Humans: Cool or Cruel?

It is sometimes said that people have done more to endanger the Earth than any other creature in the history of the world. On the other hand, the contributions of human beings to life on the planet have been unique in marvelous and productive ways.

Choose a human activity such as strip-mining or the building of a dam. Then discuss the positive and negative aspects of that activity in a four-paragraph composition. Be sure your position is stated clearly in the introduction and conclusion and that you back up your arguments with facts.