Traditionally in the past, environmental issues have been sidelined and placed behind other critical issues. However, towards the end of the twentieth century and currently in the twenty-first century, people have come to the conclusion that perhaps we should pay more attention to the environment around us. Awareness of the importance of the well-being of the environment leads to the question “Are we taking current environmental issues too lightly?”. Unfortunately the answer to this question is a resounding yes. Numerous environmental studies have shown that if we do not take serious action to restore the health of our environment, we will be at serious risk. Risks to us, wildlife and the environment arise from the loss of natural resources, loss of biodiversity, rapid pollution and global warming (climate change), the most damaging. These factors exponentially increase the deterioration of the environment. Continued degradation of the environment will eventually lead to the disappearance of the human population. Human consumption of the Earth's natural resources will continue to increase as the human population booms. Developed countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America typically have the highest consumption rates globally. As time passes, third world countries continue to develop and adopt technologies such as personal vehicles and electronics. Naturally, countries equipped with newly adopted technologies will need more resources to support and fuel them. Studies show that electricity use increased seventy percent from 1990 to 2008, in just eighteen years. Sustainability is a key term when talking about natural resources. Sustainability is the idea that people are... at the center of the paper... The habitable planet Unit 11. Annenberg Learner, nd Web. November 23, 2013."What is acid rain?" ConserveEnergyFuture. Np, nd Web. November 23, 2013."Water." Facts about pollution, effects of pollution, clean law. National Resource Defense Center, n.d. Web. November 24, 2013. Skye, Jared. “Effects of Water Pollution.” Love to know. Np, nd Web. November 24, 2013."Frequently Asked Questions About Water Pollution." Frequently asked questions about water pollution. Lenntech and Web. November 24, 2013.""Causes, Effects, and Solutions of Water Pollution." Causes, Effects, and Solutions of Water Pollution. Academia.edu, n.d. Web. November 23, 2013."Facts about Water Pollution." ConserveEnergyFuture. Np, nd Web Nov. 23, 2013. Bernhard, Stltoday.com. “Mississippi River Flooded with Toxins, Report Finds,” Mar. 23, 2012. Web. Nov. 23, 2013. Jaiswal, Rakesh. 2013.