GO GREEN by 9th Grader

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Go Green 

            One of the oldest tributes to the Earth were found in the Indian scriptures called the Vedas. In Atharva Veda which contains 63 Shloks (verses) of Prithvi Sukta or Bhumi Sukta (the prayer to the earth) are the oldest and the most evocative environmental invocation. It is rightly called the first global anthem in the history of mankind. In one of the verses “Mata bhumih putro aham prithivyaha” a prayer is sung for the preservation and conservation of nature and its gifts. Here the Prithvi Sukta proclaims Earth as the mother, and humanity as her children.

The concept of the motherland pertaining to Earth is unique to the Vedas. According to Prithvi Sukta, Mother Earth is adorned with mountains, hills, plains, heights, slopes, forests, plants, herbs and treasures. She takes care of every creature that breathes with, things strength-giving and nourishing. She gives shelter to all the seekers of truth, who are tolerant and have understanding. May She give us joy, health, wealth, prosperity, and glory. The source of the creative spirit, we depend upon Mother Earth! No matter where you stand in the food chain or the chain of evolution, Mother nature looks over us equally and provides for us as its own children.

Earth is our home and we should keep the Earth clean and help it survive against global warming. Everyone should care about the planet that we live on. Due to global warming glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, and cloud forests are drying. The planet is heating up way too fast. Humans are the main reason for the climate to rise and we humans are the ones who released greenhouse gases into the ozone layer. Greenhouse gases are heat trapping gases. These gases let the sunlight enter but they don’t let the heat escape the ozone layer. The increases of these gases are causing Earth’s remaining ice sheets like Greenland and <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Antarctica to melt! The levels of the greenhouse gases are highest now than they ever were in the last 650,000 years. The burning of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions are causing so many of these gases to stay in the ozone layer. You might be saying why should we care, but this will cause big climate changes such as more intense major storms, more rain followed by longer and drier draughts, and loss of water supplies that have come from glaciers. This isn’t good for the environment at all and it’s not that good for humans either. We should help the environment. We can do this by saving energy, saving water, and reducing each of our carbon footprints. These changes are coming faster than they should be. If all of us team up then we can help the environment together.

You can help save our planet by doing small things like carpooling to school, plugging things out when you are not using them, turning the lights off where they are not being used. Also you should take short showers not baths. When you see a sink dripping you should stop it and turn it off tightly. Try to use your cars less and take your bike or walk instead. This will use less gas; you will stay fit, and save more money. Always recycle batteries, papers, cans, glass, plastic, and aluminum. Did you know that you can run a TV for 6 hours by recycling one aluminum can and that is a long time! When landfills become full us taxpayers have to pay to make a new one. So the less you throw away and the more you recycle will also save you more money! Try to recycle as much as you can. You shouldn’t pollute. Don’t throw trash on the ground find the nearest trash can and throw it out there. Turn your thermostat down a few degrees in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of regular ones. Instead of buying bottled water use a reusable bottle and fill it up with filter water. Wear clothes that don’t really have to be dry cleaned. Keep electronics for as long as possible and when you are done with the electronics, recycle them! Also you can make your own cleaning products which are non toxic and effective at home using baking soda, vinegar, soap, and lemon. This will make the indoor air quality better and save you money.

I would like to conclude by quoting Sir Donald Rumfield that “we go to war with the army we have and not with the army we need”, having said so if we don’t make the best possible use of whatever resources we are left with and continue to deplete mother natures reserves, the day is not far away when you will buy water as diamonds and food as platinum, least realizing that they were never our necessity to begin with.

Even according to the ancient hymn from Bhumi Sukta, "We are birds of the same nest. Wearing different skins, speaking different languages, believing in different religions, and belonging to different cultures yet we share the same home, our earth. Born on the same planet, covered by the same skies, gazing at the same stars, breathing the same air, we must learn to progress happily together or miserably perish together. For humans can live individually but can survive only collectively. Indeed, the ancient texts seem to suggest that we all owe a responsibility to the environment not only for ourselves but also for the sake of those around us".

So please everyone come, lets join hands, and say out loud Go Green and save our mother earth, save ourselves.

Prachi Makkar

Grade: 9TH

Academy of Performing Arts

Union County Vocational Technical Schools

Scotch Plains, New Jersey