“ We are called to assist the Earth to heal her wounds and in the process heal our own.” A tall order coming from Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmentalist and 2004 Nobel Prize winner. On the other hand,Miss Canada Jessica Nicole Trisko proclaimed as Miss Earth 2007 when asked in the Question and Answer Portion of the 7th edition of Miss Earth Beauty Pageant. “ How would you describe Mother Nature to a blind child ? Her answer was “ I would say that the beauty of nature smells as the sweetest rose, feels as the softest leaf, and the beauty of nature sings like the birds on the trees.” This poetic answer contributed a great part for her to be proclaimed as Miss Earth 2007. Was the answer of Ms. Trisko’s answer really described Mother Earth ? If the answer was given many years back. I will agree, but not in the present times wherein the world is experiencing the immensity of damage man has brought about his environment.
Perhaps we can call it a little bit of exaggeration or even maybe half truth, for with our awakened consciousness and concerted efforts, we can help boost Mother Nature back to her grandeur and splendor, but first we must identify the major causes or phenomenal forces that made this earth to b e gradually losing its grandeur and beauty.
One major cause is Global Warming, its present impact is far greater than just increasing temperatures, modified rainfall patterns, coastal erosions, lengthening of growing season, melting of ice caps and glaciers and the altering of of infectious diseases, such as Dengue,Malaria,Diarrhea, Bronchitis, Tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases. Flashfloods, volcanic eruptions, natural resources degradation because of conversion of forest land to urban use.
But what is Global Warming? This is the universally rapid increase in Earth’s average surface temperature over the past century primarily due to the gases released by people burning fossil fuels. Global Warming is expected to occur due to carbondioxide concentration in the atmosphere. Significant changes in the earth’s climatic system, particularly an alteration of rainfall and temperature in both time and space is expected. During the past few decades, extreme climatic events have adversely affected different parts of the world. The EL Nino related droughts, earthquakes , volcanic eruptions and the LA Nina related storms.
Various global-warming problems are now very evident, you as an environment-friendly citizen, what can you do in solving this problem ?
By: RONALDO A. PUNLA | Teacher I | Magsaysay National High School | Dinalupihan, Bataan
