Essay Reflection on Sustainability

   Sustainability is essential for a healthy environment and I have been interested in this topic for a long time now. Our environment is a part of us but we are unable to understand its significance and properly take steps to ensure that it not harmed. This course has enabled me to realise and comprehend the importance of environment and the effect of sustainability on it. In addition to it, I have also been enabled to identify the factors that have an adverse influence on the environment and how it is possible to reduce the impact of these factors in environment.

Population Growth of Sustainability

            Before undertaking this environmental science class, I viewed population growth as a natural and gradual factor. I believed that it was only natural for the population to grow in the world because that is how things really operated. Other than just viewing it as a natural factor, I also considered it harmful to the economy of specific nation, and to the international economy as a whole because as the population grows, more and more food and other natural resources are consumed. It serves to create scarcity and the economy of nation where population is large suffers because it is not possible for the nation to accommodate so many people. Obviously, as the population grows, more resources are consumed which means that more and more nations fight to consume more resources.

            After undertaking the class, I have come to understand that population growth is not only adversely influential to the economy but also to the environment. In fact, both the environment and sustainability are badly affected by it. I had not known that population growth is capable of negatively affecting the environment. However, after taking the class, I have come to understand that as the population grows, so does industrial and other commercial activities for meeting the needs of increased number of people. The same goes for transport and other types of production facilities. Obviously, when commercial activities at such a large scale are performed, it has a significantly bad influence on the environment. It would cause temperature to increase exponentially and in some regions, it would cause a rise in sea level. Now, I believe that for ensuring that the environment is safe and sustainable, it is more than just important for every nation to make sure that its population is controlled in an effective manner.

Sustainability and Daily Life of Sustainability

            Before undertaking this course, although I understood that sustainability is important and it is somehow related to our daily lives as well, I did not know the extent of it. However, I understand it now that sustainability has a deep impact on our daily lives. In fact, if sustainability was not ensured, it would not be possible for us to live as easily as we are living at the moment. If it had not been for sustainability, we might have been living in rapidly changing weather conditions. For instance, one day, there would be intense heat while the second day, it would be raining heavily. In simple words, it would not have been possible for us to live in a normal manner. I have also come to understand that just as how sustainability influences our lives, we are also influencing it significantly without even knowing.

            There are many times when we are adversely influencing sustainability. For instance, there are a number of times when we rely on plastic bags for carrying our items. Similarly, we are using plastic bottles for drinking water. Other than just using plastic items, we also tend to throw them not right about anywhere we want. There are various instances when we are in a hurry and we are unable to find a recycle bin. Thus, we throw it anywhere. It deeply affects the environment and sustainability. These are some of the many ways in which we influence sustainability.

Problems of Sustainability

            This class has made me realised various problems which are currently being faced by us and will be faced by the future generations. Some of the most important problems include rapidly changing weather conditions, rising sea level, increasing scarcity of natural resources etc. These are the most problematic issues faced at the moment and in the future, these problems are only expected to grow. Thus, it is more than just a little important to ensure that proper steps are being taken for keeping the environment safe or else the issues that are expected and determined to be faced by future generations might be encountered in only a few years.

            Overall, I have no doubt that in the modern world, the topic of sustainability and environment protection has gained utmost importance and there is a crucial need of focusing on it. If proper and effective steps are not taken for protecting environment and enforcing sustainable practices, there is a significant possibility that some drastic issue might be faced by people. For instance, in recent times, it sea level has increased significantly. It has caused cities to be flooded. Meanwhile, record-breaking temperatures have been experienced by some countries and it is due to the changing climate because of environment. There is a dire need of international-wide sustainable practices having the potential of reducing carbon impact and other negative effects on the environment. In addition to it, there is a need of controlling population growth as well, or else these practices would not be effective in producing desired results.