Chapter 49: People and the Biosphere

Section 4: The Future of the Biosphere

The Future of the Biosphere

A lot of people agree that because Earth supplies us with all we need for life – food, water, air, and natural resources – we owe our planet the very best care possible

In the past, people have treated Earth with neglect

Today, attitudes are changing

Actions for Conservation

There are people in the world who love ______, ______, and ______

There are also many people who understand how important the health of the biosphere is to the health of all species, including ______

These people work together to protect the environment in many different ways

______, ______, ______, the ______, and ______have all purchased land that is to be set aside for conservation purposes

The ______is one of the most important responsibilities we shall assume in the years ahead

It is more difficult to conserve the resources in the ______

To conserve ocean species, the countries of the world must join together to protect the oceans and their inhabitants

Sometimes people work together to protect a ______

For example, sports fisherman on the east coast have formed a group called Stripers Unlimited

oA group that works to protect habitats important to the striped bass

oLarger organizations such as the ______, ______, and ______

______work on a ______and ______to protect the environment

Difficult Decisions

Cleaning up the environment and keeping it clean are not easy jobs

o______

o______

o______

In overwhelming numbers, Americans are expressing their fears for the future of planet Earth

You must decide how important the environment is and whether you are willing to pay to keep it healthy