The environment we need to preserve for our own sake

Environment refers to our surroundings that include all things living and non-living. Both the materials and their condition are important aspect of the environment. Nature can change naturally as considered by paleo-environmental scientists. Climate of the earth changed many times. Extinction of dinosaurs is supposed to linked with change of local climate. That is a different thing. But that “due to human intervention environmental conditions are being changed” is vital concern for existence of many organisms.
Air, water and soil are being polluted due to various human activities. Some scientists say that man began to pollute the environment since he learnt to create fire. In the 19th century man learnt the way of utilising heat energy to do mechanical work by inventing steam engine. Invention of steam engine dependent on coal is a landmark in the history of environmental science. It provoked the industrial era of human civilization and initiated the pollution of environment in a cognizable scale.
Environmental degradation incurs economic losses. Polluted water as raw material demands treatment that raises production cost. Waning biodiversity is shrinking our genetic resources at the global scale. Examples abound. Environmental pollution has its direct impact on public health. Toxic gases emitting from industrial process afflict the health of workers. Pollution of water leads to various infectious diseases. Soil contamination induces various toxic effects on living system through food chain.
The destruction of natural environment is also responsible for various environmental banes at local, regional and international levels. Acid rain, depletion of ozone layer and global warming as a result of 'Green House Effect' are challenging mankind's existence on the earth surface.
Major causes of environmental pollution are:
-Lust for better life without considering environmental aspects
-Exponential population growth
-Technological advancement without impact mitigation measures
Major means of environmental pollution so far are:
-Transportation
-Industrialization
-Urbanization
-Warfare
-Information Technology
We must know about
-Life supporting processes on the earth surface
-Mechanisms of environmental pollution
-Techniques to protect the environment
It is the very ecosystem in which we live can be polluted, disrupted and destroyed if proper measures are not taken. Even it is not possible to correct our surrounding environment for good. We must engage our efforts to conserve, protect the environment and prevent pollution continuously.
What we need to do are:
-Continuous environmental monitoring
-Environmental impact assessment for any proposed development
-Product life cycle assessment for sustainable production and consumption
-Waste management plan for local government
-Protection of water resources
-Conservation of biodiversity
Human being is central character of change on the planet. The natural environment is being modified by human activities aiming to provide themselves housing, food, medicine and many other facilities for enhancement of comfort. It is the crying need of time to preserve natural environment, protect environmental pollution and restore degraded natural resources again for human survival. We must keep in mind that people are central
to environmental pollution and they have to recover from it themselves.

The writer is an environmental activist.