The theme for World Environment Day 2020 is, 'Time for Nature,' with a focus on its role in providing the essential infrastructure that supports life on Earth and human development.
As we all know without nature supporting us we will be extinct, therefore it is our responsibility to help nature be as it as and do not create any disturbance and damage to it.
According to Google nature can be defined as: the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations.
But the actual point is, are we actually taking care of our NATURE?
I want to discuss three circumstances linked to air, water and land and how we human beings are actually destroying the precious gift that the universe has given us.
- AIR: BEES
There is a famous quote from Albert Einstein- “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would have only 4-years of life left”
Ever since I read this, I was really wondering whether it is really true. Here are some of my findings and understanding after I read about it-
Why are honey bees important:
Bees are our predominant pollinators. Globally there are more honey bees than other types of bee and other pollinating insects. Therefore it is the world’s most important pollinator of food crops.
Pollinating a third of the food we eat and 80% of flowering plants. Pollination is crucial because many of our vegetables, fruits and the crops that feed us and our livestock rely on it to be fertilized. Therefore without it, we could go hungry. Bees pollinate 80% of flowering plants
But we don’t take care of BEES and they are becoming an endangered species though not extinct. The reason is-
Habitat loss
Another major reason for the bees’ extinction is their habitat loss. Humans have a major role in this cause.
For example, humans’ need to expand their city or extend a community of houses. This could mean the cutting down of trees and trees are honeybee’s habitat. Humans build parking structures and shopping malls and this occupies space. What does this mean? This means that many trees will be cut down to allow space for the construction sites. Honeybees need large trees and with deforestation there are not many trees where bees can make their home.
I am not concluding that we shouldn’t build houses or malls or something else, but my point is we need to strike a balance between the nature and what we are doing. We can’t simply plan urbanization without taking into account such important things. We all know that bees’ contribute to 80% of pollination and still we don’t give a fuck! That is the biggest problem with us.
- LAND: WOLVES
I’ve read an interesting story on wolves-
The effect is really unimaginable. A tale of a national park in the U.S, where there was a big crisis. We all know that wolves kill other animals but they indirectly give life to many other animals. In Yellowstone national park there was a lot of growth in the population of deer’s because there was no carnivore in that national park.
These deer then eat away almost all of vegetation in the national park and after a research there was a decision made that wolfs will be introduced in the national park. Here are some of the mind blowing effects due to introduction of wolves
- Apart from killing deer the wolves made deer change their psychology and they started to ignore going to place where they could be trapped easily. This led to grown in vegetation as there were no deer to graze that area
- The area which deer left quickly became forest of aspen, willow and cottonwood. The increase in number of trees made birds to migrate to that region and soon the region was full of migratory birds
- The number of beavers started to increase greatly because beavers used to eat trees and beavers like wolves are ecosystem engineers. They create niches for other species. For example: the dams they built in rivers provided habitat for ducks and muskrats and fish and other amphibians
- The wolves killed coyotes and number of rabbit , mice began to increase which meant more hawks, more weasels , more foxes
- Ravens and bald eagles came to eat the leftover of animals killed by wolves and bears also fed on the hunted animals by wolves and thus their numbers increased drastically. Bears also increased as they used to eat berries and the area was again full of forests
But this was just a beginning for a whole new course of world, the WOLVES changed the path OF RIVERS
- Due to increase in forest land there was less soil erosion, more pools formed which was great for wildlife
- The forest made the rivers not to change their pattern as they held soil firmly. This way rivers became more fixed in their courses
Therefore I understood that, If an animal is left on its own without interrupting its natural course of life, it would do wonders for the human life. As I always quote-
“Any species on this earth has a purpose to live and we should help that species to serve its purpose”
- WATER: MARINE ANIMAL EXTINCTIONS
Human activity has negatively affected animal populations on land for tens of thousands of years, with numerous instances where not so sustainable hunting practices or deliberate, widespread acts of eradication have led to what is called as “defaunation” — the human-caused global extinction of a species.
Many species have become “locally extinct” in particular ocean habitats, the Chinese river dolphin is now thought to be “functionally extinct” and many more are threatened, including species of sharks, rays, turtles and whales.
Separate analyses from various government authorities show that land and ocean temperatures globally are on the rise and will keep breaking records year after year.
It is really turning out to be a disaster for the marine species as well. The human greed is so endless that we are eliminating anything and everything that is coming in our way.
A quote which I very much like-
Air, Earth, Water and Sky are fine without HUMAN BEINGS,
Time and again nature proves that we are her GUESTS! But NOT her MASTERS!
The universe has given human beings leadership qualities to lead each and every species on the earth in a righteous way. But we do not do that. Human greed is the more dangerous thing than anything on this planet. We want-
- Have more houses on land, space, water, under water etc.,
- Eat and taste new species without limits
- To create new technology thought it is endangering the environment
- To build new cars, create more pollution, increase the temperatures and ruin the entire the planet
What we are not realizing is that, we are not making life sustainable for our future generations. I feel Covid-19 has done more good to the planet earth than bad. It has made every one of us think the actions we make. Why are so many disastrous occurring day after day in 2020.
It is time we realize the importance of nature and conserve it to the best of our knowledge and stop harming it left, right and center. It is time that we take the blame and learn from our past actions.
We shouldn’t be the reason for species be it animals or plants to become extinct. Every life on this planet has a shelf life. If possible we should make them live for some more years but not hunt and kill them for our pleasures.
All natural disasters are effects of the cause which is being caused by US. It is time that we realize that and act wisely. I want to conclude by saying that-
‘There is a reason for every species that is born. If we humans do not interfere in their natural course of action, we can build a beautiful place to live for the generations to come’
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PK,
PK Enterprises.
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