ere's an interesting ques tion What would you be willing to do to make sure you and your family were happy and safe Most people are likely to say they'd work hard to earn money or defend themselves and their loved ones against any and all threats Smart folks might also consider taking steps to protect the environment Considering how important nature is to human survival pro tecting it is pretty much the same thing as safeguarding the future of people everywhere Conservation is the science of making sure that nature keeps working the way it should while at the same time taking into account the human need for natural resources As the name indicates conservation is about conserving or carefully using and maintain ing levels of the resources nature provides including water forests wood soil minerals fossil fuels and wildlife This book examines
INTRODUCTION Volunteers clean rubbish from the banks of the Yamuna River in India Prakash Singh AFP Getty Images
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT the conservation of these resources detailing protection efforts past and present as well as the consequences of not safeguarding these particular sectors of the environment After oxygen water is the single most vital element for the survival of every living thing on Earth A renewable resource water is plenti ful in many parts of the world However some areas are naturally arid while others experi ence droughts Also pollution can ruin bodies of water Conservation methods such as pro tecting natural water sources from pollution and planting greenery to help the ground soak up rain are the best ways to make sure every one has access to clean water for drinking cleaning and growing food crops Forests provide wood for heating and building plus they are home to a number of unique plants and animals Trees of the forest are a renewable resource but it takes time for them to grow to the point where they are useful Reducing the number of trees that are cut down and slowing down the rate at which necessary logging occurs are among the conservation efforts used to save forests In slang terms soil is not considered very valuable being treated like dirt would make someone feel worthless Yet in truth soil is one of Earth s most precious natural
INTRODUCTION resources It provides food and shelter to a number of creatures that live in it and on it Plants and crops couldn t grow without the nutrients found in the top layer of soil Protecting soil mainly involves keeping the life giving top layer from being washed away in the rain or blowing away in the wind Deep within the soil are vital minerals and fossil fuels including coal oil and natural gas Humans are dependent on these nonrenew able resources for nutrition and construction minerals as well as heating and transporta tion fossil fuels But the limited supply of these resources make conservation an abso lute must Wildlife conservation protects animals from becoming endangered or extinct This is important because each living thing on Earth plays a role in keeping the planet alive and well Simply by living as they are designed to live wild animals provide what scientists call ecological services These include cleaning the air and water enriching the soil polli nating crops reducing harmful species and helping to keep the climate stable Conservation is definitely a balancing act But in order to protect the environment and the future of the entire planet it is a totally worthwhile effort 9
