Conservation and Preservation

Conservation and preservation are two responsibilities that go in tandem. We cannot conserve without making an effort to preserve, and we cannot preserve if we do not learn to conserve. Conservation and preservation are means to protect the ecosystem from destruction, prevent the natural resources from depletion, and maintain the population of endangered species.

1)      Conservation and preservation  involve our active participantion.

2)     Conservation and preservation:

a.      Allow future generation to learn, appreciate and understand how animals and plants struggle to survive under the pressure of environmental changes.

b.      Prevent the extinction of plants and animal.

c.       Discourage humans from destroying natural habitats when they are exploiting natural resources.

The importance of conservation and preservation of living organisms.

1)      Conservation and preservation ensure that we continue to get our foodstaples like vegetables fruits, rice, cereals, poultry, meat and fishes.

a)     Conservation refers to the intelligent, careful and systematic use of resources without bringing any harm to living organisms in the environment.

b)     Preservation refers to the measures taken to keep living things and their environment in their original and balanced state.

2)     Both efforts allow us to continue using natural resources like petroleum, natural gas and timber.

3)     These two measures ensure that we continue to get clean water and fresh, clean air.

4)     Conservation and preservation efforts will ensure that we have a favourable climate to live in.

5)     They ensure that future generations will have the chance to enjoy beaches and forests. Wildlife and exotic plants will continue to exist.

Solving Environmental Pollution

Some of the environmental problems can be solved easily and immediately by individuals. Others require the combined from various countries, over long periods of time.

What can you do to prevent pollution

• Throw all solid waste that cannot be recycled into litterbins, not into drains or on the ground. 
• Pour all liquid wastes into sewers and not into open drains, rivers or the sea.
• Stop using products that contain harmful substances such as CFCs which can damage our environment
• Use products that are made from recycled materials such as recycled paper.
• Take part in project such as caring for the environment such as tree planting campaigns and cleaning-the beach-beach projects.
• Use public transport such as public buses and trains.

What the community can do to prevent pollution

• Organise campaigns and talks to make the public more aware of the need to care for the environment and how environmental problems can be solved or avoided.
• Organise and sponsor environmental projects on a large scale such as reforestation projects and river cleaning projects.
• Support or carry out scientific research to find the best ways of protecting the environment and solving its problems.
• Work together with other communities and organisations in sharing experience or expertise in caring for the environment.

What the government can do to prevent pollution

• Act and sustain the country's high standards of clean and green environment.
• Educate citizens to care for both the local and global environment.
• Carry out checks and monitor industries that pollute the environment.
• Promote the use of environment-friendly products and devices such as unleaded petrol.
• Encourage its citizens to recycle.
• Set up governmental bodies that are responsible for controlling water, air and soil pollution and for managing the disposal of solid waste effectively.

Air, Soil and Water pollution

Air Pollution

Air pollution occurs when harmful substances called air pollutants are released into the air leading to:

• Global climate changes caused by greenhouse gases such as global warming which brings strong winds, droughts, flash floods and heavy rains that destroy the habitats and their occupants
• Toxins in the air such as sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide released from industries and vehicles. They result in the formation of acid rain that corrodes stonework and metalwork of buildings, destroys trees in the forest and kills plants and animals on land and in water.
• Thinning of the ozone layer.

Soil pollution

Soil pollution occurs when harmful substances called soil pollutants are released into the soil. Soil pollutants, such as toxic chemicals, pesticides, fertilisers and waste from dumping grounds can seep into the water  and surrounding soil. The toxin in the soil may be absorbed into the plants that eventually poison the animals that feed on them.

Water pollution 

Water pollution occurs when harmful substances called water pollutants are found in the water.

Examples are:

• The release of untreated sewage into the water due to poor solid waste management. This may harm humans and other living things organisms and cause diseases such as cholera.
• Oil spills or discharge from tankers and factories into water. Fish and other marine life will be killed. Marine animals and seabirds may drown or freeze to death because the oil causes their fur or feathers to stick together.

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process in which the green plants use light to produce food. Green plants manufacture glucose from water and carbon dioxide in the presence of sunlight trapped in their chlorophyll. Oxygen is then released to the environment in this process.

The importance of photosynthesis

• it help to keep the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere constant 
• it is the source of carbon for other organism   
• it helps to keep the level of oxygen in the atmosphere constant
• it enables green plants to make its own food  

Living organisms obtain their supply of energy from food they eat either directly or indirectly from the energy of sunlight trapped during photosynthesis. This explains an important role of photosynthesis in providing food to maintain a balanced ecosystem.

           The bodies of living organisms contain carbon. Carbon makes up the carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the tissues of living organisms. In our ecosystem, carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and other compound of carbon, circulates from the environment into the bodies of living organisms and then back into the environment again. This circulation of carbon and its compound is known as the carbon cycle.
           Oxygen is also circulating through our ecosystems. Green plants release oxygen as a product of photosynthesis into the air. At the same time, other living organisms take in oxygen and use it for their life processes. This circulation of oxygen and its compound is knows as the oxygen cycle.

Photosynthesis helps maintain a balanced ecosystem. Photosynthesis ensures that the amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide remain at constant levels in the air through the carbon and oxygen cycles.