Environmental Protection: A Comprehensive Essay on Sustainable Practices and Conservation

The surroundings in which a person, animal, and plants live are known as the environment. The environment comprises five elements that are water, air, space, earth, and fire. The environment is very useful for human survival. The environment has been exposed to many dangers hence resulting in its deterioration. Some of the problems the environment faces are caused by human interference, and others are natural occurrences. This essay discusses how the environment should be protected.

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Environments need to be protected. The practice of protecting the natural environment is referred to as environmental protection (Anton et al). Individuals, governments, and organizations take part in environmental protection activities. The main aims of protecting the environment are to conserve available natural resources as well as the existing natural environment, to repair the damage done to the environment, and to reverse habits that result in environmental destruction. Environmental protection is significant, and human beings have a moral obligation to protect it from pollution and other factors that result in its degradation. The most common issues affecting the environment are climate change, deforestation, air pollution, waste management, oceans and fisheries chemicals and toxins, energy, depletion of the Ozone layer, biodiversity, and land use (Anton et al). The environment can be protected from all these issues mentioned above.

The first way human beings can protect the environment is by curbing deforestation and encouraging afforestation (Esty and Daniel 115). Deforestation is the act of cutting down trees without replacing them. Deforestation can result in desertification. Afforestation is the planting of trees. Trees are essential as they give us oxygen, provide stability for soil hence reducing soil erosion, give shade and food, prevent global warming, and attract rain. Once people make a habit of cutting trees, then the environment is at a very high risk. To protect the environment from deforestation, human beings should ensure they plant trees. Those who cut down trees should make sure that they plant two more trees for replacement. Franklin D. Roosevelt, in support of tree planting, said that "A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people” (Brassaw). Emphasis should, therefore, be made on the importance of trees and on afforestation on tree planting days set aside. Planting trees should be a habit for everyone. The second way in which the environment can be protected is by application of the three R’s to conserve natural resources. The three R’s represent reducing reuse and recycling (Esty and Daniel 115). People should minimize what they throw away with the aim of conserving. Reusing is using a resource for more than one purpose. It can minimize the wastage of resources that can otherwise be of help in other activities. Recycling is the processing of materials thrown away as trash into new items. Reducing, reusing, and recycling is an environmental protection policy that aims at ensuring resources are used without waste. Third, the environment can be protected by avoiding air pollution. Air is polluted by gaseous emissions into the atmosphere by factories. Smoke emitted by cars also causes a lot of pollution. Car owners should minimize driving and bike more or use natural gas as fuel to curb the pollution from the emissions. They can also opt to use eco-friendly vehicles such as battery-driven cars (Panwar et al 1514). Curbing air pollution can help protect the Ozone layer, which is being depleted hence making direct sunrays get to the surface of the earth causing global warming. The depletion of the Ozone layer has resulted in health problems such as skin problems and cancer. Air pollution can be curbed by the use of renewable energy sources such as solar power, coal, and hydroelectric power (Panwar et al 1515), which do not produce pollutants and are renewable. The environment can be protected by ensuring that water bodies are left clean. Water bodies are home to animals such as fish, which is food for human consumption. Also, water bodies are sources of water for use in homes and industries. Water pollution has resulted in the death of water animals and water contamination. Therefore, water bodies should not be polluted. Waste products from factories should not be directed into water sources. Garbage should also not be disposed of in or near water sources. This way, water animals will have good habitats, and the water available will be clean and free from any contamination. Contaminated water causes health problems such as typhoid. Plastic use should be discarded and replaced with paper, jute, or cloth since they do not cause pollution and are eco-friendly (Esty and Daniel 115). Reusable carrier bags should be used for carrying items. Plastic cannot decompose, so its use increases the probability of a lot of plastics in the environment, which is not healthy and results in a dirty environment. Volunteering in environment clean-up activities is a way of protecting the environment.

The environment should be protected at all costs since it is a life-sustaining force for human beings. People should be willing to clean the environment to ensure the safety of everyone, as supported by a quote by Lady Bird Johnson “The environment is where we all meet; where we all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share” (Brassaw). The cleaning involves collecting garbage and sorting it, cleaning waterbeds, and planting earth cover to prevent the carrying away of soil by water and wind, among other activities (Esty and Daniel 115). in order for people to volunteer, they must be fully educated on the importance of protecting the environment. Educating people is the best way of ensuring people comprehend why the environment is essential and the ways in which they should protect it. Emphasis should be put on passing knowledge on ways people should protect the environment, and this way, many volunteers will participate in the activities. A clean environment leads to healthy and fulfilling lives.

Proper handling and disposal of waste is a way of protecting the environment (Esty and Daniel 115). People should dispose of waste in the right places and seek so that those that can be recycled can be reused. Proper disposal of waste will ensure the environment is kept clean. Biodegradable waste should be separated from non-biodegradable to reduce pollution levels. Efforts should also be made to save water, which is an essential natural resource (Esty and Daniel 115). Tap water should not be left running in agreement with the slogan “A drop of water is worth more than a sack of gold to a thirsty man” (Brassaw). Water should be reused. For instance, water used to rinse clothes can be used to clean floors hence reducing the use of a lot of water. Other ways to reduce water wastage are using water-saving faucets and showerheads, using efficient dishwashers, toilets, and washing machines, and turning off the water while shaving and brushing teeth. People should use fluorescent lighting in homes and businesses since it is an efficient and prudent way to control electricity consumption (Panwar et al 1516). They use a minimal amount of energy, and they last longer. Switching off lights when they are not in use would also make a great difference in electricity consumption.

Reducing the use of paper is a way of protecting the environment (Esty and Daniel 115). Papers are made from trees. Therefore, for the production of paper, trees have to be cut down. People should embrace the use of digital tools to replace paper. This way, trees are not cut down hence avoiding the risk of global warming, desertification, and soil erosion. The use of organic fertilizers in the agricultural sector will protect water bodies from getting toxins once those chemicals are washed out (Esty and Daniel 115). Such chemicals result in water pollution. The use of organic fertilizers will ensure that people consume healthy organic food items. Lastly, urbanization has resulted in a lot of pollution. Therefore, proper planning of urban centers will ensure the environment is protected. Overpopulated areas should be decongested since crowding causes environmental pollution and overusing the available resources. A crisis may occur once the population is high since it may go beyond what the environment can support.

Evidently, the topic of environmental protection is a broad and crucial one.it is also not a one-person responsibility as quoted by Margaret Mead “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has” (Brassaw). Campaigns on saving the environment should be done encouraging people to adopt sustainable lifestyles, mitigate pollution, and plant trees. Actions on protecting the environment must be incorporated into our daily lives, keeping in mind that knowingly or unknowingly, we contribute to the pollution of the environment. We should all, therefore, make efforts to save the environment for our sake and that of the future generation.in conclusion, I support Leo Tolstoy’s quote, “One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken” (Brassaw).

Works Cited

Anton, Donald K., and Dinah L. Shelton. Environmental protection and human rights. Cambridge University Press, 2011.

Brassaw, Brian. "Earth Day: 23 Of The Greatest Environmental Quotes | Earth 911". Earth 911, 2020, https://earth911.com/inspire/earth-day-23-quotes/.

Esty, Daniel C. "Environmental protection in the information age." NYUL Rev. 79 (2004): 115.

Panwar, N. L., S. C. Kaushik, and Surendra Kothari. "Role of renewable energy sources in environmental protection: A review." Renewable and sustainable energy reviews 15.3 (2011): 1513-1524.