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In recent decades, the concept of protecting and respecting the environment has gained more weight, and it is very common to ask ourselves: why is it important not to actually pollute the environment? Not only have we come to the conclusion that it is essential to take care of the environment, but the possibility that the UN includes the right to a "healthy environment" in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is even being debated.
But really where does it lie the importance of the environment? Why is it so essential? What can we do to protect it? Then from EcologyGreen We tell you everything you should know about how to take care of the environment. Take note!
What is the environment
The environment is recognized as set of natural and artificial elements that enable the existence of organisms in a given space and time. Said in a more technical way, it is made up of the biotic and the abiotic factor. The biotic factor It corresponds to all living beings, which are divided into different kingdoms. The most complex kingdom is the animal kingdom (animals), followed by the plant kingdom (plants), the fungal kingdom (yeasts, mushrooms and molds), the protoctist kingdom (algae and protozoa) and, finally, the monera kingdom (bacteria).
On the other hand, the abiotic factor It is composed of chemical and physical components that lack life but that affect both the proper functioning of ecosystems and that of organisms. Within this group we find all the missing components of life in an ecosystem, such as energy flows, atmospheric conditions, gases, concentrations of organic and inorganic substances and water resources. The water, the light, the pH, the humidity, the temperature, the oxygen, the soil, the different nutrients and the air are the most notable.
The environment as a source of resources
Having understood what the environment is and what it is made of, it is essential to understand that living things we use it as a source of resources, hence the importance when it comes to conserving it. Food is extracted from it, as we see for example in the case of zebras, which feed on the grass of the savannah. However, it is also useful to better develop certain activities, such as the branches that chimpanzees use to remove ants from small cavities.
Of course, we also use the environment to better build a home, as we see with swallows or, in a more complex way, to differentiate ourselves from other beings, as we humans do when making our own clothing. The Batwa, a pygmy people from Burundi and Rwanda, use wood from the forest as a source of energy, for example.
The environment as space
As a physical place, in the environment we grow and develop. Some species adapt to the environment to create their nests, burrows or houses. Others look for suitable holes to protect themselves, raise their offspring, overcome adverse weather conditions or even to have better advantages when hunting.
Examples of animals come to mind, but let's go further: there are other living beings that thrive in the environment according to the conditions of this physical space. This occurs in the case of cyanobacteria, bacteria that are found in large areas of water where there is an excess of nutrients. Another example could be that of moss or bryophyte, which needs moist spaces to exist, be it small cracks on stones or branch surfaces.
The environment as a place of interaction with other living beings
From a more abstract point of view, in the environment we interact with other individuals. This can occur with members of the same species to mate, as roe deer do every fall, or to protect themselves and learn other behaviors useful to grow and survive, as occurs with sheep when they learn from their mothers to eat thyme and avoid thus digestive ailments. The interaction can also be seen from a more sociable vision in which one seeks to play, as we see with orcas when it comes to playing with each other with algae.
When using it as interaction space with other species, the environment can also serve for the concrete survival of many organisms, as occurs with the mutualistic symbiotic relationship of coral and algae, where both take advantage of each other to exist in more favorable conditions. Without this relationship of different species, coral reefs would not grow the same and could not be the habitat of thousands of living things.
You may also be interested in this article on What living beings need to live.
Why the environment is important
Therefore, without a healthy, diverse and balanced environment, there would not be many species and, in fact, we would not exist humans, since we depend on it. Here lies our pressure as the species that causes the most impact, since the pollution and the environment They are the responsibility of the human being. In this other article we explain in more detail how pollution affects the environment.
It is essential to reduce our impact not only so that the human species continues to exist, a basic condition that we sometimes forget, but also so that the rest of the species can live in a dignified and safe way. We have reached a point where it is impossible to deny our impact on the environment; We must be clear that the Earth will end up self-regulating when we become extinct, however, it is not fair that we put at risk the continuity of thousands of other species. Even humans whose impact is negligible compared to ours (such as the Amazon tribes, Australian aborigines, Africans, etc. due to their lower technological development) are affected by the style of consumption and development that we carry.
Therefore, we must understand why the environment is important and why we must care for and protect it. If you want to formulate an explanation of how to take care of the environment for childrenIt is essential to bear in mind that it is in the hands of all of us to create a more sustainable space in which it is possible to coexist in harmony without putting the existence of millions of species at risk.
From Ecologist Verde we also recommend you take a look at this article on Ecological education for children: learning to take care of the environment.
If you want to read more articles similar to The importance of the environment, we recommend that you enter our category of Other environment.
Bibliography- Biology. Campbell N. and Reece J. (2007). Editorial Panamericana.
- https://news.un.org/es/story/2018/10/1444342
- https://www.fundacionaquae.org/wiki-explora/16_coral/index.html
- https://www2.eez.csic.es/olivares/ciencia/fijacion/cianobacterias.htm
- https://viajes.nationalgeographic.com.es/ubicacion-exacta/ksar-mas-famosomarruecos_14283
