Today, the 21st century faces the challenge of protecting and conserving our environment, which has become of utmost priority and importance. The world has become an enormous dumping ground due to disregard and lack of adequate knowledge about the environment. Our ignorance has had dire consequences.
Human cultures the world over knowingly or unknowingly waste natural resources in some form or the other. Transportation, electricity and industrial functioning are some causes of pollution. Natural resources include plants, animals, water, minerals, air and fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum. Non renewable resources, like fossil fuels, are irreplaceable and exhaustible and thus efforts must be made to maintain them so that their supply is available to future generations.
Pollution of natural resources has led to the contamination of the environment. The total worldwide consumption of fossil fuels is increasing by several percent per year. These fuels are used as sources of energy for our everyday needs. If we continue to follow this path, fossil fuels will soon cease to exist and we will be transported back to the Stone Age. The soil is affected due to toxic wastes, chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Even though water covers over three quarters of our planet, today there is a shortage of clean, drinking water.
Pollutants also interfere with the lives of living beings and destroy all kinds of habitats. There has been a rise in the number of endangered species each year due to cutting down of forests and defilement of rivers, streams and other water bodies. Biodiversity and ecosystems are tremendously affected by this. The most drastic damage has been seen by the tropical rain-forests, which contain the majority of the planet’s biodiversity. We could be directly affected as humans are placed on the top of the food chain.
The fundamental problem of conservation of natural resources must be solved by the usage of renewable resources such as solar energy, wind energy, water energy and geothermal energy. These alternative methods are efficient, effective, unexpensive inexpensive and prevent pollution. Wind farms and water harvesting are examples. Plastic bags must be banned and citizens should use bio- degradable products. Car pooling should be encouraged to avoid air and noise pollution. Conservation education and the thoughtful use of resources is necessary to reduce natural-resource consumption and protect our future generations.
The citizens of Mother Earth must start urgently and immediately cleaning up this huge mess. The life of each and every living being is at stake. The value of natural resources must be taken into consideration before use and they must be protected. The destruction of natural resources has a direct connection and chain reaction involving all of us. We must save the planet before it is too late.
[Image courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/virgomerry/86976318/]