The Importance of Self-Awareness in Protecting the Earth

The Importance of Self-Awareness in Taking Care of the Earth

By: Winda Hudi Nurlatiffah

Chemistry Education Student

Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training

UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta

Humans are social beings. They must interact not only with fellow humans but also with their surrounding environment. So, have we been taking care of this earth? The earth we have lived on all this time is something we are obliged to look after. This is very important for the continuity of our lives. Protecting the environment is not mere theory learned at school, but must become a practical way of life.

Efforts to take care of the earth cannot be separated from our own self-awareness in protecting the environment. Awareness of the importance of protecting the environment around us is a basic aspect that everyone must have. Considering the earth's ever-rising temperature, we, as its inhabitants and as users of the natural resources on this earth, must look after our earth so that its condition improves.

There are many simple ways people can protect the environment. One of them is keeping our surroundings clean. We must be sensitive to what the environment needs, such as planting plants or trees in our surroundings; by planting trees where we live, we will get an oxygen supply that is very beneficial to ourselves. After planting trees or other plants, we must still guard and care for them well. Clean air is also very important because breathing is a natural human need as a living being.

Then, by not littering. This simple thing is something everyone should be able to do. By throwing rubbish in its proper place, we can avoid disasters such as floods. Floods in residential areas generally occur because of the increasing volume of air in places filled with water, such as streams, rivers, ditches and so on, so that the water in those pools overflows. This rising and overflowing volume occurs because the pools of water in residential areas are filled with rubbish thrown away by local residents. Therefore, let us throw rubbish in its proper place to avoid flood disasters.

Protecting the environment is not only about that, but also about reducing the use of plastic. Because plastic waste is hard to decompose, it becomes pollution and damages the environment. Plastic waste also often becomes a killer of animals in nature. We often see news that sea animals have died and plastic waste has been found inside their bodies. Plastic waste also risks causing disease and can trigger cancer. For that reason, one way to reduce plastic waste can be done in our daily lives. The simplest way: whenever you go shopping, bring an eco-friendly bag that can be used repeatedly. This avoids the use of single-use shopping plastic and also reduces the amount of plastic waste in the future.

By doing the above, we have tried to help look after the earth, even if only in our immediate surroundings. A healthy environment is one that is free of pollutants that harm humans. Awareness of the importance of protecting the environment is something every person must have. This is so that disasters or damage to nature do not occur continuously and repeatedly. If we damage nature, then nature will give us disasters in return.

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