It's Important to Care for Your Environment

Written By Samantha Gibbons, Age 16

Arizona, USA

I am going to ask you to categorize yourself into one of three perspectives. The

first one consists of believing that human interests are most important and that all other

species possess instrumental value. The second paradigm believes that all life contains

intrinsic value and that all living things have a right to exist. The final perspective

believes all parts of the environment, biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving), have

intrinsic value. Respectively, environmentalists call these the three major ethical

paradigms: anthropocentric, biocentric, and eco-centric. Regardless of what perspective

you categorize yourself as, both biotic and abiotic factors influence the way humans live

their lives. If you have taken a biology class or recall learning the foundations of trophic

levels, you will know that every living organism is connected to every other organism. If

a specific species is eliminated from the complexity of food webs, then the rest of the

world will be drastically affected. Slowly but surely, the actions to have prevented the

collapse of the environment will be relinquished as it will already be too late.

The environment, in itself, is an exceptionally complex system in which attains a

multitude of aspects. The first primary category that environmentalists study is the

broad variations of ecosystems. In regards to terrestrial (land) biomes, there are threats

that we can prevent from occurring. One of the major threats to terrestrial biomes is

habitat reduction. Thus, trees are being cut down for logging purposes to provide

accommodations to the human species such as roads and bridges. This can be referred

to as the process of deforestation. As the number of trees is being reduced, the carbon

cycle is being affected. Through photosynthesis, trees and other plants provide the

atmosphere with oxygen. If our primary source of oxygen is being depleted, it results in

a dilemma because the human species requires oxygen to survive. If actions are not

taken soon, The Lorax will prove to be true. Without the trees, living will not be a

sustainable option, leading to the collapse of the ecosystems.

So, what can you do? You can perform such seemingly insignificant actions that

will go a long way including the following: use less paper, recycle paper and cardboard,

strictly use recycled products, buy only sustainable wood products, refrain from

purchasing products containing palm oil, and reduce meat consumption. Although this

infamous action is quite redundant concerning being publicized, it goes a long way if

one recycles if possible, especially plastic. Plastic is the only illegal substance to dump

anywhere in the United States, due to the fact that it is non-degradable. Non-degradable

is a term scientists use that means an object or substance cannot fully decompose

within environmental conditions, thus causing detrimental effects on aquatic wildlife

species. This environmental dilemma is one of the primary causes of the death of many

essential species in our ecosystem.

The majority of the environmental issues our planet faces today all stem from

what America prioritizes due to our capitalistic society: the economy. For instance, palm

oil is the cheapest form of vegetable oil. Palm oil is more commonly used in developing

areas because it is easier for them economically speaking. Companies want to take

advantage of what is going to be the cheapest option, not the most sustainable for the

wellbeing of the planet. One trusted logo that you can look for when purchasing wood

products is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSE), which informs you that the wood you

are purchasing comes from a well-managed forest.

There are numerous amounts of underlying aspects that are causing the world we

live in to slowly deteriorate, leaving unsustainable living circumstances for the human

species to live in. Although it may not seem like an urgent cause to take care of now, it

is up to the upcoming generations to become informed about what is going on in reality. The world is at stake and needs urgent help in reducing the damage that is irreversible;

it will creep up on us and it will be too late.

Works Cited

Pinterest, Pinterest, 2020, www.pinterest.com/pin/854628466768841755/.

Stewardship, Forest. “Logo Use.” FSC United States, 2020,

us.fsc.org/en-us/certification/logo-use.