Swastika Budhathoki

Look closely, what do we all have in common?? No matter what corner of the world you live in you need food, water, shelter, a fresh and clean environment. Let’s focus on environmental issues stating a fresh and clean environment; no one is deprived of it. But can you imagine, global warming is increasing day by day. For instance, people even think that “Is Global Warming Real?”  Yes, It is. Let me show some evidence of global temperature rising, melting the glacier, ocean acidification, decreased snow cover and so on.

Averaged as a whole, as per the NOAA’s 2016, 2019 and 2020 Annual Climate report, the global land and ocean surface temperature have increased at the rate of 1.43⁰C, 0.07⁰C, 1.16⁰C respectively above 20^th century. In 2016, the very highest temperature was recorded and the second higher temperature was recorded in 2020. Can you visualize the future of our world is at stake? Sea levels are rising at an unimaginable rate. Main reason why sea levels are rising is because of warming seawater. Aquatic animals are in verse of extinction. I’m sure that you can see in your surroundings. We know that, earth covers 71% of water and 29% of land, much of the world is covered with water, which heats up, and more water evaporates into clouds. A warmer atmosphere makes glaciers melt faster, even snowpack as well. For example, In Nepal, I can see the naked black mountains. Every time I saw that on television my heart maims. Extreme events come hand in hand with calamity. For example, Wildfires burn in at least 60 places across Nepal. In extremity, Nepal had to shut down all educational institutions. We encountered the smog in Kathmandu valley as well, even the extremely high temperatures we continue to experience worldwide are becoming more and harsher, which can kill more people and ravish croplands.

Why should we take global warming seriously? It has been quite clear by both the observation and scientific facts that increasing temperatures are worsening many types of natural disaster like drought, heavy rain. We rarely encounter the balance form of weather patterns. The natural balance is really out of control now. Losing flora and fauna that cannot adapt the increasing temperature, unless we can develop new strategies for addressing this challenge. Keeping this in mind, we should start thinking of serious environmental issues particularly known as global warming.  

I encountered the abundance of water. Later on, I noticed that the volume of water that even a small lake occupied is disappearing every year. Now, the lake, ponds seem like in the phase of aridity. No, wonders, this would happen if we don’t care about our activities. Sooner or later we are losing the only planet that human beings ruled. The extra CO2 produced from the day to day activities of humans such as burning up fossils fuel for electricity, heat, transportation for one and only goal for having a luxurious life. The whole ecosystem was in verse of extinction because of greenhouse gas emissions. Now, is it really worth risking the future of the coming generation? For instance, China is the largest emitter of CO2 gas in the world, 10.06 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide gas emissions in 2018. Now who else can digest this pathetic reality? Every day, we woke up pondering to breathe fresh air but who anticipated the carbon dioxide emissions. We are busy doing our schedules and cursing the management of the country. Simply, I also reacted the same. Meanwhile, I realized that I should stop blaming the management rather do my parts for the sake of the environment. Later on, I started doing basic things such as stop using plastic bottles, stop burning the plastic, usage of efficient lighting bulbs like LED’s etc.

Recognizing the many ways we are harming our earth. Now we should focus on reducing global warming. We can simply do our parts, such as upgrading the home with more renewable energies, like solar, reduce as much water-waste as you can, try to save, store the food etc. Even a small step of reducing global warming could save us.

Furthermore, some of the efforts to reduce global warming are likely to firstly speak up. Creating awareness really matters in these environmental issues. Secondly, start educating yourself about every step that you take regarding environmental issues like throwing even a plastic straw. Can you imagine if every individual in the world starts throwing a single piece of straw what would happen? Yes, sure, who else can believe a bundle of 7 billion straws? It means that we need to use a minimum amount of plastic. Thirdly, start taking your responsibility for being human. Please, do take it seriously, it is not for fun. We humans can only rule this planet if we take mutual effort of every individual, government, INGOs, NGOs to create a sustainable environment. Lastly, I reckon, plantation of trees and maintaining ecosystems.

In conclusion, it’s easy to know about global warming, all the causes and effects of it but when you dive into this, you yourself will be amazed and shocked by knowing the scientific facts. I mean, please start behaving like a social animal, and learn to know how the world works and the effect of wrong deeds. What I believe is that working from your level is enough to maintain the sustainable environment. No matter what your age, your mental ability you can succeed in maintaining the world peacefully and breathe fresh air. 

Swastika Budhathoki

Kathmandu University, School of Management

BBA 1st Sem. 1st Year