UNDERSTANDING THE ENVIRONMENT
Human life can not be separated from its environment. Both the natural and social environment. We need to breathe air from the surrounding environment. We eat, drink, health, environment all require.
Understanding the environment is everything that is around humans that affect the development of human life, either directly or indirectly. The environment can be divided into biotic and abiotic environment. If you are in school, the biotiknya form school friends, teachers and employees of the father's mother, and everyone at the school, as well as a variety of plant species found in the school garden and the animals around him. The abiotic environment such as air, tables and chairs, blackboards, school buildings, and various inanimate objects that are around.
Often environment consisting of fellow humans is also known as the social environment. The social environment that has shaped social systems are large role in shaping one's personality.


ENVIRONMENT
In particular, we often use the term environment to mention everything that affects the survival of all living creatures on earth.
As for under the Law. 23, 1997, the space environment is unity and oneness with all things living things including human beings and their behavior that perpetuate life and well-being of humans and other living things.
The elements of the environment can be divided into three, namely:
1. Biological Elements (biotic)
Elements of biological (biotic), the environmental elements that comprise living things, such as humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms. If you are in the school garden, the biological environment is dominated by plants. But if you are in class, the biological environment is the dominant friends or fellow human beings.
2. Social and Cultural Elements
Elements of social culture, the social and cultural environment which is a man-made system of values, ideas and beliefs in behavior as social beings. Society can achieve regularity thanks to the system of values ​​and norms that are recognized and adhered to by all members of the community.
3. Elements of Physical (abiotic)
Elements of physical (abiotic), the environmental elements that comprise non-living objects, such as soil, water, air, climate, and others. The existence of very large role of the physical environment for the survival of all life on earth. Imagine what happens if the water is no longer on the face of the earth or the air filled with smoke? Of course, life on earth will not take place naturally. There will be a drought, many animals and plants die, irregular seasons change, the emergence of various diseases, and others.


ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
Based on the causes, forms of environmental damage can be divided into two types, namely:
1. Forms of Environmental Damage Due to Natural Events
Various forms of natural disasters that recently struck Indonesia have caused much damage to the environment impact. The enormity of the tsunami that devastated the Terrace of Mecca and Nias, and the earthquake that leveled 5 scale quake DIY and surrounding areas, is an example of a natural phenomenon that in an instant can change shape earth.
Other natural events that affect environmental degradation, among others:
a. Volcanic eruptions
Volcanic eruptions occur due to magma activity in the bowels of the earth that causes a strong pressure out through the top of the volcano.
Dangers posed by volcanic eruptions between
limited to:
1) The rain of volcanic ash, causing respiratory problems.
2) Lava hot, destructive, and deadly anything passed.
3) Hot clouds, can kill living creatures that pass.
4) The gas is toxic.
5) solid material (rocks, gravel, sand), can override housing, and others.
b. Earthquake
An earthquake is a vibration of the earth's crust that can be caused by several things, including magma activity (volcanic activity), the ground down, and because the plate in the bottom of the ocean. Humans can measure how the intensity of an earthquake, but the man is utterly unable to predict when an earthquake.
Therefore, the danger posed by an earthquake more powerful than the volcanic eruption. At the time of the earthquake lasted several events occurred as a result, directly or indirectly, including:
1) Various buildings collapsed.
2) The land surface of the earth broke, the road becomes broken.
3) Soil erosion due to shocks.
4) There was a flood, due to damage to the embankment.
5) An earthquake on the ocean floor can cause a tsunami (tidal wave).
c. Hurricane
Hurricanes due to air flow from a high pressure area toward a low pressure area.
The difference occurs because the air pressure is a striking difference in the air temperature. Attacks hurricanes for countries in the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean are common. For the areas in the California, Texas, up in Asia such as Korea and Taiwan, the danger of a catastrophic hurricane season. But for Indonesia only felt in mid-2007. This shows that there has been climate change in Indonesia that is not caused by the global warming phenomenon.
Dangers of hurricanes can be predicted through satellite photos that depict the state of the Earth's atmosphere, including the drawings hurricane formation, direction, and speed. Attacks hurricanes (cyclones) can cause damage to the environment in the form of:
1) Knock down buildings.
2) The destruction of agricultural land and plantations.
3) Threatening flight.
4) Generates big waves that can sink ships.
2. Environmental damage due to Human Factors
Man as ruler of the earth environment plays a major role in determining the sustainability of the environment. Human beings as rational creatures able to change the face of the world of patterns of simple life forms up to the modern life today. Unfortunately, often what people do not offset with the idea of ​​the future lives of the next generation. Much progress was achieved by humans a bad impact on environmental sustainability.
Some forms of environmental degradation due to human factors, among others:
a. Pollution (air, water, soil, and noise) as a result of the industrial area.
b. Flooding, as a result of poor drainage or sewerage system and the failure to maintain the watershed and the impact of forest destruction.
c. Landslides, as a direct result of the destruction of the forest.
Some human activities that directly or indirectly have an impact on environmental degradation, among others:
a. Illegal logging (deforestation).
b. Poaching.
c. Damage the mangroves.
d. Hoarding swamps to residential areas.
e. Disposal of litter.
f. Illegal buildings in the watershed (DAS).
g. Utilization of natural resources beyond excessive.


ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Preserving the environment is a necessity that can not be postponed again and not just the responsibility of government or heads of state alone, but the responsibility of every human being on earth, from toddlers to seniors. Everyone should make an effort to save the environment around us in accordance with their respective capacities. No matter how small the business that we do is very beneficial for the realization of the habitable earth for future generations of our children and grandchildren.
Government efforts to achieve a just and prosperous life for its people without causing environmental damage followed by developing a sustainable development program is often referred to as environmentally sound development.
Environmentally sound development is an attempt to improve the human quality gradually with attention to environmental factors. Environmentally sound development known as Sustainable Development. The concept of sustainable development is the result agreements Earth Summit in Rio de Jeniro 1992. It contains two important initiatives, namely:
a. The idea needs, especially basic human needs to sustain life.
b. The idea of ​​limitations, which limits the ability of the environment to meet the needs of both the present and the future.
The characteristics of Environmental Development are as follows:
a. Ensuring equity and justice.
b. Valuing biodiversity.
c. Using an integrative approach.
d. Using a long-term view.
At the time of reform, national development is no longer carried by GBHN and Propenas, but based on Law no. 25 of 2000, concerning National Development Planning System (SPPN).
National Development Planning System has the objective of which:
a. Ensure the achievement of the use of resources in an efficient, effective, equitable, and sustainable.
b. Optimizing participation.
c. Ensure linkages and consistency between planning, budgeting, implementation and monitoring.
1. Do Government Efforts
The government was responsible for the welfare of its people have a great responsibility in the effort to think and realize the establishment of environmental protection. The things that the government include:
a. Removing the Basic Agrarian Law No.. 5 of 1960 governing Land Use.
b. Publishes Law. 4 of 1982, concerning Basic Provisions of Environmental Management.
c. Government Regulation No. enact. 24 In 1986, of the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment).
d. In 1991, the government formed Environmental Control Agency, with its basic purpose:
1) Tackling pollution case.
2) Keep an eye on hazardous materials and toxic (B3).
3) Conduct an assessment of environmental impact assessment (EIA).
e. The government launched a movement to plant a million trees.
2. Environmental Conservation Efforts by the Joint Community Government
As good citizens, people should have full commitment to the preservation of the surrounding environment according to their respective capabilities.
Some people attempt to dilakuklan related environmental protection, among others:
a. Preservation of land (flat land, sloping land / hills)
The occurrence of landslides and floods show events related to land issues. Flooding has caused soil erosion by water flow is called erosion impact on soil fertility loss and erosion of soil from the surface of the earth. Landslides caused because there was no element that holds the soil in place, causing damage. If this is allowed to continue, it is not impossible if the environment turns into a barren desert. Soil conservation can be done by encouraging the planting of trees or reforestation (reforestation) to the original bare soil. For hilly or mountainous land position sloping terraces or swales should be built, so as to inhibit the rate of flow of rain water.
b. Preservation air
Air is a vital element for life, because every organism needs air to breathe. You know that the air contained a wide variety of gas, one oxygen.
The air is dirty because of dust or smoke residue causes reduced oxygen levels. This situation is very dangerous for the survival of any organism. Then it should be pursued tips to keep fresh air in the environment to stay clean, fresh, and healthy. Efforts to do to keep the air clean and healthy include:
1) Promote the planting of trees or plants around us
Plants can absorb gases are harmful to humans. Plants are able to produce oxygen through photosynthesis. Destruction of forests causing millions of lost crops so that the production of oxygen to the atmosphere is much reduced, in addition plants also emit water vapor, so the humidity will remain intact.
2) Promote the reduction of exhaust emissions or combustion, forest fires and burning both engine smoke coming out of chimneys and vehicle exhaust is the largest contributor to dirty air in urban and industrial areas. One of the efforts to reduce emissions of harmful gases into the air is to use industrial materials that are safe for the environment, as well as the installation of filters on smokestacks.
3) Reduce or even avoid the use of chemical gases that can damage the ozone layer in the atmosphere freon gas used for cooling the air conditioner and refrigerator and used in various cosmetic products, is a gas that can be bound with ozone gas, resulting in shrinking ozone layer. The ozone layer is a layer in the atmosphere acts as a filter for the earth, because it can reflect back into space ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun. Excessive ultraviolet rays damage the skin tissue and cause rising temperatures. Global warming occurs because more of them depletion of the ozone layer in the atmosphere.
c. Forest conservation
Continuous forest exploitation took place long ago to now being offset by replanting, causing forests to be damaged. Illegal logging by humans is one of the main causes of forest destruction. Though the forest is supporting the preservation of life on earth, because the forest is not just providing food and material production, but also producing oxygen, retaining soil, and store water reserves.
Efforts can be made to preserve forests:
1) Afforestation or reforestation bare.
2) Prohibit deforestation arbitrarily.
3) Implement the system of selective cutting in the cutting down of trees.
4) Implement cutting-cropping system in logging activities.
5) Implement severe penalties for those who violate regulations on forest management.
d. Preservation of marine and coastal
Like the forest, as well as marine resource potential. Damage to marine life and the coast are caused by human activity. Decision-sand beaches, coral in the sea, the destruction of mangrove forests, is kegatan-human activities that threaten the sustainability of ocean and beach. Threaten the coastal abrasion has caused the loss of mangroves on the coast are a natural protector against the onslaught of the waves.
The effort to preserve the ocean and the beach can be done by:
1) Perform reclamation by replanting mangroves in the area around the beach.
2) Prohibit taking rocks that surround the beach and in the sea, because the reef is a habitat for fish and marine plants.
3) Prohibit the use of explosives and other chemicals in fishing.
4) Prohibiting the use of trawling to catch fish.
e. Preservation of flora and fauna
Life on earth is a system of interdependence between humans, animals, plants, and natural surroundings. Breaking one link in the chain of the system will result in the disruption of life.
Therefore, the preservation of flora and fauna will be essential for the survival of human attention. Efforts to be made to preserve the flora and fauna include:
1) Establishing nature reserves and wildlife sanctuaries.
2) Prohibit poaching activities.
3) Promote the greening activities.