Topic 29 Has human harmed the Earth or made it a better place? Although the quality of life has improved over the past decades (улучшилось за последние десятилетия) due to new technological advances but the damages made

Although the quality of life has improved over the past decades (улучшилось за последние десятилетия) due to new technological advances but the damages made to the earth weigh more. Damages include increase in pollution and change in climatic patterns. Irreversible damage (Необратимые повреждения) to earth can include depletion of natural resources.

As the technology advances more factories are built. These factories dispose (сбрасывают) waste material into natural water, which could be harmful to aquatic life. Emissions from the factories and automobiles pollute the air, which we breathe. Nuclear waste and radiation from power plants are harmful to our health.

inhospitable climate — суровый климат, неприспособленный для жизни

There can be drastic changes (коренные изменения) in the climatic pattern (модель) due to the increase in the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, which is the main cause of global warming. Global warming would increase the temperature of earth and make it inhospitable. We are cutting more and more trees for furniture's, and wood. Trees purify (очищают) the atmosphere by absorbing the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releasing the oxygen. Furthermore, the roots of tree hold the soil and prevent floods.

Resources of petroleum, oil, and minerals are not endless. There is shortage of water all over the world. Once depleted (истощать, исчерпывать) of these resources, our life would be difficult. Killing elephants for their teeth, and other species for their furs (меха) disrupt (разрушает) the food chain. For example killing of carnivorous (плотоядных) animals would cause increase in the number of herbivores (травоядные животные), which would consume more plants. We also depend on plants for food so there can be shortage (нехватка, недостаток) of vegetables and cereals (хлебные злаки) for us.

We should preserve (охранять, сберегать) the earth and respect all its valuable resources. Pollution and climatic changes can make earth inhospitable (суровой, неприспособленной для жизни). Our future would not be good without sustainable development.