80Looking to the future
Humans are the dominant species
on the planet. We make use of all
of the Earth’s resources, but there is
a limit to how long these will last if
we continue using them up at our
current rate. It is in our own best
interest to find ways of living that
do not harm the environment and
protect the animals and plants that
live here, too.
Recycling Humans use and waste an enormous
amount of the Earth’s resources. Most trash is put
in large holes in the ground, but we are rapidly
running out of space. A better way to save resources
is recycling. Paper, plastics, metal, glass, and textiles
can all be recycled and used again.POLLUTION PREVENTION
For years, humans have been dumping the
waste products of industrial processes on the
ground, in rivers, or into the air. By using new
and cleaner technologies we can reduce the
amount of toxic substances produced and
find ways to make them less damaging
to the environment.ENVIRONMENTAND ECOLOGY
An increasing number of
people live in cities. Since 2008,
at least half of the world’s
population has been living in
cities rather than in the
countryside. By 2030, it is
expected that two-thirds will
be city dwellers.7
/^7
TELL ME MORE...Human
population
changes The number of
people on Earth has
been growing rapidly. There
are currently around 6.7 billion, but
there could be more than 9 billion by- All these people will need food,
water, and places to live, which could put
a huge strain on resources. POPULATION (BILLIONS)
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050YEAR9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1