At the beginning of civilization earth had an abundance of natural resources. But with the development of technology humankind started destroying natural resources, without realising the effect it had on the earth. The majority of inventions, which make our lives easier, are also threatening the existence of life.
Take paper as an example. Without it, communication would come to a standstill. But tons of paper is mindlessly wasted year after year. For many, this is considered cruelty by mankind on the environment. Recycled paper is of course available, but its usage is still minimal.
The reduction in greenery has direct and indirect effect on our environment. The ill effects of an unbalanced ecosystem can cause low rainfall, global warming, and holes in ozone layer. The roots of the trees hold soil and prevent soil erosion. When large numbers of trees are cut, the soil gets carried away with rain water and deposited in rivers. This then raises the bottom of these rivers, which in the course of time causes flooding.
Saving the environment is not one man's job. It has to be done collectively and each person's contribution, whether small or big, makes a difference. Both urban and rural populations have their roles in saving the greenery. People in cities can contribute by not wasting the natural resources and planting more trees wherever possible. Those in the countryside can make a big contribution by not cutting trees in the forests and damaging more wildlife.
Here are a few tips which anybody can use to contribute towards saving the environment: only use paper when it is unavoidable, don't cut trees unless it is essential, do not encroach on forest areas, grow as many trees as possible in the surrounding areas, use natural resources for day to day requirements, use solar heat for cooking, heating water and other domestic purposes wherever possible, use windmills to generate electricity, and use solar lighting instead of electrical.
Saving our forests is no different to saving ourselves and our futures.