Environmental degradation is a major world problem. What causes this problem and what can we do to prevent it?

There is no doubt that the environment is in trouble. Factories burn fossil fuels which produce acid rains, and this kills trees. At the same time, greenhouse gases rise into the air and contribute to global warming, which threatens to melt the polar ice caps. Meanwhile farmers clear huge areas of rain forests in places such as Amazon to produce feeding land for cattle or produce wood for building. Rivers and oceans are so heavily contaminated by industrial waste that it is no longer safe to go swimming. Cars pump out poisonous emissions which we all have to breathe in. Poaching and overfishing are killing off millions of animals, including whales, elephants and other endangered species. In fact, all around us, all living things large and small which comprise our friendly balanced ecosystem are being systematically destroyed by human greed and thoughtlessness. There is a lot we can all do, however, to help prevent this. The easiest thing, of course, is to recycle waste material such as paper and glass so that we can use it again. We should also check that the things we buy from supermarkets are packaged in biodegradable packaging which decomposes easily. At the same time, we should make a conscious effort to avoid foods which are genetically modified (at least until someone proves that they are safe both for us and for the environment). If you are truly committed to protecting the environment, of course, you should only buy organic fruit and vegetables, safe in the knowledge that they have been naturally cultivated. Finally, of course, we should buy a small car that uses unleaded petrol which is less harmful to the environment or, even better, make more use of public transport. The serious environmentalists, however, do much more. They are aware of the global issues evolved and will actively involve themselves in conservation programmes by making sure our forests are kept safe for future generations. They will oppose activities which are harmful to animals, such as battery farming. And they will campaign to keep the Green belts around our towns and cities free from new buildings. We cannot all be as committed as them, but we can at least do our own little bit at grass roots level. We, as humans, have inherited the Earth, but that doesn’t mean we can do whatever we like with it