There is no denying that our population boom will lead to new developments and expansion, but I believe we can do this without compromising our natural ecosystem. We must preserve the integrity of our natural environments without harming the human population. My current view of nature is that it is an integral part of our lives; it provides a sanctuary to forget our worries and problems, and a place to improve our physical health. Not only is nature a place for personal development for us, but it is also home to various organisms and natural resources on which the majority of our existence depends. If we want to grow, which we inevitably will, we must keep our natural ecosystem in mind; we must remember that nothing is final and that includes the existence of natural ecosystems. We must develop with all living organisms in mind, which means we must form a mutually beneficial relationship with nature rather than the parasitic relationship we are currently moving toward. This involves reducing our current impact on the environment by finding more efficient ways or alternatives to our current way of life and turning to more environmentally friendly resources to power our daily lives. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Because I am currently attending college, much of the food I eat and goods I need require online shopping and shipping. Every week I make about one online purchase from outside California or, failing that, from a different city. This means that every month I need shipping and transportation services about four times. The foods that the majority of my diet relies on are processed and prepackaged, which means I also have to consider the negative effects of the factories where the foods are produced. I don't travel, except for winter and summer vacations, due to time constraints and heavy course loads, so gasoline is only a portion of my consumption twice a year. But resources like water and electricity are an integral part of my daily life. I usually drink about three cups of water and shower at least once a day. Due to the lack of natural light, even during the day, I need electricity to power three light fixtures for about twelve hours a day. Land-wise, I live in a fairly large four-story apartment complex, but my personal room is about three hundred and fifty square feet. However, the university I attend occupies the majority of the land that makes up the city and the large classrooms and other university facilities require an enormous amount of electricity and water to operate nearly three hundred and sixty-five days a year . I have to say that my negative impact on the environment lies in the amount of products I throw away and buy, particularly my reliance on ordering items online rather than going to the store in person . I rarely reuse items and the allure that advertisements show for a new product model is often impossible for me to avoid. Even though I live in a small town where it is very easy to get around thanks to public transportation and where local farmers' markets take place every week, I personally find it more convenient to stay in my apartment and have the goods delivered to me . The quantity offossil fuels required to transport goods is much higher than that of a person who does not rely on online shopping for everyday items. However, one positive impact I have had is my complete independence from driving a gas-guzzling vehicle. Not only do I personally prefer public transportation and walking, but my current living environment is much more pedestrian-oriented than car-oriented. And even when I come home from college, I rarely drive alone and instead try to align my schedule with my family's so we can carpool. This means that my consumption of fossil fuels in terms of driving is significantly lower than that of a person who needs a car to get around. A neutral effect I have had on the environment is visiting national parks near my home. When I go to these parks, I never stray from the designated path and I do not touch or move any of the natural forms (i.e. rocks, shells, plants, etc.); I'm just an observer. Although the path I walk on and the cement my car sits on had to be paved, they were done without compromising the integrity of the national ecosystem; they were made with nature as a priority. Not only did these activities occur a long time ago, but new developments in national parks are non-existent or very rare. The amount of water and electricity I use increases the impact I have locally. In general, the presence and growing popularity of my university takes up the majority of the city's resources. This growth has been accompanied by an increase in attendance at the local farmers' market, as well as the expansion of new stores in the city center; which means greater dependence on electricity and water resources. Personally, because I buy all my food and daily items online, I am indirectly introducing more air pollution and more fossil fuel consumption to my area to get my items to my house. Globally, the fossil fuels and gasoline I consume with my online purchases play a role in the global warming crisis; every drop of gas used for my deliveries contributes to the cloud of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. My heavy reliance on processed and prepackaged foods is also fueling the growth of factories in developing countries, leading to dangerous health risks for people who live nearby. The pay of factory workers in poor countries is extremely low, which sends them into a continuous cycle of poverty, and when I do not use the local products that are within my reach, I contribute to their forced lifestyle . I plan to minimize my spending habits, hoping to adopt a minimalist lifestyle in the future, which will not only benefit me financially, but also decrease the effects of freight transportation on the environment. I also hope to hone my artistic side and use it to recycle products that I would usually throw away. This plan would reduce both the amount of waste I produce and the amount of toxins released into the atmosphere during the transportation of goods. Another goal of mine is to replace my current family vehicle with an electric car by next year; we have already put down a deposit for the new Tesla model which has been designed to be more affordable for the public, but it is uncertain whether or not the car will arrive by next year. When the car arrives, our dependence on gasoline will be almost completely eliminated because the other.