Environmental protection

I

The scientific and technological progress of the twentieth century resulted in widespread mechanisation, automated lines computerised management, spaceships, atomic power stations, pipelines, new roads and highways.

But it can not be denied that the price for rapid industrial development is very high: natural resources are exhausted, the ecological balance of the planet is disturbed; some species of flora and fauna disappear; city and industry waters, chemicals and fertilisers are endangering lakes, rivers and ponds. Big cities have a problem with air pollution: the "Killer Smog" caused some 3500-4000 deaths in London in December 1952. Progress can be blamed for all these environmental problems.

In recent years the pollution problems have received great publicity. The Environmental movement associated with no political party has gained Widespread trust and support. Environmental activists stress that the problem is caused by industrial pollution and the automobile. Long-established environmental groups warn that acid rains threaten many forests. The media's begun to campaign against the ugliness of billboards, tin cans and trash. Many people started to realise that to keep air and water clean, strict pollution control is necessary.

The protection of natural resources and wildlife is becoming a political programme in every country. Numerous anti-pollution acts passed in different countries led to considerable improvements in environment. In many countries purifying systems for treatment of industrial waters have been installed, measures have been taken to protect rivers and seas from oil waters. Wildlife reservation models of undisturbed nature are being developed in some parts of the world.

But the environmental problems have grown beyond the concern of a single country. Their solution requires the cooperation of all nations.

II

Today environmental protection has become a universal problem. Technological progress improves people's lives, but at the same time it brings about pollution and contamination of land, water and air. The atmosphere of the Earth and the depths of the oceans are poisoned with toxic wastes created by the humans. Millions of species - animals, birds, fish have already disappeared from our planet. Natural resources are exhausted: the ecology of the planet is disbalanced. Big cities face the environmental catastrophe too. Concentration of millions of people on a tiny area causes numerous problems. Some of them can be solved only at the expense of creating new ones. Thus, air pollution is caused by the ever-increasing number of automobiles that help to cope with the transportation problem. The need for energy generates pollution on a large scale. Nuclear power plants threaten air, water and land. Radiation affects people's health. The accident at Chernobyl in 1986 was tragic for many people. The necessity to employ all the inhabitants of the city leads to the creation of new factories that produce not only consumer goods, but wastes, noise and smog. Another source of global danger is acid rain. It is a relatively new kind of pollution. Acid rains appeared as a reaction of the atmosphere to the air contamination. Acid rains damage water, forest, and soil resources. Acid rains cause the disappearance offish from many lakes, bring death to the forests and woods in Europe and America.

The survival of our civilisation depends on the ability of mankind to find a way out. The task of protecting the nature is of primary importance now. Recently the Environmental movement has gained widespread support. Environmental activists, organisations of Volunteers do their best to stop pollution of our planet.

III

Technical progress improves people's lives but at the same time it causes numerous problems. Trough the daily activities people pollute and contaminate water, land and air. There are a lot of sources of global danger. They are toxic wastes created by the humans, the influence of factories and power stations, automobiles and airplanes, big cities, and of course acid rains. The only thing that people fail to realize is that humanity depends completely on nature. The war on nature waged by mankind is a kind of suicide. People pollute the air that that they breath, poison the water that they drink. The most evident example of such suicidal tendencies is smoking. It does not only harm the health of the smoker but it is also destructive for the others.

Environmental protection is of primary importance today. Environmental activists, the organization of volunteers do their best to protect the nature. Due to this organizations many laws aimed at protecting the nature were passed. Greenpeace organization was created in 1987. It carries out many campaigns against environment pollution. The saving nature and animals has become a political program in many countries. Man should change his attitude to the nature to save it.