The effectiveness of a country’s leaders is best measured by examining the well-being of that country’s citizens.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

Although there is some truth in this statement, I believe the overall effectiveness of a country’s leaders is best measured by examining the health of the environment. The planet we inhabit is a fragile place, and we must do our best to protect it for future generations. The environment provides all living things with nourishment and shelter, all of which are essential to life. In order to sustain life, we must all do our part to minimize our impact on the world’s ecosystem

In 1982, the United Nations adopted the Brundtland Commission’s definition of sustainable development as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ It is our responsibility as citizens of this planet to care for it. Though this might require us to make sacrifices in the short term, we must realize that if we fail, our descendants will have little to look forward to. Recently, many countries have made great strides in protecting the environment. In October, 2016, the Paris Climate Agreement was signed by nearly 200 countries with the goal of keeping global temperatures from rising above 2 degrees Celsius. The agreement involved voluntary commitments by each of the signatory countries to reduce greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere to near maximum levels by the year 2100. The United States, however, has not ratified the agreement, so it is possible that the United States will violate the agreement. This places the burden of preventing climate change on the shoulders of other countries, making it all the more important that we take steps to reduce the pollution we emit. The ramifications of climate change are dire, and we must do everything we can to preserve the health of our planet for future generations

Another important way we can care for our planet is by recycling. ‘Recycling’ refers to using materials in a new form, rather than discarding them. For example, a glass bottle can be recycled, thereby creating a new product. This new product can then be used instead of the original glass bottle, thereby saving raw materials and saving energy. This saves the environment because less new material must be produced, and fewer resources must be consumed in the manufacturing process. Additionally, recycling helps to reduce pollution by preventing waste. In 2015, the United States recovered 27.9 million tons of municipal solid waste. If all the recoverable materials were recycled, this would have prevented the emission of 179.1 million tons of carbon dioxide. Recycling is a relatively simple act that can save our planet

If we wish to preserve our planet for future generations, we must all do our part. This begins with each of us making small lifestyle changes that will help us conserve our natural resources. For example, we can buy products made from recycled materials. We can also reduce our carbon footprint by walking, biking, or riding our public transportation to work. These small steps will save energy and help to preserve our planet.

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