Pro-Environment Paper

As a citizen of the world, it's your duty to take care of our planet. If you believe we all have an obligation to protect the environment, then these are three signs that you're pro-environment. Have a look at this list of reasons why people are pro-environment and see if any resonate with you.

The environment matters to everyone.

If you see environmental issues as being connected to a broader social and cultural issue, then you're pro-environment. We're all connected – we're all human. Author Brian Moore  (above) has said, "We are a part of the natural world, and we are inextricably related to it." And Carl Safina  (above), author of the New York Times bestseller " Beyond Words: Why Signs , Symbols and Nonsense Are So Important ," has written, "We are animals … We share our biosphere with other animals of every species, from birds and bees to sea mammals. We all live on the same rock in space, held to it by gravity, spinning around a nuclear fireball. We all breathe the same air, drink the same water and eat, and are made of, the same things."

If you're pro-environment, you probably like  being close to nature.   Scientists have found that  people who spend a lot of time in nature have higher levels of positive emotions compared with people who devoted less time to green spaces. And having access to green space helps people recover more quickly from stressful events.

It's important to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to keep our planet livable for our children and grandchildren. If you're pro-environment then you may have close ties to your family, and you probably wouldn't want to see them suffer due to your irresponsible choices.  In 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said if we don't curb greenhouse gas emissions soon, we may face catastrophic consequences such as extreme droughts and floods caused by climate change.

All living things are part of an ecosystem, and they need water, food and shelter in order to survive. If you believe that all living things should be treated with respect and fairness, then you're pro-environment. One way to show compassion for other living things is to reduce waste so that everyone has enough resources to survive.  This is especially important in the case of newborn babies, who require more sustenance  than adults do.

The environment is more than just a place we go to escape from the heat or to enjoy nature. It's a part of all our lives. If you believe that environment plays a role in shaping what we are today, then you're pro-environment. When author Carl Safina  (above) speaks about marine conservation, he does so by drawing on experiences he had as a child growing up in Massachusetts and his time as a young man working at a laboratory at Harvard University that was dedicated to studying fish. He knows the importance of protecting wildlife and our oceans because it's something we all experience every day.

"I don't separate the natural world from people at all. It's fully a part of our daily lives," says Safina. "It's a huge part of who we are in every way and it's something that affects every decision that we make."

The environment is here for all of us to enjoy and appreciate.   If you love being outdoors, then you're probably pro-environment because you want to protect the natural areas where you play, and where your family goes on day trips. Taking care of nature helps everyone appreciate its beauty and bounty while also taking steps toward protecting it in the future.

Author and activist Rachel Carson  (above) was a marine biologist and a conservationist who's best known for her book " Silent Spring ." She started the environmental movement. When she was a little girl, she'd bring home baby robins that had fallen from their nests. Because Carson believed in the importance of nature, she led efforts to ban agricultural insecticides that were killing birds.

On June 5, 1962, President John F. Kennedy said in his " A Strategy of Peace " speech, "We all live in the same fragile planet." Environmentalists like Rachel Carson want everyone to understand how vital it is for us to protect our environment so we can continue to live here in a healthy way.

If you're pro-environment, you probably believe in the importance of recycling and composting. By making sure that everyone is aware of the benefits of recycling and composting, you can help protect our planet from trash overload.

Author and activist Annie Leonard  (above) has been working to protect the environment starting with her collegiate days at a small women's college in upstate New York. She was so inspired by a professor who taught about food that she became an activist for healthy, fair food systems. In 1992 she co-founded The Story of Stuff Project , an educational organization that aims to change the way we think  and talk about material stuff.

If you're pro-environment, you probably support laws that require everyone to recycle and compost.   This can discourage people from dumping their trash wherever they like. In Brazil, there's been a major problem with trash overload because of lack of waste management services in poor neighborhoods. But when the government passed the law requiring recycling and composting, there was an 80 percent drop in overflowing landfills in just one year.

"I think we all have an obligation to protect the environment," Leonard says. "We all have to work together or our work won't matter."

If you're concerned about climate change and global warming, then maybe you're pro-environment too.   You may want to learn more about the environment and how you can help protect it so that future generations can enjoy a healthy planet.  You should also talk to family and friends about the importance of protecting the environment, because they too can make a difference by doing things such as recycling and composting.

The United Nations has declared 2015 as " The International Year of Soils ," which is great news for people who are  pro-environment because soils give us food, fuel, fiber and water. When you're enjoying a walk in a park or nature preserve, it's likely that much of what you see growing there started in soil.

Conclusion:  

I hope you enjoyed this article about the people who are pro-environment.  It's important to know that you're not alone in caring about protecting the environment. There are many others like you who love the world we live in and want to help protect it for future generations. 

If you'd like to learn more, here are some great books on environmentalism: " The Lorax ," by Dr. Seuss  (1971) " Silent Spring ," by Rachel Carson  (1962) " Green Eggs and Ham ," by Dr.