When pondering on the word “Environment”, some of the common thoughts that may come to our minds are that of trees, lakes, hills, and the surroundings. But actually, the environment is not merely just a single specific object. It is a composite of realms and many lifeforms, both living and nonliving. The environment rather than only existing on its own or adding beauty, colours and shades to the Earth, provides existence to other forms of life as well such as humans and animals to be precise.
Our Earth is a distinct planet and a special one because of its surrounding environment. Without the environment or the ecosystem, none of the species belonging to the Animal Kingdom will exist. Without plants and trees, there would be no oxygen. Without lakes, rivers, seas and oceans; no water, no clouds, no rain, no ice. Without land, no place to settle. Without plants again, no food. So basically, our life revolves around the ecosystem without which, it is impossible to live. The environment has been providing us with all the needs for survival, since the very beginning of human existence. But with the passage of time Humans have caused more harm than good. Most of this arises due to greed and selfishness for getting more resources. We aren’t satisfied with what we have. Wendell Berry says, “The Earth is what we all have in common”. But on the contrary to the context, we seem to have forgotten that without it, we wouldn’t exist. We seem to have lost the love and respect for our Mother Nature. Millions of years have gone by and the scenario is getting worse with the increase in climatic crisis which has been ultimately caused due to ignorance. These include environmental pollution from by-products of industrialization, oil spills and toxic foam formation over water bodies, drilling, mining, encroachment, deforestation and melting of ice caps and glaciers.
According to the Holy book (Bible), God created all the elements of the earth before creating man. As per research, life began at least 3.4 billion years ago but Humans were not the first lifeform on earth. Humans in fact evolved around 4 million years ago. From this, we ascertain that the Earth does not belong to us but we belong to the Earth instead. Billions of humans have existed before us. This should be a clear-cut reminder that we are just tenants and not owners of the planet. If we don’t take proper care of it, the future of human existence is dark and perhaps non-existential.
With the rise in Global Warming, we have experienced the hottest November(2020) which sets the Earth on pace for the warmest year in history (a warning sign indeed). With all the climatic issues arising we need to understand what we have to do. Planning and action must be done right now. With the extremeness in climate change and both land degradation and deforestation, we do not have much time before it turns into another pandemic and this time worse than Covid19. It is high time to make sustainability an action, a regular practice rather than just a subjective topic of discussion. Switching to biodegradable eco-friendly ways and products, going green, proper waste disposal, recycling and donating items maybe some of the wherewithal but most important is to grow in love with nature. “Love is a healing agent to suffering”. When we are able to love unconditionally we will tend to go that extra mile in order to see our environment become a more stable and fruitful place. Moreover, humanity is in desperate need of the environment, without which we wouldn’t survive.
Various organizations are considering eco-friendly methods. Environmental activists everywhere around the world are coming up to the frontline. These acts are indeed commendable but to not care about what gives us life (i.e., the environment) is a personal defect. I must say this because it’s all in the mind. George Bernard Shaw says, “Progress is impossible without change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything”. Henceforth, it is essential that we all set our minds to coexist with nature and take the required steps towards the betterment of the environment. We must at least try to learn about environmental policies and follow them. We must also enlighten those who are not aware of such happenings around the world. If we start becoming responsible as to how we are when it comes to family or work, then this would definitely bring about positive results and hence withstand life here on Earth. Our planet should be well because of human intelligence and not be destroyed by it. The way forward to improve the quality of the environment is by getting everybody involved because there is power in unity. Together we can reach milestones and together we can save our planet. Adding to this, we need to respect and coexist with other living organisms as well because all life forms have an essential purpose which is to survive and help others survive. Life is a cycle after all, we need one another to live.
I, therefore, conclude with a quote by Robin Wall Kimmerer: ”Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.”
"The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Renaissance"
Scientists finally confirm there was life on Earth 3.5 billion years ago – qz.com ↩
The Human Family’s Earliest Ancesters – www.smithsonianmag.com ↩
Nature can exists without us, but we cannot exist without Nature – natureisrael.org ))((World environment leaders & activists, famous environmentalists -www.enviro-mentshow.com))((Last month was the hottest November ever as Europe had its warmest fall on record,CNN (www.cnn.com ↩
