關於環保的文章

原始森林是地球上最重要的生態系統之一。

地球上的原始森林真的是豐富多樣，幾乎遍佈全球各地。分佈於俄羅斯、加拿大和亞馬遜的森林是世界上面積最大的幾片原始森林，但是在非洲國家、印度尼西亞和巴布亞新幾內亞的原始森林擁有非常豐富的生物多樣性，具有很高的保護價值。

原始森林維護著我們的環境，它們儲存大量碳物質來保持氣候的穩定，通過對降雨和蒸發的控制調節天氣，並維持著地球的生態平衡。僅熱帶雨林就為人類提供 40%的氧氣所需，因此它們也被稱作“地球之肺”。

原始森林在過去幾千年一直未受人類工業活動的干擾。但是在上世紀90年代末，世界資源研究所（World Resources Institute）通過衛星圖像，顯示世界上的原始森林已經所剩無幾，並且殘存的大多也處於工業發展的威脅或蠶食之中。

地球上幾乎一半的原始森林資源已經消失，另外30%也因為破壞而嚴重退化，喪失了支持動植物和原住民生存在此的能力。世界上僅剩20%的原始森林因為未遭工業活動的破壞而保持原狀，仍然棲息著地球上三分之二的陸地動植物物種，包括一些瀕危物種如大猩猩、紅猩猩和灰熊等。但是這些森林以及依賴這些森林生存的物種的未來卻令人擔憂。

全世界原始森林因為過去的過度開發和採伐已經所剩無幾。如果我們現在不採取行動的話，世界其它地區的原始森林將會遭遇一樣的命運。

Environmental science is the study of the interactions among the physical,
chemical and biological components of the environment; with a focus on pollution
and degradation of the environment related to human activities; and the impact
on biodiversity and sustainability from local and global development. It is
inherently an interdisciplinary field that draws upon not only its core
scientific areas, but also applies knowledge from other non-scientific studies
such as economics, law and social sciences. Physics is used to understand the
flux of material and energy interaction and construct mathematical models of
environmental phenomena. Chemistry is applied to understand the molecular
interactions in natural systems. Biology is fundamental to describing the
effects within the plant and animal kingdoms.
While the concept of environmental science has existed for centuries, it came
alive as a substantive, active field of scientific investigation in the 1960s
and 1970s driven by (a) the need for a large multi-disciplined team to analyze
complex environmental problems, (b) the arrival of substantive environmental
laws requiring specific environmental protocols of investigation and (c) the
growing public awareness of a need for action in addressing environmental
problems.
Environmental science encompasses issues such as climate change, conservation,
biodiversity, groundwater and soil contamination, use of natural resources,
waste management, sustainable development, air pollution and noise pollution.
Due to the inherent interdisciplinary nature of environmental science, teams of
professionals commonly work together to conduct environmental research or to
produce Environmental Impact Statements, as required by the U.S. National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) or under state laws. There are professional
organizations that engender work in environmental science and aid in
communication among the diverse sciences.