Not Taking Care of Your Health

The less you take care of your health, the more you have to rely on medication to help you get better. More than half of the drugs we use today are of natural origin, and this is without counting the large percentage of the population around the world that relies on herbs and natural medicine to treat illnesses [source: Equator Initiative]. In a desperate attempt to treat diseases, scientists scout the world and natural environments that would otherwise be left intact.

However, the main effect of drugs on the environment is through people -- literally. When you take medicine, most of it is absorbed by your body, but some of it passes through and is excreted through urine or feces. This residue ends up in the sewer system and eventually in our water, where it's ingested by fish and wildlife. While moving water might help dilute the effects of a drug, residue that ends up in lakes or small bodies of water can have a very toxic effect on the environment. Talk about it!