Albert Einstein once said “Look
deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Pretty much
everywhere you look today you will hear or see something reminding you that our
planet’s health is diminishing. If our planet were a person it would be about
time to buy the burial plot. Just a brief list of the things that is ailing her
are:
§ pollution – caused by the release of chemicals into the
atmosphere as well as the release of wastewater from industrial waste and
untreated domestic sewage.
§ Acid rain - caused by the mix of dangerous chemicals into
the air, released from power plant and auto-mobiles.
§ Climate change -
§ Deforestation - the permanent destruction of forests in
order to make the land available for other uses.
§ Extinction of thousands of species of animals and plants -
climatic oscillations, as well as species interactions; however, since the
ascent of modern man, the causes of extinction have been dominated by the
activities of us humans.
I think everyone in this room
can agree that all of these issues exist and that humans have caused most of them.
Thankfully many of us are concerned about the future of our planet and unless
we can find a way of solving the problems then the environment will suffer.
I know this all sounds so
depressing - but we can’t get overwhelmed. Every one of us can do something to
help slow down or even reverse some of the damage. We cannot leave the
problem-solving entirely to the experts - we all have a responsibility to our
environment. We must learn to live in way that will sustain our world and we
must use our natural resources which include air, freshwater, forests,
wildlife, farmland and seas without damaging them. As populations expand and
lifestyles change, we have to keep the world in a condition so that future
generations will have the same natural resources that we have today.
The environment is constantly
changing and this affects life on earth. Some these effects can be lasting and
irreversible. We must realize that we should be concerned about the health of
our environment and do what we can to help it regain its natural glory.
I know what you’re probably
thinking, ‘what can I actually do to help save the environment?’. Well, you can
actually do quite a lot.
§ Bring your own bag.
§ Shop vintage/ second-hand/ consignment. Try not to buy from
major clothing shops.
§ Spread the word, you can encourage your friends, peers and
family to go green.
§ When buying things, think about what you need and how this
product was made and sent to this store.
§ Use containers instead of plastic bags and glad-wrap.
§ Use a product that doesn’t have an excess amount of
packaging.
§ Send letters/emails to retailers in regards to the amount of
packaging and the use of non-environmental products.
§ Spend more time outside... connecting with Mother Nature!!
You may feel in a position that
you can’t make a difference, but if you and everyone else does one little
thing, it will make a big difference. Even if you turn of a light when leaving
a room, or not using the air-conditioner can help.
