Personal Responsibility Toward Natural Resources Nature is represented by all the living and non-living organisms on this planet. Water, plants, mammals, fish, mountains, all have a role in the ecosystem, and are dependent on one another. Although the most dominant species, humans are also the most dependent of them all. We, humans, depend on nature and its resources to survive; yet it seems that we are unaware of this fact, judging by the way we waste and abuse our natural resources. Our quality of life is directly related to natural resources and using them responsibly would ensure that the next generations will also have those resources available. That is not the case however, not only have we almost depleted the supplies of coal, oil, and natural gas, but we processed them negligently, so our waters, atmosphere, and land are polluted as a result of it. Earth has no rights, unlike us, humans, that are protected by the constitution of the country we reside in. How will Earth defend itself from the species that has the most judgment on the planet and it still ignores the signs that the planet is sending us: ozone layer is thinning, global warming, ice caps are melting, fish dying in the rivers and oceans due to contamination, extinction rates skyrocketing due to deforestation and urbanization. The impact of hundreds of species being extinct and hundreds other considered endangered is also mentioned in Reading Literature and Writing Argument “research shows that preserving species of plants and animals is intrinsically related to the preservation of our own viability as a species” (James and Merickel 279). The planet will not fight back, we are to make a change in our ways and fix the wrong we have done. Deforestation harms the planet, because trees absorb carbon dioxide and other dangerous gases and emit Oxygen. Cutting more trees, for development or urban areas, or industrial purposes only contributes to the green house effect that has a direct impact on global warming. It’s easy to see how one action impacts another then another, and like a domino effect, the entire system is bound to collapse because of humanity’s abuse over the natural resources. We must stop the abuse, protect the earth and preserve natural resources for the generations to come to enjoy as well.
The first step in breaking this exploitation of the earth and its natural resources is to acknowledge that we have done something wrong, then come up with a plan to change it, and finally implement the plan by every single individual. We are all responsible for the wrong doing, so we all should contribute to making a change. It all starts with a change in our attitudes: we are consumers, we want it all: the nice car, the bigger house, stylish clothes each season; however we don’t see how this is affecting the planet. Bigger cars mean more emissions, bigger houses equal to suburbanization, pushing wildlife out of their territory and tearing down forests for subdivisions and golf courses. Companies want to produce more and more, on the other side, we are avid, and end up buying it all. Change has to come first with a simple way of life, we must engage in a sustainable way of life, reduce our consumption and very important: recycle. Recycling doesn’t only apply to paper, glass and plastic thrown in different colored bins. But recycle things we don’t want anymore, or buy used items. The life of a chair is not only for a few years until you decide to redecorate and it doesn’t fit the style anymore. The chair shouldn’t go to the trash, donate it, someone else will use, and thus extending its life, it’s like that saying: one man’s trash another man’s treasure. These are just few and very simple examples of what each individual can help with. However, if we look at the bigger picture, there are much greater contributors to the situations the planet is in.
Industrialization and aggressive agriculture have damaged the one resource life cannot survive without: water. Our bodies are made of approximately 50% water, it is imperative for life to exist, yet we continue to pollute our rivers and oceans, and even our aquifers are being affected. The Natural Defense Council states, “Dirty water is the world's biggest health risk, and continues to threaten both quality of life and public health in the United States” (NRDC). Our water is polluted because of a variety of practices, for example fraking. The process uses water mixed with chemicals and sand to release natural gas. During this process, chemicals are being released in the groundwater and contaminate local water supplies. Another consequence of fraking the evaporation of the leftover materials, that contaminates the atmosphere and even cause acid rains. Fraking should be discontinued and our water saved from all the chemicals. Supporters of fraking however argue that we need natural gas, so fraking is purposeful. That can still be argued because the need for fossil fuels can decrease and even at some point in the future disappear. We can replace those damaging fossil fuels with renewable energy, such as solar, and wind energy. The technology for these alternates is available and they started slowly to gain more supporters.
Going back to what any individual can do to in this be more responsible towards our natural resources is to car pool more often to reduce usage of gas, or replace a normal vehicle with a hybrid or electric car, another option is to use solar power for the house needs. Although those systems are costly to install they make up for the one time investment. Another form of being responsible towards our natural resources is to reduce our carbon footprint. Americans’ carbon footprint is one of the largest around the world, and that is caused by driving, actually all transport in general, including the miles that our food travels. A more sustainable choice would be to buy local products only, choose only items made in US, support local farmers, and buy produce that is in season that way it hasn’t travelled thousands of miles from some tropical country. There are solutions for the situation we have created. What is missing is the commitment of humanity to make a change. We need a joint effort of all the inhabitants of this planet, to reverse the damage that we have done, and give the generations to come the best gift of all: a healthy planet Earth to call home.

Works Cited
James, Missy, and Alan Merickel. Reading Literature and Writing Argument. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print.
"Water." Pollution Facts, Effects of Pollution, Clean Act. Web. 05 Feb. 2016.