A planet in dire straits
K S S Pillai
A cartoon shows a dove, who had saved an ant’s life earlier, cautioning the latter to be careful not to fall into the river again, as it may not be able to drop a leaf to rescue it. No trees are left nearby, it explains. The ant replies there is no question of its falling into a river, as no rivers are left either. Though not entirely true, the conversation is a warning of things to come.
Another Earth Day was celebrated worldwide on April 22. There were speeches, full-page advertisements, short films, and posts on social media calling upon people to save the planet, which is the only one where human habitation is possible. People are reminded they are only its custodians for future generations, not owners.
Issues like overpopulation, urbanization, climate change, pollution, loss of biodiversity, excessive use of plastic, global warming, depletion in the water levels and ozone, nuclear waste, oil spills, acid rains and waste disposal were discussed threadbare, and solutions offered. It was pointed out it was time for us to act (boldly), innovate (broadly), and implement (equitably). All industries, businesses, governments, and citizens are responsible and accountable for saving the earth, it was said amid thundering applause.
It is human nature to resist changes. Even when governments provide people with toilets as a part of ‘Swachh Bharat’, they would prefer to defecate in the open. One picture that I often remember is that of the prime minister of our country on a morning walk picking up waste material lying scattered on a beach and depositing them in the waste bin.
We all realize the need to keep our neighbourhoods, beaches, rivers, lakes, parks, and similar places clean. Volunteers do cleaning work occasionally on our beaches and such highly polluted areas, ensuring that it gets enough publicity.
Pollution from plastic is one of the problems faced all over the world. The material was hailed at first as a wonder invention making life easier. It was extensively used for making everything imaginable in our life.
Today it has become a villain that has made life on the earth miserable. It causes pollution all around. It is common to see heaps of plastic bags thrown carelessly along with leftover food and all other kinds of waste, where pigs fight with stray cattle and dogs to gobble them up, resulting in their slow death.
One reason for the deteriorating condition of the environment has been attributed to man’s greed. Mahatma Gandhi’s statement, “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed”, is often repeated. This factor has led to deforestation, groundwater depletion, over-utilization of natural resources, and soil erosion.
The ever-increasing population has forced us to encroach upon forests and water bodies. Several rivers have disappeared while many have become narrow stretches of canals with polluted water, causing destructive floods when it rains heavily. Deprived of their natural habitat, thousands of species of flora and fauna have become extinct.
It is common knowledge that the stock of fossil fuels like petroleum, coal and gas is limited. That does not prevent us from their extensive use. Though we have started looking for renewable sources of energy like the sun, wind, waves, and atoms, they are not being pursued with the urgency needed.
We shout from the house-tops about the constantly increasing price of cooking gas but do not think of using solar cookers available at a subsided price. That is also the case with getting solar panels installed on one’s terrace while continuing to pay hefty electricity bills.
I remember my childhood when water from our well was drunk directly, without anyone falling ill. It was drawn from the well manually, providing womenfolk with enough exercise. Pollution was unheard of. So were devices like air-conditioners. One wonders whether the oldies would have preferred to live their ‘primitive’ lives, leaving aside devices that make life easy today.
(The author is a retired professor of English. A regular contributor to The Kashmir Vision, his articles and short stories have appeared in various national and international publications)
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