Environmental issue

Article reference:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6033407.stm
Issue: Environmental issue

My view and points:

Currently, the use of natural resources is estimated not sustainable when considered in terms of forecasts of consumption. More use of resources will be necessary, if population levels are to be increased and living standard rose. The improvement of technology allows people to find more natural resources. For examples, oil and minerals.

To have a sustainable use of material resources human beings can recycle and reuse materials. There are advantages of recycling and reusing materials. In the United States, 90% of batteries, cans and other metals are being recycled. These will minimize environmental pollution and the impact on landscape and the ecosystem.

Another method of saving our earth’s resource is substitution. In the automatic and aero plane industries substitutions of lead and copper piping benefit them. It not only lighten the car and the plane it also improves fuel performance. A report said that the weight replaced by plastic is twice less then metal in some cars. Another example of substitution is that copper cables for telecommunications are being replaced by glass fibre-optics.

Most of the world’s energy supply comes from oil. Oil prices are rising due to the increase of violence in the Middle East, drying of oil wells, etc. Although many new sources of energy are found, since energy cannot be recycled, there is a threat of resources drying up. Many countries turn to the use of nuclear energy, a non-renewable resource have to be used with care as the raw material, uranium, may be depleted. This method is also expensive and poses a threat to the environment. Hence, we have to achieve greater efficiency in fuel consumption but also tap the sun, wind and water for energy.

Water a renewable energy resource may be problems to many countries using it. One of the problems is the unequal amount of water available. While in countries like Iceland have abundance of water, countries like Africa and Kuwait receive lesser and lesser due to global warming. The problem of water distribution is worsening by pollution cause by discharging of waste chemicals and liquids into water bodies (sea, river and lakes). In developed countries most of their wastes come from industries while those developing countries that undergo green revolution are likely to contaminate water bodies with agriculture chemicals and fertilizers.

I felt that the depletion of resources will cause the developing countries to suffer more than the developed countries. When there is a depletion of energy resources, the LEDCs(less economically developed countries) is unable to pay for the hike of these resources. Since, there is a hike in oil prices, manufacturing of products and foods will become more expansive and these will cause the poor people in LEDCs unable to afford or have to work harder in order to survive. While the MEDCs (more economically developed countries) is able to pay for these precious resources like steel (for building, crude oil, etc).

I believed that the government has a part to play in reducing amount of damage done to the environment and to conserve the nation stock resources. The government can pass down laws, regulations and campaigns to prevent contaminations of water bodies, recycling or reuse used material. Metal contents and other recyclable materials in consumer products, may be recycled for a price to encourage the public to recycle materials.