Environment.

 

 

The scientific and technological progress of the 20^th century resulted in widespread mechanization, automated lines, computerized management, spaceships, atomic power stations, pipelines, new roads and highways. Unfortunately the price for rapid industrial development is very high. Natural resources are exhausted, water is polluted, and the environment is unhealthy.

Big cities have problems with air pollution. Smog can make people feel ill and have difficulty in breathing. Air is polluted by the release of harmful substances, smoke from chimneys and the biggest polluter today is the car. Exhaust fumes are the main cause of bad air quality. The problem is especially bad in some cities, where, on days, when there’s no much wind, a brown layer of smog hangs in the air.

Governments try to improve the situation by building new roads, but this means cutting down trees. So, a great number of cars, lorries and buses affect harmfully the health of people, not only by polluting the air, but also by a great noise during the rush hour, on frequent traffic jams.

Life in noisy cities covered with dirt and soot is not the prospect people desire. That’s why they started to realize that to keep water and air clean strict pollution control is necessary.

Water pollution is also a problem of vital importance. Waste from chemical plants and poisonous substances are released into water. Hence ugly rivers of dirty water with poisoned fish.

Besides, most big cities pour their waste into seas and rivers, wrecked ships and some factories pollute seas with oil.

People become victims of their crimes. A lot of people die, because they eat poisoned fish from polluted seas or poisoned mushrooms from poisoned forests.

Weak, stunted, dying trees and plants are not able to keep the desert back. Exhausted and lifeless areas give way to the desert.

The pollution comes not only from cars and factories. If one drops litter he is the polluter. And a lot of little litters make big problems.

‘Speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee.’ The Bible says. If we treat our planet and its nature with respect and affection it will teach us how to avoid the mistakes, like that we’ve made.

Environment has abilities for curing, people should just not damage nature and it’ll pay back to us. But, if we do threaten it, we’ll become the victims of our own crime.

‘The Nation that destroys its soil destroys itself’ Franklin D. Roosevelt said. I can’t but I agree with this quotation.

Speaking about other environmental problems beside pollution, I think that the hypothesis of the greenhouse effect should be mentioned. The greenhouse effect is caused by harmful gases known as greenhouse gases. These gases are produced when we burn fuels, especially coal in power stations to make electricity. These gases go up into the Earth’s atmosphere and stop heat from leaving the Earth. Because the heat cannot escape, the Earth is getting warmer. This phenomenon is called global warming. Global warming may cause the ice at the North Pole to melt and sea levels to rise, leading to serious flooding in many parts of the world. In other places, temperatures will rise and have will be less rain, turning more of the land into desert.

 The problem is serious and global. That’s why all states ought to join efforts to save our planet. I can speak about the Baltic Sea as about an example of the successful cooperation in solving ecological problems. Once it was polluted, but fortunately, all the countries in the Baltic area have realized the importance of the problem. They came to an agreement and its aim is to prevent oil pollution of the sea, to organize rational fishing and the preservation of the sea life.

 

                                                  Declaration.

 

   Nature bows her head in defeat. The battle lost, but who won the war? Man? He may turn his head, close his eyes, his ears, his mind, his heart, but sooner or later he’ll have to look when he does, he won’t like what he sees.

   I just hope that he looks before it’s too late. Even now if he will only listen, he will hear the echo the cries of better days gone by. 

   I think that everyone has his own favourite place on the Earth and he doesn’t want it to be polluted. Usually it’s far from civilization, so that one can admire nature, feel its beauty, experience affection for nature, union with it, inspiration by the beauty of the place. He feels filled with great expectations of joy and happiness. He feels himself a part of the world, a part of the nature.

   Of course, no one wants his own favourite place to be polluted. Yet, it happened to me to come across traces of holidaymakers while hiking. Unfortunately many of them left much litter after themselves. Words fail me to express feelings I had.

People don’t become victims of your own crime. I hope all you will realize that everyone ought at least not to pollute. Besides, there’s much to be done:

·        Don’t litter.

·        Plant greenery.

·        Protect trees in parks and yards.

·        Use renewable energy sources.

·        Collect rubbish.

·        Keep the greenery fresh.

·        Purify the water of the rivers polluted by factory waste.

·        Protest against building plants that’ll threaten environment.

·        Use environmentally friendly forms of transport.

·        Take part in public environmental campaigns.

·        Buy only fake furs.

·        Build purifying stations.

·        Use recyclable materials.

·        Don’t use plastic bags.