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Environmental Problems

The word “environment” means everything around us. It is the air, the water, and the land where people, animals and plants live. This notion also includes the way all these things depend on each other. Today the humanity faces quite a number of ecological problems and people are becoming more and more aware of green issues.

Pollution is damage to the environment caused by gases, wastes and chemicals, including pesticides, fertilizers and nuclear wastes. There is some evidence that the holes in the ozone layer are the result of air pollution. The ozone layer itself, which is a layer of gases, is most important because it protects the earth from ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet radiation is harmful to animals and can cause skin cancer in people. It is supposed that the layer is damaged by chemicals, specifically by CFC that are found in some aerosols and refrigerators. You may have seen the words “environmentally friendly” on some of the products.This sign means the product contains few or no poisonous substances.

The biggest polluter today is the car. The number of cars in all countries is constantly growing and therefore there are more and more traffic jams and congestion on the roads the result of which is poor air quality. Traffic is one of the causes of global warming and some types of cancer. 25,000 deaths a year are caused by air pollution and cars produce up to 90% of all carbon monoxide in the atmosphere. The problem of cars is hard to solve as it requires much cooperation from the people. People are recommended to share cars, to use public transport which is more environmentally friendly as it carries more passengers than cars, and to walk short distances.

Another major problem is the destruction of animals’ natural habitats. About half the species of animals and birds of the world live in rainforests which are being cut down at the speed of about 100 acres a minute. This is the reason why 50 species of plants and animals become extinct every day and many more are seriously endangered. The climate of our planet also depends on rainforests which absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. With the forests being destroyed there is more carbon dioxide in the air and the world’s temperature is going up.

This has to do with the problem of global warming – the fact that the earth is getting warmer. When fuels, especially coal, are burnt in order to make electricity, harmful gases are produced. These gases which are called greenhouse gases go up into the earth’s atmosphere and prevent the heat from leaving the earth. Global warming may lead to ice melting and sea levels rising which will cause serious floodings. Other parts of the world will have less rain and could be turned into deserts.

So what alternatives do we have? One thing is to start using renewable energy resources such as wind, wave and solar power which are much cleaner than oil and coal. Another way to help environment is recycling. Glass, paper, plastic and cans can be recycled and used for the second time. As consumers we could choose to buy green products such as organic food stuffs, recycled paper and wood from sustainable sources. Still another step is to join environmental groups which inform people about ecology situation and organize protests in the attempt to make government change their policy in relation to green issues.