Environment

Most of us worry about different kinds of environmental problems and we have to face the
consequences of environmental pollution.

The main problems are global warming, greenhouse effect, depletion of ozone layer, rising
sea levels, melting polar ice caps, acid rain or climate change. These problems appear because
of careless and greedy human behaviour. We have destroyed natural resources such as fossil
fuels and forests. Land, water and air are destroyed because of industrial carbon dioxide
emissions.

Related to climate change people suffer from extreme weather conditions and natural disasters
like hurricanes, earthquakes, floods or droughts.

Because of overhunting certain animal species are on the edge of extinction.

Air pollution

Air pollution means that the air we breathe becomes dirty and bad for our health. Air is
polluted by natural activities like forest fires and volcanic eruptions, but human activity is
even more polluting. Our consumer society is based on manufacturing. We need factories to
produce the things we buy and power plants for electricity, which emit high levels of carbon
monoxide, Fumes and smoke that come out of their chimneys. and burning fossil fuels like
oil, gas and coal for transportation also results in smog and serious air pollution.
Contaminated air can cause respiratory and lung diseases apart from the climate change.

Water pollution

Cities and their industries dump waste products and chemicals into the seas, which is not only
destructive for humans, but also for all other living beings. Unfortunately, not only businesses
and factories throw their garbage into the water. Many people also think rivers, lakes and seas
are perfect places to dump their litter. We hear about oil spills regularly and we know how
difficult it is to clean and how many animals and humans suffer the consequences.

Land pollution

Water and land pollution are connected. If you use natural and biodegradable products for
farming, you can prevent poisonous substances like pesticides and artificial fertilizers from
getting into our soil, into the plants we and the animals eat, and also into our water sources.
Garbage that is non-biodegradable and does not easily rot into organic matter should not be
piled up on the landfills where cities transport their waste.

Greenhouse effect: is blamed for global warming and climate change. Level of carbon
dioxide has increased in the air due to factory smoke or exhaust fumes of vehicles. This
increased amount of carbon dioxide forms a blanket around the Earth, so the incoming heat of
the Sun cannot escape into space so the temperature of the air is constantly rising. Its effects
are melting of polar ice which leads to rising sea levels and floods. Global warming leads to
dramatic weather changes, and extreme weather conditions, like draughts, hurricanes,
tzunamis,floods.

To slow down climate change gas emissions must be reduced significantly. International
negotiations have been taking pace all over the world to take actions, to sign agreements
among countries in connection with maximizing gas emissions.

Depletion of ozone layer: The ozone layer is the upper layer of the atmosphere, which absorbs
harmful ultraviolet radiation from the rays of the sun. As a consequence of industrial and
domestic pollution holes have appeared in it. Through these holes the damaging UV radiation
can reach the surface of the Earth and it can cause skin cancer, it can cause harm to crops,
land and sea animals as well.

Deforestation happens because people need land to make farms, cities or simply fire wood.
With deforestation the habitats of animals are lost and animals die.

If we want to save our environment there are some small steps we can take. We can use
renewable energy like solar or wind energy - these are sources that can be used again and
again.

But there are many things that we personally can do at home:

We should be aware of the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle

o We should be resourceful with the things that we use or buy.

o We can reuse plastic bags, bottles, cans, paper or food as well.
o It’s easy to recycle at home – to collect our rubbish separately. We should have
different rubbish bins for paper, plastic, metal and glass.
o we can take a shower instead of having a bath
o we should close the taps while cleaning our teeth
o we should switch off the light when we are not in the room
o we shouldn’t litter on the streets – we shall throw our litter into a rubbish bin
o Outside we can plant a tree in our garden
o we can make compost from our leftover food or
o if the weather is nice, we can hang out our clothes to dry.
o Many people now prefer to use unleaded petrol.

Almost everything can be recycled, like plastic bottles, paper, clothes, cans and metal. I think
more containers should be placed not only in towns but in villages. 

In Hungary more and more regulations are enacted to protect wild animals. Both hunting and
keeping them are strictly regulated, so the situation is getting better.