2020 Essay Contest Finalist

Entry by Korina Cortezano

How We Process Earth Materials

All life on Earth is dependent on Earth’s materials, it’s what connects humans to the planet. But when we don’t properly create balance in what we take out and put back in our Earth, we will slowly begin to lose what we depend on most.

Earth’s materials are grouped into four basic categories: minerals, rocks, soil, and water. These elements are naturally occurring, and support the survival of plants and animals, the structure of the land, and the evolution of humankind. We use organic matter everyday in the jewelry we wear, the foundations of our homes, and even our national currency. As you can see, we are dependent on Earth’s goods. Natural resources are found everywhere, from the deepest places in the Earth to the ground that we walk on. We would not be able to survive without Earth’s organic materials!

How can we make sure that the materials we use are good for us and the environment? Because Earth’s resources are natural, they do not affect our environment. However, if we alter those materials and change them into something that could potentially harm our planet, we are going to cause a negative domino effect in our environment. Pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming have drastically risen over the years due to humans. How can we prevent further environmental problems? We could create laws that plastic companies have to abide by. For example, we could make it mandatory for 40% of companies’ plastic products to be eco-friendly and recyclable, we could raise money to pay for solar panels for our community, and we could practice reducing, reusing, and recycling.

We can still maintain community values while keeping our environment healthy. It is possible if we all leave positive footprints on our Earth.