Lion-Heart

Acid rain destroying sculptures and agriculture, climate changes altering the world, thinning of ozone layer exposing us to dangerous ultraviolet rays, pollutions destroying the natural resources, oil spills damaging the seas, global warming raising the temperature of the earth, if these are not bad enough, what else could be?

The environment is suffering. The rapid increase in progress and development brings along pollution and is placing unprecedented strains on the environment. So far, the negative impact of globalization on the environment outweighs the benefits. The upsurge of trade and investment in sectors concerning natural resources such as forestry, mining and oil refinement are threatening the health of the world’s forests, mountain, water and many other sensitive ecosystems.

Development of technology and research has invented chemical products like pesticides to improve the agriculture but this has posed another problem to the environment. Besides, industrialization also uses the environment as a dumping ground. High-tech industries, with reputation as relatively clean, actually demand heavy environmental costs. Water sources are being contaminated with excess chemicals and industrial wastes, including carcinogens, acids and toxic solvents. Is the environment a sink for all our wastes? Then, why are people treating water sources as a waste disposal system? Pollution has deprived mankind of clean drinking water-a need to survive. There is water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.

The vast natural filter in the stratosphere, some distance above our heads, has been protecting us for centuries from the dangerous ultraviolet rays of the sun without us knowing it. It is not until we see the eye diseases, skin cancers stunting plants and marine life that we realize the ozone layer’s importance. The layer is fragile and it is weakening with the widespread use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The environment is sick and we, the humans are responsible.

Of course, the most pressing issue the environment is facing now is global warming. The increase in temperature has caused changes in the environment like the melting of ice in the poles and rising sea levels, and will threaten the life of mankind.

The burning of fossil fuels has released significant amounts of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide judging by the percentage of the world’s energy depending on it. The environment cannot afford to take in any more wastes. It is time to look for alternative energy to save the world from choking.

Environment is people and people is environment. The environment is suffering so we as human feel the impact. The world is blessed with abundant natural resources for the use of mankind but we have abused and misused them to bring destruction and danger. It is time to take action before the environment tears apart, so do mankind.

joerh~

27/o8 (: roared at 10:03 AM.