Earth Day: Have we ever thought..???

     So, another Earth Day, on April 22, has passed by. But to us, does that signify anything beyond just another busy day in our routine life, especially when it falls on the first day of a week, or on any weekdays for that matter? Do we have even time to stop for a moment and think about the day, forget about making any pledge?

     The answer is NO.

     But we need to. Yes, we need to.

     Frankly speaking, one Earth Day in a year is probably not enough to remind us what we, the human beings, are doing to the environment of the only planet that supports life in the universe (none other found yet, at least).

     The world population that stood at around 1.6 billion in 1900 and 2.6 billion 50 years later, has now -- in somewhat more than 50-year time –- crossed the 7 billion mark, and the planet earth is projected to host a total of 8 billion human breathing on its surface by the year 2025. 

     The threat is looming large, simply because only breathing is not enough. People -– presently living as well as the ones who would be coming sooner or later -- will need food to fill their stomachs, houses as shelters and clothes to wear, among many other things.

     But where all these are going to come from while the mere number of human beings and their activities (polluting more than often) are routinely stretching the environment to its limit and testing its patience…!!!

     Some say, the population is asset and not a problem. 
     But I wonder, with limited and still fast depleting natural resources -- due to overuse as well as misuse -- how an ever-growing population would be seen as asset in the days to come, especially in the developing and under-developing countries…!!!

     Please, don’t think about India or the Indian sub-continent only; it is not the time to remain confined. Today, we badly need somewhat broader an outlook that would make us realise the actual condition of the world as a whole and not only our sweet home, because we, individually, are nothing but small parts of the whole scenario called “world ecosystem”.

     13 years into the new millennium, life expectancy of people might have increased in some corners of the world, but the number of people who die due to lack of basic health care or simply awareness, due to malnutrition, due to contaminated water or no water availability, or from killer diseases like malaria or dengue is still easily overshoots the number of people enjoying the extended life expectancy, in especially urban areas.

     Certainly, all blame should not be put on population growth, and we need to give a rethink to our resource management approach as well.

     I am not trying to draw a disappointing picture but trying to make ourselves remind what a big task is left yet.

     Devastating earthquakes, intensifying droughts, growing number of storms and arrival of more unpredictable diseases all across the globe is probably the warning letter issued by the planet earth that it’s time to wait, think and act in a new direction. We need to show the will to make it happen.

     Only a couple of pledges on every Earth Day –- do you think it is enough to bring about any visible difference? The answer is a clear and loud NO.

     Don’t you think everyday should be an Earth Day so that we can renew and embolden our pledge to save the planet and every one of us should keep working with an eye on making it a better place to live in, at our individual level at least?