Impacts of Human Behavior on the Environment
Psy 460
Impacts of Human Behavior on the Environment 2 Environmental psychology is the study of the link between human behavior, the direct impact on the environment, and the psychology of humans. The physical or manmade environment such as building houses or workplaces, and natural environments in nature, are all important parts of environmental psychology. The study that includes environmental psychology is diverse and requires more studies to determine what changes need to be made. Modern technology such as, the development of chemicals, manufacturing plants, population increases, mining and mining processes and other human activities have brought many issues and concerns about the environment. Some of the environmental issues that are impacting our environment negatively are: global warming, climate changes, more intense adverse weather such as stronger hurricanes and tornadoes, while other areas have drought and rainy conditions (Steg, 2013). Technology can create negative impacts to the environment by humans attempting to improve on nature in areas where nature should be left alone. Controlling nature, for example, by building dams over rivers to generate electricity has adverse effects on fish and other water species. The oil and chemicals that are used to maintain the electricity generating turbines often leak and can pollute the river that is being used to the manmade purpose. Some species of fish can no longer swim to instinctual spawning grounds causing the loss of many fish. Agricultural practices are necessary to provide food sources for people and to help prevent starvation. However, certain agricultural activities such as spraying chemicals can cause water pollution. The chemicals run off the plants into the ground and into water
References: Whole Building Design Guide Productive Committee. (2011). Promote health and well-being. Retrieved from http://www.wbdg.org/design/promote_health.php Steg, Linda, Environmental Psychology: An Introduction, First Edition. (2013) John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., the British Psychological Society, (2013)