Save the Earth
Maria Reylan M. Garcia
As we pray at night for a better tomorrow, we need to act, too. We need to plant trees. We need to stop smoking....
I was three years old when I first saw the picture of the earth in an encyclopedia where Mickey Mouse was in an astronaut’s suit floating beside the blue planet. All I could think of at that very moment was how the earth resembled the blue bouncing rubber ball of my jackstone set.
I was in elementary when I first saw the satellite image of the earth. I wondered at how a single planet can support the billions of lives in it.
Until today, I continue to marvel at the beauty of Mother Earth. But alongside is the uncertainty and fear of how much longer it will resemble my blue bouncing rubber ball and how long can it support those that live in it.
Save the Earth. This tagline has undoubtedly been used countless of times. But, as time progressed, the earth’s need to be saved worsens. Environmentalists conceived almost every creative idea to gather the support of the majority since the earth’s disease gradually becomes systemic and irreversible.
Last March 28, 2009 from 8:30 to 9:30 in the evening, some ten million Filipinos decided to switch off their lights and unnecessary appliances for an hour to show their support for the earth. They joined other countries for Earth Hour. They opted to save the earth, even for just an hour. I hope soon, it may evolve into more than just an annual event. I hope it may evolve into a habit, a daily routine. If we could spend the 23 hours with ease, an hour without television or air-conditioners won’t hurt.
This global activity only proved that the global community can actually work together to bring back the long lost pristine ecosystem. But I just could not understand why others seem not to care. It seems so simple to realize that if we continue on polluting the earth, we will soon lose the only home that can support us. I don’t know much about economics or how world trade commences, but I am aware that some industries won’t permit to go for renewable energy because they earn big from smog-producing energy sources. I am aware that they want to grow filthy rich and famous. But, pardon me; our lives are at stake here. Once the earth explodes and suffer fatal climate disturbances, she won’t consider anything, she won’t care how much you have or who you are.
Think about it, the earth is the only planet with chocolates, with white-sand beaches, with cute fluffy puppies and the only planet we have.
We dream of big things. These dreams were the mother of technology and progress, but when dreams were splattered with greed and self-centered interests, they become roots of extinction and global warming.
In one way or another we have contributed. Once in our lives we have forgotten to turn of the lights when not in use, threw a candy wrapper on the sidewalks, used a bottle of hairspray, and we occasionally fart. But, sad to say we are also the patients to this malady.
We were tasked as stewards of all the creations, living or non-living.
As we pray at night for a better tomorrow, we need to act, too. We need to plant trees. We need to stop smoking. We need to reduce, reuse and recycle. We need to use fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent light bulbs because they last longer and are 75 percent more efficient in saving energy. We need to make use of paper more efficiently. We need to stop eating gas-producing foods to prevent massive production of carbon dioxide. We need to campaign for our government to enforce the use of renewable energy. We need to tell others to do something for the earth everyday.
The earth has been letting us live for millions of years now. It’s about time we pay back and let her live millions of years more.
Save the earth.
Truly, I’m not joking.
It is the only planet with chocolates.
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