ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

By Sarwedi Sirait/081214040

Sanata Dharma University

Environmental issue is one of the most relevant topics which are discussed by almost all countries in over the world. It emerges based on the facts that have obviously been found in the last decades by a number of researches from any subjects related to environmental problems. These studies show that there are some abnormal phenomena that are seen nowadays, for instant, global warming and climate change. However, there is an implication between global warming and climate change. Thus, those issues, global warming and climate change issues are considered as the most serious problem besides other environmental matters which should be urgently prevented before the worse things happen. They will be the main focus of this essay as well as some appropriate solutions should be taken to resolve the cases.

Global warming has become the centre attention of mostly people in the world because its effect can be felt directly whenever we go outside. The earth’s temperature is continually warmer and warmer because of the gas emissions volume in the atmosphere has excessively increased year by year. This condition forces people to use Air Condition (AC) inside the house in which it aggravates the outside condition instead. Considering the rapidity of global warming is urgent to be prevented, at least one hundred nations were present at United Nation Climate Change Conference 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The convention is meant to discuss and tried to formulate some progress policies which immediately should be done related to any environmental issue such as mammal extinction, garbage in ocean, and nuclear energy effect instead of global warming and climate change effects.

Global emission is mostly emitted by vehicles and factories. As we know that America, China, and Russia are the three highest emission level position of the global emission. Therefore, they are asked to give more contribution to support the global emission reducing programs. It needs lots of money to succeed the programs even hundreds millions dollars. The increasing of vehicles’ users has made this problem getting complex and crucial. The world economic should be developed by establishing companies or industries in the interest of human’s prosperity but in other sides it carries some bad effects on humans’ life as well. That is why, it has to be seen from any aspect comprehensively before taking the right decision. The usage of any renewable energy sources becomes another alternative way in order to reduce carbon dioxide in the air instead of minimizing using fuel. Yes, recently some countries like America and Europe have produced bio-ethanol from food plants like corns and peanuts. While China, they build windmills to produce energy although it costs much. Those inventions are safer than using nuclear or fuel for energy sources.

Another main cause of global warming is deforestation. Cutting trees in the forest excessively for any reason such as plantation, furniture, and paper, however, has globally brought some impacts toward all creatures, without exception. The multiple of population around the world is one of the triggers of deforestation, because people need more place to build houses. There are billions people whom should be fed, so narrowing forest for plantation is another reason. The global warming influences not only plants or animals in the ground but also in the ocean. Because it has anything to do with climate change that automatically brings side-effect to those creatures, for example a certain animal or plant cannot be living when the temperature is changed. The weather is rather extreme than before. It changes the ecology system. Thus, the death of some animals or plant cannot be avoided. Meanwhile, if the food chain is broken off, symbiosis mutualism cannot work well as it should be. Animals and plants become the victims of this unnatural condition. “Massive destruction to the rain forest would have a domino effect on the rest of the world” (Rogers, 2010, p. 1). It is really terrible if we let it happens, for we have a responsibility to take care of everything in this world.

In addition, the decreasing of forest around the world occurs continuously when people tend to prioritize only the raising of economy, without considering the bad effects that might occur after. Thus, every country has to preserve their forest in order to keep the balancing of nature. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen that we need all at once. Restoring forest by replanting again is urgent to do, so that animals and any kinds of plants can free from extinction. They will constantly exist by keeping their habitats. People also need to educate how to preserve the forest by building their awareness so that the function of forest can be preserved well.

The government of each country, particularly department of environmental, should regulate a master plan either any quick acts or future plans related to this case. The involvement of researchers is another reasonable way in order to get a comprehensible analysis about the effects of deforestation and climate change, so that either government or people get sufficient information to succeed restoring program. There will be more effective if people cooperate with the government policy. However, forest must be kept from damage, for we need it to reduce the global warming. We can make this world exist longer if we give our endeavors to preserve it well. Nothing can happen without participating of all elements in society. We can make it if we try. For those people who break the law should be punished based on the law.

Reference:

Rogers, Stephanie. (2010). earthfirst.com: 7 Environmental Problems That Are Worse Than We Thought. Retrieved May 23, 2010, from http://earthfirst.com/7-environmental-problems-that-are-worse-than-we-thought/