Earth Day is once a year, so for one day people everywhere focus on how to improve the environment until they realize how extensive the damage really is. The problem isn’t a lack of resources to fix the problem; it is a lack of interest. How do we expect to reverse hundreds of years of damage if the majority of the population only reflects on our role on Earth one day of the year?
For those who ignore the environment and believe that it is healthy, think again. Polar bears are being born genderless and mutated because pesticides and hormones are polluting the world's oceans. Dolphin meat is being mixed with tuna because fishermen are lazy and don't remove it. Humans are eating increased amounts of mercury because the coal we burn is entering the ocean and contaminating fish. Despite the negatives, the majority of these problems can be solved, or at least slowed down, with human intervention.
The ocean is a fundamental part of our ecosystem. Without it, we lose numerous species of animals and wildlife that exist in the world. It is one of the largest sources of food, energy and commercial transportation. Unfortunately, the food demand increases. In all cases, overfishing is making it nearly impossible for the spawning stock to rebuild the population. Take the Atlantic bluefin tuna, for example. Without any natural predators, fishermen exploit and deplete their populations, selling them for hundreds of thousands of dollars apiece. If the government does not control it, the population will be destroyed. Other species lacking in environmental protection are the sword fish, marlin and shark.
When our source of fish is depleted, there are many social, environmental and economic impacts. For example, price inflation will occur when we have no fish in the ocean, which can lead to political conflicts between countries. Countries where fishing is a primary industry, or a large part of the culture, are most affected.
Fortunately, there are sustainable solutions that humans can do to create a better environment and avoid environmental refuges. The government can protect parts of the ocean to repopulate the species that are exhausted. We can also improve the techniques that we use for fishing. If we implement newer and safer methods, we can avoid the destruction of the ocean, saving its resources for future generations. After all, growth is doing the best, not necessarily bigger. The Earth is not growing; our resources are limited. The conservation of resources is required for the growing population to continue to survive on this planet.
We just began the 46th year of a cause that continues to inspire and motivate people to challenge ideas and make a difference. Earth Day gives a voice to an emerging awareness, channeling human energy toward environmental issues. In the 362 days until the next Earth Day, let’s make an effort to continue to power groundbreaking ideas, lower our carbon footprint and reduce our energy consumption.
