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From the refusal of various developed nations to follow the Kyoto Protocols, we know that conservation is low on the rung of their priorities. Indeed, the fact that the earth is losing its vast wildlife areas
and its natural resources while accumulating more pollution indicates that our awareness of ecology has done little to protect our environment.
In the attempt to develop more land, run industries and harness more energy, we are now
constantly destroying natural wildlife areas and depleting our natural resources. Building factories and industries require building materials which necessitate logging. Reports from authorities such as NASA have claimed that an area of
tropical forest as large as the state of North Carolina is deforested each year!
With the disappearance of our natural forests also follows the reduction of plant and animal species. Some of these species would have been useful in the treatment of various diseases. Running such industries
require large amounts of energy. Oil drilling and the harnessing of hydroelectric power often necessitate the destruction of wildlife pasturing areas and beautiful canyons. For example, the building of hydroelectric dams to power aluminum
smelting plants in Iceland has affected some of the country's most valuable ecological wetlands and its diverse bird population.
It is also well known that many of our natural resources are either becoming extinct or are facing
dangerously low levels of existence. With the development of sonar and radar technology, many fishermen are now able to catch tons of fish using huge dragnets as well. The result has been that tuna, salmon and cod stocks are slowly
depleting. The problem with catching such large amounts is the fact that some young fish are not allowed a chance to grow and produce a future generation. As mentioned in the first paragraph, the destruction of habitat and pasturing areas
have also affected certain wildlife like bats, birds, caribou, and other various creatures. As the feeding grounds of these creatures are reduced, so their populations are also affected. Unfortunately, such reductions affect the whole
natural cycle as in the case of certain bat populations who play key roles in insect control as well as in plant seed dispersal.
As mass manufacturing and industries grow, pollution and non-biodegradable wastes escalate. Many
countries like China and Korea are industrial tigers which have in the last decade managed to develop industries that produce electronic equipment for the West as well as Asia. However, many of their cities have a high level of air
pollution. Air pollutants like carbon dioxide only add to the greenhouse effect which in turn affects our weather systems. Some weather experts have already found a link between the greenhouse effect and some natural disasters caused by
adverse weather conditions. In addition, many of the world's rivers have so much water pollution from industrial wastes that experts believe that high levels of mercury found in fish today are a direct result of polluted rivers that flow
out to our seas.
It is a sad irony that despite all the wisdom and technical know-how that human kind has gained, the destruction of our earth's land and resources has not slowed down. It almost seems that building industries and
wealth is more tangible and that too many people think the earth is indestructible. The sad fact is if we continue to ignore the ecology experts, there will be no earth in which our future children can enjoy their material riches. |
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