The common thread throughout this course is that every human action inevitably impacts the environment in which we live and beyond. Every single action humans undertake and every decision leading an action impact the environment. Whether it is a major undertaking such clearing hundreds of hectares of land for cultivation or a seemingly innocuous decision to replace a household appliance with a modern version, the environment bears the cost.
Secondly, the natural resources human society relies on for livelihoods, with a few exceptions, are finite and can be depleted. The critical balancing act incumbent on each and every citizen of planet Earth is hence to minimise, mitigate and where possible eliminate negative impacts of our actions on the environment. In order to progress to a level where this is even remotely possible, each and every person needs to be acutely aware of the environment and conscientiously have a caring attitude towards the environment ingrained in their thinking and daily actions.
In caring for and taking care of the environment, people will not only create pleasant livable ambience for themselves but they would equally ensure healthy functioning of natural ecosystems and guarantee the future of generations to come. Whilst infrastructure development, industrial production and technological innovations are critical for economic growth and social advancement, they burden the natural environment which bears the negative consequences of such progress. This burden of human development on the environment is further reinforced through human consumption of both natural and manufactured/synthetic goods and products of which the wastes are discarded in the environment.
Wastes generated are not only largely non-degradable, but by sheer volume and the rate at which they are disposed alone, they accumulate in excess of the natural environment's capacity to assimilate and recycle them. Therefore, if each and every person takes conscious action to minimise their contribution to negative environmental effects in their daily lives, human burden on the natural system will be reduced.
Small actions such as avoiding printing large volumes of papers, reusing scrap papers, sorting recyclable material for recycling and refusing single-use plastic carry bags from retailers could be the starting point to a more environmentally conscious global citizenry. This is the only way we can satisfy the needs of the current generation while we simultaneously guarantee the ability of future generations to meet their needs. We should not incur an environmental debt for which future generations will pay dearly.
Secondly, the natural resources human society relies on for livelihoods, with a few exceptions, are finite and can be depleted. The critical balancing act incumbent on each and every citizen of planet Earth is hence to minimise, mitigate and where possible eliminate negative impacts of our actions on the environment. In order to progress to a level where this is even remotely possible, each and every person needs to be acutely aware of the environment and conscientiously have a caring attitude towards the environment ingrained in their thinking and daily actions.
In caring for and taking care of the environment, people will not only create pleasant livable ambience for themselves but they would equally ensure healthy functioning of natural ecosystems and guarantee the future of generations to come. Whilst infrastructure development, industrial production and technological innovations are critical for economic growth and social advancement, they burden the natural environment which bears the negative consequences of such progress. This burden of human development on the environment is further reinforced through human consumption of both natural and manufactured/synthetic goods and products of which the wastes are discarded in the environment.
Wastes generated are not only largely non-degradable, but by sheer volume and the rate at which they are disposed alone, they accumulate in excess of the natural environment's capacity to assimilate and recycle them. Therefore, if each and every person takes conscious action to minimise their contribution to negative environmental effects in their daily lives, human burden on the natural system will be reduced.
Small actions such as avoiding printing large volumes of papers, reusing scrap papers, sorting recyclable material for recycling and refusing single-use plastic carry bags from retailers could be the starting point to a more environmentally conscious global citizenry. This is the only way we can satisfy the needs of the current generation while we simultaneously guarantee the ability of future generations to meet their needs. We should not incur an environmental debt for which future generations will pay dearly.