Humans - How Their Choices and Actions Reflect on the Environment

Humans have a huge impact on the environment, that is no doubt.  Day after day, humans are still making changes and influencing our environment in many ways, both positively and negatively.  The question of whether humans have more of a positive or negative impact has been up for debate for many years, and many more to come.  The answer, however, is simple.  Humans have more of a negative impact on the environment.

There are many reasons why humans have such a negative impact on the environment. The most notable is pollution, specifically garbage/plastic.  According to, The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Counts 1.8 Trillion Pieces of Trash, the garbage patch, located in the North Pacific Ocean, is over twice the size of Texas (with over 1.8 trillion pieces of trash!) and is still increasing in size.  All of the trash pollution piled up there is caused by humans, and how irresponsible we can be.  The ocean garbage patch is also definitely not the only polluted land we have caused. Many cities are full of trash and waste, nearly making it impossible for living things to thrive.  Another example of how humans negatively impact the environment is global warming and the rise of temperatures around the world. According to a video entitled, “What Is Global Warming?,” humans' large usage of fossil fuels add to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  The excessive amount of carbon dioxide also affects our lives, as not only does the planet increase in temperature, but many other problems, such as water shortages and increases, are caused on Earth.  Finally, but definitely not least, animal endangerments and extinctions.  One example of an endangered animal species are African Lions (source 4).  According to the text, all of the reasons why lions are disappearing are caused by humans (ex. Lion poachers, moving farmers invading land, etc.).  Not only this, but many companies and people are killing animals for their features (skin pattern, fur) to sell to others.  Not to mention all of the other environmental problems humans cause, with every man-made problem added up, it is clear that humans have more of a negative impact on the environment.

However, many people might argue that humans have more of a positive impact on the environment.  Opposers might say that humans help the environment by planting trees and other plants, or that we protect animal’s lives with zoos and aquariums. People who argue that humans have a positive impact on the environment might also say that the stormwater runoff drains that humans have built also positively benefit the environment. The opposer’s statements are incorrect.

Some people may argue that our positive impact on the environment is greater than the negative, however, they are incorrect for many reasons. While it is true that humans do plant trees and plants, most only do so if there is a money incentive. Studies have shown that during an experiment, once a financial incentive was introduced, humans finally started to limit their tree chopping and started planting trees. There should be no incentive needed to encourage people to help save their own environment, and without the incentive, very few new trees are ever planted. The opposition might also argue that humans provide a safe space for animals in zoos and aquariums, but this is too far from the truth. Animals are being held in environments way too small for them to be able to thrive. All animals have a positive impact in their natural habitat, and taking them away from their proper habitat just for the enjoyment of humans is not ok. Finally, the stormwater runoff drains built with the intention of capturing water can become clogged, all because humans are throwing their trash and littering in places which are intended to stay clean. Clearly, these three claims can be disregarded, and prove that humans have a more negative impact on the environment.

It is clear that humans have more of a negative impact on the environment. Humans must change many of their habits and way of living soon, otherwise Earth will soon be uninhabitable for all living things. Even doing simple tasks such as picking up trash, or giving an animal a safe home can build up to save our suffering community and environment.