Jun 26, 2021
The simplest thing Anyone could Do for a Better Earth.
We all talk the talk but now it's time to act.
The recent COVID-19 Pandemic and the whole episodes of lockdowns, my family and I have spent some good hours churning in some documentaries on how we are and have been destroying Earth and why it is important to do something about it. A recurring message in the most recent of them was that it is already pretty late and if we keep on delaying the chance we got to make things better, Earth will get into a state of self-destruction. I am sure we have all been there to hear that but what do we do about it?
As Global Citizens, we have all been victims of climatic calamities and abnormalities especially recently. Floods, tsunamis, drought, forest fires and so much more. So many factors come into play when it comes to predicting Armageddon but what is it worth?
I remember a question a friend once asked me to understand what type of person I am. The question went: “Would you rather know when you died or how you died?” I didn't know what to say at the time, but now I would rather choose to know the how because the when is inevitable, but the how gives enough information for possible prevention. (of course, at this point death is inevitable and none of us are immortals).
Do we know how Earth is dying?
To better understand the scale of destruction we must be aware of what Holocene is. In simple words, it is the period (about 11,700 years) when the Earth had pretty much stable climatic conditions. This period is much warmer than its successor the Ice Age era. The Holocene also happens to be known as the ‘Age of Man’ due to our obvious presence.
Some scientists have gone ahead and chopped up the Holocene Epoch into different subdivisions and they call the current era which has been stretching through for the past 4,200 years as the Meghalayan Age.
What is this?
Well, it is called this way because of some rocks that explained the beginning of the age in a cave in Meghalaya. And guess what has been happening climatically for the past 4000 years, Earth is only getting hotter and dryer.
Glaciers melting, rainforests that have the power of managing their own climate is dying and more and more fertile land is turning into desert due to literally our eating and habitation patterns. On top of all this, there is more tree cutting, hunting, and more harm than good being added to the list.
What is even more shameful is that it has been 200,000 years since we have been dominating this planet and we still don't know how to handle our own waste. Why are there still stinky carbon-emitting waste yards, why are we burning plastic if we already know it releases harmful chemicals, why is sewage finding its way into the water bodies? why are we burying waste although we are aware of the negative future complications? What is so wrong with us that we always find a way to mess everything up?
This is not all though. Have you ever wondered what our food is doing to the world? I am sure you have seen in those documentaries where scientists have been begging us to change our patterns for once to save the planet.
Simply put, forests need to be cut down to grow crops like rice and wheat which are not that good for the environment. Plus they are delicate and need the right amount of everything. They also need a lot of water.
How about the animals raised for food? It simply equals more carbon.
What is the simple thing to do?
Respect the place you live. Love the soil and dirt.
I am sure we all love to keep our homes clean. Guess what, our planet IS our only home.
Listen to what the scientists have been saying for the past couple of years. They have been begging, silenced, and even crying for stating and witnessing the truth, let's lend our ears to them.
Understand that, that plastic bottle you were about to throw out into the bushes or the pond while saying “no one will know”, no one needs to know, you just don't treat the world like that.
Cut down on meat consumption. No, I am not asking you to go vegan but if you are someone who eats meat every single day (unless it is a part of your culture or necessity) cut it down. Not only because it is good for the environment, but it is also good for your health.
If you are able, cut down the use of fossil fuel. Strive towards efficient machinery. Electronic cars and such are amazing for this purpose.
Think about your personal life. How can you cut down your carbon footprint? Maybe you like to buy clothes, consider thrifting, maybe you like reading books, consider buying an e-reader, and so much more.
These, although sound like huge lifestyle changes, are really small things you can change about your day-to-day life. I am no expert on this and I literally wrote what I felt like writing because this has been upsetting me for a while now. I hope you found some value out of it. I am always open to constructive criticism. Let's live a life without regrets and pass this planet to our future generations better than we found it.
I hope this starts some conversations.
