His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in his message for the celebration of the World Day of Peacehas proclaimed: 

“If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation. Respect for creation is of immense consequence, not least because “creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works” and its preservation has now become essential for the pacific coexistence of mankind. Man’s inhumanity to man has given rise to numerous threats to peace and to authentic and integral human development – wars, international and regional conflicts, acts of terrorism, and violations of human rights. Yet no less troubling are the threats arising from the neglect – if not downright misuse – of the earth and the natural goods that God has given us. For this reason, it is imperative that mankind renew and strengthen “that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the creative love of God, from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying”.

　These noble thoughts can only be expressed by a person who is totally selfless and devoted towards the upliftment of mankind. Our Environment is our surrounding. This includes living and non-living things around us. The non-living components of environment are land, water and air. The living components are germs, plants, animals and people. All plants and animals adjust to the environment in which they are born and live. A charge in any component of the environment may cause discomfort and affect normal life. Any unfavorable change or degeneration in the environment is known as ‘Environmental Pollution. We need to protect our environment to live happily.

　We, the human race, are solely responsible for the deteriorating environment. While we have improved our living status, we have endangered every other species. We prevent fires that replenish the soil, add chemicals to the water, and block the sun with thick smog. The current status of the world is our making. Our expanding knowledge is the cause and ultimately must be the solution.

　We must correct the wrongs of the past, though we have limitations. Like the rebuilding of a tree, certain things cannot be fixed. We do not have the spider's weaving equipment, nor any substitute for the leaf's living bond with its point of attachment and nourishment. This, however, is no reason not to try. We must remember that the environment is based on a chain of cause and effect. What good will replanting a forest do if we continue to poison the stream that runs through it? In order to succeed we must break the negative chain of events. Preserving the environment will not be an easy task, but it is not impossible. 

A major step towards a healthy environment is a true realization of what we have done in the past. The weight of our mistakes provides incentive to prevent further pollution. Mother Nature's creations are extraordinary. We do not have the ability to recreate them. Nature cannot be manufactured on an assembly line. Its beauty is unique and demands appreciation.

　Environmental protection starts with you. Try to live a green life to the best of your abilities. Try to educate yourself and your friends and family. Pass on the knowledge and good habits to them, and then they can do the same with their friends and family. The more you know and share the more people that will follow in your "green" footprint rather than your "carbon-footprint".

　Early humans were quite different from modern humans. Modern humans have many technologies and advances that we take for granted. Humans and pre-humans have always been developing, either intentionally or unintentionally, technologies that were either necessary for the continuation of life, or for the improved quality of life, thus changing the environment. Early humans lived by hunting and gathering, affecting their environment only minimally. There was a small human population that supported itself by hunting, gathering, and scavenging until about ten thousand years ago these early human groups lived in conjunction with the environment, planning their migration and food consumption patterns around environmental cycles. In this case, the environment has more control over humans than humans have over the environment. Improving and maintaining the earth’s environment is becoming a more important task every day of our lives. Due to ignorance and frequent carelessness, this important task is quickly becoming a critical one.

　Many people assume that the environment is in no danger.  They believe that with advancing technology, we don't need to worry about renewing natural resources, recycling, and finding new ways to produce energy. They argue that one person in the world does not make a large difference. In actuality, each individual's contribution greatly affects our environment.  Our natural resources are running low, and we must work together to save them and the Earth from ruin. 

　Recycling is so important in the effort to preserve our environment for future generations.  We are running out of places to put landfills.  Saving the environment is a team effort.  Everyone in the world must participate and work together in order for it to be successful.  While some have argued that one person does not make a large difference, the fact is they do.