Tasmadva etasmadatmana akash sambhutah |
From that atman (Supreme soul) space came into being from space wind, from wind fire, from fire water, from water earth, from earth plants, from plants food, from food man came into being.
Akasadvayuh | Vayoragnih | Agnerapah |
Adbhyah prithvi | Prithivya osadhayah |
Osadhibhyosnam |Annat purusah |
Taittiriyopanisad, Yajur-vedah.
There is a realisation about the importance of pancha bhutas in the Indian ancient Knowledge systems and profess the need to maintain a balance. The journey of mankind to achieve progress and enhance the quality of life missed the destination. This has resulted in imbalance, overexploitation of resources and the very survival of the planet is being challenged. It is important to be conscious that everything we do depend on Nature and has an impact on it. Conservation of nature is of utmost priority for all human beings and their life on this planet. World Nature Conservation Day is observed on July 28 to raise awareness about the importance of preserving natural resources and protecting them.
Humans derive the essential ingredients like water, air, food, minerals, etc. from nature and hence it is the responsibility to draw these resources sustainably. Nature is threatened by many of our actions, deforestation, pollution, use of chemicals, loss of wildlife. It is the responsibility of humans to protect nature and create a healthy environment in the present to leave something behind for future generations.
Natural resources are limited and took millions of years for the formation of minerals and humans are exploiting them at a pace difficult to sustain the resources. Human beings have become a threat to natural resources leading to a state of self-destruction.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed
Mahatma Gandhi
Do you know? It is estimated that:
- About 130 species are getting extinct a day on average
- Plastic materials kill nearly 1 million sea creatures
- 100 acres of Rainforests are disappearing in a minute
The three R’s of conservation: Reuse, Recycle and Restore. We can add one more R to it that is Reduce consumption.
To conserve nature, we need to find ways of:
- Efficient use of energy and use of renewable energy sources
- Enhance afforestation, Plant more trees
- Economical and efficient use of hydro resources
- Use of recyclable and biodegradable products
“I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things we could use”
Mother Teresa
Conservation measures include protecting, maintaining, controlling and/or restoring habitats and natural resources. Conservation measures encompass, Environmental, Wildlife and Marine conservation.
Some of the government initiatives like Nagar Van Udyan Scheme, Waste Management under Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and National Wetland Conservation Program, contribute towards nature conservation. While Governments and big corporates contribute in the efforts to preserve nature, it is we the people, and our, participation that makes it successful.
“Conservation is not merely a question of morality, but a question of our own survival”
Dalai Lama
The origin of commemorating and the history of World Conservation Day is unknown. It is good to see people across the world come together and organise events to bring awareness for preserving precious natural resources.
Toons: Reema Jaiswal
Logs: Sai Baba
