In a stark reminder of our impact on the planet, a new study has found that human-made materials now outweigh the Earth's entire biomass. This means that the combined weight of all the concrete, metal, plastic, bricks, and asphalt we've produced now exceeds the total weight of all living things on Earth.
The study, published in the journal Nature, is based on an analysis of data from satellites and ground-based measurements. It found that the mass of human-made materials has been increasing rapidly since the beginning of the 20th century, and is now estimated to be around 1 teratonne (one trillion tonnes). This is more than three times the weight of all living plants and animals on Earth.
The growth of human-made mass is largely due to our ever-increasing appetite for construction materials. Concrete, for example, is now the most widely used material on Earth, with production exceeding 25 billion tonnes per year. This is more than enough concrete to pave over the entire state of California every year.
The amount of plastic alone is greater in mass than all land animals and marine creatures combined, the study estimates.
The production of all these materials has a significant impact on the environment. The extraction of raw materials, such as sand and gravel for concrete, can lead to deforestation and habitat loss. The manufacturing process itself can also be polluting, releasing greenhouse gases and other pollutants into the air.
The sheer weight of all these materials is also starting to have a physical impact on the planet. The study's authors warn that the increasing mass of human-made materials could be putting stress on the Earth's crust, potentially leading to more earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The study's findings are a stark warning about the impact of human activity on the planet. We need to find ways to reduce our consumption of materials and to develop more sustainable ways of producing them. Otherwise, we risk facing the consequences of a planet overburdened by our own creations.
On average, every person in the world is responsible for the creation of human-made matter equal to more than their bodyweight each week, the paper published in Nature says.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/09/human-made-material…
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