The Environment and Climate Change

 The Doomsday Clock has been set to ‘100 seconds to midnight’ this year. It is a wake-up call for world leaders to rise and save humanity from a total apocalypse. Climate change is real and it is evident, now more than ever. The present condition of the earth is extremely shameful. As intelligent creations of nature, we humans have done a shoddy job of looking after the environment. As a species, we have managed to consistently impinge Mother Earth, the consequences of which are clearly visible now.

A wise man once said, ‘We have not inherited the earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.’ Anthropogenic climate disruption is the cause of all mishaps happening today. If we do not respond to the planet’s cries for help, it won’t be long before civilization crumbles. Each action of ours affects the environment directly or indirectly. As people living in cities, we do not feel the change directly, but in the blink of a geological eye, glaciers, forests, rivers and animals will vanish.

The extent of man’s reach is incredible! Plastic, one of the main pollutants, is now found in the deepest point of the ocean-The Mariana Trench. Additionally, plastic micro-fibres belonging to cloth were found in the sea near the Arctic Circle. Its implications are apparent: plastic bags are found in the stomachs of sea creatures. Birds feeding on such sea-creatures ingest plastic and other derogatory materials, thereby taking this waste further up the biological chain.




Global Warming and the Ozone Gap is another pressing concern. The increase in global temperatures has lead shark eggs to hatch earlier. The loss in gestation time makes the shark babies weaker, thereby disrupting the entire marine food chain. The recent Uttrakhand flood too, is a result of global warming and inconsiderate practices of man. Experts state that in coming times, we will see an increase in the number of glacial lakes and more cases of glacial outbursts.

Climate change is real and that has been corroborated. Even though it is already too late to save the environment, we can at least try to salvage it. Primarily, each of us should take the environment as a personal concern. Unless we take the onus of saving nature on our own shoulders, not much is going to change. As citizens, we must hold hands with the government in its environment drives. The 2021-22 Budget has made provisions for scrapping of vehicles and a fitness check for the same in set number of years. The Pollution Under Control certificate has also become mandatory now. Officials are pressing people to use lead-free fuels so that emissions can be controlled. Due to the efforts of various people, the importance of water is slowly dawning on the population and gradually, we are becoming more sensitive to water concerns. Reducing carbon footprints is also something we can do. By importing commodities from far off places, we are just increasing the carbon footprint on earth. Instead of that, if we opt for local products, it would not only reduce the repercussions, but also help the home economy. 




The earth is at its nadir now. What is essential at the moment is creating an ethos of environmental sensitisation. We need to create citizens of tomorrow who are well equipped with ideas to help nature. Children should be brought up such that they think of the environment as a gift, and not as an asset. The future citizens must be brought up such that economical progress with sustainable development is second nature to them. As a species, we now stand at a grave we have dug for ourselves. It is how we act at this pivotal moment, which will decide whether we fall into it or save ourselves from the impending disaster.

 

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