The destruction of the environment is an issue of important international concern. In fact, it is an issue which affects every single person on the planet. It is apparent that human beings are themselves responsible for the damage to the global environment. For example, damage to the soil is being caused by the excessive dumping of garbage. The greenhouse effect is being caused by the use of fossil fuels and the destruction of the rain forests. Damage to the ozone layer is being caused by the use of aerosol sprays. Water pollution and the destruction of marine life is being caused by oil spills and industrial wastes. All of these factors are having a detrimental effect on the world's "important life-supporting ecosystems" (McCormick 172). This damage will effect humans as well as other forms of animal life. As noted by McCormick, "humanity is utterly dependent on a healthy natural environment" (195). Fortunately, the damage to the earth can be overcome if everyone participates in solving the problem. Individuals, companies and national governments must all do their share in order to meet this challenge. However, the starting point for environmental change lies with the individual.
There are many things that an individual can do to either directly or indirectly save the environment. For example, the individual plays an important role in reducing the amount of garbage that goes into the country's landfills. Hynes has pointed out that the U.S. alone "creates about 450,000 tons of residential and commercial sold waste every day" (47). A large amount of this garbage can be recycled. Therefore, I would propose that people recycle their cans, bottles, paper, and other household products. In this way, the amount of garbage on the earth can be reduced. Another thing that people can do to save the environment is reduce the amount of fossil fuels that they use every day. According to Hynes, air pollution can be greatly red...