Save Mother Earth

Today, we celebrate the planet we live in. We affectionately call it “Mother Earth” because it is like a mother that looks after us. This is a universal expression – for example, the Sinhalese term “Mahee Kanthawa” means much the same thing. “International Mother Earth Day” (April 22) reminds us that the Earth and its ecosystems give life and sustenance. Remember, Planet Earth is our only home, at least until we colonise Mars and go in search of Exoplanets beyond the Solar System. But that is a long, long time away.

Earth Day, as it is better known, also recognizes a collective responsibility, as called for in the Rio Declaration, to promote harmony with Nature and the Earth to achieve a just balance among the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations of humanity. It provides an opportunity to raise public awareness around the world to the challenges regarding the well-being of the planet and all the life it supports.

We do not have to look far to realise the need for saving Mother Earth from man-made perils. The recent garbage dump tragedy in Meethotamulla is a grim example of the effects that Man is having on the environment and the Earth itself. Ignorance and/or the lack of knowledge on the importance of saving the environment is one of the leading causes of environmental damage. Hence the Earth Day theme for 2017 “Environmental & Climate Literacy”.

Environmental and climate literacy seems to be in short supply around the world. It is as important as alphabetic, mathematical and computer literacy though education planners have not paid any attention to this. If small children are not taught, for example, that dumping garbage indiscriminately will one day have disastrous consequences, our future will indeed be bleak. Raising awareness on environmental issues is essential, among both children and adults.

Education is the foundation for progress. As the UN says, we need to build a global citizenry fluent in the concepts of climate change and aware of its unprecedented threats to our planet. We need to empower everyone with the knowledge to take action on environmental protection. Environmental and climate literacy is the engine for advancing environmental and climate laws and also for accelerating green technologies. This should be a global effort spearheaded by Governments and the media.

Climate change is the biggest environmental issue of our time. We have already felt the effects of climate change in Sri Lanka and around the world. Flash floods, long droughts, wildfires, heat waves (even in the Arctic), changed rainfall patterns, vanishing ice caps – these are all signs of climate change, caused mostly by the excessive use of fossil fuels.

The biggest threat is the rise in global temperatures and sea levels. This year is on track to become the hottest year in recorded history, with spring coming early in many places. Some projections say temperatures could rise by nearly 5 Degrees Celsius by 2100. Many small islands could disappear off the face of the Earth in the next 100 years as a result of rising sea levels. There is irrefutable evidence to suggest that climate change is definitely not a hoax. Other environmental disasters continue unabated – including deforestation, extinction of animal and plant species and the depletion of water sources.

We do not have to wait till the next climate change summit to cut down on fossil fuel emissions. Governments must fast-track the usage of renewable energy, especially wind and solar where possible. Germany already derives 30 percent of its electricity output from renewable sources with the eventual goal of achieving 100 percent penetration. Governments must encourage the use of hybrid, plug-in electric (and hydrogen fuel cell) cars along with solar-powered chargers and improve public transport networks to reduce the citizenry’s reliance on private cars.

However, Governments cannot act alone to protect the environment without the support of citizens. Every little bit helps in this endeavour. If you turn off an unwanted light bulb, you reduce the consumption of fossil fuels for thermal energy. If you walk or cycle to the junction to buy your groceries instead of taking the car, you save fuel and hence, cut down on emissions. The “mantra” to remember is Reduce, Re-use and Recycle (3Rs). We can reduce the wastage of food and fuel, re-use our bags for shopping (non bio-degradable polythene will last up to 1,000 years in a landfill) and recycle everything from aluminium cans to paper. These steps do not cost a cent, but could save a fortune. This should essentially be a part of the environmental literacy drive in Sri Lanka and elsewhere.

The world is facing many challenges from famine to drought that are primarily brought about by climate change. As the world population reaches nine billion by 2050, it will be crucial to share the Earth’s resources in a sustainable manner. If we fail to act now to save Mother Earth, future generations will suffer. That should be our overriding concern on this Earth Day.