The Importance Of Ecology And The Environment

We live on a very beautiful planet -- Earth. Our planet is exceptionally rich in resources. We have the bright blue sky, fresh, crystal-clear lake water, luscious green vegetation along the mountain slopes, wildflowers, picturesque views – all of which fill us with both relaxation and admiration. Ecology is derived from the Greek words oikos meaning home and logos meaning knowledge. In 1866, German biologist Ernst Haeckel defined Ecology as, "the comprehensive science of the relationship of the organism to the environment” (Wikipedia). Because it is the study of relationships between all forms of life on our planet and the environment, ecology encompasses Earth entirely. Since ancient times, nature has served us by giving us everything we need from the air we breathe, to the food we eat, to the water we drink, to the wood we use to build and fuel our home. For thousands of years, people have coexisted in harmony with the environment and it seemed to them that the resources of nature had no end or limit.

Metropolises with thousands of steaming, polluting industries and plants can be easily located all over the world. The byproducts of a factory’s activity pollute the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the fields where our crops are grown. For this reason, those who live in cities prefer spending their holidays far away from the city noises and instead, closer to nature. Perhaps they like to breathe fresh air or to swim in clear water because the ecology is not so poor as in the cities. For several centuries, humans have created many complex ecological problems that we must accept and reform at a point in our lifetime, most of which can be related to pollution and