Environmental pollution and the destruction of Earth's ecosystems

Poisoning Our Planet

If it is the air we breathe, the land we use, or the water we drink, we do not pay any heed to the indiscriminate use of the resources of our planet. Nevertheless we are dependent on these resources for innumerable part of our present and future welfare. Similar to as we human beings are dependent on the planet Earth, every part of the ecosystem depends on the other. This feature of co-relatedness is obviously palpable when the situation becomes out of control. (Preserve Planet Earth Program) Lack of awareness of threats to the environment is the reason which lies behind many destructive activities combined with man's greed for wealth and short-term gains. For the bygone 4 billion years, our planet has got along its own matters through the operation of its bio-geophysical systems.

However, that systematic pattern has come to an end. In present era, our planet regulates itself for the most part through the choices made by humans and the influence exerted by humans over physics, chemistry and biology of the planet. Until the present, we are not faring well. We are exhibiting a culturally desperate temperament towards biocide - the devastation of life systems of Earth- and geocide- the desolation of the systems of the planet on which every life is dependent upon. The harm we have already unleashed can be evaluated only with the huge annihilation 65 million years ago, which obliterated maybe 50% of every species, together with the dinosaurs. We are losing more species at a rapid rate unprecedented since then. (the Whole World in Our Hands) Through this paper we shall take a look at the ways in which our planet is being destructed and the efforts required to save our planet.

Pollution of our waterways

Water contamination is indicated to be a variation in the chemical, physical and biological state of waterway as a result of the human interference. The means by which humans have disturbed the quality of the Great Lakes water over the period involves sewage clearance, toxic contamination with heavy metals, insect repellents, overgrowth of the water edge, overflow from agriculture and urban wastes and air pollutions. Taking into account the fact of dilution of any mater by water, the industries and individuals during the 18th and 19th centuries mostly use rivers and lakes as garbage cans. The industrial mess, raw sewage and animal remains would sometimes be discarded into the waterways without much consideration to the pollution and downstream users. However, such practices began to change during the 20th Century while people became able to understand the significance of clean water to heath. But with movement of more and more people into the Great Lakes region, the more and more pollutions have resulted in the rivers and lakes. (Water pollution in the Great Lakes)

Presently, the effluents find their ways to the Great Lakes in several ways. However, the main three vents of effluents are seen at the point source, non-point source and atmospheric pollution. The point source pollution occurs when the effluents come to the waterway by means of a particular entry point like a drainpipe draining directly into a river; it is known as point source pollution. The Industrial water wastes and sewage treatment mechanisms are considered to be the significant offenders of such type of contamination. Contrary to the point source pollution, non-point source or NPS pollution stems from many different dispersed sources and is quite difficult to standardize and manage; hence many experts consider that NPS pollution is the most hazardous confronting the Great Lakes today. (Water pollution in the Great Lakes)

NPS pollution is primarily resulted by overflow, when rain and snowmelt transit over the land picking up pollutants along the way and ultimately throwing away the pollutants into rivers and lakes. Some of the general NPS pollutants involve fertilizers and pesticides run off from agricultural lands and homeowners; oil, grease and salt from highways; residue from building sites and wearing away shorelines; and animal and human waste. Atmospheric contamination is the other kind of non-point source of pollution, irrespective of the fact of effluents occurring out of runoff, the pollutions also showers from the sky. The most common illustration of the atmospheric pollution is acid rain. Like the virtual 'canaries in a gold mine', the reducing health of fish and wildlife tells of volumes about the need to clean up the Great Lakes.

Heavier metals such as mercury and lead, and man made raw chemicals like pesticides, bio magnify while they are moving up the food chain, giving rise to the tumors and death for predatory animals like lake trout, herring gulls, and also humans. The toxic effluents are also capable of varying the genetic structure of an organism, giving rise to either death or extreme deformities. Individuals taking frequently a lot of fish will have larger levels of toxic chemicals in their bodies than those who only eat fish occasionally. Analysis has been prescribed that toxic chemicals can give rise to reproductive problems, cancer and neurological ailment. The consumption of contaminated fish results in health difficulties such as weak immune systems among children, expecting women and the elderly people. (Water pollution in the Great Lakes)

Loss of rainforests

The rainforests at a moment was covering about 14% of the land surface of the earth. Presently they constitute only 6% and it has been estimated that the residue rain forests will be totally consumed within less than 40 years. The continuing deforestation at the existing rates will result in destruction of tropical rainforests to the extent of 80 to 90% at the end of the year 2020. Such destruction is prime force behind a species extinction rate highest during the last 65 million years. About 90% of the forests of North America are turned into firewood, shingles, furniture, railroad ties and paper. About 400,000 acres of Minnesota White Pine have been destroyed by the 1930s and now people are ready to cut redwoods in the Sequoia parks. (Rainforest Facts)

About 10 million species of plants animals and micro-organisms are estimated to be destroyed or severely affected during the quarter century as a result of rain forest deforestation. It has been estimated by experts that about 137 plants, animal and insect species are being lost every single day as a result of rainforest deforestation. This equals to about 50,000 species per annum. Reduction in the existence of rainforests implies less rain, less oxygen to breathe, and an enhanced threat from global warming. Destruction of our rainforests is not only resulting in the extinction of plant and animal species but it is also mopping up the native people those reside in the rainforest. Commercial logging is considered to be the sole significant cause of rain forest reduction directly as well as indirectly.

Other activities resulting in the rainforest, involves opening of land for grazing animals and farming for livelihood. In underdeveloped countries the wood of rainforest is being utilized for fuel wood and charcoal along with commercial logging. While the demand in the Western world for cheap meat is going on more and more rainforests are ruined so as to make available the grazing land for animals. The governments and their unrestrained, unplanned and uncoordinated development of natural resources are considered as increasing threats to the rainforests. According to the World Resources Report of 2000-2001 of the United Nations the government expenditure globally estimates to about $700 billion dollars a year safeguarding and subsidizing environmentally unsound practices in the use of water, agriculture, energy and transportation. (Rainforest Facts)

Decimation of forests

Each of the forest is a blending of several types of plants, animals and micro-organisms taken together in apparently endless webs and competitive and cooperative relationships. It is such biological variations hat generates a healthy ecosystem, a self assembled inspiration that forms clean water and fresh air without human intervention and free of charge. Each genus of a forest, or any other natural ecosystem, is a masterwork of evolution elegantly well adapted to the environment it inhabits. The flora and fauna of in the earth constitute the basis of the humanity to which at least till their balance of the life period are symbiotically attached so as to attain their physical and psychological requirements. Each of the species and its descendant species sustains their life and almost naturally, prior to one million years suffering natural extinction. The elements of habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution and unsustainable logging worldwide have enhanced the rate of extinction by as much to the multitude of one thousand times thereby reducing the life span of the species by the equivalent amount. (Endangered Forests: Endangered Freedoms)

At the minimum, one percent of the native plant of America and animal species has already been disappeared within the past one hundred years and one third are delineated as susceptible and endangered. Most of the local species along with those comparatively safer have undergone large decline in abundance, geographic range and most likely to have genetic diversity. Much of this loss is the result of the replacement of biologically enriched natural forests with tree farms. From the point-of-view of the variation and flexibility of the species such cultivated woody crops rank as no more than cornfields. While the tree farms are conveniently be stretched on the private lands, national forests those are considered priceless reservoirs of most of the biological diversity of the nation cannot expand so easily. The commercial logging is considered as the greatest danger for survival of the national forest system. The timber sales are growingly concealed beneath the post fire recovery and fire prevention missions, forest health initiatives and restoration programs. (Endangered Forests: Endangered Freedoms)

Wetlands disappearing

Declining wetlands and reservoir construction are having spectacular influences on a global scale. (the Importance of Wetlands and the Impacts of Reservoir Development) the data of USF & WS reveals that the United States added 2.3 million acres in ponds and inland mudflats during the period of mid 1950s and mid1970s. The country added about 1.4 million acres in inland lakes and reservoirs added about 200,000 acres of sub-tidal territory. But America has to part with 11 million acres of palustrine wetlands- those are on the verge of natural conversion into uplands. Such natural conversion is a significant phenomenon to think of. The fact however settles down that there prevails a natural inclination towards conversion of wetlands. Moreover, the Fish and Wildlife Service data are quite misleading. During the period between mid-1950s and 1970s about 9.2 million acres of wetlands were observed to have disappeared. As the Service, about 87% of such disappearance is attributed to the Agricultural purposes while about 1.2 million were disappeared due to urban development and other unidentified sources. However, during the period of mid-1970s and 1980s merely 3 million acres of wetlands have been lost. Out of that farming included 1.6 million acres, urban development comprised 200000 acres and others accounted for about 1.2 million acres. (Our Disappearing Wetlands)

California has lost the greatest percentage of 1%, but 21 other states have covered or tilled at least fifty percent of their original wetlands. Fast developing Florida has filled in the most acreage -- a land size bigger than all of Massachusetts, Delaware and Rhode Island taken together. About three-quarters of the bottomland hardwood swamps of Louisiana towards south have disappeared while the farmers tilled the land those were drained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers much before. (Paradise Lost: America's Disappearing Wetlands) a large part of the problem in vanishing wetlands has direct influence from humans. Such influences involve wetland disappearance as a result of urbanization that is particularly evident in case of Southern United States, deforestation and logging, conversions for rice field paddies, conversion of new farmland and even the occasional fish farm. (the Importance of Wetlands and the Impacts of Reservoir Development)

The shopping centers and riverfront homes credibly grow on damp land without the normal requirements: indicating the public or seeking permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the agency in charge of controlling the use or destruction of wetlands. The vulnerability of wetlands seems in its simplest form seem to fume to a curious circle. Human necessitates a place to live, work, shop. The search for reasonably priced, attractive alternatives-that may be in former wetlands. The developers construct homes where the demand depicts the desire of the people want to live. Therefore, more and more people transit into new ranch houses in the former wetlands. Increasing number of builders constructed there. It is predicted of the suburbs where herons once stood like statues calmly anticipating for a meal to float by. About two Americans now reside on or near the coast necessitating an average of one half acre of land apiece for new schools, post offices, and other public services. About 70% of Americans are expected to inhabit on the coast by 2050. Hence, the stress is ever growing. (Paradise Lost: America's Disappearing Wetlands) When more wetlands are gradually vanishing there could be some prospectively serious global influences. It is anticipated that there will be serious affects on wetlands from the rising seal levels in consequence to the global warming. (the Importance of Wetlands and the Impacts of Reservoir Development)

Ignoring Global warming

During the past one century, global temperatures have increased by 0.6 degrees Celsius. Some of the recent decades are considered to be the warmest, became evident when people started to maintain temperature records- varying the face of the planet. Global warming could curtail the agricultural productions, enhance the sea levels and entail more extreme weather. The study of the global warming involves great ambiguity. The developing countries are accountable for just over one-third of the greenhouse-gas emissions. However, they emit less than one-fifth per person as do the industrialized nations. That will enhance as the individuals increase the consumption of more cars and necessitate more energy. Such countries are predicted to have emitted about two or three times as much as the developed world by the end of 2100. The Farmers are required to vary their crops according to the climates. It is growingly clear that even the modest warming presently is having large influences on ecosystems. Insurers may confront more floods, storms and other disasters. This entails vulnerabilities and scopes. Companies that open up low-emission cars clean coal-burning technology, and hardier crop plants -- or search out the cheap ways to slash emissions - will surpass from those that cannot move as fast. (Global Warming)

But most of the largest carbon dioxide emitting companies of the nation are not successful in reaching, revealing and dealing with the financial risks posed by climate change, as per the new analysis conducted on 20 of the largest companies of the world. The United States is accountable for more than twenty-five percent of the greenhouse gas emissions of the world. American industry giants like Chevron Texaco, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Southern Company and Excel Energy, continue to pursue business approaches that discount the global warming threat, contrary to the foreign counterparts. Such approaches leave them and their shareholders particularly vulnerable to the enhanced financial risks and overlooked the market opportunities posed by climate change. The companies probably anticipate mitigating the climatic variation of risks and seizing new market scopes till they construct the basis of better functioning environmental management systems and appropriately concentrated the governance practices for a carbon-constrained world. The companies confront very practical financial and legal hazards from global warming and their responses to it. (Many U.S. Industry Giants Ignoring Global Warming)

The corporations of U.S. have a large influence on the environment inside or across the borders of the nation and that impact are associated with the long-term viability of the company, the value of the shareholders and competitiveness. The variations in rainfall and weather structures related to global warming gives rise to market disruptions in respect of some industries similar to the impact of controls aiming at global warming. Complete programs in this regard have been adopted by only a few companies to deal with this concern as an emerging financial and environmental vulnerability. The climate variation is going on and it has started to influence the economy and expected to influence our companies along with their values and investments. (Many U.S. Industry Giants Ignoring Global Warming) However, the Bush Administration argues against taking up of measures as too costly. The striking limits on the U.S. would suffocate growth and place America at a competitive disadvantage around the world. According to the Energy Secretary Abraham, no nation is expected to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions at the cost of its growth and prosperity. (Global Warming)

Acid rain

The acid rain is considered to one of the most threatening and widespread forms of pollution and the environment are adversely affected by its influences. Acid rain, often known as 'the unseen plague' is expected to go undetected in an area for years. Acid rain, conceptually, refers to the rain that contains an increased number of acids in it than what is normal. It has been observed that in some parts of Europe and North America the acid content in rain has quite radically enhanced during last few decades. Presently, it is quite normal in many places for rain evidenced to be ten to seventy times more acid than the non-contaminated rain. Such acid rains damage many animate and inanimate systems. Forests, trees, lakes, animals and plants are affected by acid rain. The architecture and artwork may be severely damaged by acid rain. The acid rain may entail severe ailments among humans and it may also become fatal. Its adverse affects on the respiratory problems is considered as one of its major effects. Most are feeling problematic for breathing, particularly the people those have asthma. Asthma combined with dray coughs, headaches and throat irritations are resulted from the sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides. The United States Congress Office of Technology Assessment viewing at the influence of acid rain in North America in the year 1982, found out that the sulfur pollution causes death of 51000 people per annum and ailments to 200000 people. (Acid Rain -- a Contemporary World Problem)

The acid rain is considered to be a specific human-related incident. The blazing of fossil fuels those are coal and oil in the power-producing industries emit sulfur into the air and being blended with the oxygen creates sulfur dioxide that is SO2. The emissions from cars result in the constitution of nitrogen oxides in the air. Airborne sulfuric acid that is H2SO4 and nitric acid that is HNO3 are formed out of such gases and are diluted in the water vapor in the air. Irrespective of the fact that acid-rain gases may be initiated in urban areas, it is quite often transmitted to miles and miles in the atmosphere by winds to reach the rural areas. In this way forests and lakes in the countryside is affected by acid rain that only starts from cities. (Acid Rain: Do you need to start wearing a rain hat?)

Fish die

Fish lose their lives due a broad diversity of natural and unnatural factors. The cause of the death of the fishes might be due to old age, undernourishment, wounds on the body, trauma, and suffocation, contamination in the water, infections, parasites, and attacks by other marine animals, toxic algae, harsh weather conditions and other causes. Killing of fishes are due to the abrupt death of large number of fishes. (Natural Causes of Fish Kills in Top End Water Ways) Abrupt killing of fishes in large numbers are frequently the cause of suffocation of fishes due to oxygen exhaustion during nighttime in the summer months. Fish deaths from oxygen exhaustion normally happens during the early morning hours in very abundant green water ponds after: the death of a huge algae bloom, the perishing of water weeds following treatment with a herbicide, the over turning of oxygen deficit waters at the bottom after a thunderstorm, the erosion of livestock waste and other organics following a massive rainfall. (Fish Kills: Their Causes and Prevention)

Animal species are threatened plant or animal species is considered vulnerable of extinction when it is at risk of vanishing from the earth. While the species vanishes it is said to be extinct. The extinction of species is permanent, since it is not possible of the extinct animals to return back. Sometimes the species may not be vulnerable for extinction at the moment but people may predict it is imminent. Such species are known as endangered. (Endangered Species: What Does it Mean to Be Endangered?) the World Conservation Union's - IUCN red list of threatened species revealed occurrence of the crisis which resulted in disappearance of at least 27 species from the wildlife during last two decades as a result of over-exploitation, climatic variation, habitat destruction. The report indicates about 7000 animal species are endangered and on the verge of extinction. The list incorporates "32% of amphibians, 42% of turtles and tortoises, 23% of mammals and 12% of birds." (Nearly 16,000 species threatened with extinction) the report for the last year indicates such crisis includes the mode of vanishing of the bird dodo of the Hawaiian thrush since the last 15 years.

The golden toad of the Costa Rica has also been enlisted as extinct mostly through the change of climate, pollution and disease. (Nearly 16,000 species threatened with extinction) Nearly 400 animals in U.S. are declared to be endangered and about 130 that are endangered. The worldwide list of endangered animals includes 500 such animals and 39 are specifically listed as threatened. "African elephants, Asian elephants, black-footed ferrets, bald eagles, West Indian manatees, Canadian lynxes, American alligators, Western gorillas, grizzly bears, caribou, Florida cougars, jaguars, short-tailed chinchillas, tigers, black rhinos, California condors, Utah prairie dogs, whooping cranes, Northern spotted owls, blue whales, finback whales, humpback whales, sperm whales, sea whales, rights whales, green sea turtles, leatherback sea turtles, hawksbill sea turtles, ridley sea turtles, Kemp's ridley sea turtles, Atlantic salmon, Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, white sturgeon, and red wolves" are to name a few of the hundreds of such animals. (Endangered Species: What Does it Mean to Be Endangered?)

As a result of the interference of the humans the present rate of extinction is calculated to be up to 1000 times the probable rate. About 784 extinctions have been recorded in the report of IUCN since 1500 AD. The present trend of extinction is attributable to the single most species that is of human being. (Nearly 16,000 species threatened with extinction) the damage to habitat and resulting disturbance is taken to be the most shocking cause of extinction. The drainage system, building of reservoir, industrial and agricultural development, deforestation and commercial and residential development are more often the basis for the susceptible or endangered status of plants and animals. (Threatened and Endangered Species) Several animals and plants are growingly endangered due to the international commerce in wildlife and wildlife goods. The living organism is accorded emphasis in some instances. In some other instances the specific parts of the body like skins, furs, bones, ivory, sex organs, bile, coral skeletons and claws are marketed at high prices and used for the purposes of ornaments, jewelry or for putative medicinal or aphrodisiac qualities. These are considered mostly the lavish items and are in great requirement in the industrialized nations. (Biodiversity and Conservation: A Hypertext Book)

The consumers for such commodities are from the group those have a little knowledge about the ways in which such international commercialization has resulted in endangering of some of these animals. The International wildlife marketing has increased to a great extent and considered lucrative with enhanced affluence, development in shipping and fast air movement. Several animals having furs along with cheetah and several other species of cats, chinchilla, vicuna, giant otter and some monkeys have reduced to a very low levels as a result of hunting resorted to with a view to acquiring their furs those were traded on the international market. Illegitimate trading of wildlife is observed to be extensive and is calculated to be in between 25% to 33%. Even in United States having stringent enforcement of laws the illegitimate wildlife imports have been estimated to be within the range of $100 to $250 million per annum. The inclination towards profit in the short-term is considered always more than that of the sustainable exploitation. Sometimes this is aggravated by the competition for the resource. (Biodiversity and Conservation: A Hypertext Book)

Mercury levels in water

Mercury is considered to be common element of environmental pollutant since last several decades. Ever since, 1950s it has been proved that the effluents of mercury to the environment has severe implications on human health. Such early analysis have revealed that the fish and other wildlife from various ecosystems commonly accomplish mercury levels of toxicological concern when directly influenced by mercury containing emissions from human related activities. The human health criticalities occur while the fish and wildlife from such ecosystems are consumed by humans. (Mercury Contamination of Aquatic Ecosystems) Mercury is a metal that is considered toxic and can result in neurological and developmental disorders in children. (Most U.S. Fresh Water Fish Contain Toxic Levels of Mercury) During the last decade there prevailed a new drift in respect of mercury pollution. The investigations started in the late 1980s in the northern-tier states of the U.S., Canada and Nordic countries which revealed high levels of mercury in fish primarily from nutrient poor lakes and sometimes in very remote areas. The fish sampling surveys conducted more recently in the rest of the regions of U.S. have indicated extensive mercury pollution in streams, wet-lands, reservoirs and lakes. (Mercury Contamination of Aquatic Ecosystems)

The Environmental Protection Agency has indicated that more than 50% of all freshwater fish it sampled from the lake of America could be unsafe for women of childbearing age to eat twice a week, as per the data revealed by environmental groups. More than 75% of samples of fish also indicated a mercury level that is considered to be unhealthy for children younger than 3. Presently, 33 states have spread out the guidelines of fish consumption due to mercury pollution. (Mercury Contamination of Aquatic Ecosystems) Some mercury experience results from industrial air pollution that enters into water and the food supply, in part since it builds up in predator fish. The Coal fired power plants result as the utmost U.S. source of mercury pollution as per the EPA and environmentalists opine that the Bush administration is not performing enough to curtail the plant emissions. (Most U.S. Fresh Water Fish Contain Toxic Levels of Mercury)

Unhealthy to drink or swim in large portions of our coastline

Almost every coastal area is presently drooping under a human assault. Right across the world, coasts are developed beyond limits, thickly populated and exploited beyond limits. We have knowledge with some degree of conviction is that coastal populations are bursting at its seams along just about every coastline in the planet. And there are reasonably sound demographic data regarding urbanization patterns. These tight conditions have triggered extensive deprivation of resources. Coastal waters are frequently terribly contaminated with untreated waste materials resulting from municipal, industrial and agriculture operations. Rivers carry more contaminants as well as chemicals and also heavy metals, together with more and more quantities of erosion deposits tattered from the hinterlands. There is little action at the international level to deal with this predicament. Degradation of resources is overlooked and watershed management is typically paid a lip service. Even though there is irresistible call for intensive endeavors to introduce and execute integrated coastal management programs, majority of the governments have failed in their efforts to congregate the human, institutional and financial resources necessary to build up practical, effective management tactics. (Coasts in Crisis) lot of management plan of action fail to go beyond the pilot stage, they are not given the seriousness they deserve in the political agendas. In case coastal demographics are upsetting at the moment, they are terrifying by 2025. Since the bygone 30 years, the populations inhabiting the coastal regions have grown by 41 million, speedier compared to the nation in its totality. In the United States, 54% of the total American population inhabits the 772 coastal nations neighboring to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes. The coastal provinces of United States already have 14 of the nation's 20 biggest conurbations. Demographers consider that coastal regions in the U.S. will continue to develop in a sound manner in the forthcoming century, with a major chunk of that expansion caused due to in-migration and not as a result of natural population rises. Vital coastal resources like mangrove forests and coral reefs which are among the most yielding a biologically varied ecosystem on this planet are being looted in the name of development. The coral reefs are even experiencing extensive decline. (Coasts in Crisis)

What is Acid Rain and What Causes it?)

There are certain actions that people can do to bring back lakes and streams more quickly. Limestone or lime can be supplemented to acidic lakes to negate the acidity. While the emissions from the largest sources of acid accumulation such as power plants and automobiles are shown to have declined the EPA scientists and their colleagues must assess the reductions to make sure they are successfully attaining the results that the Congress expected. If such analysis reveal that the acid deposition is still damaging the environment, it is essential that Congress may initiate to think of additional ways so as to decline emissions that result in acid depositions. But several of the environmental disorders and acid depositions are resulted by the cumulative actions of millions of individual people. In this manner each individual can also decline their contribution to the difficulties and its way outs. The individuals can assist directly by preserving energy as the energy production results in the largest portion of the acid deposition problem. (What is Acid Rain and What Causes it?)

The national forests of America are the common property of its citizens. They are regarded as the public trust of incalculable value. They are the prospective means of the infinite future, knowledge, involving scientific, economic and cultural value. They constitute the portions of the deepest history of America going back to the earliest geological eras. Most of the forests of our nation are facing crucial and immediate threats to their ecological veracity from the pro-industry policies of Bush administration. Green Peace observed that the Bush administration looking at the forests as a resource for economic growth has proposed a radical enhancement in resource extraction. (Endangered Forests: Endangered Freedoms)

Ever since its induction by George W. Bush in January 2001, the government has promulgated a forceful and comprehensive plan to reduce or eradicate environmental protection for our national forests. The induction of industry lobbyists to crucial governmental positions combined with the newly appointed chairs of key House and Senate committees has set the background for the most crucial rollbacks of environmental laws in the history of United States. The capabilities of the national forests to deal with the vast collection of plant and animal life that relies on them for their existence and the fundamental right of the American citizens to involve in federal land management decision making. Being applied with the hypothesis that logging is significant to the national economy and to jobs in the national forests, it is deemed to be justified in muting or bluntly overriding the provisions of the 1976 National Forest Management Act- NFMA that indicates the forest plans as to extend for diversity of plant and animal communities. This is because of deficiencies in awareness as to the gravity of the problem.

The frequent analysis has indicated that healthy forests entail much more economic advantages than the logged ones. Vigorous ecosystems qualities like clean air and water, fish, wildlife and recreation, create more jobs and economic advantages for the society than the marketing of the timbers. Actually the federal government loses the money of the tax payer on every three that is disposed. Therefore such forests are required to be liberated from commercial logging in total and are to be cut only when thought to be ecologically advantageous so as to retain the local species and to decrease the hazardous fuels near homes and communities. It is the right time to liberate the national forests from the clutches of political partisanship and to utilize their treasures to entail benefits to the all Americans as well as the future generations. (Endangered Forests: Endangered Freedoms) in the case of the destruction of fish which is also caused by human errors it need to be thwarted at the earliest. This is an urgent need which requires combined activities by the Federal and State Governments, efforts by activity groups and above all responsible actions from the people at large.

Enhanced demographic progression, anxious consumption of the resources of the Earth and the infringement by human populations have brought about pollution, damage of natural resources and the extinction of many species the world over. The forest and agricultural operations adapt habitat factors like the constant growth of means of communication and cities. The acid downpour and environmental pollution resulted by industrial and vehicle emissions progressively play an important role in soil and watercourse acidification, thereby making the wildlife vulnerable. In consonance with the efforts of scientists, planners and legislators each of us are required to make certain that our natural ecosystems are protected. Observing disappearance of a living species implies the disappearance of a scope of existence of our own species. Such veracity of our biosphere is considered to be our most valuable treasure. Becoming aware of the environment and its riches, we must enhance our sense of accountability, becoming aware of the difficulties and acting accordingly. (Protecting threatened and vulnerable species in Quebec)

We all rely upon plants and wildlife. From analyzing them, we have understood different methods of growing foods, making clothing, and building houses. Scientists have found out how to use certain plants and animals as sources of medicines. When we are unsuccessful in safeguarding the threatened and endangered species we shall be unable to comprehend the way they are useful in improving our lives. (Endangered and Threatened Species) Habitat and ecosystems are considered to be most efficient process to preserve the threatened species however, this is not sufficient. The species will persistently rely upon the habitats outside the safeguarded areas and sometimes saving a species means taking action in several various ecosystems and interfering in various types of land use. The priorities for conservation of species, population and genetic diversity is required to be recognized and techniques implemented so as to make it certain that habitat protection measures and resource management regimes back those priorities. (Protecting threatened species)

In consideration to the international law, the methods of safeguarding particular species or groups from overexploitation or extinction need to be taken. (Protecting threatened species) Governmental organizations like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture the U.S. Fish and Wildlife services and the National Park services as well as the state fish and wildlife agencies and private groups are making the information accessible so as to enable the people to safeguard the endangered and threatened species and their habitats. In order to fulfill the accountability it is advised to contact these agencies for collection of relevant information and to join for facing the challenge in assisting to protect the endangered and threatened species and all the wildlife from the level of extinction. (Endangered and Threatened Species)

The reduction of mercury effluents rapidly is considered crucial from the health point-of-view. There exists some unreliable evidence that reduction of industrial mercury pollution results in cleaner fish. The Mercury pollution is reduced by 90% in South Florida as the medical wastes and municipal solid-waste incinerators there were new regulations in the earlier parts of 1990s since there are no coal-fired plants in the area. (Most U.S. Fresh Water Fish Contain Toxic Levels of Mercury) a new multimedia strategy is necessitated in identifying and reducing the vulnerability our exposure to mercury. It is essential to reformulate the water quality criteria and improve measurement of mercury in water, seek reductions in uses of mercury and improve information and the right of the citizen to be aware of the facts.

It is considered useful in generating strategies for environmentally acceptable disposal of mercury wastes known as hazardous wastes; find out the ways for reduction in exposure to highly exposed populations; reduce the further environmental pollution resulting out of illegal use/disposal of mercury through concentrated compliance monitoring and enforcement of mercury regulations and requirements. Hence the cost effective opportunities to manage mercury in its product life-cycle instead of simply regulating at the point of disposal is felt necessary to be pursued. A balanced approach that combines end-of-pipe regulation technologies with material complements and isolations, design for environment and primary variations the processing approaches is essential. Additionally, the international efforts to decrease the mercury effluence as well as the greenhouse gases will entail a significant role in decreasing the inputs to the global reservoir of mercury. (Draft PBT National Action Plan for Mercury)

The coastlines of out nations are facing crisis. To put a check on the damage of the coastline is vital to save our environment. A unified approach towards coastal management strategies is the need of the hour: strategies that recognize growth of population and distribution, urbanization and consumption patterns, waste disposal and the employment of present resources, among other things. It is imperative that resource management is able to restore exploitation of resources. The problems of the coastal areas are not just due to dearth of funds or political myopia. Coastal zone management is absolutely intricate to implement and as it needs the potential of the institution to deal with land as well as waters near the shores in a unified and wide-ranging way. Few nations, in the industrial world as well, are able to do such strategic planning and management. In our nation as well, in which every coastal state has brought about legislation for coastal zone management plans the outcomes are not smooth. (Coasts in Crisis)

We are encountering an overwhelming challenge, which we should pay serious attention. If the exploitation at the present rate goes on unhindered, we will be experiencing the annihilation of coastal regions and the extensive depletion of ecosystems and the communities of plants and animals they house. If we are not able to manage fisheries, countless of poverty ridden people in the developing nations for whom the only source of their animal protein is marine resources, will be affected with undernourishment and infections. More worryingly, in case we are unable to take care of the coastal regions in a better sustainable way, then we might more sooner than not left with any resources worth saving. Scientists, the general citizens, the press and our political systems must appreciate the crisis and start to pay heed with suitable measures. Our achievement at supervising the problem will pave the way for a lot of advantages; our disappointment at managing this disaster could have unthinkable outcomes. (Coasts in Crisis)

Conclusion

To conclude, we in no way have ever imagined that our actions could devastate the planet and currently we have to rise to our callous misuse. We were never duty bound to secure the future of the planet, but it is high time we realize that we are now managing the planet and should own responsibility and answerability for the future of ourselves and that of Earth. Our expectation is for a new chapter, while the humans and the greater society of life on Earth will be a life-giving presence to each other. A transformation so fundamental will be tremendously intricate - the extremely intricate job humans have ever embarked upon. The solution lies in building a new internal dream. Till we are successful in looking for a new vision, the future of human beings will continue to be in uncertainty. This changeover is our responsibility for the 21st century. Everyone among us must have a say. Nobody is exempt from this. Whatever we act in this century will be remembered for all times to come - or may pass into oblivion.