Case Study on Environmental Changes

Changes in the way we live have led to different environmental changes in the world. Global warming is one of the things that have made environmentalists come up with ways of conserving the environment and making it better for a promising future. Following this, various people come up with multiple ways of making the environment friendly to humankind. However, making the environment better is affected by politics since the government is involved in all these procedures.

The tradeoffs and politics described in the podcast show that the government needs to work with other companies to gain through such activities as lithium mining. Since lithium mining is expensive, the government and the mining companies must ensure that they consult the people living near the mining areas. Following this, the government needs to ensure that the mining activities are legal and that the mining companies have all the resources they need before they start mining. According to Linda, Argentina’s Lithium producing provinces are among the poorest (BBC Sounds 15:17). This is because there is a lack of resources while the government needs to be paid the taxes. Following this, lithium mining has really been politicized since the government and the mining companies want to benefit from these activities.

It should be noted that the mining of lithium should be done with the aim of making the environment better. The podcast has shown how environmentalists are trying to make the environment friendlier by eliminating things that pollute the environment. One of the things that destroy the environment is the carbon emissions from vehicles. Following this, lithium-powered electric cars need to come up (BBC Sounds 2:17). However, it is not an easy process since the lithium mining process is also complicated. Before embarking on this process, the lithium mining companies must know that the lithium projects might affect the fresh waters. This will lead to people suffering as freshwater is far much crucial for human beings to exist. Coming up with a friendly environment is not an easy task as the process might also affect other environmental factors. Although the current efforts are positive, a lot needs to be done to ensure that a lot is not damaged in making the environment friendlier.

My attitude towards the current efforts to be environmentally friendly has entirely changed. Now I understand how hard it is to come up with an environment that is safe for all. In one way or another, human activities end up damaging the process, even if that is not the primary intention. People need to be sensitized about these activities and how they can better eliminate the adverse side effects of making the environment more human-friendly. Besides, the government needs to develop laws that will see lithium mining companies engage the locals before embarking on any procedure. The locals know the area better, and that is where they live. Following this, some of these activities might affect people negatively. For example, mining lithium might affect the fresh waters, and if people live in the area, they will have no freshwater sources. The process of making the environment better is a long one, and it involves the communities, the government, and the companies. Unless all these entities work together to ensure that the environment becomes more friendly, we have a long way to go. I have now realized why it is crucial to work together and have a co9mmon goal if we want the environment to be better.

Works Cited

BBC Sounds. “The Documentary Podcast – Argentina’s ‘white Gold’ Rush – BBC Sounds.” BBC, 17 Oct. 2019, www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p07r8t2f. Accessed 18 June 2021.