There is an assumption that caring for the environment is the duty of other people, environmental organizations, or governments. However, environmental degradation affects all of us, creating numerous reasons to start caring. Below are the 5 important reasons for everyone to care about the environment.
1. Healthier Life
The world will be cleaner and more habitable when everybody takes care of the environment in their surroundings. Protecting nature from actions that harm it sustains success and cleanliness in essentials such as food and water. Failing to conserve the environment pollutes air and water. Their pollution causes devastating effects like respiratory diseases and some forms of cancer. Air pollution due to environmental neglect is associated with conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, heart attacks, premature mortality, and more.
2. Protect the Ecosystem
The environment houses and supports the ecosystem. Environmental neglect risks the lives of many humans, animals, crops, and plants in danger. The environment holds connected ecosystems. A change in one of them because of neglect changes the dynamics in others. Most human activities affect the ecosystem and the environment in different ways. There is a need to avoid activities that affect the ecosystems because it increases the risk of extinction for some species. For instance, pollution of the water bodies with oil leakages or plastic kills waterborne species.
Production, consumption, and disposal of materials that are part of our life should be within confines that do not affect the ecosystem. If the people involved in the three processes mind the environment, there will be no poisonous gases and radioactive wastes that affect human life.
3. Preservation for Future Generations
Environmental protection secures the future. The environment will have the capacity to support future generations if everyone makes an effort to protect the environment. Children will learn the benefits of caring about the environment if they see all adults make an effort. They will continue with the habit and leave it in a state that supports the generations coming after them.
4. Combat Climate Change
Fighting against climate change is one of the most significant reasons for protecting the environment. Nature and protection play a crucial role in controlling climate change by sucking carbon from the air. Terrestrial and marine ecosystems absorb about 50% of the carbon emissions. Their absorption regulates climate and atmospheric warming. Protection of the two ecosystems is crucial in preventing the release of excess carbon into the atmosphere that will cause irreversible harm to life support systems. A crucial action to take care of the environment is to prevent the destruction of carbon-absorbing and storing ecosystems. It also requires a complete transition to clean renewable energy sources.
5. Economic Growth
The economy performs well in a healthy environment. A clean environment generates more economic benefits than cost. A healthy environment supports a higher crop yield, healthier working population, bigger eco-tourism market, and other factors that positively affect the economy. According to UNEP, degraded ecosystems stretch the earth’s systems and reduce potential of ecosystems that sustain health. Everyone is responsible for protecting the environment because it reduces natural disasters, food insecurity, and disease outbreaks.
There are many reasons for taking care of the environment. The world will be a better place to live now and in the future, if everyone does their best to protect the environment.
