The Earth is calling...

 Happy Earth day!


Really now? What's so happy about Earth Day? The fact that we're making so much progress that we forget how much grey we're building up and how much green is lost in that process? The fact that right now, in the time that I take to write this blogpost, and entire species, somewhere on this planet just became extinct? The fact that Dubai saw hailstorms, the entire Eastern hemisphere disappeared under the embrace of a gargantuan tsunami? Or the fact that each day we breathe in more toxins than Mother Earth has ever breathed since she was born?
We paint a bleak picture my friends.

Happy Earth Day! Here are some stats:

1. Experts say that exposure to pollution causes 40 percent of deaths annually.(from worstpolluted.org)

2. There exist populations around the globe with blood lead levels ranging from 50 -100 μg/dL, up to 10 times the WHO reference levels for protection against neurological damage. This decreases IQ levels for every 10 points increase in blood lead level. And they say people are becoming stupid. Why people from third world countries appear smarter than the developed ones? Coz you're polluting a lot fucking more!

3. The IUCN-World Conservation Union, the planet's largest conservation network, produces a "Red List" of threatened species. In 2007, the list contained 16,306 animals and plants in danger of extinction; there were 16,118 species on the 2006 list.(from History.com)
Two hundred friggin species in ONE year! That's just unreal!
I'll tell you what. What happens if mankind gets attacked by a more powerful species? Probably the world will pool together all it's nuclear WMDs and blow the fucking shit out of those aliens, right?
Imagine what the animals feel like.

Earthday.org boasts of a whopping 31,466,123 green acts or pledges as of this moment. That's great. But where do all those actions go once the "hype" of Earth day or World Environment day pipes down? Sure, there are some millions of people who do their own bit to save the earth, and after all, little drops of water maketh the mightiest of oceans; but what happens when that ocean itself starts going dry because of global warming? Or maybe just overflows back onto you?
Reduce, reuse, recycle.
How many of us remember watching Captain Planet on Cartoon Network? The eco-friendly superhero who fights bad guys who loot and plunder the environment. Wonder why they stopped that show! We need a Captain Planet now more than ever. Heck, we need the League of Captain Planets to stop what's going down globally right now.
We paint a bleak picture my friends.

Happy Earth day!

Not all is lost though. Even with the seemingly wanton destruction and mass murder-ish situation that our poor Mother Earth is facing, she has a glimmer of hope. Earthday.org outlines a few Do's and Don'ts to do our tiny bit, mere mortals as we are, so that it really does make a slight difference, locally if not globally. You can pledge for each action on their site as well, but make sure you fulfil your pledge faithfully rather than simply join the bandwagon.

1. Make children to habituate that planting trees will save our earth. Educate the people to use solar power.
2. Recycle, I won't waste, and try to be as efficient as possible.
3. We will shop at the local farmers market, using our own bags, and eat as many locally sourced meals as possible for the entire year.
4. Ride a bike
5. Reduce the electricity usage in general life.

Dear bloggers and readers, you're probably the most socially aware of all communities online because of the wide and varied spread of blogs. You must have been a part of, or at least known about environmental causes last year as well. So I ask you, and ask yourself, how many of these did you do this past year? Regularly.

It's not too late. It's never too late because the Earth is our Mother. She will always make exceptions for us to improve because we are her children. But even a mother has a threshold of pain and suffering. Let us not make her suffer anymore, for if we do, she will punish us. And then, the picture, let alone be bleak, will cease to exist.

Our Mother is calling to you. You have the power, you are capable, it's up to you.
Do you hear?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy err day. :| I'm glad you wrote this post. What's the point? After being so inspired and moved by such statistics, we'll go and switch on that light all day or end up throwing garbage into the rivers.

Shaunak Mukherjee said...

Exactly my point. I write something like this every year, and then, at some points of time, I forget. It's difficult to change habits. But it's doable. So why not try.

Anonymous said...

Why would you want to blow up aliens? What'd they do to you?

Insignia said...

There's a day dedicated. We talk about it, blog, read and celebrities yap off...and we forget.

We need to do something about it, imbibe qualities in our daily life. Where else will we go if the Earth is not there? Pandora???

為珮 said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Urvashi said...

nice and informative post...ppl really need to wake up to the SOS calls from mother earth and come ahead to help in their own small ways..It would make a huge difference........ :) :)

Shaunak Mukherjee said...

@Cheryl
Well, only the ones that try to armageddon us.

@Insignia
Ah, hope Pandora never finds us landing on it. With what we're doing to Earth, I can only imagine what will happen to Pandora, not considering what's shown in the movie.

@Urvashi
Very true. Each person can help build a bigger picture. It's working in some places. Others, people turn a blind eye.
Still, hope for the best I guess.

Nidz said...

i wish some one follow at least some points u mention..


reduce -re use -recycle

Harini said...

I like you! This post is something that shows u care and I like people who care for mother nature :).

Mads said...

We all talk about doing it, but the sad truth is no one really does it :(
i stop my friends from throwing garbage on the streets but sometimes its so bad that i only end up throwing it on the streets coz they say- chaddo yaar, no dustbin around, throw it :(
sucks che :( :(