U-n-Earthly Delight

CSF Competent Communications

Project #4

U-n-Earthly Delight

The mirrored windows were keeping off the intense rays of the Arabic sun, giving the vast expanse of desert a magical look, the wind whooshing past carrying with it the fragrance of the sea, the heat of the sun, the dust of the desert. There was turquoise sea at one end clashing brightly with the deep brown and yellow of the smouldering sands.

And there I was, standing right there...in the middle of the wonders of Mother Nature ...surrounded by man-made wonders. More than half a mile above the ground, at the highest observation deck on 125^th floor of the tallest building in the world. I was truly at the top taking in the exotic mix of sand, steel, stone, surf and sea.

Suddenly, as if my eyes had switched to another gear, I saw sea floors being raised to create towering building, oil being pumped uninterrupted 24x7, rivers being diverted to supply the cities, garbage being dumped in the ocean making it toxic. Man was causing havoc on Mother Nature. But then I thought, shrugged and said “It must have been necessary” and did NOTHING.

Some months later I was on a vacation in Coorg.

Nestled in the lush green embrace of the forests, the aroma of half ripe fruits littering the slopes of the forests, the crunch of the dry leaves, the cackling of the birds, the shade of the trees and the smell of fresh , crisp air laced with the suggestion of rain transports the person into another realm altogether. Mother Nature had provided everything I could desire.

Far off, I saw a truck chugging up the mountain, thick black fumes billowing out of its engine. It was carrying a load of timber. My eyes, as if just opened, started taking in the presence of plastic bottles, food wrappers, soda cans and papers thrown carelessly about the forest grounds, the air being polluted by the passing trucks and buses and the river being turned into a private dumping ground, and again, I did nothing.

Back home, driving through the roads, I recollected the “neglect” shown towards nature. If that was neglect, then my city seemed like a dumping ground. If oil was being pumped 24x7, it was only because we were consuming it in a frenzied way. It was at that moment, when I put my head down in shame, because I realised, I was equally to be blamed for this state of Nature.

Fellow toastmasters, we all have a responsibility towards Mother Nature. Forest land, an area equivalent of 4 football fields is been chopped down every hour, the hides of majestic animals are used to decorate our walls, embellish our ornaments or put beneath our feet.

The much awaited rainfalls, under which we used to play, float boats and which always formed a backdrop for a romantic song in the movies, is now raining acids and harms our skins. The mountains whose majestic peaks covered in snow formed a glittering crown, are now crownless. The mighty rivers and sprawling lakes with their crystal clear water, reflecting the sun’s ray, mirroring the sky, which were a source of livelihood for thousands of fishermen and a symbol of worship are now tainted with the poisonous waste from the factories. Fishes and reptiles floating on the surface, dead, and washing ashore the banks, a grim reminder of the “man-handling” of nature.

Friends, it is high time we took responsibility for our actions. I know that many of us feel “What can I do alone? It would hardly make a difference.” Or “I am actively involved in environment. I sign a lot of petitions of environmental organisations” But does that really help us? Does it bring us one step closer to a harmonious life with Mother Nature? NO, IT DOES NOT.

We need to learn the 3R’s. No, they are not read, write and arithmetic[J], but
Reduce, Reuse and
Recycle.

We leave our fans and light switched on when we go out, we ask the waiter to fill our glasses when all we need is just a sip. We have to stop wasting resources or at least reduce it. I make it a point to switch off the lights when leaving a room. I ask the waiter to fill only the glass as much as I require. It has now become a habit.

If we cannot reduce, we should reuse the item or donate them to those in need. Donate appliances and books to the community centres. Newspapers and cardboard covers can be reused for packing and storage. Old clothes make good cushion covers. My mom uses plastic bags as dustbin covers around the house.

Finally, we should always recycle items. Electronic items, glass products ,batteries and  printer cartridges are easily recyclable products. We have to make an effort and deposit those items to recycling centres. This in the end would benefit us in the long run.

Imagine, it is year 2200 ... people are standing in endless queues to get a cup of water, people suffering from skin diseases and heart/lung diseases due to excessive pollution... world without any trees... Do you want to leave a world like this to your great grand children? Improve your future...no...let us improve our future...by

Re
ducingour expectation

Reus
ingour time

Re
cycling our attitude

Thank you.