Effect of Agriculture on Our Environment

The importance of the Chesapeake Bay is introduced. The bay is home to a large amount of seafood businesses, and many people fish the bay and its tributaries for sport. Grass beds are essential to many of the organisms living in this ecosystem, but are being destroyed by pollution. Agriculture involves more than a fourth of the bay's watershed. This makes agricultural runoff a big focus. Excessive nitrogen and phosphorus causes eutrophication. These nutrients come from pesticides and sewage also. A goal was set in 1985 to cut back the percent of nutrients being put into the bay by these two sources. It is thought that redirecting the flow of soil with nutrients in them will reduce the runoff, but if the nutrients seep into groundwater they still get into the Chesapeake Bay. Farmers have ways to help reduce these nutrient levels, but it is not the cheapest way to farm, so not all farmers are doing their part to save the bay. Another contributor of runoff land development. Runoff can occur from exposed land being prepared to be developed, or because of what has been used to replace what used to naturally be.

farming practices and thousands of acres of flat grassland being plowed, the soil no longer had

The excess use of fertilizers can result in soil erosion and can lead to land pollution.

Storm water runoff gets formed by man-made areas such as driveways, parking areas and roofs. All of these types of surfaces are waterproof surfaces, so when they are placed around lakes, they tend to collect and transport precipitation over the land instead of allowing the water to penetrate into the soil. Storm water runoff affects the soil greatly along with all of the wild life and vegetation that needs the soil to live and form. That is the reason that areas of land around the lakes in Michigan have soil with lesser value than other

In addition, farmland has been destroyed because of the floods and the decrease in delta sediment. The dam has reduced downstream nutrients and sediment flow. And has seriously impacted neighboring river and seacoast ecosystems.

It was caused by cutting trees from forests and as well as overgrazing. Soil erosion can lead to a deterioration of the landscape. Burning and cutting forests and overgrazing are factors that connect with a deterioration of soil quality. Some soil erosion was widespread in many parts of North America. People cut trees for heat and building settlements.

Agricultural runoff is another big factor in water pollution and it is similar to the storm water process but only with more dangerous pollutants. Agricultural waste runoff from the barnyards finds its way into the drainage emerging with the water bodies. The runoff from the barnyard being polluted by the multiple fertilizers used in the crops, pesticides, and livestock waste. Then the polluted water from the runoff makes contact with the water bodies such as lakes and rivers polluting them. There are two essential chemicals for the growth of crops and livestock: nitrogen and phosphorus. However, nitrogen and phosphorous are very dangerous chemicals when they make contact with water or soil. High concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in

Every year the Wildlife Bureau of the DNR purchases land for public use and wildlife habitats. The restoration of Iowa’s prairie land is considered important because it can restore the natural ecosystem, benefit water quality, and reduces soil erosion caused by runoff. Other farming practices such as having buffer strips near streams and cover crops have helped manage the soil erosion in Iowa, but since 1850 we have lost nearly 14 inches in topsoil depth and growing.

The seepage of ground water and the overland flow of surface water runoff also contribute to the erosion of shorelines (http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/MMGI/Chapter6/ch6-4.html). The role of ground water is most important wherever permeable subsurface layers of sand are exposed in high bluffs along coastal bays. In these areas, the seepage of ground water into the waterway can cause erosion at the point of exit. The surface flow of upland runoff can also dislodge sediments through the creation of rills and gullies on the shoreline banks and bluffs (http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/MMGI/Chapter6/ch6-4.html).

“The UN along with other agencies reported that not only did livestock play a major role in global warming, it is also the leading cause of resource consumption and environmental degradation destroying the planet today.” (Andersen & Kuhn, 2014). It is important, then, to consider the effects of animal agriculture on the environment. This essay will argue that animal agriculture is harmful to the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water- and land use, and that policies in the form of subsidizing plant foods, altering the Canada Food Guide, and creating plant based nutrition coaching and support groups should be enacted to solve these problems. The first section of this paper will outline scholarly literature on the effects of animal agriculture on the environment. This paper will then discuss why a plant based diet is also suitable for optimal health. Finally, this essay will conclude with an overview of the various social policies that must be executed to solve these environmental issues.

Decline in water quality. Plants and animals that normally drink from the water supply will be deprived of those nutrients.

Agriculture was the most important economic activity in America from the founding of Virginia in 1607 to about 1890. Although farming declined rapidly in relative economic importance in the twentieth century, U.S. agriculture continued to be the most efficient and productive in the world. Its success rested on abundant fertile soil, a moderate climate, the ease of private land ownership, growing markets for farm produce at home and abroad, and the application of science and technology to farm operations.

Humans, like all other species, exploit their surroundings for the resources they need to survive. Our current exploitation of the world, however, is greater than those of most species. There are many reasons for this exploitation but we will focus on one and that is our technology, which is used for various

Wind erosion occurs mostly in flat, dry areas with fine, sandy soil. Wind erosion is caused when the wind moves topsoil from one place and deposits it to another. The speed and extent of the wind depend on the amount of soil erosion done. Extreme wind erosion can cause severe amount damage to land and crops. Wind erosion damages land and crops in many ways, one such way is soil drifting. Soil drifting can lead to soil infertility which in turn can lead to poor crop growth and production, especially in areas where wind erosion is very common. Continual wind erosion in one area over time can change the texture of the soil by loss of sand, silt, nutrients and organic matter. The removal of such matter from the soil makes it harder for the soil to hold moisture, making it more difficult for crops to grow. Wind erosion also damages crops by burial of plants and seeds or unearthing of newly planted seeds, resulting in expensive delays and making it necessary to replant. Abundant woods and vegetation around

As stated in the essay question, “Although all creatures must eat to survive, humans often harm the environment through agriculture.” Humans harming the environment through agriculture has become a big problem due to things like pesticide, fertilizers and fossil fuel be put into the environment. Thoreau propose that we both eat and respect the natural world because there is a spiritual connection between nature and man, nature should be explored, observed and preserved, and the significance nature on the world.