7. Discussion.

1) Explain the difference between environment – the environment – ecology.

2) Find information on the impact of The Silent Spring on global environmental awareness.

3) Is Rachel Louise Carson an alarmist, in your opinion?

Focus on the environment

In this text, young people from Britain and America discuss the environment. What is the biggest environmental problem in your area? How concerned are you about the environment?

• The ozone layer is a layer of gas in the atmosphere that protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet or UV rays that come from the sun. Man-made chemicals are destroying the ozone layer. In the future we may all need to take extra precautions like wearing sunblock and sunglasses to protect ourselves.

Janelle Evans, 16

Falmouth, Maine, USA

A few years ago, terms such as CFCs, ozone, rain forest, deforestation and climate control would probably not be used frequently in the vocabulary of the common American teenager. However, in recent years, due to the growing emphasis on environmental awareness, words like these are being taken very seriously by both teens and adults.

CFCs, or chlorofluorocarbons, are one of the greatest environmental concerns in present-day society. They are found in the forms of fast food packages, refrigerator and air conditioning coolants, and especially aerosol spray cans. These CFCs are 14,000 times more dangerous than excess carbon dioxide to the ozone layer, because once in the atmosphere they break chemical bonds and tear apart the molecules that form ozone. Ozone is a gas present in the protective layer of the Earth’s upper atmosphere. This layer of the atmosphere protects living things on the planet from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. As ozone is slowly washed away by man-made products, it becomes more dangerous to be exposed to the sun.

The rain forests are being deforested at a rate of 200 million acres every year. The rain forests hold a natural abundance of both plants and animals, and they also account for a great deal of our oxygen. If rain forests are burned, it could actually hurt the environment.

Air pollution caused by acid rain, excessive use of fossil fuels, and toxic wastes and garbage all remain very difficult problems. It is, however, very important to solve them because of the growing concern with global warming, otherwise known as the greenhouse effect. Excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is trapping in heat and causing the temperature to rise at the North and South Poles. If these areas become too hot, they will melt and cause rising seas and coastal flooding.

Organic farming is a new and helpful means of restoring the environment. When food is grown with the use of natural fertilizers instead of man-made herbicides and pesticides, drainage is safer and he food itself won’t harm those who eat it.

Our planet can be saved or improved by a few simple actions that can be performed by anybody. By setting up recycling programs at home or school, conserving on water and power, eating organically grown foods, using ozone-friendly products, becoming aware of industrial pollutants, or even buying a tree in a rain forest, any environmentally-conscious person can help our environment. Hopefully meetings like last June’s Earth Summit will encourage political leaders of the world to put many countries on the road to environmental recovery.

• Endangered animals suffered last year as laws to protect them weakened. In America, logging was allowed in forests that are the northern spotted owl’s only home. In Britain 4 species of butterflies became extinct, and in Africa, rhinos and elephants continue to be killed for their tusks. Since 1979, half the elephants in Africa have been killed.

Marni Duncan, 18

Lerwick, Shetland,

Scotland

There are no major environmental problems in Shetland, only a few minor ones. There are no paper recycling plants which I feel are a necessity if we are to preserve trees. Also, Shetland does not have a proper sewage system. All the waste goes straight to the sea, which is disgusting.

I think the world’s greatest concern is global warming. A dramatic reduction of gases such as carbon dioxide is needed quickly.

My friends and I don’t really talk about the environment, as we are not directly faced with any of the problems. A lot of people like to pretend that they’re concerned about the environment by wearing T-shirts with slogans such as “Save Our world” and only using recycled paper, but they’re not actually doing anything, are they?

I admit that I don’t show enough concern about the environment, which is a shame, because I do think that it’s important. It’s our children and grandchildren who are going to have to live on an Earth that we have abused and ruined. It’s up to the people of today to save the Earth before it becomes too late.

• Tropical rainforests in South America and in Africa are being cleared away for timber and to use the land for farming. In the last 30 years, more than 80% of Africa’s Ivory Coast rain forests has been cut down. But the loss of trees is leading to soil erosion, mud slides and drought. Many plants and animals no longer have a home and 48 species of plants and animals are wiped out every day.

• Many parts of the world suffer from drought, from southeast Africa to the southwestern states of America. You can help by conserving water. Don’t take water for granted!

Joanne Greensted, 18

Richmond, Surrey,

England

I would say that the biggest environmental problem in my area is pollution. I live in outer London so it’s not too bad here, but I travel in to central London every day to get to school and I can physically feel the air get dirtier.

The problem is caused by the fact that there are so many cars in the city centre and their exhaust fumes poison the air. It is getting so bad that people who cycle regularly have to wear masks that filter the air.

People are taking notice of the problem but it is difficult to keep their attention, especially because there are so many other worldwide environmental problems, like the disappearance of the rain forests, to distract them.

Some solutions are coming forward and most new cars now come equipped with engines that can use unleaded petrol, but there is very little incentive for people to use it as it is not much cheaper than normal leaded petrol. I think one good solution would be for the government to take some action and ban private cars from the city centre and instead, improve public transport.

• One of the greatest threats to animals is rubbish. Rubbish on the beach and in the water endangers many animals. Seals, sea lions, birds and turtles are strangled by plastic rings, choke on plastic bags and pieces of glass and get entangled in fishing nets and lines. Plastic makes up the majority on of rubbish on the beach, since it is not biodegradable.

• Make your contribution to the environment. Since 1970, the world has been celebrating Earth Day every April. It’s a day to promote awareness and to learn what we can do to help preserve and protect our natural resources.

Dan Kernan, 17

Riverside, Illinois,

USA

The environment is one of the biggest problems in the world today. Every day it’s getting more difficult to breathe because of pollution and the cutting down of rain forests in Latin America. I usually don’t think too much about the environment, and most likely it is stupid of me not to.

Right now, a very large thin area exists in the ozone layer. Although the problem is always being mentioned in the newspapers, nothing seems to be getting done about it. It’s the same thing with the rain forests that are being destroyed. Most people, including myself, are just too lazy to do anything about it.

In my own area, the biggest environmental problem is waste. My community does have a recycling program, but it is very limited in the types of materials it will accept. In a nearby forest preserve, there is a section that looks like a dump site and has for years. They don’t clean it up because it is very rarely seen. They don’t seem to care about the animals in the area.

Toxic chemicals are poured into rivers and lakes every day along with ordinary garbage. The river by my house is filled with trash and yet a lot of people feed themselves by catching fish from the river. I really don’t know what can be done to stop this and make things better, but I think if we can invent things to destroy the world, we could invent things to save it also.

• Leaded petrol continues to be a major source of air pollution. Though cars in America have run on unleaded petrol since the 1970s, some European nations still produce cars which require leaded petrol, though this is slowly changing. Most buses and taxis still use leaded or diesel fuel, causing high levels of urban air pollution. Cyclists and even some pedestrians in large cities wear masks to avoid inhaling dirty air.

Rob Antrobus, 19

Tavistock, Devon,

England

The environmental issue which concerns me the most has only recently affected me. About a year ago I moved to London to study and it is here that I notice the damage that the volume of cars is doing to the environment. I moved from the Devonshire countryside to London and the contrast between the two is amazing. My clothes get dirtier quicker, my skin is always filthy and when I breathe, it is as though I can feel the pollution in my lungs. All of these things happen just to me; God knows how the whole Earth must be affected.

I think the world’s greatest concern is that of the ozone layer which has been slowly disintegrating. This increases the level of ultraviolet rays. Also the global climate is warming, which affects the level of the seas. These issues are often addressed by my friends as we are all concerned about our futures and especially our children’s futures.

Something certainly needs to be done. Many countries have imposed time limits to curtail the use of ozone-damaging materials but these seem to be years away. Even if we stopped using these materials today it would take years to repair the ozone layer, and by then, who knows what damage would already have been done.

• Efforts to recycle glass, paper and aluminium are increasing. Many American states have laws to promote or even require recycling. Germany and the Netherlands have more than 65 bottle banks per 100,000 people.

Christy Wilson, 17

Centreville, Maryland,

USA

Living in a rural agricultural area, you would think that there probably aren’t many environmental problems. Well, there are several problems but until recently, the prevalent issue had been pesticides in the water and on food. Now the government wants to build an incinerator only a few miles away to burn harmful waste products left by a military weapons testing area. Because of the prevailing wind, my town would be in the most danger if the incinerator had a leak or malfunctioned.

There are many legitimate arguments against the building of an incinerator but the main worry is that these reasons won’t be taken into consideration. There are already training programs to teach people how to operate the incinerator even though the Army says a decision about building it has not yet been made. All my friends and classmates discuss this issue often and even our teachers are surprised at how well-informed we are on the facts about the incinerator. Whether our concern will do any good is a question yet to be answered.

Other big environmental concerns for my community are littering and recycling. Trash on the side of the street is unpleasant to see every day on the way to school, but it’s even more disturbing to see people carelessly throw paper and plastic away. The recycling plants are few and far between because not enough people will take the initiative to bundle up newspapers once a week or throw aluminum cans in a different trash can to be recycled.

This problem is also a worldwide problem. The natural environmental resources are being used up and still many people in this country don’t recycle. When I talk about this with my friends we all get upset. Our school is very active in recycling and cleaning up the environment so it’s difficult to understand why other schools can’t participate equally.