Today, our world is rapidly developing with breakthroughs in science and advancements in technology. However, alongwith all these development, are also the numerous environmental problems arising due to human activities. Pollution, global warming, habitat loss, Ozone depletion, and resources depletion - these are just some of the problems that our world suffers. Due to intensifying industrial activities, and urbanization, large threats have been imposed on our environment and our natural resources. In the future, if this phenomena continues, our natural resources may not be enough to sustain the living necessities for the growing human population; therefore, there really is a great need for us to address these problems.
As we all know, the purpose of science is to improve man's quality of living; and yes, it really made our activities more convenient. Imagine: how would cooking be without our modern-day kitchen tools? How would transportation be if there were no cars, boats, or planes? Through the study of science, we created technology that allowed us to gain more knowledge in the different fields; and through technology, this knowledge is shared by people from across the globe through modern means of communication and data sharing. With science and technology, we have made work easier, faster, and more efficient; and we have also developed complex systems in the manufacturing of different products that provide us our daily necessities.
Science may have been successful on man, but has it done the same to our environment? With all the environmental problems surfacing today, we all know the answer to this question. While man's life has been developing in a fast pace, so is the rate of degradation of our environment. All along, man has been so self-centered in this pursuit for knowledge; and this knowledge has been used for his own benefit. Through the centuries and decades, technology has been evolving only for our own benefit. By creating plastic, we have produced tonnes of non-biodegradable garbage that polluted our lands. By creating nuclear weapons, we have killed millions of people in wars, and destroyed vast lands and ecosystems. Various species of animals are also facing endangerment and habitat loss due to the exploitation of forests, and the rapid urbanization of rural areas. And with the increasing number of industrial facilities, pollution is also intensifying due to the wastes that these produce.
Well, truly the selfish use of our knowledge has caused these environmental issues. However, we know that there is still much hope to correct our wrong-doings. Man may have been wrong in the past; but he knows that he is liable for his own shortcomings. With the irresponsible and negligent utilization of knowledge, we have created these problems for our environment; but with the responsible use of it, we may provide the solutions to these. In the recent years, efforts have already been made to raise awareness on these issues. From all over the world, various institutions and individuals have already stepped up to provide innovative solutions for the preservation of the environment. Manufacturers of different products nowadays now consider the environmental impacts of their products; it's a plus for them if their product is environment-friendly. Although not all products being produced nowadays are completely environment-friendly, we could say that there really has been a great change in the industry since they need to comply with the certain environmental standards. Another step done to save the environment was the search for alternative sources of energy. Through the intensive efforts of scientists and innovators, we discovered solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and biofuels as some of the sources of energy. Who would have thought that we would be harnessing energy from plants, algae, and animal waste?
With great knowledge comes great power, and with great power, comes great responsibility. It is obviously not the end of our mission on this less-biased, and more balanced purpose; there is still more to be done. We may not be able to completely stop these environmental problems; but we are capable of preventing the further degradation of the environment. Although intensive efforts have already been done, the reality is that the progress in battling these issues is only minimal compared to the regressing condition of the environment, and the depletion of our natural resources. Today, the greatest sources of electricity are still coal, and fossil fuels, since these are the most abundant and efficient sources of energy, and also we are most familiar with them compared to the other sources of energy. It is also unimaginable if we stop the production of plastic because it is used almost in every industry. Indeed, our aims may not be translated into reality that easily. There are things in our world's systems that are difficult to just alter. It is a great challenge therefore, for all of us, especially the youth of today, to raise environmental awareness through educating those who are uninformed. We must embark on a quest in searching and discovering innovative solutions in our pursuit for sustainable development. A development that benefits both man and nature, therefore we should do the best we can to preserve nature, and prevent the depletion of our resources. We have to achieve this equilibrium between man's necessities and the capacity of our natural resources.
