Environmental Awareness - Riya Dhiman

“THE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT OURS”

Often I look at the only tree in my street and feel sympathetic for it. It feels like it is saying, "Hi, I am a tree. My family was killed for paper cups. If you often get coffee, please use a reusable mug. After all, I clean your air."

We always take the things we get in plenty for granted, and the environment has become one of those 'things'.

What is climate change? To demonstrate the adverse effects of climate change, some climate change activists stood on melting ice with a noose around their necks. That is without a doubt what we are doing to our planet and ourselves. Climate change is any significant long-term change in the weather of a region (or the whole Earth) over a considerable period. It is about abnormal variations in the climate and the effects of these variations on other parts of the planet. Examples include the melting of ice caps at the South Pole and the North Pole.

It is astonishing how we never value the environment. According to me, we do not consider the environment ours, for if it was ours then we would never do the things we are doing to it today and destroying it.

Dalip Kaur Tiwana’s short story-'Rab te Ruttan' which means 'God and seasons' perfectly describes the modern situation where God on the request of seasons, which have been personified in the story, appears in the form of a bird on the Earth and looks at the havoc that humans have made on the Earth. The seasons complain to God about how humans have been ignorant towards them, and to verify their complaint the God disguises as a bird and visits the Earth. He is utterly amazed at what humans have done to the Earth.

Chief Seattle’s (the native American) speech is a powerful satire on the reckless development that humans have been doing at the cost of the destruction of their homeland. Chief Seattle began his speech expressing his concern towards nature. He was worried about environmental degradation and its probable effects on humanity on failing to undertake effective measures. According to him, nature has assisted him and his races for a long time. Nature has provided them with all the essentials. However, the lack of proper measures will put the future in great trouble, which is undoubtedly correct.

Nature has always been there for us: trees during rain, trees during bright sunny days, trees when we are hungry, and trees when we need to save the economy but have we ever acknowledged their presence? Have we ever been grateful for what nature has given to us? These are the questions we must introspect.

Have you ever thought about what the future would look like? I can describe how the year 2267 would look like. Only one bottle of water per person per day because we would have either wasted almost the entire potable water or polluted it, and draughts would have engulfed a huge part of the Earth. Each year, 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, stormwater, and industrial waste are thrown away into U.S. waters, and similarly, other waters are contaminated as well. Always wearing masks would be necessary even at home, and the homes will be dusty due to dust and soot in the air. Dense fog, or let’s say 'smog' due to high air pollution will be another major problem that will give rise to other problems like accidents. According to some studies, air pollution is not controlled, in a few hundred years, the air will become so poisonous that it will be necessary to use an oxygen kit to breathe easily. A tree would become a sight of surprise in cities or towns if you ever see one. Two air conditioners in one room as one air conditioner will not work due to very high temperatures. The 2020 Northern Hemisphere land and ocean surface temperature were the highest in the 141-year record at +1.28°C (+2.30°F) above average. Floods will become a common sight. Many major cities of the world will already be underwater by 2050 according to some research.

Now, you may be wondering, can we as common public help? Henry Cuyler Bunner’s poem, 'The Heart of the Tree' describes the innumerable benefits trees give us. According to the poet, planting a tree is always the best work for humanity. But, the poet has found new ways to look at the plants and plantations. In his poem, he glorifies the act of planting trees showing how a tree helps life on Earth and says that it has a direct connection to a country’s growth. Hence, plantations cannot completely stop but slow down climate change.

In the name of better development, we are destroying our home, for the environment was never ours. We are polluting our land, for the environment was not ours. We are making our extinction come nearer day by day, for the environment was not ours. The situation would have been entirely different only if 'the Environment was OURS.'