Title : Simple Ways to Protect Our Natural Environment

The natural environment consist of all living and non-living things occurring
naturally on Earth. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living
species. The concept of the natural environment can be separate by components
that includes complete ecological units that function as natural systems and natural
phenomena that occur within their boundaries. Universal natural resources and
physical phenomena are such as air, water, and climate, as well as energy,
radiation, electric charge and magnetism. The environment is very important as it
has so many benefits for us and for our young but recently the percentage of
pollution and energy waste has recorded an ascending rate. So here are some tips
to overcome and conserve environment.

Firstly, use fluorescent lighting. By using a fluorescent light bulb, it is much

more efficient than an incandescent bulb. They last longer and use 1/4 the amount of
energy. A normal incandescent bulb lasts 750 hours but a fluorescent bulb will give
off the same amount of light yet last for 7,500 to 10,000 hours with 1/3 of the
wattage. Also within a fluorescent light bulb's life time it will stop 1,000 pounds of
carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere, if it is substituted for the traditional
bulb. By installing a single fluorescent light bulb in 100 million households, you would
save the energy equivalent of all of the energy that is generated by a nuclear power
plant running full time, over the course of one year.

Secondly, check your hot water heater .Did you know that hot water heater
accounts for about 20% of all the energy used in your home? There are a few simple
things you can do to save energy and save money. Turn your water heater down to
130 degrees, which is hot enough to kill deadly bacteria, and still save energy. Also,
insulate your heater with a pre-fab 'blanket,' but be careful not to block off air vents
on gas heaters. This can save you 7-8% of your energy usage. You can also drain 2
quarts (or 2 liters) of water from your hot water heater every 2 months from the valve
at the bottom of the tank. This prevents accumulation of sediment and prolongs the
life of your water heater.
 Thirdly, we focus on our shopping habit. Plastic bags are not biodegradable
even if they say they are they do not decompose fully. Also the ink is made up of
cadmium, and is highly toxic when it is released. Whereas paper bags are reusable
and biodegradable. However supermarkets use paper that has never been recycled
before and they always say "recyclable" not "recycled". Here is what you can do: if
your purchase is small don't take any bag, this alone could save hundreds of millions
of bags. Bring a cloth bag when you shop, or use string bags.

Then , those who have babies are recommended to use cloth diapers.
Americans trash over 18 billion disposable diapers a year, this amount can go to the
moon and back seven times. These disposable diapers consume 1,265,000 metric
tons of wood pulp and 75,000 metric tons of plastic. After using disposable diapers
we are supposed to wash them out, only 5% of us do. Meaning that millions of tons
of dirt, possibly disease infected diapers wind up in our so called "sanitary" landfills.
In fact three million tons of untreated feces and urine does not go through our
sewage system but into our landfills. Over 100 different diseases are known to be
excreted in human feces that they can seep into our groundwater.

Finally, if you want to do painting, be aware of your paint you use . Use latex
paint instead of oil-based paint. Oil-based paint is highly toxic, and its manufacturing
produces nasty pollutants. Dispose of paint as hazardous waste, or with latex paint
you can let it evaporate outside for one year. Then, you can dispose of it with the
rest of your trash. Don't clean your paintbrushes outside, because this can
contaminate groundwater; clean them in a sink. Instead of trashing excess paint, you
can donate it to a school or to someone else who needs to use it.

The step above are some of the ways to protect our natural environment from
being damaged or polluted. Environmental conservation doesn’t just mean protecting
cute animals on the other side of the world.  It is in fact essential to our own survival. 
If your response to anything to do with the environment is either ‘there are more
pressing issues’ or ‘who cares?’ then it might be time to consider how important it
really is. Our Earth is dying. We need to stop killing it. If we do nothing, we condemn
the generations to come with future full of dread and fear and an overwhelming
resentment towards their ancestors, who didn't do enough at a time when  it could
have made a huge difference.