To Be a Civilized Citizen of Mother Earth

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need but not every man’s greed

                                                                                                                                - M.K.Gandhi

Earth is a broad term. It not only includes geologic layers, tectonic plates and magnetic field but also natural resources and is known for planetary habitability. There is an umbilical cord relationship between Mother Earth and Motherland. The primary role of every child of Mother Earth is to evolve as a true citizen of Motherland. The basic responsibilities of a child to his mother are akin to fundamental duties of a citizen to his motherland. Similarly, mothers too have certain fundamental rights. We are strictly obliged to perform the fundamental duties of an average citizen of earth and safeguard the fundamental rights of our own earth.

As far as a citizen of earth, our fundamental duties include:

a. Struggling hard to keep our earth green;

b. Defending to safeguard the ecological balance of earth;

c. Supporting the environmental organizations;

d. Exploring the environment and not exploiting it;

e. Promoting sustainable development;

f. Taking action against destruction of food chains and food webs;

g. Respecting and honouring mother earth;

h. Avoiding nuclear wars and assuring peace and harmony;

i.  Conserving biodiversity and enforcing laws to protect it;

j.  Strictly following the environmental laws and norms;

k. Sustaining the biotic and abiotic elements.

Similarly, the fundamental rights of Mother Earth include:

a. Right to be not discriminated on grounds of geographical and political boundaries;

b. Right to get protected for viability;

c. Right against air, water, land and noise pollution;

d. Right to be not exploited by both bureaucracy and monarchy at local and global levels;

e. Right to get forests and wildlife protected;

f.  Right to maintain a natural identity among the global community;

g. Right to have an ecological balance on the environmental front;

h. Right to ensure material progress and prosperity for mankind without being ‘oppressed’;

i. Right to provide aesthetic pleasure to human beings equally;

j. Right to give equal opportunity to all citizens of earth to use its resources at par;

k. Right to contribute importance to environmental growth and not economic growth.

Unlike most of the threatening issues in our hectic world, such as natural disasters, pollution and encroachment on biodiversity are human creation. Dumping human wastes, toxic wastes and nuclear wastes into rivers and lakes, cutting down trees, usage of plastic products, increase in the number of automobiles, cultivation field run-off, defoliation etc cause pollution. With the advent of Industrial revolution, technological innovation and population explosion, we all turned blind about the ecological problems. We only focus on development and not sustainability.

Indeed, the primary cause for poverty is the environmental degradation and unhealthy consumption of natural resources. Due to the environmental challenges the quality of human life becomes scary. The survival of agrarian societies is based on subsistence crops and livestock. Undoubtedly, the climate change, deforestation and desertification seriously affect their livelihood and well-being.         

  

As the famous cliché, ‘charity begins at home’, the thousand miles to reach the goal of environmental conservation ought to begin from one’s own home. The simplest steps to adopt are: using paper or jute bags instead of plastic bags, relying on long distance walking and public transport system particularly rail and water transportation, practising power optimally while using home appliances, using LED and CFL bulbs than incandescent bulbs, avoid dumping chemical fertilizers and old motor oil into ground, using pesticides based on plant such as neem and eucalyptus, depending on solar panels and rainwater harvesting, setting up bio composting to produce bio gas for kitchen purposes, planting more trees in surroundings, properly maintaining electronic appliances to reduce energy consumption and emission, repairing leaky pipes, using traditional charcoal iron box, closing the vessel while cooking, turning off vehicle’s engine at traffic signals, using traditional healthcare systems such as Ayurveda, Unani and Tibetan for manufacturing herbal products. In a nutshell; reduce, reuse and recycle the natural resources without depleting it.

Being an environmental conservationist is the obligation of every civilized citizen of Mother Earth. Earth is not just a sacred place but embodies the essence of human emotions too. As down-to-earth citizens of Mother Earth, we have to make every effort to create and maintain a greener landscape and a ‘natural identity’ thus.