WT2

Some people say that it is individual’s responsibility to protect the environment while others say it is the government’s primary role. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Since the start of industrial age, it is clear that humanity has been altering the natural world at unprecedented pace. Although many environmental advocates believe that the government’s main task is to safeguard the environment, others argue that it is every man’s duty to look after it. There are valid points supporting each side.

The national authorities are responsible to preserve the natural habitats since they have the power to implement environmental protection laws. They can strictly impose prohibition against poaching, logging and illegal fishing, all of which are the main elements behind the dwindling numbers of species across many countries. The ban of single-use plastics, which enters the oceans in metric tons every year, may restore the beauty and health of oceanic biodiversity. Finally, increasing carbon taxes could put pressure on energy corporations to substitute burning of fossils fuels with renewable energy such as wind and solar power that may lessen the impact of global warming.

On the contrary, individuals should be in charge in sustaining the ecosystem in order to secure human survival. Millions of people die each year due to clean water shortages as rivers and lakes are continuously being polluted by mankind. This is why it is important for every household not to throw their waste in bodies of water and learn proper water conservation. Furthermore, research have shown that contaminated air caused by cigarette smoking and smoke belching cars has resulted in thousands of death each year, mostly involving children suffering from lung diseases. Because of this, smokers need to know the consequences of their bad habit to the society which may discourage them to smoke and motorists must subject their vehicles to smoke emission test regularly.

In conclusion, both the government and its citizens have their own roles to play in protecting the environment. I believe that through their sum of efforts, planet Earth will have a sustainable future.