माता भूमिः पुत्रोऽहं पृथिव्याः।

This is an ancient Sanskrit saying meaning, ‘Earth is my mother & I am her child’. We say we care & respect our mother so much, and take care of her needs & health but what about the mother who is not taking care of one child but all of life, the mother who has been relentlessly & selflessly providing us with every resource for millions of years – our Mother Earth. The same Earth who has been hosting us even after getting ignored and tortured by her own children. Today issues are prevalent all across the globe. Social, economic, political issues, and much more but there is one type of issue that is ignored the most, that is so serious that it doesn’t affect few but each and every form of life on this planet – Environmental issues. The world is changing at a rapid pace and unfortunately this change is not positive for the environment. We live in a world where climate change is impacting every single soul but more than half of the population is not even aware about it and if they are aware, they are not serious about it. We humans have just ignored the fact that a natural balance is required to survive. Instead of believing in ‘ECO’ we humans adopted ‘EGO’. We have put ourselves on the top of the pyramid as a dominating species but the reality is that a species survives only by cooperation. We have a fixed mindset that we are intelligent so we are independent when the truth is that life sustains only due to interdependence amongst the ecosystem. When there is an emergency, the scientific perspective makes sense, people trust that people follow that. Like during the COVID-19 pandemic, people did their best and followed science in order to survive. We have a bigger and more dangerous situation here with the threat of the population wiping out. Still, our brains are molded in such a manner that we refuse to believe concrete scientific proofs. Humans are probably the most hypocritical species on the planet. As the youth, as the future, and as a responsible species of this planet, I wish to see a very important and genuine change- A sustainable world. We are in a phase that will end in 6th mass extinction. As a young person, all I wish is that I want to live, I want life to survive on this planet. All our generation and the future ones are asking for is just our share of resources and a liveable planet. I want the world to realize you cannot eat and drink money! Sustainability is a change that is not just aspired but also necessary. For this planet to thrive, sustainability is the only key. In a world where we don’t overuse resources and shift to cleaner & renewable energies, our human society won’t be an obstacle for other forms of life. The world won’t see conventional technology, a world where sustainable technology will be applicable, accessible, and affordable.

A psychological change is much needed. Right now, we humans consider only a narrow, selfish, and short-term perspective that we are the only intelligent & dominating species on this planet. We only think of human society. Live a life, earn money, take care of family and that’s it. Often, what we skip is the fact that this world exists due to cooperation and that we are a co-species of the planet. The change in our mindset is itself a big push to the larger change of sustainability which we require. It’s not only the responsibility of just environmentalists but all policy-makers and people to change the way we are living, and to think about our action’s repercussions too! Law-makers & industrialists have to go beyond just discussions and sacrifice our greed for fossil fuels. We have built a fossil fuel-based economy and are addicted to it but we need to understand that this economy will crash into pieces as it’s unsustainable. It’s already late so we need to start building a durable, reliable, safe, and ethical world. God has blessed our species with knowledge and power and hence, it’s our duty to make the best use of it to create a world in which we all can live comfortably. Start working on an individual level. But what difference does one make? It does. Because one doesn’t matter but each one does matter and there’s a very thin line between these two situations. Raise awareness, start sustainable living from your home, and your family, and the circle of change will keep enlarging. Environmental issues don’t see religion, caste, or politics. Let’s start being Homo Sapiens before any more divisions. Unitedly, it’s time for change that will make the universe trust in humans again. In the end, this fight is never a win-lose situation, it’s either win-win or lost-lost and I am very intent to make sure it’s the first case and it can be only achieved through the law of the universe – Sustainable change. I have already dedicated my soul to raising awareness & bringing change, when are you starting to save a life? Thank you.

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