essay - GMAT: Issue 42

The best way to preserve the natural environment is to impose penalties?whether fines, imprisonment, or other punishments?on those who are most responsible for polluting or otherwise damaging it.

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion expressed above. Support your point of view with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

Answer:
I don't agree with the remark saying that punishment is the best way to preserve natural environment. I, surely, think of it as a way of achieving preservation of natural environment, but it is just one way, not the best way.

Punishment is not a way to reach a heart of problems. Instead, the best way to preserve natural environment is, I believe, to educate people, or in other words, get people fully aware of the imminent troubles. Admittedly, some people restrain themselves from damaging environment if they know they are fined by doing so. What we should recognize is, however, that some people will come up with a sort of loophole to avoid the punishment. And, needless to say, awakened people don't need such punishment in order to discipline themselves. Therefore, I contend that punishment should not be focused; what should be focused is to enlighten people.

Moreover, difficult and realistic problems will appear if the strengthened punishment policy were to be introduced. How to define the scheme of punishment? How to detect the deficiencies? I know that it's relatively easy to measure the amount of noxious wastes from industrial plants, but I bet that it's quite difficult to do so for households. How we can reduce unnecessary wastes and protect our planet is up to people's awareness. Wars have almost disappeared because of people's awareness of the dangerousness and meaninglessness. Racial descrimination has almost been conquered because of people's awareness of what is right, not the penarties.

In sum, although I agree with the opinion that imposing penalties is one of approaches to preserve natural environment, my belief tells me what is more important; people's awareness toward the pressing deteriorating future that we should prevent from happening.