The Value of Nature
In recent decades, scientific advances as well as growing environmental problems such as global warming are helping us to understand the countless ways in which natural systems support our own prosperity and well-being. Climate change is widely regarded as one of the most serious challenges the world faces with consequences that post greater effects on the environment. Since the environment is not restricted to boundaries of different countries, it might as well mean that no country or individual will escape the effects of such climate catastrophe.
For example, the world’s oceans, forests and soils act as vast stores for greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane; farmers and fisher-folk harness nature on land and under water to provide us with food; scientists develop medicines using genetic material drawn from the millions of species that make up Earth’s astounding biological diversity.
Billions of rural people around the world spend every working day ‘connected to nature’ and appreciate full well their dependence on natural water supplies and how nature provides their livelihoods in the form of fertile soil. They are among the first to suffer when ecosystems are threatened, whether by pollution, climate change or over-exploitation.
To understand how much we rely on ecosystem services, imagine a world where humans are the only species – perhaps in a spaceship far from Earth.
There are no plants releasing oxygen, so you have to engineer a way to make it yourself. So straight away you need a chemical processing plant on board your ship. That same plant will have to make water too.
There is also nothing to eat, so you must artificially make food. You could synthesise chemicals like sugars and fats, but making it appetising would be extremely hard. As of 2017, we can’t even make an artificial burger or Vegetables that everyone finds convincing.
Nature’s gifts are often hard to value in monetary terms. Like clean air, they are often taken for granted, at least until they become scarce and start suffocating. In 1997, ecologist Robert Costanza and his colleagues estimated that the biosphere provides services worth around $33 trillion a year. For comparison, they noted that the entire global economy at the time produced around $18 trillion a year. At present, economists are developing systematic ways to measure the multi-trillion-dollar worth of many so-called ‘ecosystem services’, from insects pollinating fruit trees in the orchards of California to the leisure, health and spiritual benefits of a hike up a Himalayan valley.
Students’ Role
As environmental concerns escalate around the globe, people are taking actions like never before. A lot of attention is being focused on the environment and all sectors should collaborate to be able to help and take part in the most pressing concerns. Young people are one of the most promising sectors of the society. They can be promoters of change, young as they are because of their natural dynamism and will power, they can bring fresh perspective, energy, drive and a sense of what is possible. Youth in the academe, being educated and informed have greater opportunity to be involved and take part in addressing environmental concerns. There’s much we can do to learn and support their efforts. Young people constitute a large part of our state demographic.
Undoubtedly, the youth can significantly perform vital roles in the society. It is imperative that youth from all parts of our State participate actively in all relevant levels of decision making processes because it affects their lives today and has implications for their futures. The youth are agents of change. They are the hope of the present and next generations to come. Aside from having greater stake in the more distant future, young people are especially well-paced to promote environmental awareness simply because they often have better access to information about the environment than their elders. Aside from exposure in formal education, youth of today have lived all their lives in an era in which environmental issues have loomed large. Youth participation in all societal concerns has long been noted. Many success stories about young peoples’ participation in environmental advocacy have been heard. The Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc; reflected youth participations in environmental advocacies through the Green Youth Movement of the Philippines. GYM Philippines believed that the Filipino youth should be involved in green initiatives because a) they comprises 30% of the country’s population, b) they are vulnerable to environmental degradation and disasters, c) they will inherit the responsibility of taking care of the environment, d) has high intellectual capacity for green initiatives, and e) has strong ability to mobilize. Youth mobility may be enhanced when working as a group. It can help build network and exchange valuable ideas to promote the conservation awareness. Student organizations may provide a successful tool in accelerating the development towards aware and motivated students. Environmental education and protection advocacy must include student community as visionaries and creative thinkers because by doing so, new possibilities and options may be found as Students are the change agents It is therefore worthy to look at the environmental initiatives of student Community in academic institutions.
Our State Government should harness and utilize the demographic strength of the Student community. The Concerned Department instead of doing the customary work of planning and executing (Fund and expenditure) and working within a small radius of the Department, they should evolve new ways to promote and technically educate the future generation and bring innovative and vibrant ideas to involve mass participation and not just for the department official or few closely knitted people
This year’s World Environment Day is an ideal occasion to go out and enjoy your outdoor picnic or have a nature walk in wilderness areas.
Connecting to nature can involve all the physical senses: why not take off your shoes and get your feet (and hands) dirty; don’t just look at the beautiful lake ( if you have one in your area), jump in! Take a hike (if your surrounding area permits) at night and rely on your ears and nose to experience nature.
You can also connect with nature in the city, where you can visit Nagaland Zoologigal park Dimapur, Once you are there, why not set yourself a challenge (seek out a animal you to want closely watch, identify different birds, reach the remotest corner of the park).
Why not do your bit to green the urban environment, by greening your street or a derelict site, or planting a window box. Wherever you are, you could vow to pick up 10 (or 100) pieces of trash. Your activity doesn’t have to take place on 5 June itself. In the age of asphalt and smartphones and among the distractions of modern life, connections with nature can be fleeting. But with your help, our environment can be clearer than ever that we need harmony between humanity and nature so that both are able to thrive.
