Ecology
Most people in the Western world have a tendency to over-use the resources they have available to them. For example, the majority of people in the United States drive to work or home -- often alone -- even when, especially in major cities, public transportation is convenient, fast, and efficient. This creates the need for more gas and oil usage --- resources which are non-renewable. This is especially problematic with "gas guzzling" vehicles such as pick-up trucks or sport-utilities. While the efficiency and environmental friendliness of gas-powered vehicles has improved, they still produce some pollution. Moreover, the technology of electric and solar powered vehicles exists, but as long as people continue to buy gasoline-powered vehicles, the car manufactures will continue to make a profit and will have no reason to introduce alternative-energy vehicles into the market, which are virtually pollution-free.
Americans also generate an extremely
large amount of garbage a year -- over 200 million tons. This is
about 4.3
pounds of trash per person per day. Landfills are
filling up at such a fast rate that
many will be full within, at most, a few years. Soon, there will
be no place to put the garbage. Incineration may not be a viable
option as burning trash could release poisonous toxins into the air.
The only other solution is recycling and reusing trash, which to give credit
where it is due, is done better in America now than at any point in its
past. However, it is still not nearly enough.
Industry and chemicals create many pollutants that have a detrimental effect on the environment. Even today, there are many "holes" in the ozone layer. These holes allow the sun's ultra-violet radiation into the earth, which can cause many problems in animals, plants, and human beings (the most widespread of which is skin cancer).
All these ecological problems create havoc with the natural environment.