What Can Individuals Do to Help Protect the Environment - Coursework Example

What can individuals do to help protect the environment and why? The environment is getting worse day by day. The various systems of Earth are exposed to a lot of risks. Over the last century, carbon dioxide’s concentration in the atmosphere has raised by 25 per cent (Kaplan, 1992). This is amongst the strongest causal factors for the depletion of the ozone layer. Carbon content in air of big cities of underdeveloped countries is very high. In Karachi that is a city of one of the underdeveloped countries, Pakistan, carbon content in the air is 13 per cent higher than 0.79% out of 100 milligrams that is considered as the normal level (The Nation, 2008). Among all types of pollution, air pollution is the most harmful (Uccee.org, 2006). There are numerous ways in which individuals can play their role in the protection of environment. Environmental pollution has exposed all living organisms to innumerable risks, so people must take individualistic as well as collective measures for the environmental protection. As a result of their research, Sichletidis et al. (2005) found maximum prevalence of infectious bronchitis and rhinitis in the children that were residents of Ptolemaida that is one of the most polluted areas whereas the least prevalence of the same diseases was found in children that were residents of Greneva that is known for its quality of air. This speaks of the massive tendency of air pollution to cause diseases. Hence, people need to work on individual level for the protection of environment. Protection of the environment is also extremely essential for the strength of global economy. “The value of nature's flood and storm protection is calculated at 1.1 trillion, and water and climate regulation at 4.1 trillion USD” (GAIA Movement Trust, n.d.). Thus, environmental protection is important both from the health and economic point of view. To condemn the cutting of woods and promote the conservation of forests, people should abstain from purchasing things that are made of tropical hardwoods like teak and mahogany. Instead of buying these woods, people should resort to the use of oak, pine and ash because they can be grown much more rapidly than teak and mahogany. One of the most fundamental ways in which every human being can protect the environment is by planting trees. This is indeed, the simplest and most cost effective way of contributing towards the environmental protection. All it takes to plant a tree is sow some seeds into the soil and water them regularly. Hundreds of seeds can be purchased in less than a dollar, and watering them is no big deal. Trees help protect the environment in a number of ways. First of all, they make the area look green, which adds to the beauty of the natural scenery. Secondly, trees consume the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and generate oxygen. The consumption of carbon dioxide, which is one of the most fundamental greenhouse gases, is a potential way of reducing the global warming. Besides, the oxygen produced by trees adds to the oxygen level in the atmosphere which makes the air fresher, healthier and conducive for better health of both mankind and animals (Nowak, n.d., p. 1). Trees regulate the air temperature and reduce energy consumption (Lerche, 2009). Sudden change of temperature can be noticed while moving towards an area crowded with buildings to a forest. This is because of the higher specific heat capacity of the biomass than that of air and soil (ScienceDaily, 2007). The air becomes cooler and fresher as forests draw nearer. Trees also reduce the risk of flood. Urban trees in Milwaukee are spread over more than 16 per cent of the area and serve to decrease the flow of storm water by 22 per cent (Treelink, 2008). In addition to that, dense forests attract clouds towards them and hence catch frequent rains. Rainfall is very necessary for the environmental protection because it not only draws dirt off every thing in the environment, but also adds to the ground water table, as a result of which, level of water in the wells rises. The additional water gets stored in dams which can later be used for the production of electricity as well as for irrigation and domestic purposes. In addition to all these benefits of plating the trees, trees grow to form forests which are very necessary for the sustenance of animals. A lot of animal species have become extinct in the past because of the depletion of forests. Avoiding a beef burger seems too awkward as an environment protection measure, though it is one. Beef burgers use the cattle meat. A vast majority of these cattle feed on soya beans. In order to cultivate the soya crops, a number of forests have been destroyed all over the world (ypte.org.uk, n.d.). It is better to rely upon a vegetarian diet because this practice tends to save the forests in dual ways. First, it decreases the consumption of cattle meat and hence, the destruction of forests for the cultivation of soya beans for them, and secondly, it generates the incentive for the farmers to sustain the trees from which, fresh fruits and vegetables can be taken for supply to the market. Last but not the least, individuals can protect the environment by throwing the wrappers into dustbins. This apparently sounds a very petty thing to do to protect the environment, though this is the most basic measure that needs to be taken for environmental protection. The damage that rubbish heaps do to the environmental beauty and safety can best be understood by the condition of rubbish heaps in the developing countries (UNEP, n.d.). In most of the developing countries, there is no proper system for the disposal of waste. A lot of people throw the wrappers over the roads, in front of the houses and in the parks. People do not mind because this is part of their culture, and everybody is equally involved in this act. This is a very careless behavior and completely destroys the beauty of area. Every individual must throw the waste and wrappers in the dustbins fixed aside the roads. In addition to that, people can protect the environment by picking up the wrappers thrown by others on the ground and taking them to the dustbins. If every individual does his/her bit, this would surely make a big difference. Environmental protection is fundamental to the survival of all organisms on Earth including humans because we are not separate from our environment. Polluted environment directly affects our health. Air pollution has deteriorated animals’ and humans’ health in a variety of ways that include reduced lung functioning, asthma attacks, reduced energy levels, neurobehavioral disorders, headache, irritation of the eyes and skin, dizziness and numerous respiratory diseases (Tropical-Rainforest-Animals.com, 2011). We have witnessed a lot of bad changes in the environment as a result of our irresponsible attitude towards its protection. Some of the changes witnessed include the depletion of ozone layer, depletion of forests and global warming. People need to work both individually and collectively for the protection of environment for their own sustenance as well as for the strength of global economy. Measures that can be taken include using selective woods that grow faster and avoiding the use of woods that take longer to grow, planting trees, consuming more vegetables and fruits than meat and throwing the trash and litter into the dustbins. In addition to the ways discussed in this paper, several other measures can be taken to protect the environment including careful use of water and the replacement of gasoline driven cars by hybrid cars. References: GAIA Movement Trust. (n.d.). Why is it important to protect the environment. Retrieved from http://www.gaia-movement.org/TextPage.asp?TxtID=180&SubMenuItemID=106&MenuItemID=47. Kaplan, M. (1992). The Effects of Environmental Pollution on North American Temperate Forests. Retrieved from http://www.anapsid.org/aboutmk/pollute1.html. Lerche, J. (2009, Sep. 25). How Trees Reduce Urban Air Pollution: Trees Lower Air Pollutants, DecreaseTemperatures & Conserve Energy. Retrieved from http://jacquelinelerche.suite101.com/trees-reduce-urban-air-pollution-a152758. Nowak, D. J. (n.d.). The Effects of Urban Trees on Air Quality. pp. 1-4. Retrieved from http://www.coloradotrees.org/benefits/Effects%20of%20Urban%20Trees%20on%20Air%20Quality.pdf. ScienceDaily. (2007, Feb. 13). Trees Vs. Temperature. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070212182026.htm. Sichletidis, L., Tsiotsios, I., Gavriilidis, A., Chloros, D., Gioulekas, D., Kottakis, I., and Pataka, A. (2005). The effects of environmental pollution on the respiratory system of children in Western Macedonia, Greece. J Invest Allergol Clin Immunol. 15(2): 117-123. Retrieved from http://www.jiaci.org/issues/vol15issue02/6.pdf. The Nation. (2008, June 6). Environmental pollution reaches alarming level. Retrieved from http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Karachi/06-Jun-2008/Environmental-pollution-reaches-alarming-level. Treelink. (2008). Factoids: Energy Efficiency. Retrieved from http://www.treelink.org/linx/factoid.php. Tropical-Rainforest-Animals.com. (2011). Environmental Pollution: Its Sources and Effects. Retrieved from http://www.tropical-rainforest-animals.com/Environmental-Pollution.html. Uccee.org. (2006). Environmental Pollution and Its Effects. Retrieved from http://www.uccee.org/Environmental_Pollution.html. United Nations Environmental Programme. (n.d.). Environmental Pollution and Impacts on Public Health: Implications of the Dandora Municipal Dumping Site in Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved from http://www.unep.org/urban_environment/pdfs/dandorawastedump-reportsummary.pdf. ypte.org.uk. (n.d.). Environment - how can you help protect it? Retrieved from http://www.ypte.org.uk/environmental/environment-how-can-you-help-protect-it-/81. Read More