You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Individuals can do nothing to improve the environment; only governments and large companies can make a difference.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experiences.
You should write at least 250 words.
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IELTS Task 2 Band 9 Sample Essay
Some people believe that the environment cannot be overhauled by the individuals, rather it could only be improved by large organizations and the government. I strongly disagree with this statement because I believe that individual actions play the vital roles to facilitate the efficient activity of the waste management system, and they do it by conserving the environment and creating awareness among mass people
One of the most effective steps an individual could take is to maintain an appropriate disposal of non-biodegradable items. This would not only improve the environment, but also boost the efficient recycling of plastics and metals. Moreover, large portion of pollution could be easily curbed if each of the citizens contributes towards maintaining a low emission atmosphere and restricts the wastage of natural resources. For instance, most of the Europe's environment has no pollution, as numerous citizens have opted for automobiles running on green fuels, and they have restricted usage of natural resources. Furthermore, it is not about the myriad ways that could be employed to make environment better, rather it is about the mindset of the people of a nation that needs to be transformed.
In addition, individuals can also influence other people in the society through different channels; they can inspire more people to participate in a wide variety of environmental protection activities. A friend of mine is an environmentalist who established a Facebook page to encourage people to take part in her ocean cleaning team. The number of participants has been increasing significantly over the past few months. This example clearly shows that even with a very minor individual effort, huge support can be received from public if we promote it in a proper way.
All things considered, the environment cannot be improved all alone by the government or large companies; rather it is the people of a nation who play an important role in environmental protection alongside the local authority and large companies’ contributions.
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IELTS Task 2 Band 8 Sample Essay
The problem of environmental degradation is becoming ever more significant nowadays; however, there is still a huge debate regarding who should be responsible to clean up the environment. I agree to some extent that the government and multinational firms should be made accountable for the damages, but I strongly believe that pollution will only be eradicated if everyone of us work towards the same goal with the help of organizations.
To begin with, collective action is the key to alleviating environmental pollution. Everyone themselves does not have the power to change the earth for the better, but the billions of individuals together can make immense impact. For example, if everyone recycles one bottle everyday, collectively the earth would have recycled 100 billion bottes daily and more than 30 trillion annually. Imagine how many marine animals can be saved from dying each year from plastic poisoning and suffocation.
On the other hand, governmental bodies and firms also have a major role to play in the creation of a cleaner and more sustainable earth. More specifically, governments should take the leading role in advocating and advertising the positive externalities of improving the environment, this may include educating the young about benefits of recycling, reusing, and reducing waste materials, which may eventually be passed to their parents, generating multiplier effects. Additionally, governments have the authority to provide prizes to businesses who reduce pollution to a certain level. Thus, firms will be encouraged to develop more environmentally friendly production methods, so preserving the environment.
To sum up, no individuals have the ability to make a big difference, but one should not think that they can leave it to the others, because eventually no one will do anything due to this lack of accountability. Therefore, everyone living on earth is responsible to make a difference.
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