In the safety of our homes, we may not be aware of the countless threats that take their toll on our society, and on this beautiful planet that we call home. We have been sheltered and made to believe that through following fads and keeping up with the latest technology and trends, we can escape some of the stress that falls on the human race as our vital resources are being used up. As the world, a living, breathing thing begins to mourn the loss of such assets; we look on as the indifferent spectators. We choose not to recognize the many faults of the habits we have acquired, that keep the earth in constant turmoil, as its lifelines begin to stretch farther and farther apart. This becomes increasingly serious with each and every day that passes. The nature of mankind craves the stress-free way of life, and we may, at times, choose to overlook the many pressing matters that face the earth as well as all humanity.
This must come to an end if we want our children and children’s children to know the feeling of the cool mountain air on their faces, hear the call of the wild goose, or to smell summer’s last rose. The truth is that the world is being run ragged by our selfish traditions, and man’s desire to rise to the top, not caring about the lives he might ruin in the process, or the wildlife he might destroy in his carelessness.

This once beautiful, luscious planet is now on its last legs. Animals are dying off, the ozone layer is disappearing, and soon there will be nothing left but one big, industrial wasteland, and all of this, comes from our tactlessness. It is up to us, as teenagers, and as the next generation of politicians, doctors, and engineers to save our planet while we can. Now is the time for us to rise above all the innumerable mistakes that our fathers before us have made, and take action to ensure the safety and prosperity of the earth for generations and generations to come. It is up to us, no one else can save this world we live in. This is a huge responsibility, but if we succeed, we will reap the benefits of our labors, and once more enjoy the breathtaking world that we live in.

The problem with most people is they feel that what they do doesn’t have any effect on others or on our planet in the long run, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Imagine for a second that your neighbor’s son, Josh has just run down to the local grocery store with his allowance to buy himself a candy bar. Josh, being extremely anxious to eat his well earned chocolate, carelessly throws the wrapper into the bushes outside of store. It’s no big deal right? It’s just one more piece of trash; it doesn’t really matter, right? This common assumption is completely wrong. Sure, that one piece of garbage may seem insignificant at the time, but imagine all of the other little boys throwing their candy bar wrappers on the ground just as Josh did. The numbers really add up, and the world suffers from misdeeds such as that.
Littering may seem inconsequential, but it is one of the most commonly committed transgressions, that one that hurts the environment the most. This senseless act of tossing your garbage on the ground affects the lives of almost every living thing on this planet. The cost of littering in our society results in the obliteration of hundreds of forests, lakes, rivers, and the deaths of thousands of animals, who have had their homes destroyed by people littering. Animals aren’t the only creatures that suffer from this overlooked occurrence; when animals start dying off, pieces of our culture perish with them. If the birds and insects that pollinate the flowers in our gardens leave, our gardens would soon become desolate, and dreary. Do you see my point? What I am trying to make clear, is that every species is directly affected by the success of those around them. If cattle, for example, were to suddenly disappear off the face of the earth, we wouldn’t have any beef to eat, if all of the trees vanished, oxygen would be scarce, and if the clouds in the sky dissolved, the sun would burn down on the land, and life would burn away. Everything in our ecosystem is connected in to each other, by a very fine thread, if one end of the thread broke off, all of the other beings would be unable to survive, and we would loose most of the things that keep this world clean, healthy, and a remarkable place to live in. All of this can simply come to pass people failing to put their waste where it belongs.
This issue of littering is not only one of the most dangerous threats to this earth, but also one of the easiest to fix. It requires no hard work from any of us, just a little trip to the trash can, or holding onto some garbage until you come upon a recycling bin. The most beautiful part of this act to save the earth is that from everyone taking a little extra time, and walking a few more feet to the garbage can, we can engage the entire planet in an act that could save the lives of millions of animals and human beings for years and years to come. If we could only get everyone to cooperate, and genuinely care about those around them, and the future of our species, our generation could make such a difference in this world, that none of us could possibly fathom, we alone could change this world into one abounding in peace, happiness, brilliant exquisiteness, and un-silenced serenity. We have the power to bring the earth back to the condition that it was in before we so selfishly threw its splendor away. We need to take a stand now, as the bringers forth of the endless possibilities that await this planet in the future, because we have a say in its wellbeing, we will take care of it, and bring it up to its full potential, because we will not let our wonderful home here on earth waste away.