Environmentally
Friendly
The environment is
currently taking a backseat in the majority of American priorities. Countries
across the world are taking big steps to create a clean, safe environment for
its citizens, while America seems to be falling short. Our oceans are becoming
a huge concern, as time goes on, plastic usage is skyrocketing. No matter if
federal regulations are in place to prevent higher levels of pollution, or if
the American people have to take the environments best interest into their own
hands, there is no argument that the planet needs our help.
The
thought that our environment deserves our attention by receiving federal funds
and organizations such as the E.P.A is normally a democratic value.
Republicans, even if they care deeply for the environment, believe that federal
restrictions, prevention acts and funding are simply not necessary. There are
downsides to the Environmental Protection Agency. It is costly, and a lot of
the money does come out of tax payer’s pockets. New and tighter regulations can
be difficult to adhere to. Finding alternative choices to toxic chemicals can
be a challenge to a lot of businesses. Although the agency’s budget is nowhere
close to the amount of spending is allotted for other federal organizations it
is no doubt a good chunk. E.P.A may be expensive but it sure has done some
great things. Without it, manufacturing companies would be able to use whatever
chemicals they please in order to save money, which in turn would release the
chemicals into our air. Thankfully the Clean Air Act was enacted in 1970 by our
Environmental Protection Agency. Nowadays regulations on this act are even
stricter to ensure
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the health of the
population. It was predicted that 200,000 premature deaths were prevented by
reducing the allotted amount of pollutants that were to be released into the
atmosphere. Similar to the clean air act, the clean water act was necessary to
keep our drinking and swimming water safe. As well as the safe drinking water
act which was to regulate the amount of filtration our faucet water goes
through as well as the pipes it travels through. Without it our public water
would have no restriction to the amount of lead used, or any other toxins, it
would be up to the city and how much money they would want to spend. The Great
Lakes take up 21% of our clean, fresh water, without federal restrictions or
the Great Lake Quality Agreement of 1972, chemical and toxic dumping would be
completely legal and the cleanliness of these lakes would be at a huge risk. If
chemicals were just thrown away into our lakes, hardly anything would be able
to live under or around the lake due to the in gestation of toxins. Fishing
would be either prohibited or a waste of time, which could in turn end a lot of
careers that rely on the lake. In terrible cases the water could perhaps catch
on fire, like the Cuyahoga River in Ohio did after being infested with toxic
waste. Regulations in the United States have definitely saved us from a lot of
tragedy, although many improvements are still necessary.
Countries
across the world are making the planets’ health its top priority. Renewable resources
have taken over as the norm. Money is spent on enforcing environmentally
friendly regulations, and disaster prevention acts instead of defense costs.
France has just recently placed a ban on plastic plates and cups and some areas
in India have banned plastic bags. Trees are being planted instead of cut down
across seas. In many European countries such as Lithuania regulations on the
amount of trees cut down put the environment before agriculture, which is a
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huge cause of
deforestation. Agriculture is also limited by the amount of animals that are
allowed to graze the land and the amount of land that can be grazed to prevent
the permanent killing of plants in that area. Alternative choices for paper
have been found, and alternative choices to waste management has helped
countries keep their waters and air clean and safe for consumption. Many other
cities across the world have taken strides towards green living. In Copenhagen
a billion dollars was spent on cycle highways and bike lanes to encourage
bicycle riding over a car. Now over 45% of the citizens bike to school or work
every day. “A very efficient district heating system where 98% of all
households are connected and a cooling system where cold is taken of the
harbor. It saves 70% of the energy compared to traditional air-conditioning”
(City, 4) Copenhagen is on its way to become the first carbon neutral capital
by 2025. This plan includes specific areas of improvement such as energy
production consumption and green mobility. Many other areas around the world
are working on plans to reduce carbon emissions and increase green mobility
instead of taking the cheap option of continuing coal plants and gas powered
vehicles. Around the world there are countries that are putting the United
States to shame. The environment is at the top of the list, as it should be.
Other countries have realized that there would be no military, social security
or Medicare to worry about with a toxic environment.
The United States and other countries have either done a
fantastic job implanting plans to keep their land safe or a terrible job.
Either way there is one area the entire world needs to take a closer look at. The
amount of plastic in our oceans is getting to be more than the amount of marine
life. Besides the fact that plastic is not biodegradable, it looks a lot like
food to many of our under water creatures. For example, sea turtles love to
snack on jelly fish, a plastic bag
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swiftly moving around in
the ocean replicates the look of these yummy jelly fish to a tee. Consumption
of plastic, can cause numerous health problems for these beloved creatures. It
can cause organ failure, injury and disease, which then eventually leads to
death. Whales are washing up on shore with stomachs full of plastics and other
garbage that is dumped in the ocean. When whales consume their food they
basically open their huge mouths are suck in all the fish they can,
unfortunately this makes it hard for them to avoid garbage pieces mixed in with
schools of fish. The ocean is also filled with “microplastics” tiny pieces of
plastic that attract toxins and chemicals, such as DDT. Even if a chemical is
banned on land, these microplastics allow them to stick around. The pieces can
congregate together and take up spaces in the ocean larger than Texas. Plastics
aren’t the only problems the ocean is facing. Oil and chemical spills by large
shipping boats are becoming all too common, as well as busted pipelines that
release millions of gallons of toxic thick sludge. Oil in our oceans
immediately kills fish by suffocating them and destroying any food or homes
they may have had. Clean up of oil spills needs to happen almost right away if
the prevention of extensive damage is a possibility, but sadly, stopping the
leak and the removal of the oil can take years. The effects last indefinitely,
which is why prevention acts are a must. Human invasion into the ocean also can
destroy its plant life. By touching coral with any human material, it is
immediately considered dead.
Our
environment is getting worse and worse by the minute. Our wildlife is dying,
and the pollution is rising. Our oceans are filled with plastics and other
garbage, and it seems to be of very little concern to the United States. Even
with the split views of what is best for our country, there is no doubt that
our planet needs our help whether it’s from the federal government or just the
average citizens.
“City of
Copenhagen | Profile | State of Green.” Home,
stateofgreen.com/en/profiles/city-of-copenhagen.
Harvard Law. “Clean Air Act-Stationary Source
Greenhouse Gas Regulations” Academic Article.
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.cvtc.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=6&sid=81544a17-dbfd-4919-a063-de4861fbc7ac%40sessionmgr4010&hid=4202&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWNvb2tpZSxpcCxjcGlkJmN1c3RpZD1zNjI0NjcxMiZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=99540593&db=buh
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