uch as buildings and machines are included in the definition of the environment, as is the pollution they engender. This long-held view that the environment is whatever surrounds human beings, whether natural or man-made, has led to a considerable amount of debate and furor among environmentalists. Some argue that the problem lies in the vagueness of the word environment itself, and propose that we consider instead "the planetary ecological system in which organisms are encapsulated as parts" (Rowe1). Thus, perhaps a better way to consider the idea of the environment is to consider the concept of an ecosphere.
The ecosphere, most simply put, is all the constituent parts of planet Earth. It includes the thin gaseous layer, or atmosphere, that encircles the globe; the liquid layer, or hydrosphere, that fills our oceans, rivers, and lajes; and the soil and sediment which makes up the continents, called the lithosphere. Lastly, the organisms, including animals, plants, fungi, and insects, that inhabit this tripartite matrix, commonly c
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