The Earth is what we all have in common - Wendell Berry
The earth is our home. We were made from it and we are sustained by it. We are deeply moved by its mysterious beauty and we are destroying it.
We are living on this Earth as if we had another one to go - Terri Swearngen
Environment is a treasure of all types of resources essential to maintain life on earth. Environmental resources are the sources primarily due to which organisms are alive on this earth. These resources are either renewable or non-renewable. Renewable energy sources are present in excess and are not depleted. While non renewable energy sources are limited and once consumed cannot be replaced. They include various metals, non-metallic minerals and fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) which are currently being consumed enormously.
The earth is a self-sustained unit. We are in our own spaceship. There is no chance of bringing in more non renewable resources. We have to use wisely what we have.
The befouling of the air by anything which is harmful to living organisms is air pollution. A layer of atmosphere extending from 10-50 kilometres above earth, which filters most of the Ultraviolet Rays and protects it from the harmful rays of sun is called ozone layer as it contains ozone. The decline in the thickness of this ozone layer is caused by increasing levels of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's), which contains chlorine, fluorine and carbon. These gases are produced from the air conditioners and refrigerators in our homes and offices. The CFCs rise to the atmosphere and cause ozone depletion. Hence as a result, more Ultraviolet Rays from the sun reach earth and the temperature of the earth is rising day by day.
You see, the Greenhouse Effect is a direct result of burning fossil or old carbon fuels - Jack Herrer
The rising of the temperature on earth due to the trapping of radiations from the sun by greenhouse gases is called the greenhouse effect. The carbon dioxide of the atmosphere behaves like a glass sheet of greenhouse as it absorbs the energy from the sun but doesn't allow it to escape from earth. This leads to increase in the temperature of earth and hence is termed as global warming. And because of it, the climate is going towards extremes. In summers, it is very hot because of global warming. Hence, the glaciers melt more rapidly and the water goes into rivers bringing floods. And ultimately this water falls into the oceans.This excess water causes the level of the sea to rise.
Due to the rise in sea levels due to global warming, many coastal areas are now under water. And if left untreated, many famous and big cities like Sunken treasures, London (UK), East Anglia (UK), Bruges (Belgium), Panama City (Panama), Mumbai (India), Kolkata (India), Shanghai (China) will be underwater by 2050. Hence many homes will be flooded and much inhabited land could be lost. So it is necessary to take serious actions to control global warming before the water enters our houses.
Look after the land and the land will look after you, destroy the land and it will destroy you. - Aboriginal Proverb
Harmful gases released in the air during burning of fossil fuels, combine with water vapours in the air to form acids. Days later and even hundreds or thousands of kilometres away from the source, acid deposition or acid rain falls. Acid rain damages life in lakes, farms and forests. Acid rain washes out many essential minerals from the earth and it also kills decomposers and microorganisms. Historical buildings like 'Taj Mahal' are being eroded due to the stone cancer caused by acid rains.
Forests are one of the major factors responsible for maintaining climate on this earth. Besides being a major source of Oxygen, forests also are responsible for rainfall.
About half of the total rain which falls in tropical forests comes from the transpiration by the trees themselves which also keep the environment cool and humid. Removal of the forests also removes this big source of rain. The cloud cover is reduced from this area and it's climate changes quite dramatically and disastrously. Hence the temperature range between day and night increases and the weather becomes more extreme. The rainfall also decreases in that area.
Energy sources are being used unchecked and man is continuously cutting down the forests. Every year man cuts down more trees to provide paper, wood, medicines, mineral fuel. We are doing this all for our comfort and wealth but in fact we are producing great complications for our future generations.
A Native American proverb says, Man did not inherit the earth. He merely borrowed it from his grandchildren.