The anthropogenic nature of environmental problems with examples from the SA context.

Ozone depletion

-is a layer in the earth’s stratosphere at an altitude of about 10km which absorbs the ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth from the sun. Lives and animals are being affected, for example the aquatic ecosystems are being affected, marine animals are slowly dying because the oceans are slowly warming up not to their liking and in the North Pole, the Arctic ice is melting due to the intense heat.

Destruction in natural habitats

-is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native specie. For example, animals are losing their natural home or habitat they need to survive because of urbanization and the rise in population; also mining expansion in urban areas has caused 

South Africa and the wildlife animals  to lose their important species.

Decline in freshwater 

-is the lack of fresh water to meet the standard water demand which can be caused by climate change, increased population and increased human demand and overuse of water. For example, in some rural areas, fresh water scarcity is high. According to the SAstats, it was reported that 15 million people lack basic clean water or sanitation.

Adverse effects on marine life

-human activities affect marine life through overfishing, habitat loss, the introduction of invasive species, ocean acidification and ocean warming. The ocean area remains as wilderness, mostly in open ocean area rather than along the coast. For example, pollution have a major effect on marine life which results to the animals dying; even the oils that spills from the ships have a major impact on the marine life. Another example, a blue whale was washed up to the beach shore because it couldn’t wee it’s way around because of the oil spillage and it unfortunately collided with a ship and died.