Enviromental+Chemistry+and+Human+Impact

Earth's biomes are complex ecological environments, which have been developing over millions of years. The components of an ecosystem should not be altered because this would greatly affect its evolution and success. However, since the evolution of humans and the expansion of tourism, environments throughout the world have been impacted through global warming, habitat destruction, acid deposition, and deforestation. Environmental chemistry is the scientific study of the chemical and biochemical phenomena that occur in natural places. These places are being affected by the intrusion of humans, which are changing the real pathway of nature. Natural environments are crucial for social and economic life of human beings. Natural environments are used as resources for food supply, an energy source, a source for recreation, a major source of medicines and for natural resources for industrial products. All of the resources which are provided by nature are seen by humans as free goods which means they are not scarce. But this is definitely not true. Clean water is harder and harder to find, over farming is leading to desertification, etc. The environmental chemistry of biomes is being affected through human impact. Manufactured products are one of the biggest ways through which chemicals are being dumped or disposed in ways that are harmful towards the natural balance of different ecosystems into bodies of waters or onto lands. Processes such as the making of cleaning agents, paint, paper, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, etc., create many chemicals which have to be disposed of. For example, over 95% of pesticides reach a destination other than their targeted species, including non-targeted species, air, and bodies of water, bottom sediments and food. Pesticides contaminate land and water when it escapes from production sites and storage tanks. It also runs off from fields when it rains and it falls into other lands or/and reaches the ocean, where it finally kills algae. The same way those pesticides affects environments in a variety of ways; all the other products being manufactured and applied also affect biomes in a variety of ways. Only 17% of the world's land surface is unaffected by human beings. The untouched areas are called the last of the wild; this means we directly influence 83% of the worlds land. There are many ways that human beings could impact an ecosystem: through pollution, tourism (changing the way the animals evolve), by helping an ecosystem regain its shape after a natural disaster has occurred, and many other ways.  In Curacao there are a variety of ways in which human beings are negatively and positively affecting the environmentt. One of the most evident ones relates to PDVSA. PDVSA is an venezuelan Oil company which rents the refinery of the island of Curacao rom the goverment. In Curacao the the main indistry is oil refining, it is called ISLA Curacao which is located in Curacaos Schottegat harbour. This refinery has failed to meet national and global environmental standards. For Venezuelans curacao was an ideal location for the industry because of its attractive natural deepwater harbour which can accommodate large oil tankers. When the government of curacao leased the refinery to the Venezuelan state oil company it leased it without proper environmental and maintenance regulations. PDVSA refines 320,000 barrels of oil per day and the lease agreement expires in 2019, it has experienced fires, oil spills and other accidents since it was leased to PDVSA. It has been discovered that over the years there has been a downwind pollution from the ISLA refinery which has caused a negative effect on the public and the environment, starting from the pungent smell it emits. The refinery emits large amounts of greenhouse gases such as Sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrous oxide (NO) and carbon dioxide (CO2). During the 2000 people in Curacao began protesting against the state of refinery and as a result a 100 meter smoke stack was built to try and lower the emissions from the refinery. But it didn't fix the problem, recently schools are being closed due to air pollution from the refinery. The real problem is that the refinery is almost 100 years old. Much of the technology has not meet the standards for productivity and environmental safety. It emits more hazardous greenhouse gases than producing a barrel of oil. The owner of the refinery, PDVSA, have taken no responsibility for any damage the refinery has caused to the public and the environment. The best decision that the government of Curacao can do is to end the contract with PDVSA and put an end to the ancient ISLA refinery, which is no longer a benefit for the people form curacao. PDVA’s largest refinery plant lies on the shore of Curacao in Willemstad. Various cases have been taken to court against this refinery because of the serious health risks it has created due to its excessive emission of sulfur dioxide but nothing has been able to be done.

====On the other hand, humans have also positively impacted some ecosystems in Curacao. For example in the sandy beach ecosystem in Porto Marie there was a huge hurricane in 1998 which destroyed more than 80% of the corals due to hide wave action. In 2000, Artificial corals with holes which mimic the structure of corals were dropped into the ocean so that corals would begin to grow again. This shows both sides of the ways that humans have impacted the natural environment of Curacao. ====

In conclusion, 83% of the world’s land is being affected by human beings and about 40% of the oceans are being contaminated by the actions of humans on land. Environmental chemistry and human impact demonstrates to what extent the pollution will affect future generations. And at the rate that it is occurring at present day there will not be any future generations to be affect.  // Figure 1: Corals growing in the metal cages dropped by human //

 // Figure 2: A rubber tire which has been deposited in the seagrass biome (it can be seen that corals are already growing and fishes have adapted to living around it) //

 // Figure 3: Two glass bottles in the seagrass biome //

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"> // Figure 4: Metal Caes which were put in the sandy beach biome so that corals could grow back after the 1998 disaster. //

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Bibliography: __
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Rajvee. "ISLA Refinery of Curacao: Highs and Lows Part 1 | Meet Curacao Online Magazine." //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Meet Curacao Online Magazine //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. 16 Feb. 2010. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. <@http://www.meetcuracao.com/2010/02/16/isla-refinery-curacao-highs-lows-part-1/>.

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 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Rajvee. "ISLA Refinery of Curacao: Highs and Lows Part 2 | Meet Curacao Online Magazine." //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Meet Curacao Online Magazine //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. 17 Feb. 2010. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. <@http://www.meetcuracao.com/2010/02/17/isla-refinery-curacao-highs-lows-part-2/>.