The Planet in Peril

The Planet in Peril

Good Afternoon, My name is Ashley and I will be speaking on our planet and the dangers that we are facing everyday and have no clue about it. Our planet is in major crises economically and physically.

Everyday we hear more bad news about our planet. Reports tell us that wildlife and forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Newscasts give the latest word on how quickly earth is losing its protective shield and warming up. Newspapers grieve over the pollution of our air, water, and soil. What can we do in the face of such widespread gloom?

Natural disasters are a major factor in their disappearance, but the most prominent factor is mankind. Even though procedures are conducted daily to preserve our home, these areas slowly crumble within our grasps. Protection of these areas is essential, as our whole race depends upon resources derived from these lands. From the lush greenery to the sparkling blue waters, all is majestic in its fullest. This is why I believe almost all of these wonderful places should be preserved. Mankind has come too far to throw it all away for his greedy purposes. Many believe that our secluded wildlife areas should be available for the public. But what is to be offered through this? Many recreational activities I presume, but what about our biggest environmental concern - pollution. Pollution is so widespread throughout our world that it is overwhelming.
Drinking water supplies are contaminated with runoff from nearby factories and even with pollutants from our own backyards. Demands of skyscrapers and condominiums wipe out our decreasing rainforests. This attempts wildlife from its natural home and into the chaos that is ours. Millions of acres of beautiful land are destroyed daily to satisfy the needs of mankind.

For example, saving and recycling newspapers has a number of positive results. First, recycling newspaper saves trees. The average American consumes about 120 pounds of newsprint a year-enough to use up one tree. That means close to 250 million trees each year are destroyed for paper in this country alone. If we recycled only one-tenth of our newspaper, we would save 25 million trees a year. Second, making new paper from old paper uses up much less energy than making paper from trees. Finally, this process also reduces the air pollution of papermaking by 95 percent.
Another earth saving habit is "recycling" waste. This means buying food and other products packaged only in materials that will decay naturally or that can be recycled. The idea is to prevent unrecyclable materials from even entering the home. For instance, 60 of the 190 pounds of plastic-especially Styrofoam-each American uses a year are thrown out as soon as packages are opened. Be kind to your planet by buying eggs, fast food, and other products in cardboard instead of styrofoam cartons. Buy beverages in glass or aluminum containers instead of plastic ones. Buy in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging, you will save money too. Finally, when you can, buy products whose packing shows the "recycled" logo. Materials that have been recycled once can be recycled again.

But has anyone contemplated the needs of our wildlife? When their homes are destroyed, where do they run for shelter? Where will wildlife obtain its food and oxygen if the sources are gone? Not much is done about our destructive ways, we sit back and let money and greed take power. The solution is just a whisper away. The preserved areas should remain untouched. Hunting should be outlawed in these protected lands. If a family is starving and has to resort to this brutal deed, then restricted areas should be permitted. Proper usage of trash and recycling receptacles should be readily available. Rivers should be tested and guarded for the sake of our future and our children. These simple guidelines can be easily followed through education of the general population.
More people should volunteer their time through river, land, and beach clean-ups.
These small measures can save our endangered population drastically. If we loose our world's natural resources, where will we turn? In fact, we do not have to feel helpless. We can each learn practical ways to enhance our environment.

Man did not create nature, yet we feel we have the right to use it in whatever manner we see fit. And like those items, one day we may regret what we have done. We will look for a way to fix the Earth, a way to make it better, and one will not exist. We cannot glue the ozone layer back together. We cannot paint over the missing trees of the rain forest. We cannot buy a new species of animals. Our actions today have long term consequences. Are we ready to deal with them?

A major step towards a healthy environment is a true realization of what we have done in the past. Nature cannot be manufactured on an assembly line. Its beauty is unique and demands appreciation. Though we cannot go back and make the world as it once was, man must be aware of past mistakes to prevent their repetition.