America, a country that pushes you to be your very best. Although America appears like a wonderful place to live, sometimes those "little" things, like pollution or wasting of the fresh food and water we have at our disposal, can make a big difference. I'm here to discuss those "little" things.

Many people don't realize what an empty pop corn or plastic candy wrapper can do to the environment. Did you know, a Styrofoam cup takes 100 years to decompose? Plastic grocery bags become strewn all over the land, plastic 6-pack rings get caught on wild animals (either choking them or making it impossible to eat), old nets kill sea going animals, and many more seemingly harmless things can do so much damage. According to pollution.com, oil drilling increases the cancer risk in fish around the area of the drilling. Many species of animals are becoming extinct because of our poor and careless trash-throwing and recycling abilities. More and more people are forgetting the three R's (reduce, reuse, and recycle).

Some people throw away half-full pop cans, uneaten fruit or vegetables, basically anything that they don't want. Although this doesn't seem like a big thing, many people in Asia (and in other places around the world) would be happy to take that banana you don't want or that half-a-cup of clean water that you decided you didn't need anymore. According to pollution.com, Chinese children do not get enough nutrients to build strong immune systems. These children are exposed to HIV, poverty, and malnutrition. When children do catch a terrible disease, like HIV, the medicine that is available to them are either too expensive for them or the medicine that they need is not available.

Another problem that I would like to address, is illegal poaching. Many, many animals are becoming extinct because some people think that it is fun to kill animals for spite. Although the government may not be able to stop the many killings that happen in National Parks and/or Reserves, they have been able to track down the culprits who committed "bloody murder". The authorities can track down the suspect by the markings on the bullet they used to shoot the animal, the type of lead that was used in the bullet, or even by the animals fur or feathers, that might have stuck to the suspects clothes. It was once said, in a magazine article, that a tour guide brought a tourist into a National Park. While they were there, the tour guide (in order to make more money), tied down a wild cougar with a rope, while the other man shot the poor animal. Authorities later found the body of the animal, and immediately started an investigation. The tour guide was found with the rope in his possession. Scientists found pieces of the rope on the animal, and pieces of the cougar's fur was found in the rope. The cougar might have lost its life, but at least justice was done.

There are many more problems that could be fixed in America, if only people would stop and think about them. If you don't enjoy the things I have discussed with you, or think that something should be done about them, you can do your job by making sure you are completely done with something before you throw it away, only take what you need, donate to the less fortunate (this could include food, clothes, or money for medicine), keep in mind the three R's (reduce, reuse, and recycle), donate money to national parks and reserves to help enhance their security of wild animals and who is aloud into the park, and anything else you can think of that might make our country a better place. I've enjoyed telling you my point of view, and I hope you take it into consideration. Thank you for your time.