MODERN MAN AND HIS

ENVIRONMENT

The earliest people survived with materials they took

directly from their environment. They ate the roots, leaves and
fruits of plants and meat from animals they were able to catch.
They used leaves, grass, and fur for clothing. They lived in caves
or in shelters made from branches and leaves of trees.
These early people learned to build wooden and stone
dwellings. They invented more tools and with them, they made
machines. With the help of these tools and machines, people
cleared forests and plowed land for more and better food
harvests. They domesticated animals such as horses, and
chickens. The animals helped people, and the people, in turn,
fed and protected the animals.
In early times, if people had clothes to keep them warm,
food to prevent hunger, and fuel to warm and light their
dwellings, they were satisfied. Meeting their needs did not
change much of the earth’s surface.
 MAN: THE COMPETITOR
Man, like all other living things, competes for the things he
wants or needs. But because man is more intelligent and
inventive, he competes successfully with the rest of the world.
With time, the number of people increased. This meant a
need for more food, clothing, shelter and fuel. More wood and
stone had to be taken from the environment to build them.
Towns grew larger. They became cities. And the trails
between them became roads. Then the roads became
superhighways. The highways made it easier for man to transfer
goods from one place to another. They made it easier for man
to get transport and use more and more of the earth’s natural
resources. He used them not only to supply his needs but to
supply his wants as well.
Today, many living things find it difficult to compete
successfully with man. The biggest plants and the strongest
animals are no match for giant saws, guns, poisons and traps.
MAN: THE INVENTOR
Part of man’s success as a competitor lies in his ability to
invent things. Each year, he finds new ways of doing things- but
he is never satisfied. He has invented ways to travel above,
below and beyond the earth’s surface. He has also invented
ways to explore the tiniest bits making up the whole universe
and himself. Moreover, he has learned to repair damages to
himself and his inventions.
Man has put many energy sources to work to accomplish
his goals. He has invented ways to harness the energy stored in
all kinds of fuels.
Mountains are no match for powerful explosives, giant
cranes and bulldozers. Valleys are no obstacle to being filled
with concrete and water. Tall buildings rose here and there,
loaded with push button facilities. Whenever man wants to
“develop” a part of his environment, in his own will and his own
way, he seems to be able to do so.
But with each of man’s inventions comes an increased
need for:

*ores from metals

*chemicals for plastics

*fuels for energy

*stones for roads and buildings

*water for washing, cooling and waste disposal

All of these are taken from the environment.
Also, with the making and using of each new invention comes a
need to get rid of:

*metal waste

*plastic waste

*radioactive waste

*waste heat, smoke and gases

*waste building materials

*dirty water

All these wastes have to be dumped somewhere in the

environment.
 MAN: THE RESTORER
In taking materials from, and putting waste into the
environment, man causes great problems. Some of what man
takes from nature can be renewed, of course. But the renewal
of certain things takes place very slowly – much too slow than
the rate of man’s environmental exploitation. So, the
environmental quality is getting lower and lower. The air and
water in some places are now dangerous to life. Even the soil in
some areas is now barren.
Once again, modern man should use his intelligence and
ingenuity to restore and maintain a good environmental quality.
Industrialists and manufacturers are now developing and
installing various pollution control devices. Air, soil and water
testing laboratories have been set up for continuous monitoring
of pollutants. Some cities restrict the use of pollution-causing
devices like motor vehicles and big machines in crowded or
thickly populated areas. But these are only the first steps. In
many cases, a great deal more needs to be done. People need
to think about their actions too. They need to make decisions
on trivial matters, like:
*soap or detergent? *repairing or discarding?
*candies or cigarette? *plastic or paper?
* walking or driving? *dumping or discarding?
 It is easy to talk about what an industry or our government
does or does not do about the environment. It is harder, but
better, to think about what you yourself can do. Do not just
think about what OTHERS are doing and should be doing. What
you do also counts. After all, OTHERS are just a lot of YOU.