Essay on Save Environment

The environment is simply the surroundings where all non-living and also living things are there and form a sort of relationship between one another. The components of the environment include soil, water, air, animals and human beings. All of the gifts provided through the natural environment are wonderful for the entire living organism most especially mankind.

All natural resources are very important to life so much that there would be no life without them. The rapid increase in the population of the world has led to the rise in the need for goods and materials by the very large population. The components of the environment and other natural resources are constantly and seriously being exploited and overexploited way above and beyond natural limits. The overexploitation and misuse of these natural resources is highly hazardous and dangerous to the health of humans and animals.

In the words of Margaret Thatcher, “No generation has a freehold on this earth. All we have is a life tenancy- with a full repairing lease.” There are a lot of reasons to save the environment; why wouldn’t anyone want to save his surrounding and the place that houses him.

Some points that describe the pollution of the environment largely because of the wastage and misuse of the natural resources around us and the effects of this continual wastage and misuse on both non-living and living things are discussed below:

1. Air Pollution:

The rapidly increasing rate of the use of diesel and petrol for the burning of fossil fuel majorly in industries, in order to generate energy is a devastating contribution to the pollution of the air. This causes an increase in the amount and levels of hydrocarbons, sulphur oxides, carbon monoxide, chloro-fluoro-carbons, etc. All of these are very harmful and hazardous gases that affect the human health negatively and can cause lung cancer, chronic bronchitis and a lot of other countless respiratory diseases. The ozone layer is also depleting at an alarming rate and this makes us very vulnerable and prone to the dangerous harm of ultraviolet rays. Air pollution harms the environment in numerous ways like global warming and also weakens and lowers the immune system.

2. Water Pollution:

The release of animal and human wastes that aren’t treated in fresh water, suspension of inorganic chemicals in water is leading to industrial wastes, and the draining of pesticides and fertilisers into rivers during irrigation can lead to the pollution of water bodies.

The pollution of water makes the water totally unfit for domestic use especially drinking and cooking (cancer and gastro-intestinal diseases are some of the few effects of the consumption of such water). The pollution of water also affects aquatic life in a very bad way such as the fishes in polluted waters are not fit for human consumption, the death of aquatic life and even the forced migration of aquatic organisms and animals to waters that aren’t polluted.

3. Soil Pollution:

Pesticides and fertilisers used on plants in soil do not just kill pests and provide nutrients to the soil but they also kill organisms and microorganisms that help improve the nutrients in the soil and thus produce crops that are less nutritious. Crops that have been exposed to chemicals through soil pollution over the years lead to cancer and various forms of mutation when consumed. Soil erosion has also become rampant as a result of construction and deforestation which has led to a higher flood frequency that costs a lot of human lives and properties.

4. Noise Pollution:

Vehicles and factories produce a lot of noise that can potentially cause permanent physical damage to man’s ear including permanent or temporary hearing loss. Noise pollution has a lot of negative effects on emotional, mental and psychological health and can cause irritability, anxiety and stress and all of these can lead to performance at work dropping.

There are some methods that can be employed to save the environment. Even way back in history, people have always been concerned about the environment and saving it.

Some of the methods we can employ in saving the environment are highlighted below:

i. The concept of 3Rs (recycle, reduce and reuse) should be applied and promoted so that we can prevent the highly excessive use of resources that are non-renewable. For example, new metal products can be made from scrap metal.

ii. Bulbs and tube lights that are energy efficient should be used to save energy.

iii. The use of wood and paper products should be reduced and the use of e-paper and e-book should be encouraged.

iv. The use of fossil fuels can be reduced by using public transport, walking, cycling or car-pooling.

v. Instead of using plastic bags, jute/cloth bags can be used.

vi. Solar panels and rechargeable batteries can be used as alternative sources of energy.

vii. Compost bins can be set up to produce manure instead of using fertilisers.

Even though there are various established laws and schemes constituted by governments in order to save the environment, it is everyone’s duty and responsibility to protect and preserve the environment for present and future generations.

There is a popular saying by Lester Brown that reads “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers-we have borrowed it from our children.” So, every individual on earth must contribute his quota towards the conservation of the environment, not just waiting on the government to do everything.

Unknowingly or knowingly, we contribute to pollution every day. Therefore, it is important that we do both our individual best and collective best to get involved in activities that help save the planet like recycling of products, engaging in rainwater harvesting, avoidance of wastage of natural resources like fresh water and also resources like electricity. It doesn’t matter how small or large our contributions is? what really matters is that we are doing our best to save the environment. We can only save our environment through proper management and sustainable development.