To ‘Save our environment’ is the need of the hour if humanity and the Earth as we know it, is to survive. Technological advancements coupled with the unchecked growth of population are causing an irreversible damage to the environment.
Forms of environmental degradation
Pollution: Pollution of air, water and land has been increasing at an alarming rate. Vehicular traffic and factories emitting gases which make the air unfit for breathing for humans as well as animals and birds are the worst polluters of air.
Cities have had to be shut down because of the poor quality of air. Similarly, the water bodies are being polluted by factories with their wastes disposed in them. Land too is being rendered unfit for cultivation because of soil contamination.
Resource depletion: Industrialization and population growth are leading to a very fast utilization of resources, many of which are non-replaceable. This has raised a debate about the sustainability of development at this rate.
Threat to life forms: The encroachment of land by humans has had an adverse effect by loss of habitat for many life forms and has led to many of them being listed as endangered species.
Ways to save our environment
Polluting control: All necessary steps must be taken to get pollution of all forms under control. Establishing effective public transport systems and providing incentives to factories to cut emissions and waste disposal can be the first steps towards controlling pollution. If incentives don’t work, punitive measures can be tried. The same goes for land pollution.
Conservation of resources: it is imperative to spread awareness and education about the necessity to conserve natural resources and find sustainable alternatives. Use of fossil fuels which cannot be replaced for millions of years must be used sparingly till alternatives are found. That means conserving electricity and fuels like petroleum, natural gas etc.
Conserve life forms: It is of utmost importance to preserve the natural balance of life as dictated by nature. Whether they are microbes or plants or animals, they have a specific role in the working of nature. Having even one species going out of existence can have repercussions beyond our understanding.
Conclusion: Save our environment is a necessary goal to be accepted globally. Individuals volunteering for the cause and governments devising policies in line with this can make a big difference.