Question

The Ailing Planet: The Green Movements Role Chapter Highlights

Answer 1

• In 1972, the Green Movement started with the first nationwide Green party being established in New Zealand.
• For the first time in human history, there was a realisation that the planet is a living organism in declining health due to the impact of human activities on its natural resources. The World Commission on Environment and Development popularised the concept of sustainable development in 1987.
• Man has realised the wisdom of shifting from a system based on domination to one based on partnership. Biologists think that we may never discover many unknown species if we do not conserve their habitats.
• Mr LK Jha in the Brandt Commission Report raised the question whether we wanted to leave behind a scorched, sick environment for our coming generations,
• Lester R Brown’s book, The Global Economic Prospect’ identifies the principal biological systems of the earth as fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. They provide food supply and raw material for our survival. According to the World
• Bank, we need to increase the rate of forest planting by five times to cope with the expected fuelwood demand.
• Though Article 48A of the Constitution of India provides that the state shall try to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country, this has not been implemented properly. Growing population is one of the strongest factors changing the future of human society.
• As incomes rise and education spreads, the rate of population increase will decrease. This will improve health as well. Thus, development is the best way to check population.
• The author claims that industry must join the cause and work towards becoming eco-friendly just as Du Pont under the leadership of Edgar S Woolard.
• Margaret Thatcher also expressed her concern saying that no generation has a freehold on this earth. We live a life like tenants who have a full repairing rental contract.
• Mr Lester R Brown says that we have not inherited this Earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.

Answer 2

Answer:

The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement's Role Summary

In this chapter, the writer raises an issue towards the deteriorating health of the earth. As human beings have been exploiting natural resources from decades, presently the condition has made the environment critical.