The Environment vs Development Dilemma

Recently, Nashik has made it to the national fame. Many century-old trees were cut for the developmental needs. The citizen of Nashik and nature-lovers have strongly opposed this act of Municipal Corporation. The conflict has spurred discussions on sustainable development, with many urging the government to use urban planning techniques that incorporate trees into city landscaping rather than removing them. 

But this kind of 'development' is taking place all over the world. In major cities like Delhi, Kolkata & Mumbai, the air quality index regularly exceeds hazardous level. Lifelines of civilization, our sacred rivers, now hardly flow. Climate change and global warming are no longer distant warnings, they are lived realities. Our water bodies are drying up, air is becoming unbreathable and forests are vanishing. And we are relentlessly extracting oil, water, coal, minerals, and metals from Mother Earth. Forget food, if current trends continue and no drastic action is taken, nearly 40% of India’s population may lack access to potable water by the year 2030.

In recent years, we have witnessed a peculiar and persistent conflict - between development and environmental conservation. On one hand, development demands infrastructure like roads, electricity, housing, factories and amenities, all of which rely on natural resources like water, forests, minerals and land. Unsurprisingly, their extraction leads to pollution, shrinking rivers, deforestation and a polluted ecosystem. On the other hand, when we move towards environmental conservation, it often seems that the pace of development begins to slow down. As if there exists a natural conflict between the two. We find ourselves caught in a kind of a moral dilemma, where every choice comes at a cost. Prioritizing development often comes at the expense of nature, while prioritizing conservation can hinder economic progress and the fulfilment of basic human needs.

Does development conflict with the environment? There is a widespread belief that it is so. This explains why there is a constant refrain from some economists and policymakers about the rigid environmental laws of the country stalling ‘development’ projects like industrial corridors, highways and other infrastructure projects. The tension between economic development and environmental conservation is not unique to India, but the scale of projects undertaken in the country has drawn significant attention. India, one of the fastest-growing economies, requires improved infrastructure, energy projects, and urban expansions to meet the demands of its population and global market competitiveness. However, this rapid growth has placed immense pressure on natural ecosystems, particularly forests. Several large-scale development projects have been flagged for causing extensive tree felling: Highway Expansions, Urbanization, Industrial & Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Mining Projects.

Its true, the environment faces grave challenges, but we must also recognize that millions of people around the world still struggle to meet their most basic needs. Can we expect someone who doesn’t have two meals a day to understand and act upon ideas like 'Sustainable development' or 'Carbon footprint'?

Once a society meets its fundamental needs, it naturally aspires for a better life. This desire is neither surprising nor wrong. A person who owns a bicycle may dream of a motorcycle, the motorcyclist of a car, the car-owner of a yacht. Similarly, someone in a mud house may long for a concrete house, and so on. This is the nature of human aspiration to seek comfort and progress.

But the question is not whether these desires are valid. The real question is: Can nature support them all? Are Earth’s land, water, air, minerals, and energy sufficient and everlasting to fulfil the growing aspirations of every individual? Resources are finite, but human desires can be infinite.

This is where we need a holistic vision: one that upholds both environmental sustainability and human development. If natural resources are used judiciously, equitably and with shared responsibility, we can protect the environment and address deep-rooted issues like poverty, inequality and the very basic nature of the human i.e. growth. In Indian philosophy, there is no division between human and nature. Nature is not just an external reality, it is an extension of our inner being. When we call Earth 'Mother', it is not a poetic metaphor, but a deep experiential truth. She nourishes, shelters and sustains us. Caring for the environment does not mean halting development; it means choosing a form of development that walks hand-in-hand with nature. Incorporating principles like refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and embracing a zero-waste lifestyle is not just ethical; but also, is essential. Energy use must be mindful; water and electricity must be conserved. Simplicity is not a regression. In fact, it is an elevation of thought.

Nature can flourish without us, but we cannot survive without nature. Let us not forget that if we continue to exploit nature, and if - out of balance - it begins to respond with equal intensity, the outcomes will be beyond our control. Just as humans are breaking their natural boundaries, if animals and ecosystems were to do the same, the consequences would be devastating.

The path ahead lies not in choosing between environment and development, but in realigning development with the deeper rhythms of nature. Only then can we ensure a future that is just, joyful and sustainable for all. A clean and green environment is also important for a healthy workforce. As soon as we introduce this perspective to development, it readily becomes evident that development and environment can never disagree with each other. Rather, the two must work together. Any project that seeks to bring in economic benefits needs to weigh in the associated costs to the environment. Only when the benefits outweigh all the costs, including the environmental costs, should the project go through.

The new approach calls for three important steps. First, development planning by policymakers need to internalize the environmental concerns. Second, existing tools for quantifying environmental costs, such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and green accounting standards, need to be developed further and made more user-friendly. Third, a renewed focus on interdisciplinary courses on environment, economics, accounting and development is urgently needed. 

While the need for development in India is undeniable, the current trajectory, which involves extensive tree felling and deforestation, raises significant environmental and ethical concerns. It is crucial for the Indian government to reassess its development strategy, ensuring that economic growth is achieved without sacrificing the country’s invaluable natural resources. Sustainable development, which balances growth with environmental preservation, must be the guiding principle if India is to secure a healthy and prosperous future for its people and ecosystems.

Today, we celebrate the 16th anniversary of Gifting Trees...! 😍

Our Ecosystems : Forests!

Of course, we need to plant native trees... But we need to understand that there is more to forests than just a massive collection of trees. It is a natural, complex ecosystem, made up of a wide variety of trees, which support a massive range of life forms. Apart from trees, forests also include the soils that support the trees, the water bodies that run through them and even the atmosphere or air around them. Forests of the world are a natural wonder that we, humans, have sadly taken for granted.

Environmental activists consider forests as one of the top 5 natural resources on Earth. This is rightly so, its high time why we should immediately stop its' destruction.

Forests are hugely important for life on Earth. This is because it serves as an ecosystem and sustains life for millions of animals, birds and aquafauna that live in the rivers & streams running through these forests…Biodiversity! Forests serve two important roles viz. Productive role and Protective role. While we all know about the products like Food, Shelter, Clothing, Fuel and Timber that we get from forests along with Non-timber Forest Products; we often take granted their priceless protective services. 

Climate Improvement

Forest increase local precipitation by about 5 to 10% due to their aerographic and microclimatic effect and create conditions favourable for the condensation of clouds. Forests reduce temperature and increase humidity. It also reduces evaporation losses. Forests form an effective sink for the carbon dioxide produced as a result of animal respiration, burning of fossil fuels, volcanoes and other natural & human-induced activities. And if that is not all, a by-product of photosynthesis is oxygen.

Forests play a significant role in maintaining the CO2 balance in the atmosphere and purifying the air.

Trees and soils help regulate atmospheric temperatures through a process called evapotranspiration. This helps to stabilize the climate.

Soil and water conservation

Forests maintain the productivity of the soil through adding a large quantity of organic matter and recycling of nutrients. The leaves are used as manure. Tree crowns reduce the attack of rain and check splash erosion. Forests increase the infiltration and water holding capacity of the soil, resulting in much lower surface runoff. This in turn results in checking of soil erosion.

Forest checks floods too! Forests intercept 15 to 30% of the floods caused due to siltation of river channels & irrigation resources caused due to erosion. Forests and trees reduce wind velocity considerably, which causes considerable reduction in wind erosion; checks shifting of sand dunes and halts the process of desertification. Rapid siltation of various reservoirs in the country is the result of deforestation in the catchment areas of these reservoirs.

Forest protect us from physical, chemical and noise pollution, dust and other particulates and gaseous pollutants cause serious health problems. Forests protect as from these pollutants. Forest and trees provide shelter and wind break effect which is beneficial to agricultural crops, particularly in arid and semiarid areas and increase agricultural production.

Watershed

Forests serve as a watershed…the area of land that contributes water to a stream or river. Almost all water that flows in rivers & lakes ultimately comes from forest-derived water tables.

Wildlife Habitat and Ecosystems

Forests serve as a habitat to millions of animals. Animals form part of the food chain in the forests. All these different animals and plants are called biodiversity, and the interaction with one another and with their physical environment is what we call an ecosystem. Healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters such as floods and wildfires.

Forests and biodiversity are the key to all life forms. The richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical discoveries, economic development and adaptive responses to such new challenges as climate change. Uses of genetic diversity within forests enable the development of new medicines; progress in health care and science.

Looking at the importance of forests and trees, You can deduce the massive effects of deforestation and tree-cutting activities… Soil erosion, Disturbed Water Cycle, Loss of Biodiversity, Climate Change etc. But what we can not see or relate to is Loss of livelihoods of the people directly depending on the forests and loss of lives due to effects of deforestation like droughts, floods, human animal conflict, invasive dominance of a particular species.

Close to one billion hectares (2.5 billion acres) globally is estimated to be available for some kind of forest restoration. If only it were that simple.

So how to regrow a forest? : Get out of the way.

According to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the best thing we can do to regrow a natural forest is to stop interfering in the forest ecosystem. The nature will take care of the rest.

One needs to understand the types and importance of forests, the problem of deforestation and it's effects, as well as what we can do to minimize the consequences. Sometimes, we are overwhelmed by the extent of damage humans have caused, and we are not sure if an individual can make an impact.

Yes, you can!

There are millions of people just like you, who are learning about the issue and taking little steps to help. Additionally, many governments, organizations, and societies are making great strides in helping reducing deforestation.

But there is still a lot to do. On the 14th anniversary of Gifting Trees, let us discuss a few things you can also do to help...

Make a conscious effort to share information with friends and family members on deforestation and its' effects. Things work better when responsible people don’t give up. Stand up for what you believe in!

Reduce the use of artificial items, recycle more and re-use items. Wood, paper, plastics and many other things we use every day at home can be linked to natural resources being destroyed. This means that if we all recycle more, there will be less dependence on the environment (and forests).

Allowing degraded natural forests to re-grow is a more effective, immediate and low-cost method for removing and storing atmospheric carbon than planting new trees.

These forest ecosystems - the result of ecological and evolutionary processes and their natural patterns of distribution and abundance of plants and wildlife have greater resilience to external shocks. They can adapt to changing conditions and store more stable natural carbon stocks than young, degraded or plantation forests. Nowadays, Miyawaki forests have gained widespread attention as a promising approach to reforestation and biodiversity restoration. However, these newly planted forests(?) can not even match the natural forests, let alone be the substitute for them. Yes, trees must be planted & grown in urban settlements and industrial areas. But PLANTING TREES IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR NATURAL FORESTS..! Remember, "One can plant trees, but can not plant a forest!" 

Growing existing natural forests to maturity optimizes their biological sequestration potential to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As well as maximizing cost-effective and natural carbon sequestration, proforestation also provides other benefits such as clean water supply from filtration by tree roots. But the natural forests must grow naturally and not by introducing artificial plantations in a natural forest. Introducing non-native species and altering forest type or topography could disrupt existing ecosystems and ecological processes, potentially leading to unintended consequences.

Indigenous vs. Introduced Plants : The Ongoing Debate

Few months ago, I stumbled upon an article written by a representative of an ecological restoration firm that has been promoting native plant species for the past decade. The article sparked controversy by suggesting that non-native tree species need not be shunned altogether. Though the statement was not completely wrong, that article raised eye-brows of many nature-lovers as the statement was contradicting the very soul of that organization. 

So how do you decide what kind of tree to plant? Or perhaps, have you wondered, while walking down a city street or strolling through a park, why did we choose to plant a row of non-native Gulmohor or Rain-trees, instead of trees native to our region? This post aims to provide clarity on this topic by exploring the various factors that influence our tree-planting choices. 

At present, there is a debate on whether to plant indigenous trees or introduced/alien trees. Some favor indigenous native trees while others do not seem to bother about the species. But this debate should be considered from an environmental standpoint.

Different plants thrive in different regions of our country according to the nutrients, climate and habitat. These plants and the wildlife that depend on them create a rich ecosystem, and the introduction of an alien plants into this delicate balance is a matter of ongoing debate. Some say that many introduced shrubs, vines & trees that are naturalised in India, are useful. The examples include guava, custard-apple, grapes, sugarcane etc. But it should be noted here that all these plants are grown agriculturally, where their spread is controlled, carefully maintained. Furthermore, not all introduced plants are non-invasive or benign to the ecosystem.

Proponents of introduced trees argue that they provide shade, oxygen, and visual appeal through their colorful flowers. However, the problem arises when a single introduced tree species outcompetes ten native trees, leading to a tenfold reduction in carbon dioxide absorption and shade. Additionally, habitat loss for birds and pollinators can have devastating impacts on the ecosystem. Introduced species are often free from natural predators & pests, which makes them prone to becoming invasive, out-competing native flora for water and soil. This in turn drives away biodiversity and reduces the chances available for native species, leading to biological pollution. Introduced plants are often short-lived and brittle, making them susceptible to uprooting during storms. The leaves of trees like Eucalyptus and Mangium do not decompose easily and do not contribute to the production of organic fertilizer, resulting in soil pollution. 

While introduced trees like Gulmohar, Copperpod, Jacaranda and Spathodea may look beautiful, their ecological value is negligible. Although a few species of birds may perch on these trees, and pollinators like bees may occasionally be seen on their flowers due to a lack of other flowering species, it would be foolish to conclude that introduced species attract birds and pollinators. Many state governments have banned the cultivation of Eucalyptus due to the large amount of water it absorbs from the soil, which can exacerbate water scarcity issues in certain areas. Introduced species like Gliricidia, Mangium (Acacia Mangium), Earleaf Acacia (Acacia Auriculiformis) and Mesquite (Prosopis Juliflora) were brought to India from Australia and Mexico for rapid reforestation, timber, and fuelwood purposes. However, these same plants have now become a serious threat to ecosystems, competing with indigenous flora and fauna and disrupting nutrient cycling and hydrology. This impacts the overall economic stability of local communities and human health. Many of these species have aggressive root systems or produce a large number of viable seeds, both of which allow the plants to quickly invade the soils outside their growing areas. This resulted in almost destruction of the native Babool (Acacia Nilotica, or recently known as Vachellia Nilotica), which is an important tree species if dry regions. 

Trees native to a particular region have evolved to thrive in specific soil types, rainfall patterns, light availability, seed dispersal mechanisms, and other environmental attributes. In their native environment, these trees may provide cover, food, and habitat for birds, amphibians, insects, and mammals. The tree species that have been living in India for centuries and providing benefits not only to humans but also to wildlife and the ecosystem deserve priority. In fact, there are several fast-growing native trees in India that bear beautiful flowers. Native trees are more adaptable to their growing conditions and more resistant to disease than alien species that have only been introduced in recent decades. You can find the list of native trees here.

Several gardening enthusiasts and nature-lovers derive satisfaction from cultivating rare and uncommon plant species, which are not easily found in their vicinity. In fact, the introduction of new plants is a celebrated activity which delights many gardeners, and attracts media attention. These practices have contributed to scarcity of our own important native species in the urban areas across India. Sadly, it is now increasingly challenging to come across trees like Palash, Sita-Ashok or Kaim in the gardens of many cities. 

In conclusion, it is important to understand the impact of the trees we plant in our region. While non-native species may be visually appealing, they can have negative impacts on the local ecosystem. On the other hand, native trees have evolved to thrive in their environment and provide important benefits to both humans and wildlife. By prioritizing the plantation of native trees, we can promote a healthier and more diverse ecosystem while also supporting the local economy and preserving our cultural heritage. Though there is no need to hate the previously planted and grown non-native trees; at least now onwards, the plantation of any alien or foreign plant must be strongly discouraged. 

Today is 13th anniversary of Gifting Trees... Come, let us all take responsibility to protect our environment and choose the right kind of trees to plant for a sustainable future!

Teacher of the Year!

Once upon a time, there was a young and successful officer going to his village. He was driving a bit faster in his new BMW. He saw a boy calling for help on a turn. He thought he saw something but didn’t stop. Right then a brick hit his car. Angrily, the officer applied breaks, went back to grab the boy and started scolding him for the damages of his car. The boy pleaded, “I am really sorry sir! Please forgive me!! But I have to use that brick as no one was stopping. My brother fell from his wheelchair. He is hurt and I can not lift him by myself”. The officer went speechless, and was shocked to see his handicapped brother. He helped the boy. The boy thanked the officer with teary eyes and said,”May God bless you sir!” Yes, that brick may have caused some damages to his BMW; but also taught him a lesson - DO NOT GO very fast through life, otherwise just to draw your attention, someone will have to hit you with a brick!

Can You relate to the story?!

Well, we are just similar to that officer. We... Human beings often forget that we are largely dependent on Nature or Mother Earth and become ignorant towards her. We have been so reluctant and negligent to the preservation of natural resources and sustainable living that we had already forgotten about the dynamic equilibrium of Nature. The time has come when we are facing the increasing incidents of droughts, sun-strokes, cloud-bursts, floods, land-slides, pandemics and number of deaths associated with it.

Ecological Integrity refers to the ability of an ecosystem to support and maintain ecological processes and a diverse community of organisms. In simple language, ecosystems have integrity when they have their native components intact. So this ecosystem integrity underlines human health and development. It can help regulate diseases by supporting a diversity of species so that it is more difficult for one pathogen to spill over, amplify or dominate. Human-induced environmental changes modify wildlife population structure and reduce biodiversity, resulting in new environmental conditions that favour particular hosts, vectors and/or pathogens. The loss of habitat and biodiversity creates conditions for lethal new viruses and diseases to spill into human communities. And if we continue to destroy our lands, we also deplete our resources and damage our agricultural systems.

The WHO has declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The outbreak has resulted in the untimely death of tens of thousands worldwide, a global economic recession and the collapse of health-care systems among many of the hardest-hit countries. To be clear, the pandemic is a tragedy and has affected human life very badly, overloaded hospitals, unemployment, economic disaster and it has caused depression in millions of people and many countries around the world have lockdown & quarantined its citizens to slow down the spread of the virus. While the origin of the outbreak and its transmission pathway are yet to be discovered, there are few important points worth reviewing...

Outbreaks that emerged or re-emerged recently are Ebola, bird flu, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), the Nipah virus, Rift Valley fever, Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), West Nile virus, Zika virus disease, and now, the Corona virus. They are all linked to human activity. 

According to www.worldenvironmentday.global, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the result of forest losses leading to closer contacts between wildlife and human settlements; the emergence of avian influenza was linked to intensive poultry farming; the Nipah virus was linked to the intensification of pig farming and fruit production in Malaysia and emergence of bat-associated viruses was due to the loss of bat habitat from deforestation and agricultural expansion.

The Covid-19 lockdown imposed throughout the world has struck a chord in every one of us and it has made us thinking how nature is so important for our day to day living. It gave us the time to stop, analyse our deeds and  introspect. It has made us see that our actions can very well impact the Earth’s sustainability.

Traffic-free roads, plane-free skies and widespread brick-and-mortar closings have made the planet a beneficiary of the coronavirus pandemic - but only in the short term. Amid the destruction, the pandemic has brought forth wins for a world that leaves room for humans and animals to coexist happily.

From breathing pure air to greener trees, spotting various wildlife into the urban settlements; there are some important environmental changes that we have seen for this lockdown in India, which are improvement in air quality, reduction in air pollution and water of Ganga became fit for drinking in Haridwar. Animals have more room to roam due to decreased pollution and human interference. Dolphins are spotted near Kolkata ghats, increased numbers of flamingos in Mumbai and Arrival of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles ashore along the coast of Odisha to dig their nests & lay eggs; are some of the examples.

It’s safe to say that no one would have wanted for emissions to be lowered this way. COVID-19 has taken a grim global toll on lives, health services, jobs and mental health. But, if anything, it has also shown the difference that communities can make when they look out for each other - and that’s one lesson that could be invaluable in dealing with climate change.

May this COVID-19 pandemic will end soon. But what we learn out of it will decide our future. Are we going to repeat all those mistakes we used to do before or we going to change our detrimental actions? We all know, digging up fossil fuels, cutting down forests and sacrificing the planet’s health for profit, convenience & consumption is driving catastrophic climate change. It’s time to abandon this destructive system and find sustainable ways to inhabit our planet. This lockdown have made us realize that Life goes on even in the reduced speed of development...or rather, its more pleasant too! So why not to lead a simpler life voluntarily; rather than waiting for some tiny virus to force us to do the same?!

It is impossible to predict where the next outbreak will come from or when it will be. Growing evidence suggests that outbreaks or epidemic diseases may become more frequent as climate continues to change. By embracing a simpler way of life characterized by a compassionate & ecological consciousness, frugal consumption and inner development; people can change their lives and, in the process, move the world toward sustainable prosperity. The novel corona virus has taught us so many things. 

The question is – Are we ready to learn?!

Today is 10th anniversary of Gifting Trees... Let us join hands for embracing Voluntary Simplicity..!

We and Trees : Our Experiences with Plantation

Well, this post is meant to share our experiences while tree plantations with our readers. Hope it will encourage more & more people to plant Native Trees and to care for our environment.

When we shifted to our new house, there was an Open Space adjacent to it, which was allotted by Municipal Corporation for gardening. But practically, it was being used as a dump yard by people. On top of that, it was thickly covered by weeds like Carrot grass (Parthenium Hysterophorus). So Initially we started with cleaning and de-weeding the place.

After that we planted few saplings there. We also arranged drip-irrigation system for watering. Still many of the saplings died during six months as the ground was thoroughly wiped out of nutrients by the weeds. Then we started dumping our kitchen waste near the planted saplings. We also got some dung fertilizer to impregnate the Earth. And trust me it worked well. The saplings began to grow vigorously..obviously with due care. First two years were tiresome.

But there was a mistake with those plantations. We have got few sapling from the Municipal Corporation unaware of the fact that they were introduced species. In that initial period, we carelessly planted whatever we got to plant. Its after two years that we hit by the fact. But by that time those varieties were competing with the Native species for space, Sun-light, nutrients & water. Now we can't even cut them nor they are useful to birds & insects. These introduced species eventually decrease the space available for habitat of our native species of birds, insects and trees as well and hence they have very detrimental effect. It is the reason why we always emphasize on plantation of Native species. We have learnt from our mistakes.

Then we never ever planted a introduced or non-native varieties. Yes, there were many times when neighbours and friends had advised us to plant introduced varieties as they thought those are more beautiful. Obviously no one ever turned up to contribute or volunteer.

As time passed by, we witnessed creation of a beautiful landscape. Amazingly in just 4 years, small saplings planted on bare land is developed into a thriving woodland complete with sturdy trees big enough for you to walk under, with few fresh fruits for you to eat, rich ground flora and a host of wildlife. The trees also kept the weeds under control. :)

These trees and flowering plants now attract lots of bees, butterflies and lots of birds. We also witnessed first flight of young birds from their nests in our garden. And yes, it is frequently visited by reptiles & mongooses as well. It is a habitat or home for them in the midst of concrete jungles.

So after that, we began to plant trees in other spaces allocated by Municipal Corporation. But this time, we can't say no one helped us. The space had one naturally grown Babool tree...a very good agroforestry tree. We just set a tree-guard around the tree, as it is a common tree felled by urbanites. The tree which can grow fast while fighting with thick cover of weeds must be saved!

And after six months, one fine morning I saw a sapling growing under that Babool tree. That's too of Semal tree! So Mother Nature lend us a helping hand. Semal being a tall tree, we kept both of them as they were.

Right now, we are working on two open spaces near our residential area. In our upcoming posts, we will share their progress with You. :-)

Counting our Gifts...

If you have noticed, when you wake up early in the morning, there is a pleasant music of Nature that is playing in the backyard. Yes, there is chatter of birds, chirping of crickets or croaking of frogs, even in cities like Mumbai. We hear them everyday; may be that’s why we tend to ignore it. But there are some areas in the developed world where it is deathly silent. Want to know why it is so..?

Pure air, Solar energy and fresh water are known to be our resources. I need not tell you the pollution of Air and Water taking place all round the globe. Everything..from pesticides to our daily drainage, our devoted offerings to Deities (Nirmalya, as called in India) to heavy loads of cosmetics used in make-up..everything ultimately reaches to our sacred rivers and then to ocean. All our deeds have made the water of rivers so unfit for use that we have to spend crores to make it suitable for consumption.

Some might say, "We never throw anything harmful into river. Then why we are forced to pay for water purification in the form of taxes?"

Yes, you might have never ever used pesticides or cosmetics (?). But, being a consumer, you must be using numerous products which are manufactured in industries. Take for example, Paper manufacturing company or a Thermo-electric power plant. I am not trying to criticise anybody or any company here. All I want to say is ultimately, its all of us, Humans, who are responsible for these pollutions. There N number of industries or companies which are disposing the harmful chemical by-products into rivers or emitting disastrous gases in the atmosphere without any pre-treatment.

So I will say the taxation is justified! But here We are taking all the living organisms in water for granted. We are paying in currency, but forcing them to pay in the form of their lives; and that's too for our deeds. In Nashik, we have example of Nasardi. Surprised? Yes, it used to be a fresh water river few decades back, harbouring many fishes & other organisms. But now it is being converted into a Nala (river of dirty water) in which only disease spreading mosquitoes or like can develop. Its our loss too as we lost a source of fresh water.

Same applies for Air. As the cities increased in size, air pollution increased exponentially. With less food available for birds, they have to migrate to countryside. But their too, we have fields sprayed with poisonous pesticides; further contributing to decreasing the number of birds. Similarly insects, amphibians, reptiles have decreased tremendously in numbers in last decade, especially in developed countries.

Thank God we couldn’t yet deteriorate the solar energy, which is an energy source for life on Earth. But still there are reports of declining soil fertility from various parts of the world. To understand this, we must now look at another of the Earth’s basic resources, the soil. The top soil contains loads of micro-organisms, ranging from algae to earthworms. They all are essential component of soil. The action-interaction of these micro-organisms help in enriching the soil with number of macro- and micro-nutrients. The soil won't be fertile if we lose these creatures. And that's what is taking place. The pesticides & herbicides won't differentiate in 'good' insects/micro-organisms and 'bad' ones. Its spraying kills them all. It also been reported & proved that the traces, usually in increased concentrations, of these poisonous pesticides are found in the soil even after 5 years; though rain water keeps on washing them into the water streams, contaminating the the aquatic life too!

Water, soil and Earth’s green mantle of plants make up the world that supports the animal life of the Earth. Although we, modern man seldom remember the fact, we could not exist without the plants that harness the sun’s energy and manufacture the basic foodstuffs he depends upon for life. Our attitude towards plants and other organisms is singularly narrow one.

The problem is, We do not adjust or change according to Nature. We try to change Nature according to us. Actually speaking, Nature has everything to sustain and balance the life..enough for man's need, not for man's greed! But one thing we have to keep in mind, if we want our future generations to live here peacefully and prosperously, then we have to share this world with all living organisms. After all, its their world too!

'But how?'

For starters, lets have a look at our roadsides or field borders. Usually we do not allow growth of wild shrubs & climbers there, do we? Especially in some parts of urban societies. Generally, though known as weeds, these shrubs & climbers are not invasive at all. Of course they usually accompanied by real weeds too, but this doesn't mean that we should remove them also. We can't ignore the beautiful flowers they bear, which also provide food for bees and insects. These insects, so essential to our agriculture, deserve something better from us than the senseless destruction of their habitat. There is obviously more to the wish to preserve our roadside vegetation than even mere aesthetic considerations. In the economy of Nature, the natural vegetation has its essential place. Hedgerows along country roads and bordering fields provide food, cover and nesting areas for birds and homes for many small animals. But their destruction is justified by their bad company. How could some intelligent beings seek to control a few unwanted species by a method that contaminated the entire environment and brought the threat of disease and death to their own kind? To destroy the homes and the food of wildlife is perhaps worse in the long run than direct killing. 

You can definitely search other ways to if you wish to..like keeping water-baths or so. Keep your eyes wide open and you will certainly find the way.

If we look at the history of life on Earth, it has been a history of interaction between living things and their surroundings. The origin of Life on Earth is dated 3.8 billion years back while that of first human 2 million years ago, according to scientists. If we consider this era from the start of life on Earth till today as 1 hour. Then calculations tell that we, humans have come here just 1.89 seconds before! All other organisms like insects, fish, plants, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds etc have been here since eons of time, a way before humans. So we are new-comers here. But look at the hell around we have created for the other living organisms. They, certainly do not deserve this!

It took hundreds of millions of years to produce the life that now inhabits the Earth - eons of time in which that developing and evolving and diversifying life reached a state of adjustment and balance with its surroundings. Given time - time not in years but in millenniums - life adjusts and a balance has been reached. For time is the essential ingredient; but in the modern world, there is no time!

Do You wish to change the perspective to look at our environment and its inhabitants???