Environmental Problems

Hello, everyone! Today I’d like to give you a talk about environmental problems which
humanity faces nowadays.
We live on Earth, the only planet where humans can live. The planet gives us all we need:
air, water, soil, plants, animals. Humans have been using these resources for thousands of
years. And it might seem that for this long period of time people have learnt to live in
harmony with nature. But unfortunately, it isn’t true. We often take our natural resources
for granted. That’s why there are a lot of problems with our environment and the main
reason for it is human activity.
It is no wonder why people worry about environmental problems. To one degree or
another, they concern each of us. In cities we often have to breathe polluted air. Many
rivers, lakes, and groundwater are poisoned by people and factories. We can’t drink this
water. Deforestation (cutting down trees to make space for something else) is another
problem which dramatically affects wildlife. People suffer too because forests filter our air.
In the end, we produce a lot of rubbish every day. How can the planet deal with it? It
remains an open question.
As for the area where I live, I think the most serious environmental problem is a lack of
responsibility in dealing with rubbish. People often pollute the environment by throwing out
litter anywhere. In big cities it is not so noticeable because there are a lot of rubbish bins
and cleaners take care of cleanliness on the streets. But in the countryside and along
roads we can see illegal rubbish dumps and waste lying on the ground. Who does it?
These people don’t think about the consequences of their behaviour for nature. Besides, it
is just unpleasant to be around or have a picnic near the waste which somebody threw out.
It is clear from the previous example that the ecological situation to some degree depends
on each of us. It doesn’t matter who you are and what you do. Here are some things that
everyone can do today: don’t waste water or electricity, stop littering, sort out items for
recycling. Moreover, if it is possible, we should use public transport, ride a bike or walk
instead of driving a car. It is also not difficult to plant trees and the result of this activity will
be beneficial in the future.
I see that environmental problems are discussed more and more frequently. It is
reasonable because we don’t have another planet to live on. I think in the near future
before doing something people will first think how their activity will influence the planet. I
believe that only this approach can save us and Earth. Hope it’s not too late.