Cheon-Yeong Hwang
Senior, Dept. of Environmental Engineering
A.D. 2100. Many people are going through boarding procedures. With concerned faces, they are waiting to board. There is no hope on anyone's face anymore. There is no place to live. Almost all the land on earth has sunk to the bottom of the sea since the water level rose after global warming. Their last hope is to board Noah's Ark, but there are almost no places left. It seems like a science fiction film story, doesn't it? But it could be the world of tomorrow.
We have developed our life at lightning speed since the industrial revolution. We enjoy many conveniences because of the ways we produce our goods, transport ourselves and our products, and generate the energy to heat and light the places in which we live, play, and work. Humans gain many things from the environment and much of the environment has been lost. Everything in nature is in balance. A bi-product of human life has been the breaking of this balance which is now driving changes in nature such as global warming, desertification, and the El Nino phenomenon. The earth's climate has changed rapidly during the history of human progress, so we need alternative plans such as "Carbon Neutral" to keep our planet alive.
First of all, we need a long-range plan for reforestation. Increasing the green-area can directly protect our environment. Trees can absorb radiant heat and can provide shade from the rays of sun. They play a major role in controlling the temperature on the earth, so we should plant as many trees as possible. Trees can also purify the air of pollutants. Every year, with the growth of the cities, the emission of fuel-gases is increasing. Natural purification by trees is an excellent way to clean our cities and the environment. In one way or another, we can preserve our environment by planting trees and increasing our forest areas.
In addition, we should promote public transportation. Not only can we save the cost of gas by using public transportation but we can also reduce total fuel emissions. The major cause of global warming and air pollution is the combustion engine. However, combustion is essential to life, as we know it. We cannot imagine our life without it, but we should minimize our use of it in our lives.
In conclusion, we are living in a limited space with limited resources. To lead our lives in such a place, we should preserve it. We do not own nature, we are a part of it, and our actions always have consequences. Climate changes such as global warming, desertification, and El Nino are just a few aspects of nature's feedback. Nature pays back the hurt which humans do to it. Now it is our turn to try to restore nature. We should heal our environment's hurts by planting trees and using public transportation. We may still have enough time to save our world - Do I need a ticket to Noah's Ark?
