Our actions and behaviors are leading to the Earth’s destruction and ultimately to our own self-destruction.
To believe in something is to be driven by your mind and senses and on a very internal or spiritual level. We should be paying attention to the fact that something disastrous is about to happen, something that is avoidable and that we can take an initiative toward ending. However, our shattered thoughts hold us back from doing so, instead keeping us worthless. It’s not a one-person job but a global concern that we should be addressing together. Unfortunately, humanity is divided and isn’t acting like a collective that is working toward the same end goal.
Our history keeps us shattered on a personal or human level. In order to save the environment, we don’t have to agree with each other on other concerns that do not relate to this subject. If any human must start a revolution, it should be in the form of a revolution against the enemies of Earth. This revolution must occur on a global scale using the power of the people to put a stop to the horrible things that are destroying nature.
A Father or Mother who unconditionally loves their child will do whatever it takes to protect them. This is one of the most beautiful things a human can do toward another. They repeat these caring acts for months or years. Knowing that their fate is unpredictable, parents keep doing their best to protect their child. However, parents aren’t protecting their child by keeping them away from important knowledge. As their child grows up, He\She will become the victim of our actions and inactions. Following this logic, protecting them is a failure to protect them and their grandchildren in the longer term. They will grow up to do repeat history with all its mistakes. Even if we protect them, remember that as they got older, they will figure the truth. In this case, we did not do our job right. The future will hold hurtful things for them. We need to change our actions and the way we behave toward the environment. We all share the same sky and seas and land. We breathe from it, collect our fruits and vegetables from it, drink from it and live on it. In return, we must take care of it, just like we do take care of our children and grandchildren.
War is the Earth’s enemy. Pollution is the Earth’s enemy. Destruction is the Earth’s enemy. Therefore, they are the enemies of the sea and the sky. We, Humans, are the main enemy of them all.
Everything in life has its role, from microbes to mountains, and from oceans to skies. Every living thing, be it an animal or a plant, has a mission. Some are poisonous and harmful while others are highly beneficial. However, within the poison and toxins, a treatment can be found. The same applies to things that are beneficial. Everything balances out and connected. And it’s our mission and responsibility as humans to be thoughtful, and to act wisely and responsibly.
A few years ago, I was walking through the streets. I found a cup of coffee still half full sitting on the edge of a bridge. From above, it’s just a plastic cup sitting on the edge of the bridge but down below, cars are passing by. I was rushing to work but I couldn’t help myself from stopping and thinking for a split second, “What if a wind blows and hits the plastic cup? What if someone passing by thoughtlessly pushes the cup over the edge and it falls down onto the mirror of a moving car. (There is big chance that this could happen!) and when that happens, the driver could lose control and accident happens. This is possible! Yes, this is definitely possible! I removed the cup from the edge and threw it into the closest trash can. I felt responsible to make sure that the plastic cup was in the bin before continuing onward. I did reach work and felt good on this particular day. It also led me to discover that if we set our brains to think beyond what we see, we become more thoughtful, future-oriented and willing to invest our time in greater things on both an individual or global level.
Education is important. We entrust our lives to our parents, schooling and government to act thoughtfully and in a humanitarian manner. It’s our responsibility to make sure that this happens, no matter what. We need to act in a more humane way that fight for our vision for a better future.
In schools, they teach us not to throw garbage on the street, to be clean and to plant seeds. They teach us about the importance of the sun, oxygen and CO2, the importance of trees, seas and the role of animals. They tell us stories about them and how important they are in our daily lives, how they affect. They also tell us to protect ourselves from the sun, we need to buy sun screen. To protect ourselves from the sharks, we need to kill them. To protect our home from environmental disasters, we need to invest in the right equipment. But they never taught us that we are the main enemy of everything wrong in this world and that we need to collectively act more responsibly by adapting to these changes. Instead of turning us into consumers only, they should turn us into real responsible and educated humans. We must do our best to behave the right way in order to achieve the right results and prepare for a better quality of living for ourselves and the next generation. Otherwise, we will keep in devolving in this materialistic world. We cannot evolve and move forward by creating the next best tech startup or revolutionary product. We must start with ourselves by fostering a worldview that does not hurt the environment. We need to find ways to achieve our goals without causing harm. We must change our attitudes toward nature and everything living in it, considering all humans, animals, plants, insects and microbes.
Overall, there is too much selfishness and too little appreciation. We get more than we need. Ignorance and a lack of compassion. In fact, we have all contributed directly or indirectly toward more environmental issues, the spreading of diseases and the formation of new ones, as well as polluting skies and seas. This is all due to our lack of responsibility and tendency to be busy by doing things that do not matter much on the whole.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 4.6 million people die every year directly because of reasons related to pollution. Nine out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air. Statistically speaking, 24% of brain strokes are attributed to air pollution, while 25% of all heart diseases and 43% of lung cancer are caused by air pollution. This makes air pollution the invisible killer. Considering the pollution of air in the household, the total amount rises to 7 million deaths per year due to air pollution alone and that’s pandemic.
According to some studies, 1 million sea birds and 100,000 sea mammals die every year as a result of pollution. If we consider ships, garbage and plastic items being thrown into the sea, the number of fatalities are likely to be far higher than that.
While we have estimates for deaths caused directly by pollution every year, some countries do not have accurate figures, so we also do not know exactly how pollution is going to affect us on the long term. But we can all agree that we are in danger, as well as our children, grandchildren and future generations due to our collective mistakes and lack of accountability. One must do something about it. In fact, all of us should be doing something by acting together for the benefit of cleaner air, seas, land and environment.
Although death is inevitable, a natural death differs from a death that destroys one physically, emotionally and financially. We all would prefer to avoid a death that causes unnecessary pain and stress to ourselves and loved ones around us. The decay of nature is one of the most inhumane massacres the world is witnessing. However, insufficient efforts and actions are being taken toward kick starting a revolution that sets things right. This is what nature that loves and supports us, needs in order to keep giving us. Nature expects us to love, care and give back to it for a better living.
Every living thing has a purpose in life. Through study and experiment, we will find that we can benefit from every living thing and put it into a good use. Every action that we take as individuals is worthwhile when we combine and multiply our efforts. If the same action is taken by a billion of the 7 billion residents on Earth, we can try our best to contribute positively to counterbalance the negative actions of others. Laws, governments, schools and universities must place this mission at their core and take these urgent matters into consideration when advancing any project or discovering any innovation. The inhabitants of this world must be watch closely, report and stop whoever misuses and abuses nature because it affects all of us. We need to unite around this very simple idea to make things right again.
Today, few countries are adapting clean energy plans, while some (but not enough) individuals are raising their voices in defense of clean air, sea, land and animal rights. Pollution has real consequences that we cannot ignore such as human and animal deaths. It suffocates us and causes immense suffering. No human should suffer because of the actions of others.
Even though few countries are adapting clean energy plans, we must stop and ask the question, “Are these plans really decreasing pollution? If so, what can we do to stop polluting?” We shall never be satisfied by simply decreasing pollution but by working hard to completely stop it. Everything in life as we know it involves trade. However, without natural resources, there will be nothing to trade. The dwindling treasure that we currently have will ultimately lead to our demise.
While we have hope, hope is not enough to produce real change. We must change our mentality to accept that we must put everything on standby until we find solutions that are not hurtful to the environment.
Using the knowledge that we have acquired over time, it’s the time for us to produce change, and to start giving back to our beloved earth, skies and seas. Act responsibly and think of every action that you take because, if we continue to pollute, then we are actively participating in our own deaths, the death of others and in the destruction of our own planet. This makes us killers and Earth’s number one enemy.
