Caring and protecting the environment
Work is a small fee we pay for occupying this planet. Mankind has rendered this fee ever since his existence on the earth. Man has been dependent on the environment right from the early stages of existence.
In the beginning he was a hunter and food-gatherer. He was dependent on the environment for fulfilling his basic needs like food, clothing and shelter. Later he became a food-producer from a food- gather. The impact of agriculture on environment was far exceeding then that of hunting and food-gathering.
The next major cultural change known as industrial revolution transformed rural agricultural society into urban industrial society. This revolution created a new demand for fossil fuels.
With the growth in population and advancement in science and technology, new needs were created and the dependence of man on the environment increased further. Advancement in technology provided favorable conditions which led to increase in population, rise in standard of living and high expectation for better life. These factors created new needs and over exploitation of natural resources, which in turn gave rise to a number of environmental problems.
Individuals have to play a very significant role in the preservation of the quality of the environment. We have to recognize that the personal actions of each of us affect the environmental quality for better or worse. Many individuals want the environment clean but do not want to make changes on their life style to make it happen. They think that their environment is limited to their homes. But we cannot remain clean if our neighborhood is not clean.
We therefore have to realize that just as individuals as we have a duty to keep our homes clean. Similarly as members of the society it is our duty to keep our surroundings clean.
Apart from individuals, the government and local bodies have a very important role to play. The government should implement the laws regarding pollution of the environment very strictly. The local bodies should understand the important role they have to play in keeping the environment clean. It is only through the co-operation of all the three, i.e. individuals, government and local bodies that the quality of life can improve for everyone.
We need to pay our fee cautiously; this can be done by carefully taking care of our mountains, valleys, rivers, seas, forests and wildlife. If we do not do so the air that we breathe and the water that we drink could get easily polluted.
Pollution must be controlled in some way or the other. For this we have to make changes in how we live. Filters can be used to stop dangerous chemicals from going up into the atmosphere from the factories and homes. Cars can be built that burn less amount of fuel and do not cause smog and other problems. Plastic and throwaway containers may have to be eliminated in order to prevent the soil from being poisoned. These and other measures will probably have to be taken before the air, water and soil around us is clean and safe.
Remember trees can survive without us; but we cannot survive without trees.
