Global environmental issues

“A few years ago, terms such as CFCs, ozone and deforestation control would probably not have been used frequently in the vocabulary of the common American teenager. However, in recent years, words like these are being taken very seriously by both teens and adults.
CFCs are one of the greatest environmental concerns in present-day society. They are found in the forms of fast food packages, refrigerator and air conditioning units, and especially aerosol spray cans. These CFCs are harmful to the ozone layer as they wash it away, making it more dangerous for humans to be exposed to the sun.
Before 1900, rainforests covered 14% of the world’s surface. Today they cover 7%. The reason for this is simple. They have been cut down to provide land, paper, wood, medicines, minerals and fuel. As rainforests also contain millions of animals, insects and flowers, these are destroyed, too. If deforestation continues, more than one million species of plants and animals will become extinct by the year 2030.
Nuclear pollution also worries many ‘green’ people although nuclear power stations make electricity without burning fossil fuels. The problem is the radioactive waste produced there, which is very dangerous if humans are exposed to it.
Water pollution is also a problem for us because we need water to drink, to have a bath or a shower, flush the lavatory, to wash dishes and clothes, etc. Factories use lots of water too and when dirty water is not treated and goes into rivers it can make people ill and may kill wildlife. Sometimes thousands of fish are killed because of poisonous water dumped into rivers.
Our planet can be saved by a few simple actions that can be performed by anybody. By setting up recycling programs at home or school, using ozone-friendly products or even buying a tree in a rainforest, any environmentally-conscious person can help our environment.”