Ways to Help Protect Our Wildlife From Global Warming

Forests

• Forests play a major part in both fighting global warming and protecting wildlife. Trees are a vital part of the ecosystem as they absorb carbon dioxide, excrete oxygen and protect against flooding. They also offer the best habitats for all forms of animal life. Currently large areas of forest, and especially rainforest in South America, are being cut down for wood and charcoal and to clean areas for mining. This harms both the environment and ecosystems.

Water Flows

• A cornerstone of the environmental movement's message has been about preserving water sources. Animals, plants and humans rely on water flows, such as rivers, to provide this vital natural resource. Many water flows have become polluted due to industry near rivers or destroyed to make way for buildings and factories.

Carbon Fuels

• Carbon-based fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, are the main causes of global warming, and the extraction of these resources destroys the environment on its own. Large areas of forest need to be removed to make way for mines, and offshore drilling pollutes the water and carries the risk of oil spills. If global dependency on these fuels were reduced, more and more ecosystems would be protected and the risk of global warming would shrink.

Protection Zones

• Some areas are under threat because they contain natural resources, such as carbon fuels, that make them an attractive target for development. A great example of this is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.Many of the species that live in this wilderness are native to only that area, and yet they are under threat because of increased consumption of oil. It is vital to ensure these areas remain untouched to preserve the wildlife there rather than destroying them for oil that will only lead to further global warming.

Recycle

• A great way to protect ecosystems is to ensure packaging is recycled. If all boxes, magazines and newspapers were recycled, there would be less need to cut down more trees. It is also important to check packaging before the purchase to ensure it comes from sustainable sources.