There is a jungle not too far from my place. It is densely saturated with trees, weeds and other types of wild growth. The jungle is also home to a pack of dogs. I reckon they are strays which found shelter amidst the blanket of green leaves that prevent many drops of water from touching the floor of the jungle at one go during a shower. The jungle is also very cooling. Probably because of the tiny droplets of water that are lost through the leaves through a process called transpiration. Relative humidity, intensity of sunlight, temperature and wind movement are all factors that affect the rate of transpiration in leaves; well, that's what I learned during my time at high school. However, snakes are quite hard to find in the jungle. Maybe they're well camouflaged or something like that. Monitor Lizards on the other hand are abundant in the jungle near my house. They can also be seen crossing the roads on a number of occasions; to get to the nearby lake which is a abundant with aquatic lifeforms. So now we know where the monitor lizards get their protein from. Besides that, there are also loads of interesting insects in the jungle. I can't name them for you as I am not that very knowledgeable on the recognition of six legged creatures.
Also, the various types of trees and plants that grow in the jungle flow create a harlequin scenery, which is pleasant in a sense. But at late, bits and bits of the jungle has been disappearing due to human activities. Trees which provide many animals and insects shelter are chopped down mercilessly to make room for the construction of new houses to accommodate the ever rising population of man. The chopped trees are then dumped at a specific corner where it is then left to rot and decay. One hill, which had loads of trees once was also shaved bald by heartless lumberjacks. The scenery now is less appealing to thine eye as the green mountains are now reduced to reddish-orange sand hills. The absence of trees have also made the area warmer. When you look back at it, these are all the result of mans greed and lust for money. If you do pay a visit to my neighborhood, you will notice that it looks very much like a mining site. Although around 60% of the jungle(its an estimation) has been cleared up, there are still remaining plots of jungle land that still lie untouched by human hands. But I'll give it around about 5 years or so, till that to subjected to total eradication.
What pisses me off is the fact that most construction workers aren't aware that whatever they're doing is having an adverse effect on the environment. They're actually contributing to the increase in carbon dioxide levels which are unable to be converted due to the absence of trees in the area. This will then trigger a chain reaction which will cause the temperature of the surrounding area where trees are absent or at a low number to rise. The rising temperatures then force occupants to install air conditioners in their homes. Little do they know that by doing so, they are actually contributing to the destruction of the ozone layer and global warming. Some may argue that their air conditioners use HCFC(Hydrochlorofluorocarbon) instead of CFC(Chlorofluorocarbon), but if you ask me, there is no real difference in the damage that it can do to our already depleting ozone layer. The difference between HCFC and CFC is that HCFC destroys less ozone molecule(Oxygen trioxide) during its lifetime whereas CFC destroys even more ozone molecules. In short, HCFC destroys lesser ozone molecules in relative to CFC, which helps in reducing the rate of ozone layer depletion.
Another alternative was to use HFC(Hydrofluorocarbon) as it contains no chlorine at all. But the problem with HFC is that it is expensive and more difficult to work with compared to our destruction prone CFC. Man's desire for material wealth can also be portrayed in the recent environmental disaster which is the drying up of the Aral Sea. Driven by lust, the Soviet Union, cut one of the main water supplies that fed the sea with freshwater for irrigation purposes. Now the once 4th largest sea in the world is reduced to a wasteland where decomposing bodies of dead fish and abandoned vessels lie lifelessly on. This news not only caught the United Nations Officials by surprise but also, people from every corner of the globe. The disappearance of 90% of a sea is no joke and should not be looked upon lightly. In order to restore the Aral Sea to its original magnitude will cost around 30-50 billion dollars; this folks is no small sum. Once the remaining 10% of the Aral Sea is gone, where would the residents who reside amidst the Aral Sea region get their supply of freshwater from? Aside from being a freshwater haven, the Aral Sea is also rich with aquatic life which is a rich source of protein.
Just look at what man's greed has driven them into doing. They've managed to annihilate a sea, an ecosystem and a source of life just by diverting the rivers which fed the sea with freshwater. The receding water levels has also left large plains covered with salt and toxic substances, which is the result of fertilizers and pesticides. These are then picked up and carried away by the wind to the surrounding areas. Fertilizer and pesticide residues which is heavily concentrated with radioactive substances has caused the inhabitants of the area to suffer from various health problems. This is no pretty site, and the cause of it is none other than mans lust for material wealth. In my perspective, the drying of the Aral Sea is sort of like a sign or a warning. Take care of the existing water sources we have or have it taken away from us. The only thing left is for us to choose. Thence, no matter water source, jungle or air, it is all part of the environment. We should take note that these are also equally important to us as they are to the people who specialize in conserving them. Imagine, what would become of us if the last fresh water source has dried up, or if the last tree has been chopped, or if the ozone layer that protects us from the suns harmful Ultraviolet Rays have been destroyed?
The answer is simple, we will be definitely subjected to extinction. That is a certainty.
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