According to the most known environmentalists around the globe, mother nature has been going through an unfavorable phase due to major threats to the environment like climate change, deforestation, pollution, destruction of biodiversity, dead zones in oceans, and overpopulation. The facts stated below clearly draw a picture of the current image of the earth.
Why should we Preserve Nature? What is the Need?
- One of the most venomous poison to nature is pollution that has affected more than 100 million individuals worldwide. Around 14 billion pounds of garbage is dumped into the water bodies annually.
- Nearly 5000 individuals die every year due to the consumption of unfiltered and unclean water. On the other hand, safe drinking water is inaccessible to more than 1 billion people throughout the globe.
- Environmental threats have caused the death of 3 million kids under the age of 5. And, in India, polluted water is the primary reason for the deaths of around 1000 children each year.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 6400 individuals in Mexico face death every year due to air pollution. Also, noise pollution is known as the most neglected form of pollution in the world.
The 4 Major Threats to Nature
There have been endless growth, modernization, and developments all over the world. As a responsible online school, K8 School always wants to educate the students about the threats that are degrading the environment quality. We have undoubtedly compromised with the climate, forests, wildlife, flora, fauna, and the quality of the environment to achieve some man-made objectives.
Change in Climate
Reports of extreme or unbearable weather have been the most visible part of the weather news lately. Natural events like droughts, forest fires, wildfires, rainstorms, hailstorms, cyclones, hurricanes, and unstable or fluctuating temperatures are reported very frequently. The increase in the frequency of such events is a result of the massive change in climate that the planet is facing.
Loss of Biodiversity
This blue-green planet used to be the home of uncountable species of flora and fauna. Considerable extinction of animals, mammals, water animals, flora, and fauna has been noticed during the previous decades. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the human-induced rate of species loss is estimated at around 1,000 to 10,000 times the actual rate. Wildlife poaching, degradation of habitat, and acid rain can be stated as the major reasons.
Air and water pollution are very famous and most used terms in the debates of saving mother nature. According to the World Health Organization, 92% of the world population put up in areas where the air is polluted. Coming to water pollution, the Global Risk Report of 2018 states that 83% of the world’s tap water contains microplastics.
Degradation of Soil
Soil erosion is another major threat that can cause the degradation of the quality of the land. The topmost layer of the soil that consists of the vegetation is lost due to excessive wind and water. This layer of the land is an essential factor for agricultural purposes. According to a report by the Guardian, one-third of the global land is degraded.
Understanding the 3R’s – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
The 3R’s theory is a well-researched stratagem designed and developed by the most famous environmentalists of the world, based on the importance of the preservation and conversation of the environment.
Reduce focuses on spreading the message of consuming lesser resources to avoid wastage, and preserve natural resources for the future. From turning off your electrical appliances to shopping only for the essentials that you need – it is about reducing every sort of unimportant consumption.
Reuse focuses on the absolute consumption of resources that you’ve already used once. Most of our resources do not exhaust after just a few uses. Other than this, many things around us are useless for us but serviceable for someone else. Therefore, complete consumption of the resources leads to proper exhaustion and reduces the chances of wastage.
It is the most known term when the debate of sustainable development and preservation of the environment. It promotes recycling the goods that have been exhausted and effectively used. Also, individuals should focus on using recycled goods like brown writing paper rather than white paper. Recycling is the process that converts waste products to new ones, saving a lot of resources in the process.
How can we Preserve Nature and Protect the Environment as a Student?
Nature does not belong to any individual, organization, government, or nation. It is a blessing by the universe to earthlings. These resources exist on the planet without us making any effort. Thus, it is everyone’s responsibility to contribute to preserving mother nature, irrespective of their age. Especially we, the children, can start contributing with the aim of ‘protecting the environment’ in mind:
- Promoting the 3R’s theory is a great way to start with the preservation process. As mentioned in the above segment, it focuses on reducing, reusing, and recycling resources.
- Vehicle pollution is one of the most significant sources of pollution. If the journey is short, walking or cycling can help reduce a lot of pollution. And, it is also beneficial to our physical wellness!
- Continue to focus on breaking old habits that are destructive to our environment. Turning off the faucet when brushing your teeth and minimizing the amount of water you use to wash your dishes can all help!
- Using energy-efficient light bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs can help the environment while also saving money on electricity bills!
- Encouraging our parents to shop for groceries, clothes, and books in reusable bags. As disposal of plastic bags pollutes lakes, landfills, and other areas of the ecosystem. It is preferable to carry a few reusable bags with us whenever we go out.
- We should all try to print as little as possible in this new era of digitization. If it is necessary to print, it is advisable to use both sides of the paper.
- The plantation is always the best step to start with. We should develop a habit of planting at least two small plants every weekend to support nature.
- Understanding the difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste is an important step. We can learn about the same and separate the garbage in our homes based on the two categories.
The new generation is always active on social media and connects to the whole world at once. The wise ideology of protecting mother nature should spread among everyone. Let us begin by sharing this article on your Facebook and other social media to spread awareness!