Our world today is at a crossroad. As the people of the world, our world’s future depends on which road we take. There are two possibilities on how tomorrow’s world will be like. Either the world will be doomed or it will be a safe and enjoyable place to live in.
If we keep on living as we are today, the world’s future will be bleak. Global warming remains a haunting reality as long as developed nations do not do enough to stop pollution. This is because the pollution caused by all nations affects the whole world. By using motor vehicles, not curbing deforestation, building more industries and not recycling, we are actually increasing the amount of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. As a result of this and the thinning of the ozone layer, temperatures will rise. In another fifty years, the polar ice caps will melt, raising the sea level and causing islands and coastal areas to disappear. The people who live near the coastal areas will lose their homes. Habitats of different kinds of animals and birds such as turtles and seagulls will be destroyed. Cities or countries that are under the sea level now will be submerged and disappear completely from the world map.
The increase in temperature will cause an increase in the frequency of destructive storms and serious flooding in the north and west side of the world. In the south and east, summer will become warmer, drier and sunnier. With the ever changing climate, the production of food will be affected adversely. With floods and droughts, the crops cannot grow properly. There might not be enough food to feed the world’s population.
Pollution and extreme heat will also affect our health. Sulphur dioxide released through factories and burning of petrol causes respiratory problems in humans. People who are constantly exposed to extreme environmental heat will experience difficulties first. They need large amounts of water and salt to replace water and salts lost in sweat. But, will there be enough clean water as global warming increases? Without sufficient water, we will all suffer from dehydration and may collapse. It is also notable that continuous exposure to heat for many hours will cause heatstroke. Diseases like malaria and dengue fever will spread easily in warmer temperatures. Since the ozone layer is getting thinner and thinner each day because of pollution, there is a possibility that more people will suffer skin cancer and other skin diseases. If this extreme environmental heat and pollution keeps going on, the population of the world will decrease dramatically and Earth will become a less hospitable place to live in.
As nations are developing today, they are also using up and depleting the natural resources of the world. Year after year, the forests are decreasing because developing nations need the space to build their next project and use the woods as building materials. Trees are also decreasing because of acid rain. Acid rain destroys the surface of leaves, roots and eventually stunts the growth of the plants. Therefore, there will be no new trees to replace those which had been cut down.
Petroleum is also decreasing rapidly. We are producing more and more motor vehicles each year and to fuel them we need more petroleum. Since petroleum is non-renewable, the price of it will increase each year. But people still need petrol to fuel their cars. Therefore, who ever gets hold of that oil well, they will be rich. This can lead to fights and wars against the countries because of the perceived unfffairness and economic unbalance.
The world will be at stake if pollution increases and natural resources decrease. The next generation might have to live inside a chamber with protective suits and oxygen tanks on their backs. Their children might not even know what trees, snow, and dogs are. They might also have a very short lifespan.
If we start to reduce pollution, use renewable resources, and start recycling, the world might have a brighter future. To reduce pollution doesn’t mean we have to go back to the olden days of bicycles and horse carts. With the modern technology that we have now, we can start producing smart cars and solar powered cars to replace motor vehicles that run on petrol. Wind, solar, and hydro power can be used to produce electricity instead of relying on coal and petroleum. By recycling plastics, aluminum cans, paper, and rubber, the amount of rubbish will not only decreases, the amount of methane gas produced will also decrease. Our natural resources then will still be here for the next generation to enjoy.
With the pollution decreasing, there will be fresher air for us to breathe. Our health will improve and we might have a longer lifespan. With biotechnology there will be no problem to produce more nutritious food to feed the world’s population. Droughts, floods, and extreme weather will not happen so frequently. Habitats of animals will be preserved and extinction can be evaded.
All nations around the world have to work together to reduce pollution and that means they should all agree to limit the amount of industries that each country will have. The leaders and aristocrats should be fair and not get crazed over power and riches. The production of weapons should also be decreased because this is a step to end the fights and wars; it is a step to gain peace and harmony.
If these actions are taken, then the world will surely be a peaceful, safe and enjoyable place to live in. Our children will be able to learn and play in a safe environment without any worries. People will be able to live a more healthy and successful lifestyle. This is the road that we should take. This is how tomorrow’s world should be like. I look forward to the day when the leaders of our world realize the importance of working hand-in-hand for world protection. I look forward to the day when our presidents and kings decide that our number one priority is our mother Earth. When this happens, then and only then can we say that there will be a better world tomorrow.
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