Humans need this wondrous plant Earth we call home, to survive, grow and prosper as a living organism. The Cambridge Dictionary defines conservation as, “carefully using valuable natural substances that exist in limited amounts in order to make certain that they will be available for as long a time as possible” (“Conservation”). The Cambridge Dictionary also goes on to state that conservation is also, “the protection of plants and animals, natural areas, and interesting and important structures and buildings, especially from the damaging effects of human activity” (“Conservation”). Conservation in a literal sense is important because without it, we as humans will abuse and overuse the very resources we need to survive on this planet. Take the native buffalo (Bos bison) of North America for example, in the early 16th century there were millions of buffalo across the Great Plains, and by the late 19th century there were only hundreds remaining, who were almost slaughtered to extinction. This is unfortunately not endemic to just one species, there has been a number of species pushed to the brink of extinction due to that of humans. Therefore, conservation is required due to the disastrous effects of the rising human population and is needed to viably preserve clean water, living organisms and important natural areas.
Every spring, many people yearn for that voluminous chirp high in the trees of that bird species they so dearly love. Although a yearly reminder that spring is here, the very humans that cherish that melodic tune may be the driving factor that is pushing such organisms to extinction. With the conversion of viable habitat for organisms to thrive and survive being changed into agriculture to feed the masses or housing complexes to house the masses, species from around the globe are being dramatically affected. “In other words, the density of people is a key factor in species threats, depending upon the ecological nature of a nation and the number of species ‘available’ for the threat of extinction” (McKee). With that being said, the thought of having such species alive and well for future generations of humans to see and enjoy is one that needs to be addressed. At a young age children are shown photos and video footage of different animals and plants from around the globe and many get inspired to see such organisms in the future, but what if they were told they no longer existed? This unfortunate statement, unless the idea of conservation as a concept grows and develops into a guiding principle that everyone follows, may become the reality for such succeeding generations.
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Pollution of all kinds throughout time have made it into waterways around the globe. Things like large plastic, chemicals and even trash could be floating around that favorite swimming hole or fishing spot. Unfortunately enough, a large amount of human waste ends up in the waterway systems that humans and every other living organism on this planet count on to survive. It is baffling, that “a lack of access to safe water or sanitation contributes to the spread of infections and water borne disease, killing nearly 1 million people each year. Further, every 2 minutes a child dies from a water-borne disease” (“Water Crisis”). These numbers put into perspective why the conservation of water is so important and this is not even taking into consideration the effects polluted water has on wildlife. The billions of pounds of trash that litter the ocean, fertilizers and pesticides that runoff into lakes and streams from nearby fields, and those pillow like clouds of black that pour from factory smokestacks that contribute to acid rain, are all prime examples of how humans contaminate water. The population growth of humans has a lot to do with the quantity of water needed and the quality of that water, so it becomes imperative for humans as a whole to conserve the water that is present to avoid a crisis. Already “globally, 844 million people lack access to safe water and 2.3 billion people don’t have a toilet” and in the foreseeable future those numbers are said to rise (“Water Crisis”).
Recreation and tourism of natural areas are major economic contributors to the GDP of many countries from around the globe. With that being said, individuals that may only see the monetary gain from such sites and not just the aesthetic of keeping a natural area natural, may have a reason to conserve and preserve such an area. With the rising human population, such forests and natural areas are being converted into agriculture and infrastructure. “As the population grows, more and more forests are cleared. The two most common reasons for deforestation are to make houses for increased number of people to live in, and to use wood as a fuel in the industries” (Mittal). This has drastic effects on not only wildlife, but the planet as a whole. Wildlife lose their habit that is essential for their survival and the photosyntheic plants can no long sequester the carbon from the air to produce the oxygen that is needed for any organism to survive if such natural areas are deforested or destroyed.
To sustain life at all here on Earth conservation of the natural world be it plants, aniamls or the many resources utilized for daily life, need to be pushed to the forefront of world issues and protected. Idealy if humans did not exist would the concept of conservation even be needed? The ever so growing population of humans is catastrophically contaminating water, exploiting plants and animals and destroying natural areas, so intuitive conservation will be needed to slow the inevitable destruction if change does not occur. Humans will contiue to survive and thrive on Earth, but at a cost that is unprecedntaly irreconcilable to the biodiversity, health and future of the planet.