Igrewupinaenvironmentwherepollution,disease,andotherproblemsareabigissue.Carsandfactoriesreleasegreenhousegassesintotheair,andforestsarebeingcutdown.Inothercountries,manypeoplearebehindoncuresfordiseases.Manypeopletalkabouthowthepolaricecapsaremeltingandtheozonelayerdepleting.AnInconvenientTruthopenedmyeyestoseehowtoday'stechnologyandgarbageaffecttheseenvironmentaldisasters,andIwanttodosomethingaboutit.

　　Idosomethingstomakemyselfmoreenvironmentallyfriendly.IwalktoschoolinsteadofdrivingbecauseIliveabouttwoblocksaway.IalsotakethebuswhenIgodowntownormyfriend'shouse.WhenIneedtogetsomewhereandmanypeoplearegoing,Icarpoolwithsomefriends.Irecycleanycardboardboxesandmilkcartons,andIreusewaterbottlesandfillthemwithfilteredtapwaterinsteadofbuyingmorewater.ItakeshortshowersandIdon'tleavethefacetonwhenIambrushingmyteeth.

　　Atschool,Iamconstantlylearningabouttheenvironmentandhowweareaffectingit.InoticedrecycleandcompostbinsinthecafeteriaandanoldAsianwomanpickingupcansandbottlesinthegym.IntheA.P.EnvironmentalScienceclass,Iseehowotherthirdworldcountriesarelessfortunatethanusandhowwejustdumpourtrashintheircountries.Weneedtofindawaytouselessresourcesandproducelesstrashsoothercountriescanimprovetheirstandardofliving.

　　Duringthesummerof2008,IwasainternatNorthEastMedicalServices(NEMS),whichisaclinicnearChinatown.Iworkedasalabtechnicalassistantandtheyhadstrictsafetyregulations.IalwayshadtowashmyhandsandwearlatexglovesbecauseIwastransportingbloodsamples.Mymentortoldmethatacleanworkplacereducesthechanceofpeoplespreadinganydiseases.Healsotoldmethatmanypeopleareillbecausetheirhousesorworkplacesareunsanitary.

　　Acleanenvironmentisgoodforeveryone,butwearefarfromone.Ifwecontinuewhatwearedoing,mostofournaturalresourceswouldbegoneandourfuturegenerationswouldhavenothingtosurviveon.Weshouldfocusmoreonrenewableenergysourceslikethewind,sun,andmaybeevenraininsteadofwastingallofourfossilfuels.Wealsoneedtodomorewithourtrashinsteadofburningorburyingit.Ihopethatifapplymystudiestoenvironmentalproblemsandcomingupwithasolutiontothem,Icanhelpmakeabetterfutureforeveryone.