The word environment includes the town, the city or village we live in; the area we work and carry out our daily activities; the water we drink; the air we breath and the food we eat.
For some years now, our planet has been in danger due to man polluting his environment. a large number of countries, in recent time, have developed policies to protect the environment fron industry and other sources. Laws have been passed to control the various forms of pollution, to conserve wildlife, landscape, historic monuments and buildings. Member states of the European Union have set out strategies for preserving and protecting all the planet. But in spite of all thi legislation, our planet is still in danger and if we don’t stop killing it, we will kill ourselves.
Pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems. The most common forms of pollution are:
- Air pollution, emissions from factories and power stations and gas from motor vehicles make the air we breathe dirty and unhealthy.
- Water pollution, caused by factories and residential areas which often emit wastes into rivers, lakes and seas. This can kill the oxygen in the water, kill fish and other acquatic life.
- Noise pollution, it is all around us, wherever we life. It can cause headaches, sleeplessness, irritability and hearing loss.
- Land pollution, rubbish tips, thrown-away plastic bottles and litter are some of the different types of land pollution. Some of these are just unpleasant at look at. Others can be dangereous to people and animals. One possible solution to the problen is the resorting and recycling of waste materials.
The hole in the ozone layer is another serious problem for the environment. The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon which keeps the earth at a temperature which can sustain life. But the ever increasing man made emission of greenhouse gases has formed a thick layer over the earth’s surface. The global warmung has caused serious change in the world’s climate.
Then there are the acid rains, that form when gas and chemicals mix with water in the air. Acid rain damages plant cells.
Deforestation consists in the destruction of a large percentage of the planet’s forests by acid rain or by the hand of man.
To save the environment many associations have been created around the world. Greenpeace and WWF are international organization: the first one works to protect the environment and to stop nuclear testing and the killing of whales; the second one protects animals in danger of extinction.