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Chesapeake Bay is part of Maryland and Virginia, and over its long history never has it been more contaminated than it is now.  For so long the American Farm Bureau Federation has kept quiet over Chesapeake Bay. That is, up until now when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims endangered marine life is becoming critical because of the toxins coming from the cities.

EPA wants that there be more control over what kind of water spills onto the bay. They call it a pollution diet. In response the American Farm Bureau has filed a case against the EPA claiming that it has no right to dictate what and how clean-up of Chesapeake Bay is conducted. This EPA plan to put in major controls over what goes into Chesapeake Bay is going to wreck havoc with the economy of 6 states surrounding the bay. Billions of dollars are at stake and EPA has no right to step in. They want the 6 states to monitor the pollution control instead.

As a matter of fact, the Farm Bureau feels that the report EPA is basing their action on is flawed and incorrect. Chesapeake Bay is not as polluted as EPA is making it out to be. However, no one can dispute the presence of dead zones.

Dead zones refer to pockets of water where the oxygen level is critical and marine life cannot survive living in these pockets. The efforts of EPA is more noble in that all it wants is a sustainable life for everyone. Many affected Americans are angry with EPA because they feel it is stepping beyond its borders. It wants to enter into private farms and property to protect endangered species, and now with the Chesapeake Bay plan, more businesses may have to spend more.

Yet from an objective point of view, both parties want the same. If only they could set aside emotions and deal with the immediate problem of dying marine life. This is an important decision both parties have to make because Chesapeake Bay is the country’s biggest estuary. A polluted bay means less to harvest and a weaker economy. On the other hand, the pollution diet is going to cost taxpayers $20 billion in 15 years. Meanwhile, the fish and other sea life are dying because of too much nitrogen, sediment, and phosphorous in the water.

Human beings have a responsibility to save other species from extinction. There are species with aesthetic and recreational value; these are species that can be found in the zoo ad other wildlife reserves. There are also educational and scientific benefits that other species can give to human beings. Species also have a great impact to the ecosystem, and there will be a great loss in the environment if these species become extinct. Many of the other species can also give economic benefits to human beings. Many humanitarian and wildlife organizations also believe that it is the human being’s responsibility to protect these species, because the humans are considered as the higher beings in this planet. If the species will be lost, other lives in this planet will also be lost. This is why, it is important that humans should remember their responsibilities, especially for the endangered species in this planet.

While there are other human beings that harm other species, there are also those who are conscious of their responsibilities to other species. There are still so many men and women out there that are performing their responsibilities to wildlife, especially the endangered species. These people give so much effort to save endangered species from becoming extinct. Ordinary people also help in saving endangered species. If you are just an ordinary person there are many things you can do to help these endangered species as well. Here are some of the things you can do as an ordinary person:

• You can give financial support to government institutes and other organizations that aims to protect the species in this world.

• If you do not have funds to give you can give yourself by volunteering in some of this organizations and help. There are organizations that need volunteers to assist them in some of the projects that help the endangered species in this planet.

• If you are a pet owner, you can simply take good care of the pet that you own. This is one way of protecting species from extinction.

Animals should be protected, especially the endangered specie. This is because if one animal gets extinct; it will create a big impact to the ecosystem and the food chain. If the food chain is disrupted, then there may also be other animals that will get extinct and the chain of extinction will just go on and on. Humans are the biggest threat to animals, which is why human beings must not forget their responsibilities towards other species, especially the endangered species.

Reference: Illustrated Encyclopedia of endangered animals.