First Place--Janae Currington, 10th grader from Renaissance
High School, Detroit, MI (The following are excerpts.)
...Other animals are affected by human behavior because
humans are the dominant species on Earth...Other animal
species become extinct or endangered for a number of reasons
for which humans are responsible. These include the destruction
of the Earth and its habitats, carelessness, and the introduction
of man-made chemicals to make our lives more comfortable...pollution
of air and water, acid rain, and the depletion of the ozone
layer...
...Smog produces acid rain... Acid rain can be so potent
that it can make a well-sized lake unable to sustain fish
populations. It is also thought to be responsible for the
decline of many forest ecosystmes worldwide...
...The biggest effect of human behavior is the destruction
of animal habitats. Humans drain wetlands, convert shrublands
into grazing lands, cut and clear forests and build highways
just about everywhere... As humans continue to spread across
the Earth, they reduce the remaining habitats to smaller
and smaller areas. Humans also use up the natural resources
at a quicker rate than the resources can be restored...
...More and more people come into the world and crowd the
Earth. This overcrowding contributes to the cutting down
of forests and the conversion of various areas into grazing
lands. The more humans there are, the more food is needed.
Because humans are omnivorous, the lands are used for raising
cattle and other animals, as well as growing vegetables
and fruits. This is how many harmful chemicals were introduced.
Farmers wanted insects to stay off their crops, so they
put insecticides and pesticides on their fields. This form
of pest control has nearly wiped out some animal species...
...All of the different types of human behavior can lead
to extinction of animal species. We have already lost many
animals and have others traveling the same path. Animals
such as the dodo bird, the great auk, and the Balinese tiger
are all extinct because of hunting and careless human behavior
towards their environment. In 1990, only one Abingdon tortoise
remained alive because of incredible amounts of insecticides
used in areas where it had once thrived. Other animals on
the way to extinction included the giant panda, the Asiatic
lion, the orange-billed parakeet, and the Texas blind salamander...
...If humans continue with the same irresponsible actions,
it will not be long before the Earth is unable to sustain
any life, let alone other animals species, and all the splendor
of our great paradise called Earth will be no more.
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