Did we lose focus on the environment when the current recession started over 2 years ago? This is just one of many questions that I worry and interest me about the environment. Ever since we have been struck by this current recession, many environmental efforts promised by many governments, such as lowering C02 emissions, have either been delayed or abolished. It is understandable that the recession has affected everyone around the world, causing an increase in unemployment, but that doesn’t mean we should give up trying to repair the damage we have caused to the environment. Fortunately, we do have technology out there that can fully replace fossil fuels, but in the end it all comes down to the cost of renewable energy. The equipment used to produce renewable energy is costly, mainly because the supply is a lot scarcer than fossil fuels, yet fossil fuels are a non-renewable resource that is disappearing at a fast rate. Many environmentalists believe that we will only have crude oil for the next 150 years, but since the global population is constantly increasing, the consumption of crude oil will go up and our oil deposits will deplete faster than the current rate.
More important is the effect that fossil fuels have on our planet. Carbon dioxide emissions naturally cause the greenhouse effect that warms our planet. However, we are emitting more emissions into the air than can be recycled by plants. This runaway greenhouse gas effect, if left untouched, will drastically change our environment that will cause a massive extinction of many different organisms that we rely on to live. Many of our own species will die as well, which may lead us back into the dark ages. If we don’t start to act now, then our planet and many species will struggle to survive and also make current situations, such as poverty, worse than they are now. Unfortunately, our governments can only do so much, so it is also up to many individuals to do their part in improving the environment. Even the little things, like using fluorescent light bulbs or using less water, can increase the conservation of energy and decrease our reliance on fossil fuels. Although a complete switch away from fossil fuels to renewable energy isn’t practical, a progressive switch or the combination of both renewable energy and fossil fuels is most likely the best place to start. Even though a mass extinction caused by global warming is quite unlikely, our environment is changing, and we need to slow down this change, in order to prevent the loss of habitat, species populations and our way of life.
