Ways to solve environmental problems. Effects of ozone depletion

Modernity can be considered pollution of the environment, because anthropogenic activity affects absolutely all earthly spheres. These include the hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere. Unfortunately, it is the person who is the main culprit in such a situation, while every day he himself becomes its main victim. Terrifying statistics show that about 60% of people in the world die precisely from pollution of atmospheric air, water resources, soil cover.

The fact is that this problem has no state borders, but concerns all mankind as a whole, therefore, the solutions should take place at the global level. For an effective fight, the so-called "green" organizations have been created, which for many years have been successfully promoting their activities, these include the World Wildlife Fund, Green Peace, and other public organizations whose main activities are aimed at nature conservation ...

Ways to solve environmental problems should start with the introduction that will allow the rational use of natural resources. So, for example, in the municipal sphere, the introduction of technologies for the disposal of waste, which is the main source of pollution in all natural spheres, is being successfully implemented. Every day the number of waste is growing rapidly, so the problem of waste disposal is becoming more and more urgent for mankind.

Moreover, recycling of waste can be economically beneficial, in addition to the fact that its disposal will have an environmental effect. According to experts, more than 60% of waste, which can be successfully sold and recycled, can be a potential raw material.

Every year the number of industrial enterprises on our planet is increasing, which cannot but affect the environmental situation. This growth of enterprises leads to an increase in emissions of pollution and other harmful substances into the environment.

At the same time, the use of such structures cannot lead to complete purification, however, it significantly reduces the number of harmful substances that enter the atmosphere.

A huge number of Western enterprises use waste-free and low-waste production processes in their industrial activities, and also use recycled water supply, which makes it possible to reduce the discharge of wastewater into water bodies. They see this as a kind of solution to environmental problems, and they are right, because such an intervention will significantly reduce the negative impact on the nature of human activity.

It must be said that the rational location of petrochemical, chemical, nuclear and metallurgical industries also has a positive effect on the environment.

Solving environmental problems is one of the main tasks of all mankind as a whole, it is important to increase the level of responsibility of people, their culture of upbringing so that we are more careful about what Mother Nature has given us.

Rational use of any resources will significantly reduce the negative human impact on the environment.

A decrease in the number of shooting animals is considered no less important, because they are an important link in the chain of nature development. In pursuit of profit and material wealth, we forget that we are destroying our future, we take away from our children the right to a healthy future.

Greening the planet is considered one of the ways to improve our condition, improve the condition of the air and enable many plants to develop in our difficult world.

We have listed far from all methods for solving environmental problems, however, we have touched on the most important and urgent areas that require positive human intervention.

Continuous technological progress, the continuing enslavement of nature by man, industrialization, which has changed the surface of the Earth beyond recognition, have become the causes of the global ecological crisis. At present, the world's population is particularly acutely faced with such environmental problems as air pollution, ozone layer depletion, acid rain, greenhouse effect, soil pollution, ocean pollution and overpopulation.

Global environmental problem # 1: Air pollution

Every day, the average person inhales about 20,000 liters of air, which contains, in addition to vital oxygen, a whole list of harmful suspended particles and gases. Air pollutants are conventionally divided into 2 types: natural and anthropogenic. The latter prevail.

The chemical industry is not doing well. Factories emit harmful substances such as dust, oil ash, various chemical compounds, nitrogen oxides and much more. Air measurements showed the catastrophic position of the atmospheric layer, polluted air is the cause of many chronic diseases.

Air pollution is an environmental problem that is familiar to residents of absolutely all corners of the earth. It is especially acutely felt by representatives of cities in which enterprises of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, energy, chemical, petrochemical, construction and pulp and paper industries operate. In some cities, the atmosphere is also severely poisoned by vehicles and boiler houses. These are all examples of anthropogenic air pollution.

As for the natural sources of chemical elements that pollute the atmosphere, they include forest fires, volcanic eruptions, wind erosion (dispersal of soil and rock particles), the spread of pollen, evaporation of organic compounds and natural radiation.

Consequences of air pollution

Atmospheric air pollution adversely affects human health, contributing to the development of heart and lung diseases (in particular, bronchitis). In addition, atmospheric pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide destroy natural ecosystems, destroying plants and causing the death of living things (in particular, river fish).

The global environmental problem of air pollution, according to scientists and government officials, can be solved in the following ways:

• limiting population growth;
• reduction in energy use;
• improving energy efficiency;
• reduction of waste;
• transition to environmentally friendly renewable energy sources;
• air purification in especially polluted areas.

Global Environmental Issue # 2: Ozone Depletion

The ozone layer is a thin strip of the stratosphere that protects all life on Earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the Sun.

Causes of the environmental problem

Back in the 1970s. ecologists have discovered that the ozone layer is destroyed by the action of chlorofluorocarbons. These chemicals are found in coolants in refrigerators and air conditioners, as well as solvents, aerosols / sprays, and fire extinguishers. To a lesser extent, the thinning of the ozone layer is also facilitated by other anthropogenic influences: the launch of space rockets, flights of jet aircraft in the high layers of the atmosphere, testing of nuclear weapons, and the reduction of the planet's forest lands. There is also a theory that global warming contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer.

Effects of ozone depletion

As a result of the destruction of the ozone layer, ultraviolet radiation passes unhindered through the atmosphere and reaches the earth's surface. Exposure to direct UV rays is detrimental to human health by weakening the immune system and causing diseases such as skin cancer and cataracts.

Global Environmental Issue # 3: Global Warming

Like the glass walls of a greenhouse, carbon dioxide, methane, nitric oxide and water vapor allow the sun to heat our planet and at the same time prevent infrared radiation reflected from the earth's surface from escaping into space. All of these gases are responsible for maintaining temperatures acceptable for life on earth. However, an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide and water vapor in the atmosphere is another global environmental problem called global warming (or the greenhouse effect).

Causes of global warming

During the 20th century, the average temperature on earth rose by 0.5 - 1 ° C. The main cause of global warming is considered to be an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to an increase in the volume of fossil fuels (coal, oil and their derivatives) burned by humans. However, according to the statement Alexey Kokorin, Head of Climate Programs World Wildlife Fund(WWF) Russia, "The largest amount of greenhouse gases is generated by power plants and methane emissions during the extraction and delivery of energy resources, while road transport or the flaring of associated petroleum gas cause relatively little harm to the environment.".

Overpopulation, deforestation, ozone depletion and littering are other prerequisites for global warming. However, not all ecologists blame anthropogenic activities for the increase in average annual temperatures. Some believe that the natural increase in the abundance of oceanic plankton also contributes to global warming, leading to an increase in the concentration of the same carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Consequences of the greenhouse effect

If the temperature during the 21st century increases by another 1 ° C - 3.5 ° C, as scientists predict, the consequences will be very sad:

• the level of the world ocean will rise (due to the melting of polar ice), the number of droughts will increase and the process of land desertification will intensify,
• many species of plants and animals, adapted to exist in a narrow range of temperatures and humidity, will disappear,
• hurricanes will become more frequent.

Solving an environmental problem

According to ecologists, the following measures will help to slow down the process of global warming:

• higher prices for fossil fuels,
• replacing fossil fuels with environmentally friendly ones (solar energy, wind and sea currents),
• development of energy-saving and waste-free technologies,
• taxation of emissions into the environment,
• minimization of methane losses during its extraction, transportation through pipelines, distribution in cities and villages and use at heat supply and power plants,
• introduction of technologies for absorption and binding of carbon dioxide,
• tree planting,
• decrease in the size of families,
• environmental education,
• the use of phytomelioration in agriculture.

Global Environmental Issue # 4: Acid Rain

Acid rain containing combustion products also poses a threat to the environment, human health and even the integrity of architectural monuments.

The effects of acid rain

The solutions of sulfuric and nitric acids, aluminum and cobalt compounds contained in polluted sediments and fog pollute the soil and water bodies, adversely affect vegetation, causing the dry tops of deciduous trees and oppressing conifers. Due to acid rain, crop yields are falling, people are drinking water enriched with toxic metals (mercury, cadmium, lead), marble architectural monuments turn into gypsum and erode.

Solving an environmental problem

In the name of saving nature and architecture from acid rain, it is necessary to minimize emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere.

Global environmental problem # 5: Soil pollution

Every year people pollute the environment with 85 billion tons of waste. Among them are solid and liquid waste from industrial enterprises and transport, agricultural waste (including pesticides), household waste and atmospheric deposition of harmful substances.

The main role in soil pollution is played by such components of industrial waste as heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, thallium, bismuth, tin, vanadium, antimony), pesticides and oil products. From the soil, they penetrate into plants and water, even spring water. Along the chain, toxic metals enter the human body and are not always quickly and completely removed from it. Some of them tend to accumulate over the years, provoking the development of serious diseases.

Global Environmental Issue # 6: Water Pollution

Pollution of the world's oceans, groundwater and surface waters of the land is a global environmental problem, the responsibility for which lies entirely with humans.

Causes of the environmental problem

The main pollutants of the hydrosphere today are oil and oil products. These substances penetrate into the waters of the world's oceans as a result of the wreck of tankers and regular discharges of wastewater by industrial enterprises.

In addition to anthropogenic oil products, industrial and domestic facilities pollute the hydrosphere with heavy metals and complex organic compounds. Agriculture and the food industry are recognized as leaders in the poisoning of the world's oceans with minerals and biogenic elements.

The hydrosphere is also involved in such a global environmental problem as radioactive pollution. The precondition for its formation was the burial of radioactive waste in the waters of the world's oceans. Many powers with a developed nuclear industry and a nuclear fleet, from 49 to 70 years of the XX century, purposefully stored harmful radioactive substances in the seas and oceans. In places where radioactive containers are buried, the level of cesium is often off scale even today. But "underwater test sites" are not the only radioactive source of pollution of the hydrosphere. The waters of the seas and oceans are also enriched with radiation as a result of underwater and surface nuclear explosions.

Consequences of radioactive contamination of water

Oil pollution of the hydrosphere leads to the destruction of the natural habitat of hundreds of representatives of oceanic flora and fauna, the death of plankton, seabirds and mammals. Poisoning of the world's oceans also poses a serious danger to human health: fish and other seafood "contaminated" with radiation can easily get on the table.

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Yang 31.05.2018 10:56
To avoid all this, it is all necessary to decide not for the state budget but for free!
And besides, you need to add environmental protection laws to your country's constitution
namely, strict laws that should make at least 3% of environmental pollution not
only their homeland but also all countries of the world!

24werwe 21.09.2017 14:50
Cause of air pollution water soil crypto-Jews. On the street, degenerates with signs of Jews. Greenpeace and ecologists vile cryptoreyskie TV-ri. They are engaged in eternal criticism according to the Catechism of the Jew in the USSR (according to the Talmud). Dosed poisoning is being promoted. They do not name the reason - the deliberate destruction of all the living by the Jews hiding under the labels of "peoples."

Ticket number 4.

The main types of environmental pollution. The main ways of solving environmental problems. Environmental policy.

Environmental pollution is understood as an undesirable change in its properties as a result of anthropogenic intake of various substances and compounds. This pollution leads to harmful effects on the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, buildings, structures and materials, and ultimately on the person himself. The main source of such pollution is the return to nature of a huge mass of waste generated in the production and consumption of human society. Particularly dangerous is the release into the environment of chemicals synthesized by mankind and did not previously exist in nature.

Contamination of the soil cover occurs as a result of unsustainable use of natural resources. This pollution can arise from illiterate farming, land disturbance, construction and mining. As a result, little productive and unproductive lands appear. Industrial and agricultural waste, household waste, and improper fertilization can be an important cause of soil pollution. The main pollutants are heavy metals and their compounds, fertilizers, pesticides, radioactive substances.

Hydrosphere pollution occurs primarily as a result of wastewater discharge into rivers, lakes and seas. Their total volume reaches 1,000 km3 per year. To neutralize them by dilution, about 10 thousand km3 of pure water is required. The most polluted rivers are the Rhine, Danube, Seine, Tiber, Mississippi, Ohio, Volga, Dnieper, Don, Dniester, Nile, Ganges.

Pollution of the World Ocean is growing, which receives about 100 million tons of waste. The most polluted seas are the Mediterranean, Northern, Irish, Baltic, Black, Azov, Japanese, Javan and Caribbean. Oil pollution is very harmful. The World Ocean annually receives 3-4 million tons of oil and oil products, and according to some estimates, much more (up to 16 million tons). It is believed that 1/3 of the world's oceans are covered with an oily film. The oil pollution of the Northern, Mediterranean, Caribbean seas, Persian and Mexican gulfs is especially great.

Air pollution occurs primarily as a result of the combustion of mineral fuels. The main air pollutants are oxides of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen. The annual intake of liquid gas into the atmosphere is estimated at 100-150 million tons. Its emissions are associated with the formation of so-called (acid rains, which cause great harm to the plant and animal world, reduce productivity, destroy structures, architectural monuments, negatively affect Acid rain-chi is most widespread in Europe and North America, for example, in Scandinavia, which receives acid precipitation mainly from Great Britain and the Federal Republic of Germany, salmon, trout and other fish disappeared in 20 thousand lakes. In Europe and in some regions of Russia, due to acid rain, forest lands are being destroyed.

At present, environmental pollution has reached such a level that urgent measures must be taken. There are three main ways to solve environmental problems. The first is the creation of treatment facilities, the use of low-sulfur fuel, the destruction and processing of waste, the construction of chimneys with a height of 200-300 m and more, land reclamation, etc. The second direction of overcoming environmental pollution is the development and application of environmental ("clean") production technology, the development of circulating water supply methods, etc. This path is of particular importance, as it not only reduces, but prevents environmental pollution. The third way is a deeply thought-out, rational placement of "dirty" industries that have an adverse effect on the environment.

Environmental policy

Environmental pollution and irrational use of natural resources impede the development of production and threaten people's lives. Therefore, a massive public movement began to protect nature. Most of the economically developed countries and some developing countries have begun to pursue state environmental policies. Environmental laws were adopted, state bodies for environmental protection were created. As a result, in the 80s. pollution of the environment in some regions of the world is gradually decreasing. However, in most countries, the environmental situation continues to be tense. The efforts of individual countries were not enough to implement environmental policy. The efforts of the entire world community are required. In the UN system there is a special immersion program (UNEP), etc. Geographers from many countries, including Russia, are taking part in this work.

The state budget. Sources of income and expense items of the state. Deficit of the state budget and sources of its coverage.

The state budget is the balance of state revenues and expenditures for a certain period of time (usually a year), which is the main financial plan of the country, which, after its adoption by the legislative authority (parliament, state Duma, Congress, etc.), acquires the force of law and is mandatory for execution.

In carrying out its functions, the state bears numerous costs. By purposes, government spending can be divided into expenditures:

 for political purposes: 1) expenditures for ensuring national defense and

From a macroeconomic point of view, all government spending is divided into:

Government purchases of goods and services (their cost is included in GDP);

Transfers (their value is not included in GDP);

Interest payments on government bonds (government debt service)

The main sources of government revenue are:

Taxes (including social security contributions)

Profit of state-owned enterprises

Seigniorage (income from the issue of money)

Privatization income

Types of state budget states

The difference between the revenues and expenditures of the state is the balance (state) of the state budget. The state budget can be in three different states:

1) when budget revenues exceed expenditures (T> G), budget balance

positive which corresponds to surplus (or surplus) the state budget

2) when incomes are equal to expenses (G = T), the budget balance is zero,

those. the budget is balanced

turnover on a huge scale of "shadow" capital;

a significant reason for the budget deficit are huge

unproductive expenses, registration, theft, etc.

Of course, the budget deficit belongs to “negative economic

themes are integral elements of the economic system. And what's more, without

their economic system loses its ability to self-propel and develop.

It should be noted that a deficit-free budget does not mean health.

economy.

In economic theory, there are several conceptual approaches to

the problem of budget deficit and budgetary policy.

The first concept is based on the fact that the budget should be annually

balanced. Earlier this was considered the goal of financial policy. But

with a deeper study of this problem, it became obvious what

the state of the budget excludes or significantly reduces efficiency

fiscal policy of the state, which has a countercyclical, stabilizing

focus. For example, let's say that a long period has come

unemployment. Population incomes are falling; tax receipts automatically

are shrinking. Striving to balance the budget at all costs,

the government should: either increase taxes, or reduce government

expenses, or combine one with the other. But the consequence of these events will be

further reduction in aggregate demand. Another example shows how

striving to balance the budget can increase inflation. In conditions

inflation, with an increase in cash income, automatically increase

tax revenues. In order to prevent excess income over

spending, the government should: either lower tax rates, or increase

government spending, or combine one with the other. But the consequence of these

measures will increase inflation.

The second concept is based on the fact that the budget should be

balanced throughout the business cycle, not annually. Such a concept

assumes the government is countercyclical and

simultaneously strives to balance the budget. The rationale behind this

the concept is very simple: in order to counter the recession, the government

reduces taxes and increases costs, i.e. deliberately causes a deficiency

budget. During a period of inflationary upsurge, the government raises taxes and

reduces government spending. The revenue side of the budget is increasing,

which goes to cover the deficit that arose during the recession. So

thus, the government is pursuing a positive counter-cyclical policy and

balances the budget at the same time.

The main problem with this concept is that recessions and

ups in the economic cycle may not be the same in depth and

duration. And in this case, the appearance of a large deficit in the period

a long and deep recession will not be covered by a small positive balance

the budget of a short period of rise, therefore, there will be

cyclical budget deficits.

1. The third concept is the concept of functional finance, i.e. aim

public finance is to ensure a balanced economy,

not the budget, while achieving macroeconomic stability can

accompanied by both a stable positive balance and a stable

According to world studies, the country is included in the list of the most polluted countries in the world. The difficult environmental situation entails a poor quality of life and negatively affects the general condition of citizens. The reason for the emergence of problems of environmental pollution is the dynamic desire of a person to influence the environment. In response to the selfish actions of the most intelligent being, nature aggressively rewards what it deserves. The ecological situation in Russia requires an early resolution, otherwise there will be a serious imbalance between a person and the environment.

The geographic environment needs to be divided into two component categories. The first includes the habitat of living beings, the second - nature as a colossal storehouse of resources. The challenge for humanity is to learn how to extract minerals without violating the integrity of the objective environment.

Environmental pollution, irrational use of materials, thoughtless extermination of flora and fauna - these mistakes are of the highest priority for the Russian Federation and have existed for a long time. Large industrial enterprises, agricultural corporations and the individual human desire for maximum satisfaction of needs become the main argument in the case of an extremely alarming environmental situation (see). Lack of desire to resolve a difficult situation involves the state in a greater crisis. The main environmental problems in Russia are as follows:

The government practically left without control the activities of corporations involved. To date, the situation has deteriorated sharply in the north-west of the country and in the regions of Siberia, where hundreds of hectares of trees are being destroyed. Forests are being modified in order to create agricultural plots in their place. This provokes the displacement of many species of animal and plant life from the areas that are their real home. With any form of cutting down of the green zone, 40% of the timber is an irrecoverable loss. Reforestation is difficult: a planted tree needs 10 to 15 years to grow fully. In addition, legislative approval is often required for restoration (see).

Energy objects are among the bases that intensively oppress the biosphere. At present, the methods of extracting electrical or thermal resources are focused on the future in operation, while in the former periods the course was directed towards minimizing financial costs. Each energy facility accumulates a huge risk of causing significant injury to our planet. Even the regulation of the limits of negative effects is not able to fully eliminate the danger.

By extracting useful resources, a person pollutes groundwater, soil and atmosphere. Animals and plants are forced to live in unsuitable conditions. Oil transported by ships spills, resulting in the death of many creatures. A colossal amount of damage is caused by the process of mining coal and gas. Radiation pollution poses a threat and changes the surrounding nature. These environmental problems in Russia will cause irreparable damage to the country if no significant measures are taken.

Interesting! The largest oil dump in the country is located on the territory of the Gulf of Finland. Pollution covers nearby soils and groundwater. Alarming statements appear: a large percentage of drinking water on the territory of the state is already unsuitable for consumption.

Polluted water bodies do not allow the use of the life-giving element to feed creatures. Industrial enterprises discharge waste into the aquatic environment. In Russia, there are a small number of treatment facilities, and much of the equipment is out of order, and this aggravates the problem. As water is polluted, its deficiency occurs, which leads to the death of ecosystems.

Industrial facilities are the main sources of air pollution. According to the testimony of special services, a quarter of the waste of the entire production is thrown into the environment. Most of the inhabitants of large metallurgical cities breathe air filled with heavy metals every day. A fly in the ointment in this case is added by the exhaust gases of vehicles.

There are more than four hundred nuclear reactors in the world, 46 of them are located on the territory of the Russian Federation. Nuclear explosions that irradiate waters, soils and organisms produce radioactive contamination. The danger also comes from the work of the stations, and during transportation, leakage is possible. Dangerous rays also emanate from some rocks (uranium, thorium, radium), which lie deep under the ground.

Only 4% of all waste in Russia is recycled, the rest is transformed into huge landfills, which provoke the emergence of epidemics and infectious diseases in animals living nearby. People do not seek to monitor the cleanliness of their own home, city, country, so there is a huge risk of infection (see).

Poaching in Russia is the most important issue, the essence of which is the unauthorized extraction of natural resources. The criminals, despite the attempts of the state to suppress any untruth, cleverly disguise themselves with false licenses and avoid punishment. The penalties for poaching are fundamentally inadequate for the harm caused. Many breeds and varieties of nature are difficult to restore.

How are environmental problems solved in Russia?

Our country has significantly weakened supervision over the extraction of minerals, despite the fact that the preservation and improvement of the environment is in the first place. The laws and local documents being developed do not have sufficient power to work effectively, completely leveling or reducing the main environmental problems of Russia.

Interesting! The Ministry of the Environment of the Russian Federation, which reports directly to the government, has existed since 2008. It has a large amount of activity in the direction of improving the quality of local systems. However, there is no body in the country that would control the implementation of laws, so the ministry remains suspended and passive.

The government, however, is carrying out organized events aimed at settling the situation in the most unfavorable industrial regions of the Russian Federation. It uses innovative technologies, strengthens monitoring of large-scale facilities, and implements energy-saving procedures in production.

A comprehensive approach to problems is needed, including promising actions in all areas of everyday life of a person and society. The cardinal resolution of the ecological situation in the Russian Federation includes the following categories:

The legal system creates a large body of environmental laws. International experience plays a vital role here.

Eliminating the consequences of the inefficient use of the planet's resources requires considerable financial support.

The use of new technologies in industry will reduce environmental pollution. The main goal of the development is the creation of environmentally friendly energy. Special factories allow you to recycle waste with the highest percentage of usefulness. Consequently, the extra territory is not occupied, and the energy from the combustion is used for the needs of the industry.

Greening of settlements will bring benefits. It is necessary to plant trees near places of high pollution, as well as to take measures to protect the soil from erosion. (cm. )

The plans are to reduce the amount of household waste, waste water treatment. Modern technologies are making it possible to achieve a transition from oil and coal to sources based on solar and hydropower. Biofuels significantly reduce the concentration of harmful elements in the atmosphere.

An important task is to teach the population of the Russian Federation to respect the world around them.

The decision to switch vehicles to gas, electricity and hydrogen will reduce toxic emissions. A method for obtaining nuclear energy from water is under development.

Expert Opinion - Environmental Issues & Corporations

These days, the topic of environmental protection sounds more and more often, many countries are concerned about water, soil and air pollution, deforestation and global warming. New construction and emission regulations, social movements and programs are emerging in Russia. This is definitely a positive trend. However, all this solves only part of the problem. It is necessary to develop and stimulate voluntary efforts to reduce the burden on the environment, including among large companies.

Environmental responsibility of mining and manufacturing corporations

Mining and manufacturing corporations have a particularly high potential for causing damage to the environment, therefore, as a rule, significant resources are devoted to the implementation of an environmental program.

For example, the SIBUR corporation conducts numerous subbotniks throughout Russia, the Gazprom group last year invested more than 22 billion rubles. on environmental protection, the AVTOVAZ Group reported on its success in reducing harmful industrial emissions, reducing the volume of solid waste. Environmental responsibility is an international practice.

For the past 5 years, the international corporation 3M has been conducting an annual environmental audit to assess the effectiveness of its sustainable development policy. One of its first points is the economical use of wood and mineral resources, including by increasing the use of recyclable materials. 3M, a member of the international association The Forest Trust, also motivates many other companies to conserve the earth's interior by increasing environmental requirements for their suppliers.

On the other hand, manufacturing corporations can help preserve the environment by inventing and introducing environmentally significant products. An example is special coating for solar panels invented by 3M to improve the efficiency and lifespan of these renewable energy sources.

Taking an integrated approach while preserving the environment

Tangible results are achievable with the implementation of an integrated approach, which implies the leveling of all controllable factors that negatively affect the environment.

For example, it is not enough to organize tree planting in the fight against global warming. Companies must also reduce the consumption of greenhouse gases that have lived in the atmosphere for years, which include refrigerants used in refrigeration, firefighting and chemical production.

Example. An adult tree absorbs on average 120 kg of CO2 per year, and the release of 1 cylinder with fire-extinguishing freon will amount to several tons in CO2 equivalent. That is, the choice of an ecological fire extinguishing system, for example, with a Novvek® 1230 GEF, which has a minimum global warming potential, will, in effect, be equal to planting a small park of trees.

The difficulty of an effective nature conservation program is to take into account and prioritize all factors affecting the environment. The task of the professional community is to form a center of competence, a set of ready-made environmental solutions that will be convenient for companies to implement and use.

International environmental organizations in Russia

A whole complex of specialized structures for environmental protection operates in the country. These organizations coordinate security specifics regardless of the political situation. Russia participates in the work of a large number of international structures for the protection of the environment. These organizations are strictly divided according to areas of interest. Below is a list of systems operating in the Russian Federation.

• The UN has developed a special UNEP program that protects nature from inappropriate use.
• WWF - International is the largest organization protecting biological resources. They provide monetary support for the protection, development and training of such structures.
• GEF - created to help developing countries in solving environmental problems.
• The UNESCO, which has been operating since the beginning of the 70s, has been supporting peace and environmental security in the country, and also deals with decrees on the development of culture and science.
• FAO works to improve the quality of agricultural handicrafts and natural resource extraction.
• Ark is an environmental movement that promotes the idea of ​​selling food and goods that do not litter or pollute the environment.
• VCP is a program that develops methods for long-term climate change and its improvement.
• WHO is an organization whose goal is to achieve the best living conditions for humankind on the planet by monitoring the use of resources.
• WSOP - the program accumulates the experience of all states and builds ways of resolving problems.
• WWW is a service that collects information about meteorological conditions in all countries.

The work of international environmental organizations in Russia helps to raise the national interest in the purification of the native land and to improve the overall level of cleanliness of the environment.

Interesting! Distrust of the authorities, accusations of espionage, and a ban on obtaining proper information complicates the activities of these structures. Domestic systems do not want to spend finances on environmental protection measures and do not accept the essence of environmental management, for which international institutions are convened.

Specialists of the social structure conducted a survey on this topic. Based on the results, lists of favorable and unfavorable cities were compiled. The course of the study was formed on the opinions of residents, who distributed 100 items. The respondents assess the situation as a whole by 6.5 points.

• The most environmentally friendly city in Russia is Sochi. Armavir ranks second. These settlements have excellent climatic features with clean air, sea and lots of vegetation. In these cities, the residents themselves strive to build gazebos, flower beds or front gardens.
• Sevastopol took third place. The metropolis is distinguished by a variety of flora, little traffic and a fresh atmosphere.
• The top ten environmental favorites include: Kaliningrad, Grozny, Stavropol, Saransk, Nalchik, Korolev and Cheboksary. The capital is on the 12th place, and St. Petersburg is in the middle of the third ten.

Ecological rating of Russian cities 2017 - the dirtiest megacities

Here are the settlements that were originally planned as industrial. Despite the efforts of the authorities, the situation in these cities remains practically unchanged.

• The respondents placed Bratsk in the last, 100th place on the list. The respondents note a huge amount of garbage on the streets and a minimal amount of green spaces. The people living here constantly smell the emissions.
• On the 99th place is Novokuznetsk. The coal capital of Russia is oversaturated with heavy metals in the atmosphere. Residents find it hard to breathe in calm weather; there is always a thick smog here.
• Chelyabinsk closes the top three outsiders in the environmental rating. The respondents report poor water quality and dirty oxygen. Magnitogorsk, Makhachkala, Krasnoyarsk and Omsk are on the list next to each other.

Expert opinion - Experience of other countries in eliminating environmental problems

Alexander Levin, Executive Director of the Fund for Support of Foreign Economic Activity of the Moscow Region

In my opinion, when solving environmental problems in our country, it is necessary to learn from the experience, first of all, of the countries of the European Union, especially such as Denmark, Germany, Austria. These states are focusing on improving the efficiency of enterprises, cleaning emissions into the atmosphere and recycling wastewater.

In addition, in European countries, a lot of attention is paid to the recycling of raw materials, as well as the creation of renewable energy sources. In Russia, the problem is the elementary absence of industrial treatment facilities and storm water treatment facilities. There is also a technological backwardness of the existing reconstruction processes. I think that now we need to increase the amount of funding for measures related to the reconstruction of such facilities in the structure of housing and communal services and road facilities, as well as subsidize the creation of a new treatment infrastructure where there is none. This is the only way we can save water resources on the territory of our country.

Solving environmental problems in Russia is a priority task not only for government bodies, but also for the population, which must reconsider their own views on the preservation and protection of the surrounding world.

Global environmental problem # 1: Air pollution

Every day, the average person inhales about 20,000 liters of air, which contains, in addition to vital oxygen, a whole list of harmful suspended particles and gases. Air pollutants are conventionally divided into 2 types: natural and anthropogenic. The latter prevail.

The chemical industry is not doing well. Factories emit harmful substances such as dust, oil ash, various chemical compounds, nitrogen oxides and much more. Air measurements showed the catastrophic position of the atmospheric layer, polluted air is the cause of many chronic diseases.

Air pollution is an environmental problem that is familiar to residents of absolutely all corners of the earth. It is especially acutely felt by representatives of cities in which enterprises of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, energy, chemical, petrochemical, construction and pulp and paper industries operate. In some cities, the atmosphere is also severely poisoned by vehicles and boiler houses. These are all examples of anthropogenic air pollution.

As for the natural sources of chemical elements that pollute the atmosphere, they include forest fires, volcanic eruptions, wind erosion (dispersal of soil and rock particles), the spread of pollen, evaporation of organic compounds and natural radiation.

Consequences of air pollution

Atmospheric air pollution adversely affects human health, contributing to the development of heart and lung diseases (in particular, bronchitis). In addition, atmospheric pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide destroy natural ecosystems, destroying plants and causing the death of living things (in particular, river fish).

The global environmental problem of air pollution, according to scientists and government officials, can be solved in the following ways:

limiting population growth;

reduction in energy use;

improving energy efficiency;

reduction of waste;

transition to environmentally friendly renewable energy sources;

air purification in especially polluted areas.

Global Environmental Issue # 2: Ozone Depletion

The ozone layer is a thin strip of the stratosphere that protects all life on Earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the Sun.

Causes of the environmental problem

Back in the 1970s. ecologists have discovered that the ozone layer is destroyed by the action of chlorofluorocarbons. These chemicals are found in coolants in refrigerators and air conditioners, as well as solvents, aerosols / sprays, and fire extinguishers. To a lesser extent, the thinning of the ozone layer is also facilitated by other anthropogenic influences: the launch of space rockets, flights of jet aircraft in the high layers of the atmosphere, testing of nuclear weapons, and the reduction of the planet's forest lands. There is also a theory that global warming contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer.

Effects of ozone depletion

As a result of the destruction of the ozone layer, ultraviolet radiation passes unhindered through the atmosphere and reaches the earth's surface. Exposure to direct UV rays is detrimental to human health by weakening the immune system and causing diseases such as skin cancer and cataracts.

Global Environmental Issue # 3: Global Warming

Like the glass walls of a greenhouse, carbon dioxide, methane, nitric oxide and water vapor allow the sun to heat our planet and at the same time prevent infrared radiation reflected from the earth's surface from escaping into space. All of these gases are responsible for maintaining temperatures acceptable for life on earth. However, an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide and water vapor in the atmosphere is another global environmental problem called global warming (or the greenhouse effect).

Causes of global warming

During the 20th century, the average temperature on earth rose by 0.5 - 1 ° C. The main cause of global warming is considered to be an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to an increase in the volume of fossil fuels (coal, oil and their derivatives) burned by humans. However, according to the statement Alexey Kokorin, Head of Climate Programs World Wildlife Fund(WWF) Russia, "The largest amount of greenhouse gases is generated by power plants and methane emissions during the extraction and delivery of energy resources, while road transport or the flaring of associated petroleum gas cause relatively little harm to the environment.".

Overpopulation, deforestation, ozone depletion and littering are other prerequisites for global warming. However, not all ecologists blame anthropogenic activities for the increase in average annual temperatures. Some believe that the natural increase in the abundance of oceanic plankton also contributes to global warming, leading to an increase in the concentration of the same carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Consequences of the greenhouse effect

If the temperature during the 21st century increases by another 1 ° C - 3.5 ° C, as scientists predict, the consequences will be very sad:

the level of the world ocean will rise (due to the melting of polar ice), the number of droughts will increase and the process of land desertification will intensify,

many species of plants and animals, adapted to exist in a narrow range of temperatures and humidity, will disappear,

hurricanes will become more frequent.

Solving an environmental problem

According to ecologists, the following measures will help to slow down the process of global warming:

higher prices for fossil fuels,

replacing fossil fuels with environmentally friendly ones (solar energy, wind and sea currents),

development of energy-saving and waste-free technologies,

taxation of emissions into the environment,

minimization of methane losses during its extraction, transportation through pipelines, distribution in cities and villages and use at heat supply and power plants,

introduction of technologies for absorption and binding of carbon dioxide,

tree planting,

decrease in the size of families,

environmental education,

the use of phytomelioration in agriculture.

Global Environmental Issue # 4: Acid Rain

Acid rain containing combustion products also poses a threat to the environment, human health and even the integrity of architectural monuments.

The effects of acid rain

The solutions of sulfuric and nitric acids, aluminum and cobalt compounds contained in polluted sediments and fog pollute the soil and water bodies, adversely affect vegetation, causing the dry tops of deciduous trees and oppressing conifers. Due to acid rain, crop yields are falling, people are drinking water enriched with toxic metals (mercury, cadmium, lead), marble architectural monuments turn into gypsum and erode.

Solving an environmental problem

In the name of saving nature and architecture from acid rain, it is necessary to minimize emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere.

Global environmental problem # 5: Soil pollution

Every year people pollute the environment with 85 billion tons of waste. Among them are solid and liquid waste from industrial enterprises and transport, agricultural waste (including pesticides), household waste and atmospheric deposition of harmful substances.

The main role in soil pollution is played by such components of industrial waste as heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, thallium, bismuth, tin, vanadium, antimony), pesticides and oil products. From the soil, they penetrate into plants and water, even spring water. Along the chain, toxic metals enter the human body and are not always quickly and completely removed from it. Some of them tend to accumulate over the years, provoking the development of serious diseases.

Global Environmental Issue # 6: Water Pollution

Pollution of the world's oceans, groundwater and surface waters of the land is a global environmental problem, the responsibility for which lies entirely with humans.

Causes of the environmental problem

The main pollutants of the hydrosphere today are oil and oil products. These substances penetrate into the waters of the world's oceans as a result of the wreck of tankers and regular discharges of wastewater by industrial enterprises.

In addition to anthropogenic oil products, industrial and domestic facilities pollute the hydrosphere with heavy metals and complex organic compounds. Agriculture and the food industry are recognized as leaders in the poisoning of the world's oceans with minerals and biogenic elements.

The hydrosphere is also involved in such a global environmental problem as radioactive pollution. The precondition for its formation was the burial of radioactive waste in the waters of the world's oceans. Many powers with a developed nuclear industry and a nuclear fleet, from 49 to 70 years of the XX century, purposefully stored harmful radioactive substances in the seas and oceans. In places where radioactive containers are buried, the level of cesium is often off scale even today. But "underwater test sites" are not the only radioactive source of pollution of the hydrosphere. The waters of the seas and oceans are also enriched with radiation as a result of underwater and surface nuclear explosions.

Consequences of radioactive contamination of water

Oil pollution of the hydrosphere leads to the destruction of the natural habitat of hundreds of representatives of oceanic flora and fauna, the death of plankton, seabirds and mammals. Poisoning of the world's oceans also poses a serious danger to human health: fish and other seafood "contaminated" with radiation can easily get on the table.