MAN'S EVOLUTION

Has it been such a great thing for the earth?

Since men evolved from the apes and began to use instruments, they have shaped the world they lived in. This process of “shaping” has had both positive and negative effects on the earth.

Since the beginning, men have used available materials for creating and maintaining a safe environment for their families. They have continued to do so for hundreds of years and this has led to some negative consequences.

First of all, the destruction of the ecosystem. This caused the depleting of earth resources. Men have been cutting down forests in order to make paper and in order to erect buildings, for example. Men have been getting gas and oil out of the ground too. The exploitation of natural resources without thinking about the consequences has determined some changes in the world’s equilibrium: let’s think about global warming with the consequent rise in sea levels and change in the amount of precipitation.

Moreover, many human activities have caused air pollution: in fact, fuel-burning devices (such as incinerators and furnaces), motor vehicles, fumes from paint, spray or varnish are responsible for the pollution of the atmosphere.

Also the emergence of a consumer society has had negative effects on the earth. As we know, there’s an isle entirely made of rubbish in the Pacific Ocean called “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch”: it is mainly made of plastics and residues of what men have thrown away.

But probably the worst thing men have done for the planet is the fabrication of the h-bomb. The damage caused by using nuclear weapons is not limited to the loss of human life: also the consequences on the environment (the flora and the fauna) are terrible. Radiation has led to the infertility of the land; rivers and lakes get polluted and are undrinkable. All this may cause irreparable damage to the animals, which can’t survive.

On the other hand, men evolution has led to a new awareness. It’s true that men are now using a lot of throw-away items, but they are also trying to recycle things. In some countries, recyclable materials, such as paper, plastics and glass, are separately collected.

 

In addition to this, the development of technology has led to an alternative management of natural resources. Some examples of “environmental technologies” may be photovoltaic and hydroelectricity.

 

To sum up, evolution exists – we can’t avoid it – but we should evolve in harmony with the planet. Acquiring new knowledge does not only imply rights, but also responsibilities. Men should now face the problems they caused by exploiting  carelessly the earth resources.