In the last few years the world has begun to respond with urgency as we realize that without fundamental change the earth's ability to sustain life is seriously in doubt. Our Earth is in trouble, and it needs your help! Our air is being poisoned everyday by car fumes, our oceans polluted with toxic wastes, and our beautiful rainforests are being destroyed which causes smog, acid rain, ozone depletion and global warming, yet very few countries are actively seeking ways of reducing emissions. That's why the Earth needs all the friends it can get.
We live on one earth, and this is the only place we can live on right now. If we treat it like the city dump it becomes unclean and unlivable. If we treat it well by being eco-conscious, the earth stays a clean place, perfect for living, for ourselves and our children.
Our planet's oceans and farmlands are capable of supplying food for everyone, if they are harvested in a sustainable manner. Over-population and over-consumption contribute to serious environmental problems by encouraging over-development of pristine lands, contributing to pollution, and squandering our resources.
Many indigenous cultures respect nature and live sustainably without destroying the natural resources on which all life depends. But industrial development is often growth at any cost, frequently damaging our environment and endangering people's health.
Fifty-five years of 'development' have spurred on unplanned urbanisation, extensive industrialisation, and the building of a series of big dams. In the process, India has landed bang in the middle of an ecological crisis. We have lost half our forests, poisoned our waters, eroded our lands and rendered millions homeless, resourceless and more impoverished. Three of our cities are amongst the 15 most-polluted cities in the world. Several of our plant and animal species are extinct. Why and how has this happened? And how can the situation be remedied? What is the difference being made by government legislation and people's movements for the environment? |
