The environmental issue
Today, a very hot topic among different countries and organizations is the problem of our deteriorating environment. Studies have shown that the impact of man’s daily activities is accelerating the degradation of our planet at a rate that is much faster than it can recover from. Projections have been made and even the most conservative of them all is quite alarming.
One of the more pressing issues that is talked about is global warming. Global warming is the slow depletion of the planet’s ozone layer due to certain chemicals. Since the ozone protects us from the potentially damaging rays of the sun, it is an essential part of this planet’s atmosphere. If the ozone disappears, the population of the whole world will be in a lot of trouble. Also related to global warming is the rise in greenhouse gases in the planet. These gases are found in our atmosphere to help regulate temperatures but too much will cause an imbalance and affect the global climate. Green house gases are actually naturally occurring gases but because of all our activities such as fuel burning and the like, there has been a significant increase in this amount. A direct effect of this is the rise in temperatures all over the globe. As you may have heard, polar ice caps are slowly melting away which is causing sea levels to rise. Again, this effect may be attributed to the depletion of the ozone layer and the increase in green house gases.
Although a rise in temperature and small rise in sea levels may seem trivial today, it can become cause for concern in the future. Studies have shown that the amount of water held in ice caps can easily cause massive flooding in countries around the world. Small islands will be submerged which directly leads to a massive loss of life, human and nonhuman. Worst case scenarios have been laid out and they include a world full of panic and chaos over fatal consequences of our actions that are hurting your environment.
Below is a short list of what can happen if nothing is done to clean up the act of the human race and save the environment and this planet:
*rising sea levels
*rising temperatures around the globe
*constant, unpredictable forest fires
*extinction of thousands of animals
*extinction of thousands of plant life
*melting of ice caps
*rising toxicity of the atmosphere
*depletion of ozone
*unpredictable weather changes
*periods of extreme heat and cold
*small islands being overrun by sea water
What was just listed is merely a preview of what may come if action is not taken immediately so this leads us to what options are actually available to try to reverse these horrifying predictions.
What should be done about it?
The single biggest culprit in the increase of greenhouse gases in the environment is the burning of fossil fuels. Since coal and oils are the main fuels used to create energy around the world, their unfortunate by product, carbon dioxide, is slowly complicating the state of the world’s environment because it is a greenhouse gas. Over the past half decade, many world and environmental organizations have proposed programs and actions that can be done to curb this increase in greenhouse gases.
One very popular trend today is the use of alternative fuels as energy. Scientists and researchers are looking for fuels that do not emit byproducts that add to greenhouse gases or destroy the environment. Bio fuels are a step in the right direction as they are not as hazardous to the environment as regular fuels. These are fuels that are mixed with ethanol which is said to be safe and environment-friendly. At first the mix was only ten percent ethanol but as more developments arose, there are formulation that are already eighty percent ethanol. If all vehicles in the world switched to that kind of fuel, there would be a huge drop in greenhouse gases and it would be safe to assume that the planet’s future would be brighter.
Another alternative fuel is the use of solar energy to provide energy to various things. Since solar energy is extremely abundant and very clean. It is the perfect choice. The biggest problem is being able to convert it into useable energy that people can use. At the moment there are many studies being conducted with the sole purpose of looking for that right combination of materials that will be able to make solar energy a viable solution to this environmental issue.
One problem with the solutions mentioned above is that they are still a far cry from being perfected and even farther away from being adopted by the whole world. Thing is, this need for environmental cleanup cannot wait any longer. This is why the only way to actually do something about this issue right now is for everybody to join in and help out. If this planet is going to be a better place to live in, all six billion of the people in this world can make the biggest different if they work together.
Almost everybody uses energy and the use of this energy also adds to the carbon footprint in the atmosphere. If everybody becomes responsible for their actions and makes a conscious effort to save on energy then it will be like taking a giant leap towards saving this planet. In various countries, world leaders and environmentalist groups have urged people to heed their call and conserve energy. Walk when you do not need a car, turn off the lights when they are not in use, do not waste energy just because you can. Those are just a few of the habits that everyone should learn.
Below is a list of what you can do to help in this world wide environmental cleanup:
*close all unused appliances that use electricity
*try to avoid wasting fuel for unnecessary trips
*promote the idea of saving the planet
*conserve water and other important resources
*doing things in groups is always better than doing things alone, it saves energy too
*think of more ways to save this planet
What has to be done to move people into action?
Since the best option that can be done right now relies on the action of all the people living on this planet, the biggest challenge that is being faced is actually persuading them to listen. Unfortunately, many people nowadays have become stubborn and do not want to take responsibility for the state of the environment but if it is notable group effort, it is makes it that much more ineffective. This is where the great marketing mind scan come together and try to concoct a plan that will get people to buy into the idea of saving the environment and cleaning it up.
So far there have been several successful efforts but there always is room for more. An example is the presence of Earth Day in which everyone around the world was to not use energy for one whole hour. Most countries the world listened and it showed that there is hope for this planet yet. It was estimated that the amount of energy saved during that hour would have been enough to power a small city for a year. Imagine how much more can be done if everyone tried consistently.
What are the possibilities during a successful and failed campaign?
If the call to conserve energy and help out in the global environmental cleanup is successful, the benefits will be substantial. You can expect very clean and alternative energy sources that are also renewable and cheap. Prices of all goods will then drop because of the low energy costs. The air will be considerably cleaner and safer to breathe in. The climate will be more forgiving and less harsh. Considering what has been mentioned, all that translates into a generally happier population that lives in a better and cleaner planet. It will also prove that we are not a parasite to this world and that we are a civilization that strives to progress towards the better.
However, if this vision is not realized, the complete opposite can happen and the world will tumble towards a dark path of horror and destruction. Beautiful islands will be submerged underwater. Many communities will perish under the harsh weather and changing landscape of the planet. There will definitely be mass panic and chaos in the minds of most which will lead to unrest and havoc. Global temperatures may become unbearable and eventually lead to an even greater loss of life.
Final words
As you can see, the two extremes are shown above and they differ drastically. If people are made aware of those two cases and it is backed up by facts, there is no doubt that they will buy into the idea of going green for this planet. It is all a matter of the proper information dissemination so the awareness and knowledge of the environmental cleanup movement is spread out even to the farthest corners of the globe. From there, the planet can only hope that we are all compassionate enough to be moved into action. So, to the future of this planet and the well being of mankind, going green is the next big step. Only time will tell if that big step will be taken in stride or if that will be taken at all.
