Why is it high time to swear allegiance to our environment?

“Skyscrapers and towering factories,

Touching the sky yet turning it grey

Speedy cars and manufacturing industries,

Deafening the environment day-by-day.

With mankind burying all its filth in the lap of mother nature, silencing its cries,

Isn’t it marching towards suffocating its own existence with its polluting lies?”

Have you heard of pizzly bears? Sounds bizarre, right? But they're real—a hybrid of polar and grizzly bears. But how did these two species even cross paths? The answer lies in climate change. As global warming intensifies, grizzly bears are venturing further north into the Arctic, where they are more likely to encounter the endangered polar bears.

Therefore, as per the speculations of various scientists, sighting pizzlies would slowly become more frequent in the Arctic, and the fast-disappearing polar bears would disappear even faster.

Even more alarming is that we have already lost many species and rare vegetation in the past century due to increased pollution and climatic reversal. If the trend continues, one of the most vital sustenance cycles, the food chain, will be severely fractured.

What other ways will the "karma" of environmental damage haunt us?

Acid rain, an infamous phenomenon, is becoming more common every day. The combination of increased sulfur and nitrogen dioxide in the air with rainwater creates highly corrosive acid rain, which destroys vegetation, erodes monuments, and even poses cancer risks.

The growing concentration of sulfur dioxide in the air also leads to various respiratory problems in humans, including asthma and bronchitis. And with the world currently battling a respiratory pandemic, the effects of rising air pollution only add fuel to the fire.

As the famous line of poetry goes, "water, water everywhere, but not a drop of water to drink..."

According to the WHO, more than half the world's population will face severe water scarcity by 2025. Even more alarming, nearly five million deaths occur each year due to diarrheal diseases caused by contaminated water.

The list of ways we have damaged the environment is myriad. Through continuous exploitation, we have almost irrevocably upset Mother Nature's balance, which has slowly begun to retaliate in the most harmful ways. Hence, protecting the environment from further degradation is now more crucial than ever.

What can be done?

Well begun is half done. Having said that, the following can be a good start towards our contribution to protecting our environment.

Polythene bags have been banned in many countries. Now, it's time for proper implementation on the ground level. By minimizing plastic use, we ensure it doesn't harm the soil or air in the long run.

What are the alternatives?

Thankfully, our Earth offers many biodegradable options—from jute and cloth bags to recycled paper bags. A little brainstorming will reveal even more readily available alternatives!

Another key step is reducing unnecessary waste production in our daily lives.

Remember the three golden words: "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle." The less we generate and the more we reuse, the smaller our carbon footprints on Earth will be.

What's the one thing we all learned about plants in school? That's right! They produce oxygen, purify the air, and keep the environment clean. So, all we need to do is

plant life—and it will nurture us and the generations to come.

What else? We should use public transport and carpool more if possible. Driving fewer petrol vehicles or switching to electric cars powered by renewable energy sources will go a long way toward effectively reducing global warming on a larger scale.

Lastly, it's high time we stop wasting drinking water. Let's not take this precious resource for granted. Always turn off the taps when not in use, fix leaks, reuse water wherever possible, and avoid contaminating water bodies with garbage or waste.

Now is the time to take responsibility and be accountable for our actions.

When you see others exploiting or polluting natural resources, speak up. Make them aware of the irreversible damage they're causing to the environment.

Let's take a look at the current environment-friendly trends and what scientists and countries are doing to protect Mother Nature:

Better standards are improving appliance efficiency. Governments in many European countries are working to make greener energy available to people through high-standard, cost-effective appliances. Advanced technologies that capture and bury factory carbon emissions are also being explored.
It's a no-brainer that one of the fastest ways to reduce greenhouse emissions is by planting new trees and halting excessive deforestation. Countries like England have started growing community forests, while others—such as China, Indonesia, the US, Vietnam, and Brazil—are leading the world in afforestation.

Livestock and dairy farming have a large carbon footprint. Meat consumption is a significant source of methane and nitrous oxide, contributing to global warming. As a result, research is being conducted to create more plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, such as soy, almond, and oat milk.

Renewable energy sources like wind and solar energy are proliferating. In 2016, 66.67 per cent of all the new power produced was renewable. The production of solar and wind power channels is soaring high; hence, renewable electricity costs are declining. Isn't it a fantastic megatrend?

Electric cars—especially those powered by renewable energy—should replace fossil-fuel vehicles. At the current growth rate, by 2030, more than 80 per cent of vehicles could be electric.

Fact check: Norway is dominating the fossil-to-electric transition and is currently topping the leaderboard in having the highest per-capita battery-only cars in the world! What's more? It aims to completely stop the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2025.