Environmental Problems

1. Pollution
2. Overpopulation
3. Global warming
4. Waste disposal
5. Climate change
6. Loss of biodiversity
7. Desertification
8. Ocean acidification
9. Ozone layer depletion
10. Acid rain
11. Natural disasters
12. Overgrazing

Pollution

1. refers to the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that causes adverse changes.
2. Pollution can take the form of various contaminants, including chemical substances or different types of energy such as noise, heat, or light.
3. These pollutants can either be foreign substances or naturally occurring contaminants.

Environmental pollution

1. Definition: Environmental pollution is the introduction or addition of any harmful or unnecessary substance to the environment, resulting in the degradation of natural resources and ecosystems.

2. Pollutants: These are the materials or substances responsible for pollution. They can be both human-made or naturally occurring but are harmful to the environment. Pollutants include:

   • Chemical pollutants: such as plastics, pesticides, and heavy metals.
   • Energy pollutants: such as noise pollution and light pollution.

Factors which lead to the increase of environmental pollution

1. Rapid pollution growth in the world especially in the thirds world countries this led to the increase rate of production of waste and problem in the managing of the waste.
2. The increase level of poverty in the developing country. This made people uses cheap energy resources that cause air pollution like charcoal and fuel wood. Rapid advance in technology that has led to the development of supplicated industries which emits a lot of gases and waste
3. Development of transport network that has net to the development and increase number of cars that emits many fumes smokes.
4. Increase in political conflict that forces people to keep on migrating from place to place end up polluting the environment as well as the use of bombs and nuclear weapons.

Advancement of science and technology

Environment pollution can be classified as follows

1. Air pollution
2. Soil/land pollution
3. Water pollution
4. Noise pollution

Is an addition of waste material into air, Air is an important resource in sustaining life, without it there would be no life on earth. It is a mixture of gases surrounding the earth. These gases are such as nitrogen, oxygen carbon dioxide and other gases.

Causes of air pollution

Natural causes

1. Volcanic eruption. That gives out dust ashes and gaseous like Sulphur and carbon dioxide.
2. Wind, that raise the dust and pollen to a certain level. Dust has chemical that are toxic and hence harmful to the living organism both flora and fauna

Human causes

1. Industrial activities and automobile. This process led to the emission of fumes and gases that pollute the air.
2. The uses of charcoal, coal, firewood and fuel oil for difference purpose like cooking, lighting, smelting etc. pollute environment.
3. Construction activities. The construction of project like road construction, salting up buildings etc. lead to introduction of dust into the air.
4. Agricultural activities pollute the air through Digging in the soil that raises dust into air. Spraying some chemicals like insecticides.
5. Mining activities: this in also led to the introduction of dust and some gases into the atmosphere.

Effects of air pollution

1. Reduction in amount of solar energy because of being blocked by the layer of dusts or fumes hanging in the atmosphere leading to problems in photosynthesis.
2. Transportation in plants in upset since the smoke and dust setting on the leaves block the stomata.
3. Occurrence of global warming as the result of trapping of heat energy from the sun by the green houses gases.
4. Death of plants and animals due to poisonous gases.
5. Destruction of Ozone layer.
6. Reduction of air dirty.
7. Occurrence of acidic rainfall when gases like carbon dioxide and Sulphur dioxide mix with rainfall.
8. It can cause bad and irritating smell keeping people in residence area uncomfortable.
9. It can cause dangerous disease like skin cancer.

Measures towards reducing air pollution

1. Planting trees, which absorb gases like carbon dioxide and prevent fast movement of air that lead to the introduction of dust into the atmosphere and destruction of Ozone layer.
2. Improving the combination system in the engines so that fuel can burn easily.
3. Reducing number of small cars or industries.
4. Finding out alternative sources of energy instead of depending on the charcoal, firewood, and fuel wood.
5. Government policies should be active and strict laws should be passed to ensure proper management of resources.
6. Land filling when dumping the wastes so that when they decompose, they cannot lead to the emission of gases like methane into the Atmosphere

Soil pollution is the process of introducing or adding any unwanted material in the soil.

Causes of soil pollution

The main causes of soil pollution can be categorized as follows

1. From the atmosphere: the pollutants are introduced into the soil through the acidic rain. Acid rain leads to the increase of acidity into the soil, which later on destroy the soil structure.
2. From the industries: Some chemical such as radioactive material and metals can be introduced into the soil and render the soil units for Agriculture.
3. From the home steeds: Some waste from homes like bottles, metallic material plastics baby's cans etc., which are dumped into the soil they lead to soil pollution.
4. From the farms: There are chemicals, which include pesticides like DDT crop remains and fertilizers when all these chemicals get into the soil they lead to the soil pollution.
5. Mining activities: On the other hands, mining activities can lead to the introduction of some rocks. Fragments into the upper layer of the soil which then leads to the soil pollution

Effects of soil pollution

1. Death of animals (Biota) since some chemicals affect plant and animal cell for instance organism like bacteria, which are mainly used for decomposition of some materials to form Humus.
2. Decline in Agriculture as a result of poor production caused by poor plant growth. Poor plant growth takes place due to the decline in soil fertility in turn to the occurrence of famine, which leads to the poor health, and death of people.
3. It can lead to water logging and flooding because of poor drainage caused by the soil pollution, which tends to create an impermeable layer of substance in the soil.
4. Acidic materials dissolve change in soil structure as some of the mineral and nutrients.
5. Migration of people to other areas, which have not been affected by soil erosion.
6. Change in soil color, which causes problems in the soil classification and determination of land uses.

Measures to be taken in order to reduce the rate of soil pollution

1. Reducing or stopping the uses of chemicals in agriculture like DDT and used killers.
2. Increase of manure instead of industrial fertilizers.
3. Recycling of wastes rather than dumping them in the soil.
4. Launching afforestation and reforestation programmers, which can reduce soil erosion.
5. Control of population to reduce the rate of production of wastes that lead to the pollution of soil. Population control can be done through family planning.
6. Educating people on how to undertake their activities properly.
7. Radioactive materials should be dumped so deep in the ground. Method like crops rotation use of organic manure and switch the traditional system like shifting cultivation.
8. Formulating strict policies that govern on how to dump the wastes. Fines and punishment should be impressed those who dump the waste randomly.

Water pollution: Refers to the addition or introduction of unwanted materials or substances in the water, which has negative effect of animal and plant. Polluted water is not fit for human consumption like drinking unit treated first.

Ways through which water can be polluted

1. Disposal of untreated sewage into the water bodies. The sewage can be forming homestead. Institution like schools, hotels and hospitals.
2. Dumping of wastes from industries into the water bodies these can be either liquid or solid form.
3. Some chemicals and other wastes from the farms ear get into the water bodies through the surface turn off or by deliberate dumping by human being leading to water contamination.
4. Oil spills from the leaking oil containers or pipes.
5. Fishing activities, some fishermen tend to use harmful chemicals in fishing which lead to water pollution.
6. Breaking of rocks along the coastal areas or near other sources of water using explosives like dynamite, which in turns leads to the dying of marine organisms including fish.
7. Introduction of dust into the water sources mainly due to wind action. This is also another way into which water can be polluted.

Effects of water pollution

1. Water pollution can lead to the death of plants and animals if the pollutants and poisonous or causes the rise of temperature to extreme levels.
2. Spread of disease like cholera, diarrhea, dysentery and typhoid.
3. Oil spills kill aquatic organisms because it prevents oxygen from penetrating into water, organisms die because of lacking oxygen.
4. Water pollution leads to the emission of soil smells that causes discomfort to the people round the water body. The soil smell is caused by decomposition of the organic matter introduced into the water body.
5. Decline of tourist activities due to the fact that tourist who depends on water bodies for swimming will find difficult due to the fact that water bodies has been polluted (i.e. presence of toxic chemicals)
6. The color of water changes. The water becomes under due to the presence of impurities.
7. Multiplication of sea weeds because of the increase in nutritious from the wastes in water.
8. The death of fish leads to the loss of valuable sources of protein to human being.

Measures towards water pollution control

1. Encourage the proper use of fishing methods rather than using chemicals, since chemicals end up killing different fish, animal and plant species.
2. The oil container and pipes should be kept properly and frequently inspected so as to avoid the problem of soil spiller
3. Population controlling the population number of people will reduce the amount of water produced.
4. Reduction in the uses of fertilizers and chemicals in agriculture organic agriculture should be encouraged in which manure is used
5. The government and the NGO'S should cooperate in educating people on how to use water, conserve it and where possible they should assist financial in trying to prevent the problem of water pollution.
6. Water should be kept in a clean containers or reservoirs and be covered flighty to avoid contamination
7. Breaking of rocks using dynamite should be discouraged and hence alternative ways should be applied.
8. Dumping of wastes on the land should be hand in hand with land filling method since random throwing of it leads to water pollution
9. There should be recycling of wastes rather than throwing them into the water bodies.

This refers to the disorganized sound produced from different activities.

Causes of noise pollution

1. Motor vehicles
2. Construction activities
3. Bombing activities
4. Machines in factories

Effects of noise pollution

1. Mental and physical illness
2. High blood Pressure problem
3. Death on organism

Effects of environmental pollution

1. Wastes dumped carelessly can endanger the health of man as well as other organisms. Empty cans, glass and plastic containers are potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which spread malaria and other diseases. Rotten organic matter may harbor many disease germs and they produce noxious smell when they rot.
2. Land pollution causes chemical contamination and loss of ecosystem. This occurs when the chemicals in the waste matter poison the soil. The plants growing on the poisoned soil, animals that eat these plants and even humans are all affected by these chemical contaminants.
3. Deforestation causes imbalance in the rain cycle. A disturbed rain cycle affects many factors such as reduction in the green cover. Plants help absorb excess carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen to the atmosphere. This process helps to balance the atmosphere.
4. Terrestrial pollution is a big problem in urban areas This is where waste production outweighs waste disposal. In such areas you find poor and blocked sewage system, effluent from domestic toilets flowing on the streets and roads, and dirty water carelessly poured on the ground.
5. Chemicals discharged into water bodies have direct toxic effects on aquatic life. These chemicals include pesticides, oil spills, mercury, and industrial chemicals. They can kill fish for many kilometers downstream. Discharging the hot water from a power plant into a river could affect aquatic organisms greatly.
6. Noise pollution disturbs both man and other animals. It leads to problems such as noise-induced hearing loss, headaches and fatigue due to disturbed sleep patterns, hypertension and cardiovascular disease such as myocardial infarction and increases stress leading to psychological disturbance.
7. One of the effects of air pollution is global warming. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere allow ultraviolet radiations to pass through them and reach the Earth. As the Earth's surface gets heated up, some of the heat is radiated back to the atmosphere.
8. Depletion of the ozone layer Air pollution causes depletion of the ozone layer. The ozone plays an important role in absorbing dangerous ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun. These radiations are dangerous as they cause diseases like cancer in organisms, including man.
9. Production of harmful gases Human activities explained previously produce harmful gases such as oxides of nitrogen and Sulphur, which are released into the atmosphere. These gases are responsible for the formation of acid rain.

Biodiversity refers to the number, or abundance of different species living within a particular region. It represents the wealth of biological resources available to us.

Loss of biodiversity refers to the disappearance of different plants and animal species in a particular geographical unit or community.

Causes of loss of biodiversity

Natural causes

These occur without human intervention. Natural forces such as Earthquakes, landslides, lightning, and volcanic eruptions mainly cause them.

Some of the natural causes of loss of biodiversity include the following:

1. Floods, which kill many organisms (plants and animals) where they occur.
2. Lightning in which organisms die due to natural electricity.
3. Windstorms, where strong winds uproot and break plants, and cause massive death of organisms.
4. Pests and diseases occurring at exceptionally high rates tend to kill large numbers of organisms.
5. Landslides and other types of mass wasting, volcanicity, glaciation and Earthquakes tend to kill organisms in large numbers whenever they occur.

Other ecological factors that may also contribute to the extinction of plant and animal diversity are as follows:

1. Distribution range: The smaller the range of distribution, the greater the threat of extinction.
2. Degree of specialization: The more specialized an organism is, the more vulnerable it is to extinction.
3. Position of the organism in the food chain: The higher the organism in food chain, the more susceptible it becomes.
4. Reproductive rate: Large organisms tend to produce fewer offspring at wide time intervals, e.g. elephants. Elephants are at a greater threat of extinction compared to prolific animals with high reproductive rates like rats.

Human causes of biodiversity loss

The loss of biodiversity is primarily influenced by human activities that disrupt ecosystems and natural habitats. Below are the key human causes that contribute to this loss:

1. Destruction of habitats

   • Human activities like settlement expansion, agriculture, mining, industry, highway construction, and dam building lead to the destruction of natural habitats.
   • Species may have to adapt, relocate, or face death due to predation, starvation, or disease.

2. Introduction of exotic species

   • Species from one region introduced into another can disturb the natural balance of ecosystems.
   • Exotic species may become invasive, outcompeting native species for resources and potentially causing their decline or extinction.

3. Pollution

   • Human activities contribute to pollution, affecting air, water, and soil quality.
   • Pollution alters energy flows, changes the chemical and physical makeup of the environment, and disrupts species abundance and health.

4. Overexploitation of resources

   • Overhunting, overfishing, and excessive farming deplete natural resources faster than they can regenerate.
   • Species such as sardines, herrings, and cod are examples of those overexploited, leaving insufficient time for populations to recover.

5. Climate change

   • Climate change, driven by human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation, alters weather patterns and temperatures.
   • Plant and animal life are impacted, with species potentially declining or shifting their range, leading to biodiversity loss.

6. Habitat fragmentation

   • Habitat fragmentation occurs when large, continuous habitats are divided into smaller, isolated patches.
   • These fragmented habitats are often too small or too separated to support species for the long term, hindering survival and reproduction.

7. Control of pests and predators

   • Measures to control pests and predators, such as using pesticides and poisoning, can kill non-target species.
   • This disrupts ecological balance and may harm or kill predators crucial for maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Effects of loss of biodiversity

1. Reduced food security Loss of biodiversity leads to the loss of the green economics. It occurs when the plants and other organisms of similar properties to plants are lost.
2. Environmental degradation Environmental degradation makes the biosphere to be hostile to organisms. Pollution of water, land and air make these environments uninhabitable or nearly uninhabitable to organisms.
3. Loss of habitats Destruction of vegetation, artificially by man or naturally by other natural forces, leads to destruction of not only plants per se but also the habitats of many organisms living in there
4. Effect on human health Human health ultimately depends upon ecosystem products and services (such as availability of fresh water, food and fuel sources) which are necessary for good human health and productive livelihoods.
5. Increased contact with disease the loss of biodiversity has two significant impacts on human health and the spread of disease. First, it increases the number of disease-carrying animals in local populations.
6. Depreciation of aesthetic value Loss of biodiversity leads to depreciation in aesthetic value of the environment. People are deprived of the happiness they get from the environment.
7. More unpredictable weather the loss of species, even those replaced by invasive, has been shown to cause more unpredictable weather.

Desertification is the process in which the fertile land is demanded and degraded to produce or initiate desert.

Causes of desertification

1. Overgrazing In arid regions, grass and other vegetation is necessary to keep the soil in place. If livestock overgraze the vegetation, there is very little or no vegetation that remains to prevent the soil from being carried away by wind, water or any erosion agent
2. Deforestation Forests are being cut down at a much larger scale than ever before to be used as fuel, to provide products we use in our daily life.
3. Outdated and unsustainable agriculture techniques Improper irrigation methods in arid areas, such as canal irrigation, lead to a build-up of salt in the soil and make it difficult for crops and other plants to grow, hence increasing desertification.
4. Overpopulation Ecosystems can cope with incremental challenges and adapt but beyond a certain point, they collapse.
5. Climate change As humans continue to remove vegetation from landscapes, there is less vegetation remaining to add moisture to the soil that will evaporate into the air and form clouds that lead to rainfall.
6. Famine, poverty and political instability. This is because people on the brink of famine, extreme poverty or political instability in their country need to solve the crisis now and do not think about sustainable cultivation strategies.
7. Natural drought cycles Natural drought cycles have been responsible for the advance of the desert. Drought leads to loss of soil moisture and hence death of different plant species.

Impacts (effects) of desertification

1. Decline in agriculture and soil fertility It leads to decline in agriculture. This is because of drought condition that causes water problems when there is poor precipitation plant growth is inhabited leading to poor food production.
2. Loss of species or biodiversity It leads to the loss of important species of trees and animals as well as organism like bacteria. Desertification reduces the ability of land to support plant life.
3. Soil erosion the desert advance acceleration of soil erosion which leads to deforestation and loss of arable land. Erosion also affects different structure like building bridge, roads and railway line. The reduction in plant cover increases soil erosion due to increased runoff and direct exposure to wind.
4. Disasters Desertification makes natural disasters worse. Events such as flooding, dust storms, and pollution, all become stronger in areas with heavily degraded soils.
5. Famine, poverty, and starvation Desertification reduces vegetative productivity, leading to long-term declines in crop and livestock yields, plant standing biomass, and plant biodiversity.
6. Economic loss Desertification forces the government to use its financial resources to rehabilitate and maintain the degraded land.
7. Migration of people Migration of people from affected area to productive land area. People and other animals are compelled to move from areas with scarcity of water to areas that experience enough rainfall.
8. Pollution of water sources Vegetation plays an important role in cleaning our water. Plants function like natural filters, storing pollutants such as heavy metals from water in their own bodies.
9. Decline in tourism The desert also contributes at high rate the destruction of wildlife animals and species which in turn leads to decline of tourist industries in the country

Measures to be taken in order to minimize the rate of desertification

1. Alternative source of energy should be used in the developing countries especially in natural areas where the majority live. Alternative energy includes solar energy, wind power, biogas and hydroelectric power.
2. The local people should be educated on how to conserve vegetation. Some programs like afforestation and reforestation should be encouraged in order to mitigate them.
3. The government should advice some substantive policies whose objectives are to lay down principles to guide development and control of forests.
4. The government should encourage forest conservation by avoiding deforestation.

Land degradation refers to the deterioration of the quality of land (soil) through the loss of fertility, soil pollution erosion and mass wasting.

Loss of soil fertility

This refers to the decline in the soil ability to support plant growth due to the lack of plant nutrients necessary for growth.

Causes of soil infertility

1. Leaching process: This process contributes to the soil infertility due to the fact that nutrients which are necessary for plants growth and washed away.
2. Over cultivation: In a certain area caused by the rapid population growth. The crops grown on some pieces of land for a long-time lead to depletion of nutrients.
3. Monoculture: That involves cultivation of one type of crop without crop of inter cropping. Nutrients are used up without replacement and the soil structure can be destroyed rendering the soil unstable.
4. Soil erosion: Which accelerated by poor land management like deforestation feat cultivation on the slopes etc.
5. Mass wasting: That leads to the loss of the upper layer of soil and its nutrients
6. Severe loss of soil water through excessive evaporation especially in arid and semi-arid.

Soil management and conservation

Soil management Refer to the skillful uses or wise utilization and control of quality of soil (land resources) Soil conservation Refers to the process of preserving soil for proper and sustainable use.

Measures of soil management and conservation

1. Educating people to promote and encouraged land management skills among them, this has to be undertaken by the government collaboration with NGO'S and some individual.
2. Training and encouraging farmers to uses proper farming methods like crop rotation counters roughing and inter cropping Planting of cover crops forestation and reforestation in order to check soil erosion.
3. Reducing or stopping the uses of industrial chemical which tend to accumulate in the soil and causes soil pollution.
4. Waste products should be recycled rather than dumping them in the soil.
5. Destocking animal members should be reduced or controlled to avoid overgrazing that leads to destruction grass.
6. Encouraging dry farming that involves mulching in order to reduce loss of water through evaporation
7. Land filling with bush wood should be used where the soil has been severely eroded producing gullies.
8. Population should be controlled so as to discourage excessive exploitation of resources which in nature leads to land degradation

Acidic Rain results from solution of gases like carbon dioxide that react with water to form acids. Acidic rain It is formed in the air from Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide which are emitted by thermal power stations, Industries, Motor vehicles, burning of coals and also industrialization.

Effects of acidic rain

1. It led to the increase of acidity in water bodies hence killing of aquatic animals and plants
2. Reduction of the rate of soil fertility due to the increase amount of acidity into the soil.
3. Increase the rate of leaching process.
4. Destruction of different structure like buildings, bridges, railways as result of the corrosive action of acid on paint and rocks containing calcium.
5. Sulphur acid lead itching and irritation of eyes in human beings and animal
6. Erosion of limestone rock led to the formation of features like sink holes dollies and garpikes

Measurements to combat the problem of acidic rainfall

1. Spraying the trees to wash off the acids and adding of time to the soil lakes and rivers to reduce acidity. The good example is Germany, UK and Scandinavia, countries where this process has been used advice.
2. Reduction of emission of Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide by using non fossil fuel, coal that contains less Sulphur, removing Sulphur from coal.
3. Introducing new boilers in power station, which can burn, Sulphur dioxide into ash.
4. Trapping Sulphur dioxide from the waster gases and spraying it with water so that it can form sulphuric acid, which can later be neutralized by adding line.
5. Using alternative sources of energy, which do not pollute the air the country, can turn the coal-fired power station into gas-fired power.
6. Recycle the waste to avoid unnecessary champion action that led to the production of Sulphur gas
7. Strict policies should be formulated to restrict the case of energy that leads to emission of Sulphur dioxide.

Refers the period of high river discharge or overflow of water along the coast due to extremely high tides and storm waves

Causes of floods

Flood occur due to the collapse of reservoirs like dam, emergence of spring, melting of ice and breaking of the water pipes

Flood can occur due to the heavy rainfall that take place in a particular place and they affect so much the law land area especially where vegetation been cleared. They occur most frequently in the humidly region like equatorial areas.

Factors that can accelerate flooding in law land areas

1. Shallowness of the soil due to the presence of the impermeable rock layer just near the surface.
2. Earth quakes that take place below the sea tends to lead to the formation of large waves – flooding
3. Damming of the river by human being by lava spread out during volcanic eruption.
4. Blocked up drainage system in town and cites can lead to the flooding
5. Shallowness and name lines of the river system can also lead to flooding
6. Cleaning of vegetation accelerate flooding because on a base surface water runs freely to the stream
7. It can also take place where the rives has many bends

Impacts of flood

1. Death of people and animals for example the frequent flood in Bangladesh has claimed the death of many people leading to depopulation.
2. Destruction of farm land they can be destroyed by running water leaching to devastation of crops.
3. Outbreak and spread of disease especially water born disease which then affected the health of people and sometimes death.
4. Floods also lead to the demolition of houses rending people homeless.
5. Silting of dams and other water resources resulting in the problem of water conservation and inadequate water supply.
6. Flood can lead to soil and air pollution
7. Occurrence of the soil erosion and the occurrence of lands.
8. Destruction of infrastructure like railways, roads and bridges.
9. Floods bring problem of industrial location in a particular place.
10. It leads to migration of people who move as refugees
11. Destruction of various economic sectors like farms and industrial structures this lead to occurrence of poverty in the country.

Response to the occurrence of flood

1. There should be proper management of the watershed catchment areas through planting trees people should be allowed to settle in the catchment areas
2. Construction of dams across the river channels helps in combating the problem of flood, which affects the low land areas.
3. The stream of the rivers should be deeper widened and straightened to increase the speed of the river down the slope to the sea.
4. People should be frequent inspection and cleaning of the drainage by flooding.
5. There should be frequent inspection and cleaning of the drainage system.
6. Availability of rescue team which is skilled and actives in rescuing people affected by floods
7. International cooperation should be intensified so as to improve the techniques of combating this environmental problem.

Is a state on an area facing prolonged condition of dry without precipitation or a long period of dry weather.

Causes of drought

Natural cause

1. Wind system dynamics. Wind system that are dry since have blown across very narrow water mass stretch cause drought as they have not picked enough moisture for rain formation
2. Shifting position of the overhead sun. As a shifting of overhead sun, takes place then rainfall regime shift. It shift in the northern hemisphere there occur dryness in the southern hemisphere
3. Location of some place: Some place is located in the wind side of the mountains and therefore experience dryness. Good example is Namib desert
4. Natural fires: There is the fire caused by natural hazard like lighting of and volcanic eruption

These are activities carried all by man

1. Lumbering that leads to deforestation due to excessive cutting of trees
2. Bad agriculture practices like overgrazing, over cultivation and shifting cultivation.
3. Establishment of new settlement areas due to the increase in population lead to cutting of trees.
4. Mining activities and construction of dams can also cause deforestation.
5. Industrial activities and crops have an impact on the occurrence of drought
6. Low level of technology and poverty there has led to occurrence of drought.
7. Casual burning of natural fire due to eruption of volcanoes.

Impact of drought

1. Drought has led to poor supply of water for domestic uses, agricultural uses and industrial activities.
2. Disappearance of vegetation and animal species
3. Poor supply of energy and power to some people who depends on fire wood as the man source of energy
4. Drying of water bodies due to excessive evaporation
5. It has facilitated desertification process Migration of people from one area to another
6. Decline of industries especially food processing industries that depend on agricultural production

Measuring to combat the problems of drought

1. Embarking an forestation programmers the trees moisture to the atmosphere and hence led to rain formation
2. The uses of proper farming method which do not deplete vegetation Control of population should be encouraged so as to avoid the excessive exploitation of vegetation
3. The water conservation centers should be established like dams so as to promote irrigation streams
4. Farmers should be given proper education on how to conserve water resources sustainability to avoid environmental degradation
5. Strict policies should be instituted so as to restrict excessive use of trees
6. There should be the alternative energy sources like solar energy, wind energy, and Geothermal.

Global climate change is the alteration in the characteristics and pattern of the world climates that is attributed to human activities, which alter the composition of the global atmosphere.

Causes and consequences of global climate change

Natural causes

The natural causes of global climate change include the following:

1. Variation in solar radiation The energy emitted by the sun only varies slightly. This change in solar radiation is related to the number of sunspots. Sunspots are darker areas on the sun's surface.
2. Volcanic eruptions volcanic eruptions discharge carbon dioxide, but they may also emit aerosols, such as volcanic ash or dust, and Sulphur dioxide. Aerosols are liquids and solids that float around in the air.
3. Variation in atmospheric carbon dioxide The level of carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere dictates the global temperatures. The higher the concentration, the warmer is the temperatures.
4. Movement of crustal (tectonic) plate Tectonic plates move over geological timescales, landmasses are carried along to different positions and latitudes. These changes affect global circulation patterns of air and ocean water and the climate of the continents.

Human causes

Humans are increasingly influencing the climate and the Earth's temperature by

1. Burning fossil fuels
2. Cutting down rainforests
3. Keeping livestock
4. Deforestation

Global warming This is the unusual increase in temperature of the earth's atmosphere which is caused by the green houses effect.

Greenhouse effect Refers to the situation in which the atmosphere traps and retains heat energy from the sun in the lower level leading to the rise in temperature. Greenhouse gases include water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs).

Effects of global warming and green house

1. The rise in temperature has led to the melting of ice in various parts of the world e.g. The cap at the peak of Mt Kilimanjaro has decreased in size due to the effect of global warming
2. The melting of ices has led to the increase of water in the sea and hence the sea level rises. As results of those phenomena, some of coastal areas are flooded.
3. Global warming has led to the occurrence of strong storms in different parts of the world that kill people and destroy properties.
4. Some cold areas have become warm such that tropical crops are grown.
5. Disappearance of some animals and plant species due to the failures to adopt the abrupt in temperature.
6. Global warming has caused the occurrence of precipitation in other areas, which is used to be dry due to the changes in hydrological cycles.
7. Decline of production due to drought and desertification process, which then leads to poverty and death of people
8. Spread of disease like skin cancer, malaria and other.

Measures against global warming and the green houses effect

1. Discouraging the uses of burning of material that release harmful greenhouse gases such as CO2, CFC's
2. Alternative sources of energy, which are environmentally friendly, should be encouraged e.g. geothermal, power, solar energy, and wind energy.
3. Formation of an international policies and cooperation among different nations in the fight against air pollution.
4. Modification of the combustion system in the machines in order to attain efficient fuel burning and cut off massive release of greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide.
5. Control of pollution in order to discourage excessive use of fossil and biomass energy.
6. Large-scale rice cultivation should be avoided or improved to cut off the release of methane gas.
7. Recycling of wastes should be encouraged rather than burning or dumping on the surface.
8. Encouraging people to walk more than using cars can lead to the reduction of emission of greenhouse gases.

Consequences of global climate (global warming) change on environment

1. Increased precipitation (rain and snowfall) has increased across the globe, on average. Global warming leads to a rise in temperature and hence increased evaporation.
2. Increased atmospheric temperature This extreme temperature would make some regions turn semi-arid because of increased evaporation. Consequently, water resources could dry up at a faster rate.
3. Rise in sea level. This includes mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice. The melting ice and glaciers would cause an increase in sea level.
4. Change in world's climate patterns Climate change resulting from increasing temperatures will likely include changes in wind patterns, annual precipitation and seasonal temperatures variations. Climatic patterns in most parts of the world have already changed.
5. Ocean acidification This increases the acidity of seawater. Because acids dissolve calcium carbonate, seawater that's more acidic has a drastic effect on organisms with shells made of calcium carbonate, such as corals, mollusks, shellfish and plankton.
6. Disruption of natural ecosystems Change in conditions of a natural ecosystem due to climate change is likely to make some species of organisms extinct while others might adapt to the new conditions or move to suitable environments
7. More frequent and intense heat waves This increase in heat waves creates serious health risks, and can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and aggravate existing medical conditions.
8. Loss of habitats and biodiversity Many species of plants and animals are already moving their range northward or to higher altitudes because of warming temperatures.
9. Famine and disease threat Though growing seasons in some areas will expand, the combined impacts of drought, severe weather, lack of snowmelt, greater number and diversity of pests, lower groundwater

Is the poor disposal of wastes on undersigned areas. Examples of wastes are solid (bottles, plastic materials, iron). Liquid (Sewage from latrines, oil). Gaseous