When people talk about the environment, they often mean nature, like forests, rivers, and wildlife. But for most of us, our everyday environment is more like the room we’re in, our homes, or the city we live in. These places are made by people and aren’t exactly natural. For example, a grocery store didn’t just appear like a flower in spring; it was built by people using resources from different parts of the world.
Let’s think about how humans change the environment by looking at a typical day. In the morning, you wake up in a bed inside a house made from natural resources like wood. This wood was taken from forests and shaped by people. When you brush your teeth, the water from the tap is directed there by humans. It might come from a river or an underground source miles away.
At breakfast, the food you eat was grown on land altered by humans. Forests might have been cleared to create farmland, and wild animals were moved away. The crops were watered by irrigation, which means moving water from one place to another. Even the plants themselves were planted by people.
When you ride your bike to school, the sidewalk you use is another change to the environment. Rainwater runs off the pavement into drains instead of soaking into the ground to help plants grow.
Humans change their environment a lot, but we’re not the only ones. All living things, like plants, animals, and even tiny bacteria, affect their surroundings. It’s just that humans do it in a big way. Wherever there are people, there are changes to the environment.
For a big example, let’s look at New York City. Over 400 years ago, it looked very different. Back then, it was mostly forests, wetlands, grasslands, and beaches. The Lenape, a Native American tribe, lived there and changed the environment by eating oysters and clams and clearing parts of the forest for crops.
When Europeans arrived in the 1600s, they started transforming the area. They built roads, farms, and forts. These changes affected the animals and plants living there. Over time, what was once wilderness became a city with over 9 million people, streets, and buildings. Streams that once flowed through Manhattan are now replaced by a water supply system delivering billions of liters of water daily.
Even Times Square, a bustling part of the city, was once a swamp. This shows how much humans can change an environment.
You don’t have to visit New York City to see how humans change the environment. It’s happening all around you. Almost everything you touch is a result of human innovation using natural resources. Remember, we’re living things and part of the natural world, and every living thing changes its environment. Next time, we’ll explore how other living things make their own changes.
Nature Walk Observation: Take a walk around your neighborhood or a nearby park with a grown-up. Look for examples of how humans have changed the environment. Can you find a sidewalk, a building, or a playground? Talk about what might have been there before these things were built. Draw a picture of what you see and imagine what it might have looked like before humans made changes.
Build a Mini City: Use blocks, toy cars, and other small objects to create your own mini city. Think about what natural resources you might need to build your city, like wood for houses or metal for cars. Once your city is built, discuss with a friend or family member how your city changes the environment. What happens to the plants and animals that lived there before?
Water Journey Exploration: With the help of an adult, trace the journey of water from a river or lake to your home. Use a map or draw your own to show where the water travels. Discuss how humans have changed the environment to make this journey possible. What tools or structures are used to move the water? Think about how this affects the natural world.
