How we can protect the environment
Our environments are always changing. Sometimes these changes are natural and can't be avoided, but humans are also causing some changes that aren't good for the planet.
Watch: Learning how to protect the environment
Learn how we can protect plants and nature.
Deforestation
Humans are changing the An environment is the air, water, and land in or on which people, animals, and plants live. in lots of different ways. These changes often affect the living things in them.
Deforestation means cutting down trees. At the moment we are cutting down more trees than we plant. It takes some forests hundreds of years to grow and for animals and plants to live there.
How humans impact the environment
Humans can affect the environment in many different ways for many different reasons.
| Development | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| Farming | Farms produce food. |
| Mining | Coal, metals and stones are important to build houses, roads and cars. |
| Landfill | Humans are making more waste than ever. If it can't be recycled, it gets burnt or put in big holes in the ground. |
| Urban | Many towns and cities are spreading outwards so more people can live there. |
All these developments are important - but it is equally important that our environments and their living things are looked after. This is called conserving.
Changes to environments can cause danger to animals and plants that live in them, including us.
Watch: Protecting green spaces
Listen to Fatma who has recorded a message from the future, thanking us for protecting our green spaces. You can learn more about protecting your local environment in this guide from The Regenerators.
Looking to the future to learn about our present day environment.
Fatima: Hey people in the past!
Fatima's friend: Hey Fatima, who you talkin'Â to?
Fatima: Talkin' to people in the past all right?
Wivvout 'em we wouldn't be playing football here, so thought I send 'em a message. Coz look past people, look what it looked like back in your day.
That's unreal huh? All grim. Now it's green because of you. Hey, you know school can be a bit much sometimes. So gettin' out here and kickin' a ball around in the park is what I need. I've got you to thank for it.
You stood up for all green spaces, woodlands and forests. Coz they can't do it themselves, they need us. You planted, you protected and kept spaces green.
Trees are good for the planet and they're good for us too. They're jus' doin' their thing, not complainin'. They're helpin' the environment and makin' habitats for creatures we share the planet with. They don't need knockin' down to make way for us.
And it was you past people who realised we can use other spaces for building houses.
Back in your day, there were people just usin' up what nature got to give. But you guys realised you can't just take, you have to give back. And that's what sustainability is. Not takin' more than what the planet is givin'.
People were takin', takin', takin' until the world started sendin' a message. And it was a big message the world was sendin'. And you guys were the ones who listened. It was you who planted these trees, and then the animals noticed and they came back.
And you kept wild places wild. Not everywhere has to be a football pitch. You respected your space, planted trees and protected habitats and wild areas when they needed it.
Don't know why I'm tellin' you guys this, because you're the people who started doin' it!
So anyway, thanks for givin' green spaces a voice and standin' up to keep this world green.
Activity 1: Environmental changes quiz
Activity 2: Changing environments
Humans are changing our environment, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.
Take a short walk about your local habitat – your garden, local park or school field. Use this worksheet to design a poster, explaining how your local environment is changing.
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