Environmental Issues and Population Growth, Research Paper Example

Introduction

A significant environmental issue in the USA is the harmful emission of toxic wastes into the atmosphere. On December 21st, 2011 Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), the Chairman of the Environment and Publics Work Committee put forward a statement in support of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the national standard to reduce harmful toxic wastes that are being pushed into the environment from power plants around the nation. (Boxer)  The USA is tackling this domestic problem and the wider issues of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

Population Growth

This problem has increased in significance because of the amount of people that are choosing urban living and dwelling in Cities.  The largest significance of toxic emissions result from factories around cities and the pollution from the toxic fumes released from cars.  This means that the majority of people are breathing in polluted air on a regular basis.  This will contribute to increased respiratory diseases and cancers.

Updates to Clean Air Act 1990 

The provisions put forward are intended to update the Clean Air Act 1990.  This provides added regulations that will govern the emissions from Power plants and particularly reduce the amount of mercury and other toxins pushed into the atmosphere.  This is estimated to save over 17,000 lives and prevent some additional 120,000 cases of childhood asthma. (Sierra Club). The Senator also pointed out the other toxic emissions like “lead, arsenic, Chromium and Cyanide” (Boxer, 2012).  In addition she provided additional health statistics on heart disease, cancer and premature deaths of children.  She stated that these facts have been substantiated by independent peer review Science Advisory Boards.  In addition, improving these environmental concerns will create 46,000 construction jobs and 8,000 other sustained jobs at a time of much needed employment in the country.

Acid Rain and Ocean Acidification

The release of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere is also contributing to factors like Acid Rain and acidification of the Oceans. The increases in CO2 emissions produced by industrial development throughout the world are impacting the ocean acidification rates.  Left unchecked this proposes serious consequences for the sustainable health of our oceans and the food that is derived from it.  This equally will have an added contributory impact on global warming and climate change.  It is the concept of the oceans absorbing too much CO2 and then becoming an additional source of CO2 that can be leaked back into the atmosphere.  The answers relate to reducing our carbon footprint and reducing emissions into the atmosphere.  Pollution of the Oceans will have a global population impact and will harm our food supply by contaminated fish and marine life.

Conclusions

Most Americans will support the Senators viewpoint here as there is a general national concern about health and well-being; particularly as these impacts future generations.  The added bonus of creating much needed employment (jobs) provides additional stimulus and weight to the argument. There is no real downside here as the power plants do need to increase their responsibility towards public health concerns and protecting the environment that we live in. This information also supports the argument for increased clean energy sources like wind and solar power.

Works Cited

Boxer, Barbara. Boxer Statement on Mercury and Air Toxics Rule. 22 1 2012. <http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=626B6C67-802A-23AD-4175-40994D736127>.

Sierra Club. Is There Mercury Near You? 22 1 2012. <http://iowa.sierraclub.org/Mercury/mercuryhome.htm>.