The Importance of Environment

Environment: Humans have always inhabited two worlds. One is the natural world of plants, animals, soils, air, and water that preceded us by billions of years and of which we are a part. The other is the world of social iinstitutions and artifaces that we create for ourselves using science, technology, and political organization. Both worlds are essential to our lives, but intergrating them successfully causes enduring tensions.

Where earlier people had limited ability to alter their surroundings, we now have power to extract and consume resources, produce wastes, and modify our world in ways that threaten both our continued existence and that of many organisms with which we share the planet. To ensure a sustainable future for ourselves and future generations, we need to understand something about how our world works, what we are doing to it, and what we can do to protect and improve it.

Environment ( from the French environner: to encircle or surround) can be defined as (1) the circumstances or conditions that surround an organism or group of organisms, or (2) the complex of social or cultural conditions that effect an individual or community. Since humans inhabit the natural world as well as the "built" or technological, social, and cutural world, all constitute important parts of our environment.

Word "environment" is most commonly used describing "natural" environment and means the sum of all living and non-living things that surround an organism, or group of organisms. Environment includes all elements, factors , and conditions that have some impact on growth and development of certain organism. Environment includes both biotic and abiotic factors that have influence on observed organism. Abiotic factors such as light, temperature, water, atmospheric gases combine with biotic factors (all surrounding living species). Environment often changes after some time and therefore many organisms have ability to adapt to these changes. However tolerance range is not the same with all species and exposure to environmental conditions at the limit of an certain organism's tolerance range represents environmental stress.

So why is environment important?

The simplest explanation about why the environment matters is that, as humans, the environment—the Earth—is our home. It is where we live, breathe, eat, raise our children, etc. Our entire life support system is dependent on the well-being of all of the species living on earth. This is commonly referred to as the biosphere, a term created by Vladimir Vernadsky, a Russian scientist in the 1920s.The biosphere refers to one global ecological system in which all living things are interdependent

Food Chain
The food chain is an example of this. The sun provides light and heat for plants. The plants are consumed by animals who are in turn consumed by other animals who may in turn, be consumed by humans. Or perhaps they are used for material, clothing, etc. Even insects like mosquitoes play a role and of course bees pollinate plants.

Ecosystem
Within the overall biosphere, or ecosystem, there are smaller ecosystems like the rainforests, marine ecosystems, the desert and the tundra. When any of these systems are off kilter, it impacts the entire planet. All of the environmental problems that exist have far-reaching implications for the health of our planet and its inhabitants.

For example, global warming causes a rise in sea levels which effects marine life. The rising sea levels also cause land erosion which harms the habitats of animals living by the coast. Global warming also melts polar caps and leads to arctic shrinking. This endangers the polar bears and other arctic wildlife. Since the icecaps are made of fresh water, they will throw off the saline levels in the ocean which will affect ocean currents. Furthermore, the ice caps reflect light. As they disappear the Earth will get darker and absorb more heat increasing the Earth's temperature.

Threat of Environmental Degradation
The deterioration of the environment, often referred to as environmental degradation, threatens the earth's natural resources such as our clean water supply, fossil fuels for energy and food supply. Many of these resources are nonrenewable so when they run out we will be forced to find new alternatives.

Natural Beauty
Another reason why the environment is so important is because it is a source of natural beauty. According to Healthy nature healthy people: contact with nature as an upstream health promotion intervention for populations, a research paper written by Cecily Maller, Mardie Townsend, Anita Pryor, Peter Brown and Lawrence St Leger, nature plays a key role in human health and well-being. The paper even suggests that contact with nature might play a role in preventing mental illness.

Unfortunately the planet is in danger. Many species of animals and plants are nearing distinction. Our clean water supply is at risk and more and more of our beautiful, open spaces are disappearing as new buildings and factories are built.

The environment is important because it is the only home we have. Many experts believe that we can reverse some of the harm the planet has suffered. The challenge is getting enough people to take drastic enough action so that we can make a difference in our lifetime.