There are many people that go out of their way to protect the environment, but others come with reasons for not caring. People should consider some factors before coming to the conclusion that the environment does not affect humans. According to Leena Ylä-Mononen, from the European Environment Agency (EEA), humans rely more on the environment than we believe. 

According to the EEA, the environment provides clean air, water, food, materials and space for recreation. Living beings, including humans, cannot live without these resources. Humans are taking advantage of the natural resources provided to us. 

Each year, the planet becomes more toxic from things like littering, global warming, endangered species, pollution, etc. However, there are ways for humans to help prevent these things from occurring. 

Simple actions, such as throwing your trash away, can make a significant difference in the health of the environment. Many animals could get stuck in plastic that is simply tossed on the ground. Animals are killed everyday from hunting or natural causes, but there comes a point when we become the problem. 

If we continue to liter, then others may also find littering to be okay. One person can make a huge impact on the world. 

We also have to consider the quality of our air. For as long as I can remember, pollution has been a huge problem for air quality. Living organisms cannot handle large amounts of chemicals in their systems. Pollution continues to get into oceans too. These chemicals are not only affecting life on land, but also aquatic life. 

If the ocean is polluted, then humans cannot enjoy it either. Not only is aquatic life in danger, but people will be in danger from being in the polluted water.

When considering environmental changes, we cannot forget about global warming. Many people believe that there is no way for humans to slow down global warming. However, that is untrue. 

While we cannot stop global warming in a day, there are things that humans can do to prevent it from becoming a larger issue. According to The Science & Information for Climate-Smart Nation’s David Herring and Rebecca Lindsey, if human emissions of heat-trapping gases were to stop today, Earth’s temperature would continue to rise for a few decades as ocean currents bring excess heat stored in the deep ocean back to the surface. 

We, as humans, can decrease the amount of flights we take, as well as limit how often we drive cars. Taking walks or riding a bike is not only healthy for a person’s body, but it emits less gas into the environment. 

Not only do we need to care for the environment, but we also need to enjoy it. It has been proven by psychology research that spending time in nature can improve a person’s mental health. Kirsten Weir  from the American Psychology Association says, “Experimental findings show how impressive nature’s healing powers can be—just a few moments of green can perk up a tired brain.”

Everyone can find something to enjoy while being outside. Humans will want to spend more time outside if we continue to prevent harm to the environment. This will also improve our mental and physical health. 

We need to start considering what we can do to better our environment before it becomes too late. According to the EEA, humans already hold the spot for being the main cause of natural destruction, but maybe we can commit to stopping that. 

We should continue to care about the environment for the sake of the animals, plants and ourselves. The destruction that humans have caused the planet will continue down a dangerous path if we do not correct our mistakes. 

This Earth Day, take this opportunity to spend time with nature and think about the ways that you can help the environment.