Even from the beginning of civilization, mankind has taken nature and the environment totally for granted. Nature was something that was feared, and considered to be God's gift to mankind, and that man can use it as his disposal. Since the earliest civilizations, mankind has chopped down trees, hunted animals, and fished to survive. However, this was necessary for survival, as any animal would need to do. This was in the very beginning, and the world population was low. However, as mankind's population increased, we put more and more of a strain on the earth's environment. Especially during
             the past several hundred years, mankind has totally ignored the safety and stability of the earth. During the industrial revolution, the mass manufacturing of products became more and more efficient as the demand became more nad more efficient; however, in order to do this, many factories had to be made. People dumped toxins into rivers. They chopped down and cleared massive stretches of forests. These factories not only manufactured goods but pumped out pollutants at alarming rates. Those that continued to ruin and decimate the health of the environment were totally blind to their actions, and had even
             less knowledge of the consequences of them. Despite this, in recent years people have become aware that the environment is in danger, and are taking action to remedy what was done in the past and to prevent further harm to the environment. As a result, many peope are finally beginning to realize that mankind cannot dominate and control nature, but must cooperate with it in order to survive.
             Even in recent years, there are many concerns that threaten our world. The explosion of population growth around the world has introduced many new problems, many of them currently without solutions. The containment of both water and soil has become a major concern. Sewage and other dangerous toxins have polluted our lakes, rivers and oceans; many of these ...