How can electrostatics affect the environment?

Answer 1

A couple of relatively obviously examples are lightning and the "static shock" we can get on days when it is fairly dry. Lightning can kill or injure people, and can damage or destroy equipment or fixtures, or even structures. It also starts fires that can do a lot of damage. The static effects we experience personally just give us a "jolt" when they happen, but these static charges can damage electronics. The electronics industry spends millions of dollars every year to mitigate the effects of this hazard.