Summary of the chapter "The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement's Role".
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Explanation:
The lesson, ‘The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role’ focuses on the deteriorating health of the Earth because of human being’s growing lust to exploit all its natural resources. A Zoo in Lusaka, Zambia calls the man as the most dangerous animal in this world. Fortunately, the Green movement launched in 1972 has been responsible for a new awareness that has dawned upon the human race. There has been an irrevocable shift from a mechanistic view to a holistic and ecological view of the world. There is a growing worldwide consciousness that the earth itself is a living organism -an enormous being of which we are parts. It has its own metabolic needs that must be respected and preserved. But, today, its vital signs reveal a patient in declining health. In 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development popularized the concept of sustainable development – a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their needs.
According to Mr Lester R. Brown, there are four biological systems, namely fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. They form the basis of the global economic system. They supply food to us and raw materials for our industries. But in large areas of the world, these systems are reaching unsustainable levels. Their productivity is being damaged.
For the first time in human history, we are concerned about the-Survival of not just the people but of the planet. In this era of responsibility, an industry can play a crucial role. Today, many industrialists and politicians have realized their responsibility in preserving the natural resources for the future generation.
The growth of world population is another factor distorting the future of our children. Development is not possible if population increases. The writer says that fertility falls as incomes rise, education spreads, and health improves. Thus, development is the best contraceptive.
The writer briefs the change in the perception of the societies from a materialistic view to the comprehensive and ecological view of this world. It states that humans are now worrying about the environment. In this way of perception, our planet is considered as a living organism. People consider it as it’s having its own metabolic functioning as all other living entities are having.
Then the author explains the concept of Sustainable growth of 1987. “Meets the wants of the current time, without losing the ability of upcoming generations to meet their needs and fulfil them”. Furthermore, we must utilize the natural resources in such a way that we fulfil our needs as well as conserve these resources for the upcoming generations. People consider themselves as a partner and not as a member of this planet. In actuality, we are partners with millions of creatures of this entire planet.
The Global Economic Prospect, a book, points out that the planet’s major biological systems are 4 that are fisheries, forests, croplands, and grasslands. These virtually consists of all the raw materials of industries at present. A non-sustainable utilization of these resources is occurring. Then the writer is concerned about the lessening of the forest land. The dung which we should use as a natural fertilizer, we are generally using to produce fuel. On the other hand, the soil is not receiving natural fertilizer.
Then the writer refers to Article 48A of the Constitution of India. Article 48A it states that the state should guard and improve the forest and the wildlife as well. But they do not impose the law appropriately. Then the writer refers to a Parliamentary committee report that says the decline of a forest at the frequency of 3.7 million acres every single year. The United Nations cautions that the environment has deteriorated so severely that it is critical in many of the 88 countries examined.
The population is rising at a very higher rate. Development and growth are the 2 most appropriate solutions to people’s problems. With such a population, development is a difficult task to do. We need a proper family planning to control the situation of overpopulation. There is a major need to control the population of the earth. The writer at this point once more repeats the positive change in view of the people regarding ecology. Industries must also take responsibility for a better ecosystem.