature conservation………………………………………………………………………………….….….6
10. What brings humanity to nature…………………………………………..………………………………7
11. The influence of modern humans in the northern nature………………..…….……………………..7
12. What causes people to smoke…………………………………………………………………..…………8

Science

Science is a source of progress. It develops the world we live in. Our century is an epoch of great discoveries in science and engineering. It is epoch of scientific and technological revolution, when new ideas are being born and new discoveries, inventions are being made at an ever increasing rate. Today science has become the most important factor in the development of national economy in the whole world. Scientific progress serves the interests of society, helps to increase the well - being of people and develops public education. Computer technology plays the most important role in the progress of science. The ability of computers to solve many mathematical problems more effective than man does, has given rise to new trends in mathematics. Computer science is a new field of study and research. In recent years scientists of the world have achieved great success in the development of physics, chemistry, biology, and such astonishing, interesting science as psychology. But science may be turned both for peace and military purpose. It can take good forms and evil forms. With the help of scientific inventions politicians make weapons of mass destruction. But on the other hand researches help us in our life: at home, at work, at school and make the level of the country development higher. That's why there are a lot's of facts telling about a great amount of well-known scientists who had burned their works when they've understood the consequences of their inventions. There are a lot of world-known scientists but one of the greatest names in history of man's work in physics. James Clerk Maxwell was born Edinburgh, Scotland, on November 13, 1831.After school he entered the University of native city, attended the University of Cambridge which he graduated in 1854. For two years he lectured, made experiments in optics at Trinity College, studied much himself. In 1856 he became a professor of natural philosophy and in 1860 - a professor of physics and astronomy at kings College in London. In London he lived for five years. There he saw Faraday. In 1871 Maxwell became a professor of experimental physics at Cambridge. At that time students couldn't even have such subjects like electricity and magnetism, as there was no laboratory for the study of these subjects. Maxwell organized such a laboratory, which made Cambridge world-known. This was a fruitful period of Maxwell's life. He studied the problems of electromagnetism, molecular physics, optics, and mechanics. Maxwell wrote his first scientific work when he was 15. Science that time he wrote a great number of works which were the results of his experiments and calculations. His most outstanding investigations are in the field of kinetic theory of gases and electricity. Maxwell is the founder of the electromagnetic field (side by side with Faraday). In 1873 he published his work on electricity and magnetism. During these years he also wrote his classic "Matter and Motion", "Atoms", "Attraction", "Faraday". Maxwell died in 1879.

Scientific and technological progress

It’s difficult to overestimate the role of science and technology in our life. They accelerate the development of civilization and help us in our co-operation with nature. Scientists investigate the laws of the universe, discover the secrets of nature, and apply their knowledge in practice improving the life of people. Let's compare our life nowadays with the life of people at the beginning of the 20th century. It has changed beyond recognition. Our ancestors hadn't the slightest idea of the trivial things created by the scientific progress that we use in our every day life. I mean refrigerators, TV sets, computers, microwave ovens, radio telephones, what not. They would seem miracles to them that made our life easy, comfortable and pleasant. On the other hand, the great inventions of the beginning of the 20th century, I mean radio, airplanes, combustion and jet engines have become usual things and we can't imagine our life without them. A century is a long period for scientific and technological progress, as it's rather rapid. Millions of investigations the endless number of outstanding discoveries have been made. Our century has had several names that were connected with a certain era in science and technology. At first it was called the atomic age due to the discovery of the splitting of the atom. Then it became the age of the conquest of space when for the first time in the history of mankind a man overcame the gravity and entered the Universe. And now we live in the information era when the computer network embraces the globe and connects not only the countries and space stations but a lot of people all over the world. All these things prove the power and the greatest progressive role of science in our life. But every medal has its reverse. And the rapid scientific progress has aroused a number of problems that are a matter of our great concern. These are ecological problems, the safety of nuclear power stations, the nuclear war threat, and the responsibility of a scientist. But still we are grateful to the outstanding men of the past and the present who have courage and patience to disclose the secrets of the Universe.

The world environment

The world environment means simply what is around us. Some people live in towns, other in the country. There are a lot of ecological problems.. The most serious ecological problems are: noise from cars and buses; destruction of wildlife and countryside beauty; shortage of natural resources; the growth of population; pollution in its many forms For example water pollution: water is everywhere, but there is no ocean or sea which is not used as a dump. Many rivers and lakes are poisoned too. Fish and reptiles can t live in them. People can t drink this water. So we have to clean the water environment. But it is not the only problem with pollution. Another problem is air pollution. Air pollution influents the health of people. There are a lot of dangerous. For example: ultraviolet radiation from the sun can cause skin cancer. Normally the ozone layer in the atmosphere protects us from such radiation, but if there are holes in the ozone layer ultraviolet radiation can get to the earth. Many scientists think that these holes are the result of air pollution. Also we have problem with nuclear pollution. Nuclear pollution cannot be seen but its effect can be terrible. To make air clear clean again we need good filters at nuclear power stations, at factories, in cars and buses. Another problem is growth of population. They don t have enough places to live. They need more water, more food. So it is the reason of the shortage of the natural resources. It is very difficult to solve this problem. Also one of the most serious problems is green house effect. It works like this: sunlight gives us heat. Some of the heat warms the atmosphere and some of the heat goes back into space. Nowadays the heat can t go into space. That s why winter and summer temperatures in many places have become higher. If the temperature continue growing up the snow on the mountains and ice will melt, so the most of the earth will be under water. So every person has to understand how important it is to solve this problems, that endanger people s life. For example I try not to throw out in our city.

Nature and ecology

Since ancient times Nature has served man, being the source of his life. For thousands of years people lived in harmony with environment and it seemed to them that natural riches were unlimited. But with the development of civilization man’s interference in nature began to increase. Every year world industry pollutes the atmosphere with about 1000 million tons of dust and other harmful substances. Many cities suffer from smog. Vast forests are cut and burn in fire. Their disappearance upsets the oxygen balance. As a result some rare species of animals, birds, fish and plants disappear forever, a number of rivers and lakes dry up. The pollution of air and the world’s ocean, destruction of the ozone layer is the result of man’s careless interaction with nature, a sign of ecological cities. Environmental protection is of a universal concern. That is why serious measures to create a system of ecological security should be taken.

Why is preservation of biological diversity important?

People, who don’t like to think, sometimes ask: “And what for do we have to protect wild animals?”  It is possible to tell a lot of different “because” on this “what for”. The problem of wild animals saving (and of biological diversity) has many moral, aesthetic, ecological, genetic, economic and other moral, scientific and economic aspects. The diversity of life on Earth - biological diversity – is the foundation for existence of mankind and living nature itself. Loss of biological diversity is about to undermine the foundation for global sustainable development. A wealth of diversity means that nature can more easily adapt itself to the influences from human. Diversity can be regarded as an insurance fund for the production basis and life environment for future generations.

What must we do?

What is perspective of animals saving on the Earth? What are the means for achievement of this purpose? The man can save animals on the Earth, if he will start working with enthusiasm, being equipped with knowledge and being quite sure in necessity of his work. And these activities are really useful because economic value of animals and moral-aesthetic value of saving of nature (including animals) do not require an explanation. Let our descendants will receive blooming, full-value Earth from us. Struggle for the saving of animals is only one side of struggle for rescue of nature in general. If we are going to reduce the loss of biological diversity, we must direct attention to underlying causes of the loss. It’s particularly important to secure ecologically sustainable use of nature, like agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Threatened and vulnerable biological diversity must be protected and, if possible, restored. It’s especially important to protect threatened individual species and stocks demand particular protection. I think that we have to carry out vast educational work attracting various forms of influence on consciousness of people (printing, radio, television, etc). The huge value in matter of nature protection has the release of the appropriate literature, posters, stamps, postcards, organisation of exhibitions and lectures. Increased knowledge among all people concerning the threatened species and what has to be done to prevent their extinction, can be the first step towards preserving biological diversity. Situation for many animals now is perilous. They can become extinct within a relatively short period if we don’t take necessary precautions to preserve their habitation area. The wide system of national and even of international reserves and parks will help us to save biological diversity and vast areas of virtually untouched nature. However there are completely objective premises for saving of wild animals on the Earth. But large activities are necessary for this purpose, activities of all mankind, which just now begins to understand the responsibility before the future generations.

Nature protection  

Computers project that between now and the year of 2030 we are going to have increase of the average temperature between 1,5—4,5 Degrees C. Sea levels would rise by several metres, flooding coastal areas and ruining vast tracts of farmland. Huge areas would be infertile and become uninhabitable. Water contamination could lead to shortages of safe drinking water. It looks like the end of civilization on the Earth. For hundreds of thousands of years the human race has thriven in Earth's environment. But now, at the end of the 20th century, we are at a crucial turning point. We have upset nature's sensitive equilibrium releasing harmful substances into the air, polluting rivers and oceans with industrial waste and tearing up the countryside to accommodate our rubbish. These are the consequences of the development of civilization. We are to stop it by joint efforts of all the people of the world. The range of environmental problems is wide. But the matters of people's great concern nowadays are atmosphere and climate changes, depletion of the ozone layer, freshwater resources, oceans and coastal areas, deforestation and desertification, biological diversity, biotechnology, health and chemical safety. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) concentrates its activities on these issues. Acid Rains One of the most alarming forms of air pollution is acid rain. It results from the release into the atmosphere of sulphur and nitrogen oxides that react with water droplets and return to earth in the form of acid rain, mist or snow. Acid rain iskilling forests (Nearly every species of tree is affected) It has acidified lakes and streams and they can't support fish, wildlife, plants or insects. Depletion of the Ozone Layer The protective layer of the Earth, the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from the sun's destructive UV (ultraviolet) rays, is being damaged by CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). They are released by the daily use of industrial and household products: refrigerators, air conditioners, foam insulation, cleaning chemicals, food packaging. In the ozone layer they attack the ozone molecules making a «hole». This «hole» allows more UV rays to penetrate to the Earth. It increases the risk of skin cancer, weakens the immune system of people. Besides, UV rays influence the oceans, the growth of plankton, an essential part of the marine-life food chain in the negative way, reduce economically important-crops (rice, cotton, soy beans). The life cycle is going to be undermined by the ozone. Destruction of the Tropical Forest It’s generally agreed that the destruction of the tropical forest has a major impact on the world climate. The tropical rain forest is a natural recycler, provider and protector for our planet. It recycles carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, helps determine temperature, rainfall and other climatic conditions and supports the most diverse ecosystem in the world. Deforestation could cause one forth of all species on earth to vanish in the next 25 years. These forests in Amazonia, South-East Asia and West and Central Africa are being destroyed at an alarming rate of 42 million acres per year. Measures to Be Taken We have only a few years to attempt to turn things around. We must review our wasteful, careless ways, we must consume less, recycle more, conserve wildlife and nature, act according to the dictum «think locally, think globally, act locally». To my mind, we are obliged to remove factories and plants from cities, use modern technologies, redesign and modify purifying systems for cleaning and trapping harmful substances, protect and increase the greenery and broaden ecological education. These are the main practical measures, which must he taken in order to improve the ecological situation. Some progress has been already made in this direction. 159 countries-members of the UNO have set up environmental protection agencies. They hold conferences discussing ecological problems, set up environmental research centres and take practical urgent measures to avoid ecological catastrophe. There are numerous public organisations such as Greenpeace that are doing much to preserve environment. The 5th of June is proclaimed the World Environmental Day by the UNO and is celebrated every year.

Keeping our environment clean

The earth is our home. We must take care of it for ourselves and for the future generations. The importance of this task is great as scientists who study the relation of man to nature say. These scientists are called “ecologists”, from the Greek word “oikos”, which means home. Ecologists are trying to keep the land, air and water clean. Why must we keep our earth clean? We have only a certain amount of fresh water and clean air and we must take care of it. If we don’t stop air and water pollution, trees and flowers won’t grow, fish will die in dirty water. We will have to breathe dirty air. Of course, people are working to make the earth cleaner, but they must do more. What can people do to make earth cleaner? Factories must stop polluting air, rivers and lakes with waste products and chemicals. They must work on it more. Lakes and rivers must be cleaned and kept clean. Environmental problems concern everyone. We should remember that everyone can do something to solve them. We all want to live in a clean world.

Keeping our environment clean

Many years ago people lived in harmony with the environment because industry was not much developed. Now the situation is quite different. People all over the world cannot ignore the problem of the protection of the environment because of modem industry and the need for energy. Newspapers and magazines write a lot about water pollution, air pollution and land pollution. There are some laws and decisions on this important question. There are state organisations and international conventions which pay much attention to this problem. Many parts of the world are crowded now, much of our waste, especially waste from factories, electric power stations, the chemical industry and heavy industry are very dangerous. Fish dies in the lakes, rivers and seas, forest trees die too. The problem of radiation has also become a very important problem because it is very dangerous for health of people. There is a science, named ecology, which study the relation between people and their environment. But each of us also must do everything possible to keep our environment clean for ourselves and for the next generations.

What does mankind bring to the nature?

In New York zoo at the end of an exposition behind the crates of lions and tigers a stone low-built building is located. The strong thick lattice reserves glass showcase. The inscription above it says: "The most dangerous animal in the world!" And when the intrigued visitor cautiously approaches his face to the lattice, he sees... himself: a back wall of a crate is a mirror! Certainly, it is a joke, but bitter joke, and it contains the deep sense and reproach. Yes, just the man, crowing point of development of an alive matter on the Earth, owner of the Earth, carries not separate animals, but whole species before him. The history of three last centuries knows many such examples. Fauna of the Earth has began to fall intondecline, the processes of evolution have been broken. The new terms were born: instead of «dying out animals» more often tell «disappearing animals». The influence of the man on wild animals appears in two ways: direct influence (destruction or, on the contrary, protection, saving) and indirect influence through changes of their existence conditions. The man on the Earth creates a new landscape. It is the irreversible and natural process. And it is not only irreversible, but it is also inevitable, because it is consequence of a human society development. Some changes of a landscape are rough and obvious. They are ploughing up of steppes, cutting of woods, irrigation and other modifications of an earth surface changing its shape in radical way. As a result the whole complexes of animals begin to disappear because they have no place to live. But it is only one side of a question. Direct influence of the man is a terrible scourge for the animals. The pioneers of the largest modifications of the earth surface become the main butchers of the animals. The poachers armed with long-range guns, high-speed motor boats, searchlights and automobiles exterminate hundreds of thousands of birds and animals. Careless business managers pollute seas, lakes and rivers by petroleum or by sewage. Laws declaring outside of the law any predatory bird, regulating even the prize for their murder cause irreparable damage. Recently birds, which live on fish such as seagull and herons were persecuted. It is nothing but barbarity! For struggle with insects-wreckers one have begun to apply various poison chemicals, which can accumulate in organisms of animals in fatal dozes. This can cause mass destruction. Many animals perish on highways. Unreasonable planning of hunting of fur-bearing animals without registration of their number, unreasoned acclimatisation, and fashion whims stimulating sudden increase of demand on some animals - all these reasons have a common consequence - destruction of animals and of biological diversity.

Influence of modern people on the North nature

Now deposits of petroleum and gas, coal, ores of iron and non-ferrous metals are developed in the Far North. Especially it concerns Russian North. It’s value for the national economy of the country grows constantly. Population here increases in number. Large cities with wide avenues and multi-storey buildings have grown here and the thousands kilometres of highway and railroads, oil and gas pipelines have stretched. In the last decades not only new, modern industries, energetics, transport, but also traditional branches of economy - deer breeding, hunting, fishing are developed in the North. The interrelations of man and nature become more and more complex and fragility, instability, special vulnerability of northern nature become more obvious. The organic world of the Far North suffers most of all. The new ways of utilising nature, together with the fact that the traditional ways are now pursued more intensively, have led to extensive damages to nature in some areas. “Normal” for more southern areas a load, the same forms and range of human activity cause in the North deep, and frequently undesirable and irreversible changes. The organic world — animals and vegetation - suffers especially. Chemical weed-killers and pest-killers as well as the products of their disintegration, sometimes cause large harm to northern scenery. River waters, sea and air currents bring them here. Chemicals are stored in organisms of north animals. White bears and seals eating sea fish especially suffer from them. Having accumulated definite amount of chemicals, animals stop to breed and even perish. Pollution by industrial and domestic waste and pollution by petroleum and oil products, poisonous substances of boring solutions have led to extensive damages to northern scenery. One of the consequences of the man activity is destruction of birds and sea mammals from petroleum, black oil and other pollution of seawater. And even people full of the kindest feelings to “the smaller brothers ” but unfamiliar with their customs can cause involuntary harm to local animals. Here especially harmful consequences of so-called “factor of anxiety” appear. It is enough to scare broody away and the nest disappears because it becomes unprotected. Frequently the lovers to photograph close to walrus rookery, to look at them in details and even to touch these giants appear here. Meanwhile it is not required large efforts to cause panic on walrus rookery, and as the result frightened animals weight down each other very often, and tens of their carcasses remain on the place of rookery. The panic can be caused also by the low flying plane or by hooter of a passing steamship. Ejections of sulphur gas and oxides of nitrogen by factories, gas and petroleum drill holes here result in fall of “acid rains” — solutions of a sulfuric and nitric acid. It causes hurm to lichens and thus to vegetative cover. The man quite often reduces northern woods even if there is no large need in it. And you see that these woods not only decorate a landscape and give a shelter for birds and four-footed inhabitants, but also grow milder climate. To cut down a tree means to open access to wind and snowstorm. In the Far North, as well as everywhere, the fires more often arise as a result of the man’s fault. And it burns sometimes vast squares. There are also unexpected problems deal with development of industry and transport. So, gas and oil pipelines become an obstacle for migrant reindeer herds. Navigation in the northern seas becomes longer with each year. The icebreaking ships easily overcome ice and more often leave in it bars of open water. In turn these channels attract sea animals, especially ringed seals. But these channels close very quickly and they become traps for the animals.

What makes people smoke?

What makes people smoke? Most smokers acquire this harmful habit in the teen age, before twenty. At this time, young teen-agers are eager to look out like their grown up friends, parents or just accidental acquaintances. They believe that a cigarette in their lips would make them look “cooler”. 

Almost everybody knows a lot about harm, which is produced by smoking. While process of smoking, pitch is gathered inside lungs — no matter that widely hyped double-filters withhold a part of it. The point is that passive smokers — people who found themselves just near the smokers —  get double harm, because they breathe the smoke without filters. Pitch accumulates in lungs with time, increasing risk of a large variety of illnesses.