Recently we have been reading about the global warming and related issues. It feels at times like we are at the end of the world when we read these news. The next day we are fine and just ignore all this and continue our lives mostly with little or no concern about the environment and the earth.
Two days back, I was watching a documentary on the Discovery channel on "Project Tiger" that was launched in India few years back for conservation of Tigers in India which are close to being extinct. While watching that, I suddenly thought of Dinosaurs. We see them now only as skeletons and in movies because they have become extinct. (I don't know how many million years ago). I just wondered if humans in the 22nd century actually would see Tigers also in books, photographs, television documentaries as skeletons and in movies!! This thought was frightening but at the same time made me think that probably this might turn out to be true if man doesn't mend his ways. In our day-to-day life we do so many things that are harmful to the nature. We dispose off plastic in an improper way, we emit hazardous gases using our cars and bikes, we kill so many fish when we use those huge luxury ocean liners, we kill so many birds when the man-made bird called aeroplane hits them and so on...
If we think of the flora and fauna that we see on earth, we appreciate it just for a while and then move forward. We hardly think that this is "unique" to earth, unique to our solar system and probably unique in the entire "universe", whatever that means!! Is that why the concept of God was created by our ancestors? Because they could not just digest that all this can be an accident or evolution on its own as put forth by scientists like Darwin? How can a bat hang upside down? How can a cheetah run so fast? How can a camel store water for days? How can dogs sniff from a distance? How can dolphins communicate? How can a chameleon change colours? Can all this be an accident? Is all this God's creation? Whatever it may be, isn't it very fascinating? The snake sheds its skin, the kangaroo has a pouch for its baby, the turtle has a shell in which he can be safe. So many wonders! And all on just 1 planet. That itself is a miracle.
If we continue to do what we are doing, may be the Manu story in the Vedas of Indians or the Noah's arc of the western world might have to become a reality. We might have to probably build huge spaceships which will transport at least 1 pair per specie and take them to a distant habitable planet so that they don't become extinct. But the question is do we know any other habitable planet? NO. Can we build space ships which can take all the species? NO. Is this feasible in the next few centuries? Doesn't seem to be. Is there a solution then? Yes, of course. Why do we have to think of these sci-fi hi-tech solutions if we can keep the planet and all the animals on it intact by just acting responsibly? Can't we take care of nature which has taken good care of us and every other animal for so many millions of years? Is it the sel-centered behaviour of man that makes him take all this for granted because the nature doesn't expect anything in return or doesn't cause a harm to man? Yes, man thinks so. But the nature for sure does react in its own way. Whether that would be good or bad for mankind and earth is what man has to think?
We all can take our own responsibility to correct this situation...........
We can use water responsibly.
We can minimise water, air and sound pollution to the best extent possible
We can avoid using our vehicles at least once a month if once a week is impossible to start with
We can avoid polluting lakes, rivers and ponds when we go on holidays to such locations
We can reduce our personal use of plastics and rubber.
We can switch off electric equipments when not in use - even our computers which are kept on as a modern way of working 24x7
There are many things that we CAN DO. The point here is DO WE REALLY DO THEM? Probably not. Unless we get hit by a big reaction from the nature! It's high time that we realize that Earth is a wonder, a miracle in every sense and we need to preserve this her in good shape for future generations to appreciate it!!
Atul Bivalkar
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Atul BivalkarI am a Mechanical Engineer with a passion for travel, reading and music. Forts in India, different religious philosophies, history in general are topics close to my heart. Categories
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October 2009
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