Save The Earth Narrative Essay

With all the talk about going green, it seems much easier to let the cards fall where they may. What’s easier? Just throwing all the trash into one can, or sorting it into separate cans? As hard as it could be to clear the mess that this and past generations have left, it would be severely healthier than the alternative. Plutonium is a dangerous toxin that is released from nuclear power plants. “Plutonium, which has the half-life of only 0. 5 million years, but is so toxic that if distributed evenly ten pounds of it could kill every person on Earth.” (Saukko Par 1)

The United States produces tons of these dangerous toxins each year. “Because the United States generates about 18 pounds of plutonium per year, it is the best substance for long term poisoning the Earth. ” (Saukko Par 1) It would be best if one of the many alternatives were used verses nuclear power plants. “It would help if we would build more nuclear power plants because each one generates only 500 pounds of plutonium each year. ” (Saukko Par 1) One of the most dangerous things to do to the Earth is injecting toxins, and in the United States it’s done frequently.

“Deep well injection involves drilling a hole that is a few thousand feet deep and injecting toxic substances at extremely high pressure so they will penetrate deep into the Earth. ” (Saukko Par 2) This is called fracking and is used to bring fossil fuels to the surface. “According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) there are about 360 such deep injection wells in the United States. ” (Saukko Par 2) Not only is there deep well injections, there are also shallow well injections which effect the surface and ground water. “We cannot forget the groundwater aquifers that are closer to the surface.

These must also be contaminated. This is easily done by shallow well injection, which operates on the same principle as deep well injection, only closer to the surface. ” (Saukko Par 2) This is just as bad for the environment, if not worse. “The groundwater that has been injected with toxins will spread contamination beneath the Earth. The EPA estimates that there are approximately 500,000 shallow injection wells in the United States. ” (Saukko Par 2) Burying or dumping toxins is the most popular method in poisoning the Earth, and anyone can do it.

“The toxins from landfills, dumps and lagoons slowly seep into the Earth, guaranteeing that contamination will last a long time. ” (Saukko Par 3) Most citizens of the United States use a garbage disposal company, and most of them take the trash to the dump. Dumping is done with almost every Americans garbage, and dumps lead to water like lakes or rivers. “Because the EPA estimates there are only 50,000 of these dumps in the United States, they should be located in areas where they will leak to the surrounding ground and surface water.” (Saukko Par 3)

Citizens whom are too lazy or cannot afford garbage service are likely to dump into a lake or a body of water. “Lakes are good for long-term storage of pollutants while they release some of their contamination to rivers. ” (Saukko Par 5) If the world could care more than the next get-rich-quick scheme, maybe the Earth would have a longer chance of survival. Alternatives could be used, but used but are not because people are concerned with money, and themselves.