Take Care of the Environmen

copy By NOISEmaker donmasai

The environment is the physical surroundings of a place. It's also the combination of conditions that affect growth and development of an organism. Aren't we living organisms? We are all required to take care of our surroundings for the basic reason that we live in the environment and are directly affected by its current state. It's where we get the food we eat, water and other drinks we take, where we sleep and even the air we breathe.

It's paramount that we take care of our environments at every level, starting within our neighborhoods and up to global levels. Past environmental corruption disasters serve as lessons and cautions to us, especially to youth and the children. The vast nuclear disaster at Chernobyl has led to catastrophic effects in the lives of many children. Animals were also affected. Imagine growing up with unsightly deformities, or giving birth to underdeveloped children due to environmental corruption. It's simply saddening. So many ugly incidents have followed in the wake of this specific disaster over a wide area and time.

Another notable effect of environmental degradation faced worldwide is global warming and all the issues caused by it. The ever-increasing temperatures that start forest fires, the sunscalds that cause death, and the sudden dangerous floods caused by El Nino are just a few mega-effects arising due to global warming. The worst is yet to come. So much money is always being spent on environment awareness conventions but little constructive action is taken; it's all empty rhetoric. Meanwhile industries keep emitting toxins in the air; they also just dispose their toxic chemical effluents to the landfills and water bodies to the detriment of the ecosystem. Natural ecosystems are destroyed by human activities; trees are cut for fuel and land cleared for farming and water catchments areas are encroached and in turn destroyed. All these contribute to global warming and destruction of natural surroundings. The aftermaths are appalling. We are simply creating a Godzilla to devour ourselves.

writerinprogress points out, "If we don't do something about this then by the year 2040 we will all be living off a oxygen tanks or 'oxygen drinks'."
"If we don't do something..." [Photo] [Photo] [Photo] Closer to home, cities are not planned, with structures mushrooming forth and withering, noisy industries, bars and even discotheques in residential areas. Poor waste disposal, dumping and littering, and plastics are always strewn all over, posing a major health hazard; yet everybody turns a blind eye and holds their noses in the air. What are we smelling?

So many examples abound of environmental destruction, but of importance are the remedies. Charity begins at home; everyone has a role to play, from our homes to the streets to our schools and even the parks. Let's keep our homes clean and dump the refuse correctly. No one should litter and plastics should be disposed of correctly -- even recycled.

Community initiatives on environment protection should be put into effect. This is where the media sensitizes the public on environment issues. Also non-profits and the public sector should work hand in hand to protect and also educate the public on the environment. The youth too should take the initiative through their schoolwork and club awareness.