My Science School

The more we use mountains, the more we threaten the lives of the people, animals and plants that live there. We must continue to take care of our mountains so that they can be enjoyed by future generations.

 Sometimes waste is stored inside a mountain.

Some people think that mountains are a useful place to store rubbish because they are remote and scarcely populated. Tunnels can be made in a mountain to keep the rubbish out of sight. But poisons from this rubbish can seep into the ground, killing plants and animals that live nearby.

 The way of life in the mountains is under threat.

If levels of pollution increase and the Earth’s temperatures continue to rise, life will get more difficult for mountain people. Food and fuel could become scarce as mountain habitats change. Melting glaciers are also likely to cause floods, soil erosion, falling rocks and landslides.

Mountains may change in your lifetime.

Over millions of years, mountains grow and mountains wear away. Sometimes, a natural disaster can change the landscape dramatically. In 2004, a tsunami was caused by an earthquake under the sea in Asia. Whole islands disappeared from view and many people drowned. We cannot predict how mountains will change. However, we can do our best to protect them.

Picture Credit : Google