Restore our Earth

 

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. In this article, Arpita Dasgupta points out that the COVID-19 pandemic is, in fact, a red flag pointing to an imbalance in our natural systems. It is a sign of a planet in disharmony. So, there is only one way forward—restoring what is lost to bring back a sense of equilibrium. This is the reason why the theme for Earth Day 2021 is 'Restore Our Earth'. She also stresses that environmental and climate literacy is the foundation for an equitable and sustainable society. It is for this reason that the Earth Day Network has pledged to educate 100 lakh youngsters on environmental issues by 2026 through diverse programs.

The world has faced pandemic after pandemic. 2020 was just the beginning, but little did we know then. Who would have thought a coronavirus will lead to a cycle of devastation that would end most human life on the planet? Now, there are only a few of us left to tell this story. A story that we wish we could have written differently. But, alas. If only we had paused to listen to the telling signs that were all around us. If only we had made a change when there was still time and restored our Earth to its previous glory, we could have given our young generations a chance at a better life. It is now almost 30 years since civilization, as we knew it in 2020, has ceased to exist. With humans gone, the Earth has begun to send out new shoots of life, reaching high into a blue sky filled with birds of a thousand kinds. The biggest error in judgment that mankind ever made with respect to the Earth was the assumption that the planet needed to be saved. We now know better.

 

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