Everywhere you look in the world, you see the effect that humans have made on the environment. Whether it is through the construction of buildings and streets or the destruction of nature, humans have hugely impacted the environment for the worse. Humans continue to impact the environment and little to nothing has been done about this world issue.

One reason humans continuously impact our environment is for their personal benefit. We don’t think or care about the consequences of our actions. We are just now beginning to realize that our harmful actions for the past few decades have had a huge impact on the environment. In “Scavengers,” the two main characters partake in a process that harms the foreign planet’s organisms and environment for their benefit. They cut open and extract parts of several plants and animals all for a small glimpse of Earth.

Often times however, many don’t realize their impact on the environment through their actions. They do things out of habit and don’t think about the consequences their actions bring. Many people choose careers that although may benefit them, also destroy or hinder the environment at the same time. In “A Work of Artifice,” Marge Piercy implies that the gardener dwarfed the bonsai tree’s growth and due to the gardener’s actions, it had not reached its full potential. This is a good example of how many harm the environment without realizing. All the gardener knows is that he is doing his job, but doesn’t know his job is impacting the environment.

There are lasting impacts on the environment that can only be fixed once more people are made aware of the consequences their actions carry. The “Mojave Phone booth” is an example of a lasting impact that was fixed once people were made aware of it. It had been placed in the middle of the desert for years, but had only been completely removed once attention had been brought to it.

Humans negatively impact the Earth and our environment everyday, some without even realizing. Although many people continue to while knowing that their actions negatively impact the environment, many are not aware. However, no matter if its intended, we need to be aware that our actions have consequences.