Every year in many developing countries large areas of land that
once produced food become completely unproductive, causing the
residents of these areas to suffer. They have to move to other places or
die of starvation. The problem is not caused by pollution; it is not the
result of poisonous chemicals which contaminate the land. Pollution is
not the only way to destroy the environment. U can also be destroyed
by humans who disturb the ecological balance of an area in other ways.
In any area there is a balance in nature. Each part of the natural system
depends on other parts. If one part is disturbed, then the balance of the
system is disturbed and other parts begin to suffer. Today, many people
all over the world are threatened with this problem. The lives of these
people, as well as the lives of their children and grandchildren, are put
in danger because of environmental destruction.
Let us look at the example in Nepal. A number of years ago, the
population of Nepal began to increase, especially among the people
who live in the small farms in the mountains. More food and fuel were
necessary for the larger number of people, so the farmers in the
mountains bought more animals. For fuel and animal food, they cut
down more and more of the trees and plants which grew on the sides of
the mountains. These plants and trees served a very important purpose.
They protected the hills from the weather. They held the top soil in
place and prevented it from being pushed down the mountain sides by
wind and rain. Now without the protection of the trees and plants, the
top.soil is being washed away by heavy rain. The farmers are losing
their land. More and more have to move to the lower areas of Nepal,
which are already overpopulated and cannot support a large increase in
population.
To solve problems like this one, it is important that people
understand the consequences of their actions. It was not clear to the hill
farmers of Nepal that they were responsible for the destruction of their
own land. Today environmental scientists are teaching the farmers
about ecology: They are also showing them ways to protect their land
with new trees and plants. Problems which are similar to the problem in
Nepal exist in many countries around the world, but they can be solved.
Ecologists are proving to us that actions which supply short-term
solutions to problems can have disastrous long-term consequences. By
paying more attention to these scientists, governments can avoid
making the same type of mistakes that were made in Nepal and in many
other countries.
