Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Mr. Kazanjian
AP Environmental Science
4 September 2018
The natural resources that the Earth supplies such as water, soil, plants, and forests are
essential for life; however, a multitude of people are depleting resources and deteriorating the
environment. The Earth is continuously taken for granted. Unlike humans may believe, there is
not an infinite supply of resources. Humans are consuming resources more quickly than they can
be regenerated. As a result, the supply of resources on Earth is depleting over time. The Global
Footprint Network estimated that in 1999, the global demands exceeded the earth’s regenerative
capacity by 20%. The gap has increased every year since then. Forests are shrinking, grasslands
are declining, soils are eroding, water tables are dropping, and fisheries are collapsing.
Additionally, oil is being used at an immensely fast pace. The United States uses 20.4 million
barrels of oil a day. Geologists predict that the supply of oil will soon peak but then quickly
decrease. Moreover, China is the leading consumer of the five basic food, energy, and industrial
commodities. China consumed 380 million tons of grain and 67 million tons of meat in 2005.
China consumed 258 million tons of steel in 2003. Also, China burns 960 million tons of coal
annually which contributes to immense carbon emissions. In addition, food is converted to fuel
for cars. There is such a high demand for automobile fuel that farmers are increasingly clearing
forests in order to produce crops such as sugarcane and oil palms. Forests are vital because they
provide a habitat for three-quarters of earth’s biodiversity. Additionally, fish is a very beneficial
resource; it is a staple diet in 1 in 5 humans. However, three-quarters of fishing grounds are now
depleted or in danger of becoming depleted. Moreover, greenhouse gases are frequently being
released into the atmosphere. Consequently, the average temperature in the past 15 years has
been the highest ever recorded. The Arctic ice caps are melting; overall, they have lost 40% of
their original thickness. As a result of the melting ice, sea levels are rising. As the seas rise, salt
invades the water table which consequently deprives people of drinking water. In addition to
that, one major river in ten no longer flows into the sea for several months of the year. Also, half
of the world’s marshes have drained within the last century. Water shortages could affect almost
2 billion people by 2025. Water is extremely critical for survival. It is essential for changes to be
made before the damage is too difficult to repair. Each person has the potential to reduce the
amount of resources they use and improve the current state of the environment. For instance, a
wind turbine was designed that can produce as much energy as an oil well. Additionally, a
vacuum-sealed refrigerator was designed that uses only one-eighth as much electricity as the
average refrigerators today. Moreover, gas-electric hybrid automobiles are twice as efficient as
normal automobiles. Also, rooftop solar panels have been created that convert energy from the
sun into electricity. It is essential to utilize renewable energy such as wind energy, solar energy,
and geothermal energy rather than rely on fossil fuels. In addition, it would be extremely
beneficial to transform the throwaway economy into a reuse/recycle economy. Some countries
have already taken steps to improve the environment. For instance, Denmark obtains 20% of
their electricity from the wind. They even plan to increase 20% up to 50% by 2030. Although
South Korea used to be practically tree-less, 65% of it is now covered in forests. As a result,
South Korea has greatly reduced flooding and soil erosion. Reforestation reduces carbon
emissions, reduces soil erosion, and increases aquifer recharge. Moreover, 35% of transportation
within Amsterdam is by bicycle. As a result, air pollution and traffic congestion have been
greatly reduced. Additionally, some societies in the past that faced environmental issues were
able to make changes and avoid collapse. For instance, six centuries ago, Icelanders discovered
that overgrazing on their highlands was causing soil loss. They reduced their number of sheep to
a sustainable level and preserved their glasslands as a result. It is essential for the current
political leaders to invest more time and money into reversing environmental deterioration. The
United States largely focuses on building a strong military rather than the state of the
environment. If just one-sixth of the world’s military budget was shifted to spending on the
environment, the world could be sufficiently repaired before it is too late. If America invested in
thousands of wind farms, people could do a majority of their short-distance driving using wind
energy. This would help to slow the increasing rise in oil prices. It would also help to reduce
carbon emissions which would result in a more stable climate. Additionally, it is important for
the public to have a better understanding of the environment and the threats it currently faces. If
the current environmental trends continue, it could lead to civilizational collapse. It is vital that
people understand how to reverse the trends that are deteriorating the environment.