{"id":35043,"date":"2020-09-11T17:20:02","date_gmt":"2020-09-11T21:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.canadahelps.org\/?p=35043"},"modified":"2024-11-04T10:23:22","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T15:23:22","slug":"help-protect-the-environment-for-this-generation-and-generations-to-come","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.canadahelps.org\/en\/giving-life\/featured-series\/help-protect-the-environment-for-this-generation-and-generations-to-come\/","title":{"rendered":"Help Protect the Environment for This Generation and Generations to Come"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In the past 50 years, climate change has become the challenge of our era, a challenge that crosses borders and spans generations — a challenge that could lead to environmental salvation or destruction, depending on major decisions made now. Fossil fuel burning, deforestation, industrial <\/span>agriculture<\/span>, and other human activities are heating our atmosphere, raising sea levels, expanding deserts, and destroying species, seen most starkly in the Arctic and on coral reefs in the last 10 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ways to help the environment<\/h4>\n

Part of the solution is to ramp up care of the world\u2019s land and water systems in order to maintain life on Earth for future generations. We need to nurture the health, diversity, and sustainability of our vast world by protecting parks, forests, fresh-water systems, and coastal and marine climates \u2013 all of which play crucial roles in the survival of the planet. For example, more than 90% of the impact of greenhouse gases is due to carbon dioxide and methane from human activity, mainly from Canada, the U.S. and other industrialized countries. Our economies and lifestyles are contributing to more intense hurricanes and blizzards, and more wildfires, droughts, floods, and weather extremes, which in turn, harms more human and animal life.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Canada, one of the largest countries in the world in terms of geographic area, solutions include educating the public and advocating for environmental issues at local, national, and global levels, because the work can\u2019t happen in isolation. The world is an ecosystem, with one part relying on others, but because of Canada\u2019s unique climatic conditions and abundant natural resources, we have a special role to play in the world in ensuring the sustainability of our environment for generations to come.<\/span><\/p>\n

More actively solving pollution problems would help. Only 11 per cent or so of Canada\u2019s plastics get recycled for instance. The rest ends up in lakes, parks, landfills, and oceans — leaching toxic chemicals and wrecking ecosystems. We must rise above talking only about littering and recycling and take action to reduce the destruction of other species.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Canadian environmental charities are supporting sustainability<\/h4>\n

Hundreds of charities in Canada are doing just that, trying to decrease pollution, slow down climate change, and find long-term solutions to environmental problems. Their essential work, as a group, needs support to preserve habitat and life on our planet. Individually, charities tackle challenges from different angles:<\/span><\/p>\n