9781422275429

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

climate change: a change in global and local weather patterns, largely attributed to ozone layer damage caused by fossil fuels fertile: land that is readily able to grow plants

greenhouse effect: the trapping of the sun’s heat within the Earth’s atmosphere

organism: a living thing, such as a plant, animal, or bacteria

CHAPTER

Helping to Protect the Environment: Why It’s Needed WHY WE SHOULD PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT From global warming to mounds of trash floating in our oceans, it’s clear that there is much work to do to save our environment. Some of the problems in the environment today are natural, but others are man-made. It’s up to us as a society to clean up the Earth. There are also a variety of careers for people who want to dedicate themselves to helping the environment. Careers that help the environment span a range of salaries, abilities, and daily work activities. Most professional careers can be modified to help the environment. Interested in becoming a lawyer? Some lawyers and paralegals work with the government on environmental law, determining

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