Human Consequences

As was just seen, the Earth's cycles are not independent: for example, clouds arising from the water cycle affect the atmospheric cycle, and sedimentary rocks arise from actions of the water cycle. This fact, together with the closed nature of the Earth, makes it apparent that one cannot make changes in one part of the system without affecting the system as a whole. Unfortunately, in recent years it has become apparent that human technology has introduced some major changes on a global scale that are upsetting the Earth's fragile balance. We discuss three such changes.