Science and technology affect us in many different ways. They have invaded every part of our lives, have changed our lifestyles, and improved our physical and mental abilities. The technological explosion which we witness in our daily life has made it possible for us to free ourselves from tedious manual labour and see life as more than a continuous struggle for survival. We are constantly developing and enhancing our knowledge and this has an impact on every aspect of our lives. The mass media provide us with news as it happens and new technological advances mean that various forms of transport now get us to our destinations faster and more comfortably than ever before.. We have even developed our physical strength and stamina with the use of digital body building machines. Our life expectancy has also increased due to advances in the field of medicine, and these have also improved the quality of our lives.
Ironically, in our eagerness to improve our standard of living, we have been irresponsibly indifferent to the side effects of progress, science and technology. We are rapidly poisoning the world with toxic fumes, effluent and waste. Wherever we look we see the devastating consequences of pollution: the blighted landscape, the grimy water of our rivers and lakes and the sickly brown air which covers many cities of the world. As a result, we have drastically reduced the quality of our lives, endagering our very existence.
One of the saddest consequences of pollution is the way it is destroying natural beauty. In a world where more and more space is taken up by concrete, we cannot afford to lose areas of natural beauty.. Yet that is precisely what is happening. Acid rain, a combitation of factory fumes and rain is causing vast areas of virgin forest in Sweden, Germany, Poland and other northern and central European countries to die. On the other hand, climate changes due to global warming which is caused by pollution lead to water shortage, floods or hurricanes.
The time has come to say enough is enough! If we want to save our ravaged world, we must act now, before it is too late. Otherwise, in a very short time we will find ourselves living in what will be little better than a rubbish bag!
9 comments:
From the refuse-strewn beaches of the USA to the floods that ravaged Bangladesh, nature seems to be delivering a warning to mankind after decades of human abuse. This may disturb but it's true: Pollution in the ...wealthy USA has also caused ecological alarm. Along the US Atlantic coast the country's most densely populated region, beachgoers looking for escape from high temperatures often were unable to enter the water coz medical waste was washing up- including syringes and containers of blood contaminated with the AIDS virus.
Here are 51 things us as individuals can do to save our planet. Please take some of your time to read this:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/environment/article/0,28804,1602354_1603074,00.html
If we leave everything in the governments of the world, I also see us living in something better than a rubbish bag in a few years!
I agree that what has been happening to our planet the last 20 years or so is pretty frightening. However most people couldn't care less. Environmental issues are far less important than the recession , let's say or the swine flu! Most people haven't realised that we are more likely to die from pollution than from the swine flu! Nature reacts to the human assault with climate changes and extreme weather conditions. As an individual, I have joined the campaign "Larnaca goes Green" and we have already started planting trees everywhere in our town. I also recycle glass and plastic separately but I wish recycle bins were also placed in every neighbourhood and not only in the town centre. I also make an effort to save energy although with our high temperatures in the summer, it is impossible to switch off the air-conditioner. But I have planted many trees and plants in my garden, so now we switch off the air conditioning when we sleep at night and keep the windows wide open. In the early morning hours we often need a blanket!
Here are some alarming facts which I collected some time ago from surfing various sites on the Internet:
1. It has been estimated that if the emissions of greenhouse gases continues at the present rate, the increase in temperature will be enough to cause a rise in sea-level...of between 24 and 28 cm by 2030.
2. If the loss of even the scant annual rainfall of Cape Verde were to become a long-term feature, it is doubtful whether careful farming practices could save a way of life.
3. If drastic measures are not taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next couple of decades, it is likely that many Arctic species and the indigenous peoples which rely on them will not survive the 21st century.
Polar ice is melting much faster then scientists thought and is the most visible symptom of the frightening speed with which the climate is changing. We will lose the race against climate catastrophe unless action is taken soon. I agree,this presents a far greater threat than the recession, however bad that might seem, and should be the absolute priority for the G20. If we need to inject more money into the economy then that should be done by spending it on all the many things we need to do to achieve a low carbon economy and fight climate change. My government's decision to ban new unabated coal-fired power stations represents a big move for the government in a green direction..But building new coal-fired power stations without 100% CCS (or close) is a recipe for disaster. Does anyone think the government will close down these new power plants if full scale CCS is found to be unworkable or hopelessly uneconomic ? I don't think so.
The environment is like our home and we all must to protect it. The climate change has very much influence Italy, especially this year. I don't remember to have more heavier winter and now is so hot. When I was a kid I was going to la riviera for holidays in Santa Margarita. Now many beaches there are polluted and was found many dead fishes. I agree with Katie. Nature is giving us a very serious warning and if we dont hear it and do something now, we will completely destroy our planet.
Just like we like to keep our house clean, I think we should take care of the environment in which we live. We need to take care of animals and plants but also save energy and , of course recycle! I would also like to see more recycle bins in my area - sererate for glass and plastic. Untill this is done, I don't hesitate to drive 6 km so I can recycle my glass and plastic. I think we all love our children. By not caring for their environment is like telling them that we don't love them! And there are so many things we can do as individuals to protect our planet, ourselves and our loved ones.
It is very ironic to think about our health and run to the doctor when we are sick but we never really bother about the air we breath. This however is important to the people who make anti-smoking campaigns because they suddenly remember the air we breath. But these same people have their lights on in the house even when they leave a room and throw all their rubbish in a plastic bag which is usually attacked by a cat! I believe that something must be done here and now and yes I agree that we must not wait for the authorities to do something. We can all work in the same direction to save the planet and to allow the next generation to breath fresh air. Hugs - Olga
I am glad to see that there are people who really care about the air we breathe. I have recently read that a German town - I think it's called Vauben - has gone car free. If only we could all follow this example. Yet, we can all contribute to making our planet a cleaner and healthier place to live in. We owe it to ourselves and to our children. Thank you all for your very constructive comments.
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