In addition to the aforementioned Carol Adams, who brings her groundbreaking ecofeminist perspective to the mix, the other guest speakers will include renowned journalist and author Andrew Revkin, who joined the National Geographic Society last March as their strategic advisor for environmental and science journalism. [65] Despite estimated losses of agricultural land, the amount of arable land used in crop production globally increased by about 9% from 1961 to 2012, and is estimated to have been 1.396 billion hectares in 2012. scientists plan to develop new refrigerants to replace older ones. Domestic and feral cats globally are particularly notorious for their destruction of native birds and other animal species. Drawing on insights from 407,959 respondents across 64 countries in 2022, the MSW report describes global trends across the past three years to provide a . It also calls for a reduction in pesticides and fires, along with several rules for ensuring the social wellbeing of workers and the local communities. If the peak oil theory proves true, more explorations of viable alternative energy sources, could be more friendly to the environment. st century will be a pivotal time in the fate of Earth?s biosphere. In addition, the combustion and thermal processing generate waste material, which must be disposed of, and harmful atmospheric emissions, including carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. The modern Earth Narrative, the scientific story of the 4.5 billion-year natural and human history of the Earth, has emerged from the solid foundation of two factual concepts: Deep (or Geologic) Time and Biological Evolution. However, irrigation can also be used, together with soil drainage, to overcome soil salinization by leaching excess salts from the vicinity of the root zone.[57][58]. 7. [162], The ban came into effect in 1989. Chan School of Public Health, "Climate Science Special Report / Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4), Volume I", "The Study of Earth as an Integrated System", "Twenty Questions and Answers About the Ozone Layer", "Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are heavier than air, so how do scientists suppose that these chemicals reach the altitude of the ozone layer to adversely affect it? [25] The world's chickens are triple the weight of all the wild birds, while domesticated cattle and pigs outweigh all wild mammals by 14 to 1. Over one-third of vegetable oil consumed globally is palm oil. Early human ancestors living millions of years ago may have. The rate and quantity at which clothing is produced in fast fashion means the industry uses 79trillion litres of water every year. In July 2018, the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), the scientific organization that formally determines geologic time scales, announced that the Holocene era should be divided into three subepochs: the Greenlandian, the Northgrippian, and the current period, the Meghalayan (, But these new designations were met with consternation, frustration, and even expletives on the part of geologists, biologists, environmentalists, sociologists, and other scholars throughout the disciplines and across the world. Versachlichung sthetischer Bewertungen von Energieanlagen durch Bezugnahme auf drei intersubjektive Landschaftsideale. [61], Lal and Stewart estimated global loss of agricultural land by degradation and abandonment at 12 million hectares per year. After delay and litigation, the EPA now has a court-imposed deadline of 16 March 2011, to issue its report. Heavy metals usually exhibit toxic effects towards the soil biota, and this is through the affection of the microbial processes and decreases the number as well as activity of soil microorganisms. Humans are the cause of the current mass extinction, called the Holocene extinction, driving extinctions to 100 to 1000 times the normal background rate. Understanding the consequences of habitat fragmentation is important for the preservation of biodiversity and enhancing the functioning of the ecosystem. Record the data in the table below for each of the locations. 2013. [268][266] Military activities also affect land use and are extremely resource-intensive. Launchbaugh, K. But they can make choices that reduce their impacts on the land, water, air, and other living things. Surface mining of oil shale deposits causes the usual environmental impacts of open-pit mining. [228][229][230] There is now a trend towards sustainability in the pulp and paper industry as it moves to reduce clear cutting, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel consumption and clean up its influence on local water supplies and air pollution. Since 2000, many experts have followed Nobel Prizewinning Dutch chemist Paul Crutzen in arguing that humans have so significantly changed the Earth that the current epoch should be called the Anthropocene, from the Greek words, newnamely, the Age of Humans. The letter mentions severe damage to the atmosphere, oceans, ecosystems, soil productivity, and more. Coral reefs are dying around the world. [278] Water consumption has proven to be very detrimental to the environment and its ecosystems, leading to water depletion and water scarcity. [70] As indicated by the I=PAT equation, environmental impact (I) or degradation is caused by the combination of an already very large and increasing human population (P), continually increasing economic growth or per capita affluence (A), and the application of resource-depleting and polluting technology (T). US EPA. [254] Energy use and emissions vary largely between modes, causing environmentalists to call for a transition from air and road to rail and human-powered transport, and increase transport electrification and energy efficiency. Modifying the environment to fit the needs of society is causing severe effects[3][4] including global warming,[1][5] environmental degradation[1] (such as ocean acidification[1][6]), mass extinction and biodiversity loss,[7][8][9][10] ecological crisis, and ecological collapse. International pesticide trade: Is there any hope for the effective regulation of controlled substances? [54], Populations of oceanic sharks and rays have been reduced by 71% since 1970, largely due to overfishing. [106][107], According to a 2021 study published in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, roughly 3% of the planet's terrestrial surface is ecologically and faunally intact, meaning areas with healthy populations of native animal species and little to no human footprint. In just the last four or five years, the whole idea has become much more popularized that humans are creating this new geologic epoch and were the only single species we know of that has ever changed the planet this much, says Laura Hobgood, Southwestern professor of religion, cochair of the Environmental Studies Program, and Elizabeth Root Paden Chair in Religion and Environmental Studies. Feb. 23, the entire SU community came together tobuild community during the inaugural SUnity Day. [75] FAO data indicate that meat accounted for 26% of global livestock product tonnage in 2011. You can specify conditions of storing and accessing cookies in your browser. As nanotechnology is an emerging field, there is great debate regarding to what extent industrial and commercial use of nanomaterials will affect organisms and ecosystems. Human activities are reshaping our planet in profound ways. But biodiversity is just as important for the future of earth as climate change. representing various disciplines who will present artwork, deliver lectures, lead Q&As on different aspects of the Anthropocene. Human Impacts on Earth Systems, Please provide your account's email address and we will e-mail you instructions to reset your password. International Food Policy Research Institute. The resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. Their lifestyle (including overall affluence and resource use) and the pollution they generate (including carbon footprint) are equally important. What happens when you start a devised theater project with three Southwestern University students and the Anton Checkov play, The Cherry Orchard? [66], Global average soil erosion rates are thought to be high, and erosion rates on conventional cropland generally exceed estimates of soil production rates, usually by more than an order of magnitude. When recommending solutions to decrease human impact, which location were you able, What recommendations would you give to your local community to help to decrease the, What recommendations would you give to the global governments to help decrease the, global effects of human impact on the environment? (2013). Testing components including attitude . She hopes the event will provide similar inspiration and enlightenment for Southwestern students, faculty, and staff. SU celebrates five campus community members with the 2022 Mundy Awards and recognizes those who have achieved milestone anniversaries with the University. Theyre all coming from different perspectives. Head Mens Soccer Coach, Dustin Norman, reached out to Facilities Management after the February 2023 winter ice storm to see how his team could help. Int. Commoner, B. Effects of heavy metals on soil, plants, human health and aquatic life. Heavy metal polluted soils: effect on plants and bioremediation methods. The raising of livestock and the land needed to feed them has resulted in the destruction of millions of acres of rainforest and as global demand for meat rises, so too will the demand for land. In recent years, measures have been taken to reduce these effects. Jiwan, S., & Ajah, K. S. (2011). Explain how the sand castle in the video models the way weathering, erosion, and van Alphen. Human Impacts on Earth Systems | PBS LearningMedia Science Earth and Space Science Earth and Space Science Delve into the study of plate tectonics and journey to the outer edges of the universe with lessons and learnings in Earth and Space Science. Environmental impacts caused by the application of technology are often perceived as unavoidable for several reasons. 2nd. All the speakers are wonderful, Hobgood promises excitedly. According to Peter Raven, ?Humans, at a current population of 6 billion [expected to nearly double by 2050], are consuming or wasting about 50 percent of the total net biological productivity on land and 50 percent of the available supply of freshwater. housing long distances from urban center houses spread out (low density on land surface) housing is inadequate and, Indicate which of the following issues is associated with urban heat island effects? [97][98] A 2006 Food and Agriculture Organization report, Livestock's Long Shadow, found that around 26% of the planet's terrestrial surface is devoted to livestock grazing. Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, "What are the pros and cons of onshore wind energy? 2006. [238] A December 2020 study published in Nature found that human-made materials, or anthropogenic mass, exceeds all living biomass on earth, with plastic alone outweighing the mass of all terrestrial and marine animals combined. Describe how different human impacts affect the ecosystem. ", "Study confirms sixth mass extinction is currently underway, caused by humans", "Vertebrates on the brink as indicators of biological annihilation and the sixth mass extinction", "The Rapid Decline Of The Natural World Is A Crisis Even Bigger Than Climate Change", "Humans exploiting and destroying nature on unprecedented scale report", "Natural world being destroyed at rate 'never seen before', WWF warns as report reveals catastrophic decline of global wildlife", "Humans Are Speeding Extinction and Altering the Natural World at an 'Unprecedented' Pace", "Media Release: Nature's Dangerous Decline 'Unprecedented'; Species Extinction Rates 'Accelerating', "Decreasing biodiversity affects productivity of remaining plants", "Cats kill more than 1.5 billion native animals per year", "How Burmese Pythons Took Over the Florida Everglades", "How have invasive pythons impacted Florida ecosystems?
Revkin has been instrumental in educating audiences for the past 19 years about the Anthropocene, a word that, he has written, has become the closest thing there is to common shorthand for this turbulent, momentous, unpredictable, hopeless, hopeful timeduration and scope still unknown. Dr. Robert Bullard, Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University, has been called the father of environmental justice and has researched how disparities in racial and economic equality influence environmental and community health, susceptibility to disease, and the ability to recover after national disasters. By raising awareness about such issues, the symposium will inspire participants with concrete steps to implement at the individual and community levels so that they can feel like they do have the power to do more than what theyre already doing. If every human being on Earth had YOUR ecological footprint, how many planet Earth's would be required to sustain all of humanity? Radioactive Plutonium-244 has a half-life of 80.8million years, which indicates the time duration required for half of a given sample to decay, though very little plutonium-244 is produced in the nuclear fuel cycle and lower half-life materials have lower activity thus giving off less dangerous radiation. Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space.
Human impact on the environment - Wikipedia [157] These compounds are transported into the stratosphere by turbulent mixing after being emitted from the surface, mixing much faster than the molecules can settle. Please. Sophie Bernier 04.04 Human Impact on Earth-LAB REPORT.docx, 4.04 Human Impact on Earth Lab Report.docx, 04.04 Human Impact on Earth_Darby Hancock.docx, All societies are divided into several economic roles The values of a society, Some of the elements on a typical DID such as the National Item Identification, The reason white Germans can dress down go cultural slumming and appropriate, b 80 or more removal c The table includes only those chemicals for which some, This may result in the original record remaining the same and an additional, Establish integrated urban and local area data management systems to monitor and, Word Assignment - Instructions F21 -updated (2).docx, 53 Economy From a purely economic aspects none of the alternatives presented in, Programming 2B Test Page 8 of 10 Damelin forint i0iCityNamessizei, AUDIO SCRIPTS I 113 Developing Listening Skills Listening A Group Discussion, 19 An increase in the rate of inflation in the Philippine soil a cause Filipinos, REad the short story in the link below then answer the multi choice https://blogs.psychcentral.com/mindfulness/2014/02/a-day-without-a-smartphone-a-short-satire/ What is the primary purpose of this, read this selection then answer the following questions Earth: There's No Life Like It by Terence Dickinson 1 Does the universe harbour other planets like Earth? All the speakers are wonderful, Hobgood promises excitedly. [154], Researchers have discovered that kelp, eelgrass and other vegetation can effectively absorb carbon dioxide and hence reducing ocean acidity. Petroleum, a common word for oil or natural gas, is closely linked to virtually all aspects of present society, especially for transportation and heating for both homes and for commercial activities. [256], The environmental impact of aviation occurs because aircraft engines emit noise, particulates, and gases which contribute to climate change[257][258] and global dimming. By reducing transportation emissions globally, it is predicted that there will be significant positive effects on Earth's air quality, acid rain, smog and climate change. But individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earths resources and environments. Released radioisotopes pose a health danger to human populations, animals and plants as radioactive particles enter organisms through various transmission routes. A journey from Nigeria to the Midwest to head track and field coach at Southwestern. [59][60], Agricultural irrigation technologies such as high powered water pumps, dams, and pipelines are responsible for the large-scale depletion of fresh water resources such as aquifers, lakes, and rivers. Shes working with Sodexo, which is providing water cups that resemble plastic but are actually made of sugar and are biodegradable. A group of students spent their Fall Break at Captains Camp. [165][166], Of particular concern is N2O, which has an average atmospheric lifetime of 114120 years,[170] and is 300 times more effective than CO2 as a greenhouse gas. [239][20], The environmental impact of pesticides is often greater than what is intended by those who use them. Many of these intact ecosystems were in areas inhabited by indigenous peoples. The main causes of ozone depletion and the ozone hole are manufactured chemicals, especially manufactured halocarbon refrigerants, solvents, propellants, and foam-blowing agents (chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), HCFCs, halons), referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Currently, 19% of global palm oil is certified by the RSPO as sustainable. Thus, technologies can create "order" in the human economy (i.e., order as manifested in buildings, factories, transportation networks, communication systems, etc.) Human Impact on Earth Lab Report Instructions: In the Human Impact Lab, you task will be to assist the Global Protection Agency to decrease the effects of human impact on Earth. There are several published estimates of water use associated with livestock and meat production, but the amount of water use assignable to such production is seldom estimated. ", "Forest Loss / How much tree cover is lost globally each year? Catherine Hiebel 22 and Melina Boutris 22 will teach English in Spain and Austria, respectively. Mekonnen, M. M. and Hoekstra, A. Y. Some of the problems, including global warming and biodiversity loss, have been proposed as representing catastrophic risks to the survival of the human species. Human actions are greatly responsible for habitat fragmentation, and loss as these actions alter the connectivity and quality of habitats. There are two types of indicators of environmental impact: "means-based", which is based on the farmer's production methods, and "effect-based", which is the impact that farming methods have on the farming system or on emissions to the environment. Biodiesel reduced net emissions of carbon dioxide by 78.45%, compared with petroleum diesel. [113][114] Though most experts agree that human beings have accelerated the rate of species extinction, some scholars have postulated without humans, the biodiversity of the Earth would grow at an exponential rate rather than decline. [152] Potential negative environmental impacts caused by increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are rising global air temperatures, altered hydrogeological cycles resulting in more frequent and severe droughts, storms, and floods, as well as sea level rise and ecosystem disruption. Some of the environmental issues that are related to agriculture are climate change, deforestation, genetic engineering, irrigation problems, pollutants, soil degradation, and waste. Pollution by heavy metals decreases the soil organic matter composition resulting in a decline in soil nutrients which then leads to a decline in the growth of plants or even death. Although the impact varies greatly between different dams and reservoirs, common criticisms include preventing sea-run fish from reaching their historical mating grounds, less access to water downstream, and a smaller catch for fishing communities in the area. In 1960 the construction of Llyn Celyn and the flooding of Capel Celyn provoked political uproar which continues to this day. [103] This is not because of the oil palm itself, but rather because the oil palm is the only habitat provided in the plantations. [67] In the US, sampling for erosion estimates by the US NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) is statistically based, and estimation uses the Universal Soil Loss Equation and Wind Erosion Equation. What are the pros and cons of onshore wind energy? Human Impacts Data Human impact-related datasets and tools for use in biodiversity and conservation planning and monitoring. PPCPs include substances used by individuals for personal health or cosmetic reasons and the products used by agribusiness to boost growth or health of livestock. [111], Both agricultural plants and animals depend on pollination for reproduction. Group of answer choices True False, How does food contribute to greenhouse gas emissions? 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20192, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Region 12: Pacific Islands (American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Human impact on the planet: an earth system science perspective and ethical considerations. The impacts stem from the changed hydrological conditions owing to the installation and operation of the scheme. pp. While the data in the graph is from ground sources, NASA also monitors climate indicators from . International Soil Reference and Information Centre, Wageningen", "Soil erosion and agricultural sustainability", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, "Global food crisis looms as climate change and population growth strip fertile land", "Avoiding meat and dairy is 'single biggest way' to reduce your impact on Earth ", "Global atmospheric methane: budget, changes and dangers", "Mitigation strategies to reduce enteric methane emissions from dairy cows: Update review", "Methane mitigation in ruminants: from microbe to the farm scale", "Nitrous oxide emission from Australian agricultural lands and mitigation options: a review", "The environmental impact of beef production in the United States: 1977 compared with 2007", "How humans are driving the sixth mass extinction", "Meat-eaters may speed worldwide species extinction, study warns", "Human society under urgent threat from loss of Earth's natural life", "Nature crisis: Humans 'threaten 1m species with extinction', "Is the Livestock Industry Destroying the Planet? It said that if humanity wants to prevent the damage, steps need to be taken: better use of resources, abandonment of fossil fuels, stabilization of human population, elimination of poverty and more. Faber, M., Niemes, N. and Stephan, G. (2012). The environmental impact of agriculture varies based on the wide variety of agricultural practices employed around the world. [179], Even though plants need some heavy metals for their growth, excess of these metals is usually toxic to them. Publication 16, International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), Wageningen, The Netherlands. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. Nathan F. Jones, Liba Pejchar, Joseph M. Kiesecker. The link you clicked is NOT part of Smithsonian Learning Lab, but we hope you come back soon. This initiative was announced in October 2021 as part of a $1 million commitment from an anonymous donor in honor of theirmother, a lifelong educator, in order to allow more Southwestern students to benefit from high impact experiences as outlined in the Tactical Plan. The Educator Guide contains several suggestions for implementing this Click & Learn in class, as well as discussion questions and additional background information. As a result of this massive diversion of freshwater, lakes, rivers, and creeks are running dry, severely altering or stressing surrounding ecosystems, and contributing to the extinction of many aquatic species. The accompanying Student Handout guides students exploration. We Have Too Many Kids", "World Scientists' Warning of a Climate Emergency", "Consensus on consensus: a synthesis of consensus estimates on human-caused global warming", "Accelerated modern humaninduced species losses: Entering the sixth mass extinction", "The biodiversity of species and their rates of extinction, distribution, and protection", "Biological annihilation via the ongoing sixth mass extinction signaled by vertebrate population losses and declines", "The best way to reduce your carbon footprint is one the government isn't telling you about", "Do parents counter-balance the carbon emissions of their children?
The Human Impact on Earth Southwestern University Outdoor Adventure Program Takes Students to Whirlpool Cave, Southwestern Provides Scholarships for Students in Mexico, Photo Gallery: Fall Break at Captains Camp, Sights and Sounds of SUnity Day: Sept. 13, 2022, U.S. News: Rising Southwestern Noted for Social Mobility Excellence, Photo Gallery: ALL OF US Fashion Show and Ebony Gala, Photo Gallery: Class of 2022 Hall of Fame Luncheon, EcoLab: A Peaceful Natural Area Within an Urban Environment, Mens Soccer Team Assists with Campus Cleanup After Winter Ice Storm, Paideia Cohort Creates Connections With One Another and the Georgetown Community, Southwestern Presents the 2023 Brown Symposium, Ken Ralph Named Athletic Director at Southwestern University, Southwestern University Closes the Class of 2026, Watch: Highlights from Commencement Convocation 2022, Southwestern University Named a Best Value College for 2022 by The Princeton Review, Southwestern University Announces Cassandra M. McZeal 92 as 2022 Commencement Speaker, SU has Earned 2021 Distinction Through the Tree Campus Higher Education Program for the Fifth Year in a Row, Anonymous Match Spurs $1.6 Million Growth in 25 Endowments, Getting to Know SU Staff: Coach Kenneth Eboh, Sixteen Southwestern Faculty Members Awarded Grants from the 2022-22023 Sam Taylor Fellowship Fund, Honoring Southwesterns Exemplary Faculty and Staff for Their Service, Floral Business Blooms for Southwestern Alumnus, Celebrating 50 Years of Title IX at Southwestern, Third Southwestern Graduate Receives 20222023 Fulbright Award, Two Seniors Receive Fulbright Awards for 20222023, G.H.O.S.T. Locatio n Timeline Human ImpactMeasuremen ts Recommendation to Decrease Human Impact New York City 50 years ago 625 ppm Constructing only using recycledmaterials.Water Pollution Present Day 893 ppm (in parts permillion) Future Development Impact 823 ppm AmazonRainfore st 50 yearsago 318 ppm Limiting theamount of timber that can beremoved per Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. The reason for the backlash? Washington, D. C. Eswaran, H., R. Lal and P. F. Reich. The 2020 update shows that, since 1970, the global abundance of vertebrates has declined by 68 per cent. High-level political attention on the environment has been focused largely on climate change because energy policy is central to economic growth. 533600. The effects may be water mining, land/soil subsidence, and, along the coast, saltwater intrusion. rankingsthe biggest single-year jump in school historyand SU was also recognized as a top school in the Social Mobility category, which measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. The First Intersessional Meeting of the IMO Working Group on Greenhouse Gas Emissions[264] from Ships took place in Oslo, Norway on 2327 June 2008. In urban buses, biodiesel reduced particulate emissions 32 percent, carbon monoxide emissions 35 percent, and emissions of sulfur oxides 8%, relative to life cycle emissions associated with use of petroleum diesel. [278] Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, meaning it causes heat to get trapped in the atmosphere, rather than being released into space, raising the Earth's temperature known as global warming.
Human Impact on Earth Lab Report - Brainly.com This deforestation has taken place in Asia, Latin America and West Africa, with Malaysia and Indonesia holding 90% of global oil palm trees. Low concentration of heavy metals also has high chances of inhibiting the plant's physiological metabolism.[182]. ", "Report: Just 23% of Earth's wilderness remains", "Habitat fragmentation and biodiversity conservation: key findings and future challenges", "Anthropocene: Have humans created a new geological age? [270] There are several examples of militaries aiding in land management, conservation, and greening of an area. EPA/310-R-00-002. [133] Because domesticated outside cats are fed by their owners, they can continue to hunt even when prey populations decline and they would otherwise go elsewhere.
Standards::Human Impacts on Earth Systems - Smithsonian Institution [244] The European Union has declared pharmaceutical residues with the potential of contamination of water and soil to be "priority substances". While these are more biodiverse than monoculture plantations, they are still not as effective as natural forests. The modern Earth Narrative, the scientific story of the 4.5 billion-year natural and human history of the Earth, has emerged from the solid foundation of two factual concepts: Deep (or Geologic) Time and Biological Evolution. According to Cushing, the exhibition seeks to give objects, landscapes, and nonhuman living organisms voice in commenting on how humans live in and with the world, transforming [it] in countless ways. [181] Mining companies in some countries are required to follow environmental and rehabilitation codes, ensuring the area mined is returned to close to its original state. People dont necessarily think about how what they eat is a big part of the Anthropocene. Whereas human modification of the geosphere will slowly recover over time, human changes to the biosphere are a far more consequential matter? UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm 1972), Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, biomass exceeded that of any other large land dwelling animal species, may be considered environmentally beneficial, Social and environmental impact of palm oil, Environmental impact of the energy industry, commercialization of various renewable energy sources, Environmental impact of coal mining and burning, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental impact of electricity generation, Environmental impact of the oil shale industry, environmental impact of electricity generation, Environmental impact of pharmaceuticals and personal care products, environmental effect of pharmaceuticals and personal care products, environmental persistent pharmaceutical pollutants, Environmental impact of development in the Sundarbans, Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing, Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing in the United States, Environmental impact of the chemical industry in Sarnia, Environmental impact of the coal industry, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, "The Biggest Threat to the Earth?