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עמוד:7
4 Read the article below and find out more about some ecological issues . Eco-News , June 2002 Are We Too Late ? Already in ancient times , the Romans complained about smoke in their cities . However , most major environmental problems have occurred over the past few hundred years . What has happened ? What can be done to save our environment before it is too late ? Read on and you be the judge ... Global Warming For a long time , scientists have known that air pollution is one of the major causes of global warming . When fossil fuels * are burned , they release greenhouse gases , such as CO 2 ( carbon dioxide ) and CFCs ( chlorofluorocarbons ) , into the atmosphere . These gases are trapped in the Earth ' s atmosphere . causing air pollution . This leads to a rise in the temperature near the Earth ' s surface , causing what is called the " greenhouse effect . " A warmer planet may lead to changes in climate and rainfall patterns , as well as a rise in sea level and damaged ecosystems . The Disappearing Rainforests Plants and trees play an important role in the global ecosystem , including preserving the ozone layer . They absorb and store CO , and release oxygen into the atmosphere . However , trees are being chopped down or burned down at an ever increasing rate . Fifty percent of the world ' s plants and animals live in rainforests , and many are endangered . Dr . E . O . Wilson , a professor of biology at Harvard University , called the destruction of rainforests , or rainforest depletion , "the greatest extinction since the end of the age of dinosaurs . " Waste Disposal The world is running out of places to dispose of garbage . In most cases , garbage is put in landfills or huge garbage dumps . Organic materials and plastic bottles are a problem , but hazardous waste — waste that contains dangerous chemicals —is a more serious problem . These materials can contaminate underground water supplies , the land and even the air . Poor waste disposal is not only an eyesore , but it is also a serious threat to human and animal life . Water Pollution For many years , waste materials have been dumped in rivers , lakes and oceans . As a result , the quality of the water and water-based ecosystems have been destroyed . Dumping waste in the ocean affects even more people because polluted water spreads easily from one location to another . Oil spills are another source of water pollution , contaminating the water and destroying animal and plant life both in and near the water . Health officials warn that people are at risk if they eat contaminated fish or drink unclean water . The list goes on , but now you have some of the facts about some of the problems and their impacts or effects . The question remains : what are the solutions ? Readers are invited to send opinions or suggestions to our "Readers' Letters" section . * fossil fuels — material used to produce heat or energy made from substances that were living many thousands of years ago .
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