Pollution - Issues in conservation

 By Tim Ryan

This book was developed to heighten the awareness of the human impact on our environment. It is hoped that the need to conserve and preserve our resources is highlighted. The lay person, secondary school students and university students need to be conscious of basic information to become informed, conservationally minded citizens. 

Tim Writes

"....

Australians rely on the sea for travel, for food, for minerals and energy, as well as being a source of pleasure, Many of us enjoy surfing, sailing, fishing, swimming and other recreational activities directly related Lo the sea. Structures such as the Great Barrier Reef and huge sand islands attract thousands of people each year and generate millions of dollars worth of business. If the sea is to continue to provide these needs we will have to maintain it in its present usable and wondrous form. 

To embark on.a conservation program we first of all need to know what we are going to conserve. We should know about the different types of plants and animals in the waters, how they are distributed and how they affect each other. No organism lives alone -each has its own place in a food chain, in the cycling of nutrients, and in relationships with other animals and plants. A major prerequisite for conser­vationists and environmental managers is LO fully understand nature's complexities through painstaking research. 

This book endeavours to illustrate the fragile nature of our seas and oceans and how humans can alter the delicate balance. It notes the effect and sources of the many forms of pollution from our wasteful society. Environmental issues continually make the headlines in news bulletins, in many cases giving evidence of new areas being polluted and reminding us of our responsibilities. 

The book, as well as presenting a balanced view of the repercussions associated with the technology of modem society, suggests solutions to these dilemmas. Some of these solutions arc already being implemented in some form, while others are in the developmental stage."