Opinion is divided towards the effect of humankind’s efforts on the protection of the environment. While some argue that what people do to conserve the planet cannot make a difference, others say that each members of this society play a pivotal role in protecting the environment. This essay will elaborate on both viewpoints before contending that the latter perspective is more persuasive.
Granted, one might contend that the activities people do to protect the earth are trivial and make no difference. This is predicated on the assumption that even when people invest a lot of money and put much effort on the conservation of the environment, the environment itself is still deteriorated and contaminated. For instance, a range of campaigns are held to raise the awareness of the public towards the dire consequences of global warming, but the planet is still getting hotter and hotter. Therefore, people do not necessarily need to take action to protect the environment and let the planet heal itself. However, this line of reasoning is not sound. It is important to note that the effects of such campaigns need time and it is unwise to assess their efficacy in a short period of time. Furthermore, it is still better to try conserving the planet than doing nothing to avoid worsening the already polluted environment.
I am convinced that individuals are capable of protecting the environment for some compelling reasons. First and foremost, human is the only intelligent creature on the earth who can help to protect the environment and no other creatures can do that. If people ignore the environmental problems, sooner or later humankind will be pushed to the verge of extinction. Besides, people are still putting lots of effort into protecting the environment. Take a campaign conducted in Phu Tho, Vietnam for instance, where people are encouraged to use reusable bags in markets, resulting in a significant decline in the number of plastic bags consumed in such region. With collective actions and human efforts, the planet where the air and the water are clean, is possible.
In conclusion, while some opponents say that people cannot make a difference in environmental protection, others argue otherwise. I am of the opinion that what people are doing to protect the planet is still effective and people should continuously do so.