Are we depriving our children their future?
Who would have foreseen buying drinking water thirty years ago? Now imagine a situation thirty years into the future…acute water scarcity, sparse jungles, and oxygen booths. This can perhaps become a reality if the climate crisis is not averted.
Mother Nature feels eroded and wounded by the colossal damage. Soaring temperatures, fires, floods, rising sea levels, and dissipating polar ice are evident enough. Is this what we are leaving for our children, and do we want our children to starve in the future? The Covid 19 is a wake-up call. Global heating is a reality, and the UN climate report terms it irreversible. A meaningful commitment backed by action is the mainstay.
Nearer home, the effects of climate change are in front of us. IT hub Bengaluru was inundated after the relentless rain and the rampant urbanisation with receded drainage space and decreased green cover is a case of environmental destruction. Why not work towards the irreversible and inevitable climate change so that future generations have enough resources for survival? Climate change is turning into a crisis and we, as individuals, can do our bit to make a difference. At the societal level, in housing societies, RWAs can work with people to reduce carbon footprints. You can contribute by using clean green energy, consuming wisely, eating plant-based local food, and protecting the green spaces.
It is normal to get tempted with the dress in the shop window even though we know that our cupboards are overflowing with stuff. But when one is mindful of climatic disruption, one will pause and reflect and go back empty-handed but content that one is reducing the carbon footprints.
Religion binds individuals and can help motivate them to conserve our natural resources to reduce carbon footprint levels. When we sensitise children about the environment at an early age, they grow up being responsible adults protecting it. Reducing the use of paper and wood, and eating vegetarian food are steps toward conservation at the individual level to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Why not contribute towards protecting the environment by taking our children for a holiday to a nearby place instead of far-off exotic places as we aim to spend quality time together as a family?
“The greatness of humanity is not in being human, but in being humane." – Mahatma Gandhi”
When we plant trees in our areas, we contribute towards building a forest cover as trees absorb 10% of the CO2 emitted in a year. By using greener energies, we reduce the impact of climate change considerably, even at the individual level.
Gen Z or the millennials are not waiting for the older generation to take action, instead are working towards averting the climate crisis and saving the planet from choking. They are going a step further by spreading awareness through varied social media platforms.
The window of action is all we have now which can either take us away or closer to a healthier environment.
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Jane Goodall
Images from Google
Insightful Madam.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much
ReplyDeleteMaterialism and human greed is unstoppable by a few. Some years back Jayram Ramesh had suggested carbon points. That is some incentive to greenery as material gain is attached to it. Un educated political leadership are blind to future gazing. We need to think and come up with mass involvement movement to stabilize.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your thoughts. Totally agree with you that mass involvement is the need of the hour.
DeleteIn agreement maam. Beautifully brought out, the need of the hour...
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Rahul
DeleteIn this write-up, Sonia, you emerge as a visionary and missionary. I totally agree with you that the commitment as well as action is required at the level of every individual to reduce the carbon footprint. Keep writing on such topics as inspire others to tread the sane paths
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the appreciation and the motivation to express my thoughts.
DeleteA thought provoking write up. And we all collectively need to work towards building a better and healthier environment. Time is running out and we need to take measures in the right direction to save our planet. Thank you Mrs Handa for writing about this.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Seema.
ReplyDeleteSo well written Mrs Handa. Your article definitely reminds us to ponder as to how we can contribute in saving this planet for our future generations .Love your article.They are definitely thought provoking.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Mrs Pandey.
ReplyDeleteAll you have written is so very true. The need of the hour is action on ground, and this subject is so near to my heart that I can't help but share my two cents on it. There has to be awareness that we all are part of the bigger ecosystem and have to go back into this soil , one way or the other, our individuals religious beliefs not withstanding. The is a need to protect our soil. And it begins with each of us not cementing each and every bit of open ground in front of our houses or work spaces. If constructing a new home, may be construct your rooms a shade smaller but have open spaces and plant in them. By the way the readers may ponder to see that we , the homo sapiens, are the only species on our Planet who cannot live with trees and have to always chop them. We often hear that so much of plantation has been done, That's fine but they are to be protected too. Also the need to protect old trees. It takes 20 min to chop a tree off but 20 years to grow one. So thats a solemn vow has to be taken to protect the old trees. We need to know that a tree is not wood but a protector and saviour of life. So "Save Soil Save Trees" has to be the mantra if at all we have to save the planet.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you in all these aspects. Thank for you sharing your insights with us.
ReplyDelete