Care for nature

The World Environment Day 2023 expects informed care for nature and all human beings including Nepalis should celebrate the Day with determination to contribute, individually and collectively, to the noble cause of preserving nature sustainably  for future and mankind. None should think protecting nature is the responsibility of the other man or woman; all should develop will to safeguard environment particularly water, earth, air and life and plants of all kinds. Nepalis inherit the Vedic culture of worshipping in varied ways sources of soil, water and air and there are thousands of places where the practice could be felt and seen even today. What gets missing in those places and time is the spirit of preservation and duty to protect nature for making the planet’s environment safe and sustainable for future generation. Awareness about all the man-made risks before nature is what all should understand today. That awareness will be instrumental in making people ready to do all that helps sustainability of nature. The same would make people conscious of not doing things against nature. As for example the theme of World Environment Day 2023 is Beat plastic pollution. The spirit behind it is to make people understand that plastic is a cause of pollution and its use of any kind and in any form should be stopped. It also means that those people who are making money out of investment and business in plastic and its products should stop doing so; they should redirect their investment and business to some other products which do not harm nature in any way. All the leaders who are presiding over the governance of countries should also understand the point and the spirit behind it. They should come forward with concrete programmes to beat the use of plastic in daily lives. Creating the world with no plastic-use should be the goal and it should be monitored well. Then other types of pollution should be targeted with a sense of duty and honesty. In course of time people would be successful in making the earth safe from pollution. But the anti-pollution drive will not be successful if all limit their participation to simple oral formality. Nepalis talk about environmental sustainability but do not show any alertness in cleaning environment. As a result their forests are losing bio-diversity significantly while their rivers have been turned into drains of settlements. The drive to change the scenario should begin today with firm determination and well designed programmes for caring for nature. The government and other institutions of the country should dedicate themselves to the cause.