Environment In a New Light

Environment In a New Light
Even as far back as the1950’s there was much talking about environment. Few people heard this talk seriously. I know many friends called such people doomsayers. As time went by pollution levels rose and the media began to think environment news was fit to print. Awareness level of people went up. They began to hear with more interest. But most of them thought ‘scientists’ would fix the problems. There is nothing to worry. More recently, when the globe began to overheat enough for people actually to feel the effect their interest level rapidly shot up. Environment talk became louder and concern more urgent. Many friends have begun to see sense in such talk and merit in this concern.

I persevered in my interest in environment study. As a result I have learned little more and become slightly wiser. Today I say there is no environment problem. For rain still falls and water percolates into the earth. The Sun shines and the air flows. New species of living beings evolve. Older ones adapt to the natural environment. New ones grow and change. Individuals die and yield their bodies to the living so that life should continue. Everything needed by the living is still provided by nature. Otherwise life on this Earth would have ended.

Even in my primary school I learned through shlokas of the Vedic Rishis that the entire universe is one single whole. All things are connected. Therefore, whatever any one of us does affects all the rest. Because we are part of a unity, whatever we do must get reflected in the whole. If my community and I cut down the trees around our settlement we must face consequences. But if we cherish the old trees and plant more for fruit and other produce we would benefit. Nature gives us a lot of freedom to act but whatever choice we make appropriate consequence follow. This law governs us humans and all other living beings. No one is exempt, not even Vishnu, Shiva and other deities.

Condition of our environment is bad and it is rapidly deteriorating further. It is not just one country or a few people who are responsible but it is the worldview and lifestyle promoted by the industrial civilization. Sadly it has spread worldwide and is still expanding. A few islands of sane living that still linger are fast disappearing.

The need today seems to be to reexamine our way of life in every detail. Whatever seems in anyway to harm the natural order must be shed and what promotes health and peace needs to be adopted. For this we must have reverence for the Creator and discipline to obey rules that govern the universe.

Partap,
December 13, 2009