THE AILING PLANET

The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement's Role     -By Nani Palkhivala

a holistic and ecological view - It refers to the view that calls for the preservation of the planet. The holistic and ecological view refers to understanding the importance of earth's resources and environment for the future generations.

·         sustainable development -  A balanced development that meets the needs of the present while taking care of the needs of the future generations.

·         languish -  lot of species are neglected or go unnoticed

·         ignominious darkness -  disgraced or dishonoured as nobody has knowledge about them or is enlightened about them

·         inter alia -  among other things

·         decimated -  to reduce drastically in number

·         catastrophic depletion -  a disastrous and harmful reduction in the number of something

·         transcending concern -  a concern that surpasses generation, boundaries. It is not only about the present but also about future; not only about people but also about the planet.

The Ailing Planet Objectives

·        Green Movement

·        Sustainable development

·        Zoo at Zambia

·        Brandt Commission

·        Four Principal biological systems

·        Article 48 of Indian Constitution

·        Population Explosion (consequences, the best contraceptive etc.)

·        Era of Responsibility

Notes

1. Locate the lines in the text that support the title ‘The Ailing Planet’.

The following lines in the text support the title ‘The Ailing Planet’:

·        Are we to leave our successors a scorched Planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and ailing environment.

·        A three years study using satellites and aerial photography conducted by the United Nations warns that the environment has deteriorated so badly that it is critical in many of the 88 countries investigated.

2. Significance of ‘The World’s most dangerous animal’ at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia:

The notice signifies that there is depletion of resources and deterioration of environment. Man is responsible for this and his own survival is threatened.

3. Why does the author agree that the growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society?

The population of India was estimated to be 920 million in 1994. Overpopulation upsets all plans of development and puts a severe strain on the earth’s principal biological systems. This leads to poverty and unemployment and development is hampered.

4. The causes for endless anguish to common man are:

The endless anguish is caused to common man, when laws are constituted but are never enforced or respected in our country. Evils like casteism, untouchability, and bonded labour still exist and need to be abolished by strict laws.

5. The unusually alarming statistics about the population that the author talks about are:

The author says that the population explosion has distorted the future of human society. Mankind took a million years to reach the first billion. The second billion was added in just another 100 years and the twentieth century has added 3.7 billion more.

The present population is over 5.7 billion. Every four days the population increases by one million.

6. Importance of Green Revolution:

The Green Revolution is important as the signs of the earth which are connected with life shows the earth as a patient. We have moral obligations. We must become good stewards of the planet and act as responsible trustees of the legacy for future generations.

7. Concept of sustainable development:

Sustainable development is that progress which is made to meet the needs of the present and takes care not to endanger the future. This means we must not deprive the world of its resources and protect our endangered species.

8. Role of industry in the new era of responsibility:

Industry is the main source of environmental pollution. In the new era of responsibility, the industrialists must become conscious of their responsibility towards environment. They should remain environmental friendly even when they exist as leading manufacturers.

9. Justify the title of the essay.

The author has depicted the planet earth as someone who is suffering from a disease. The green movement takes a holistic view of the situation and seeks to maintain and conserve the environment and maintain it.

10. What is the holistic and ecological view of the world that has emerged in recent times?

The view about the world in the recent times is that it is an organism which has become ailing and needs looking after. It also has metabolic needs and vital processes which have to be nurtured and preserved. We have to save the earth for our successors.

11. Explain the statement ‘forests precede mankind; deserts follow’.

Forests have helped to nurture mankind from times immemorial but man has destroyed these forests ruthlessly and deserts have taken their place. Man is destroying himself by destroying forests.

12. Role of industries in the preservation of environment:

Industries and industrialists have to exercise control in use of natural resources. The top officials need to become the guardians of our environment if we have to think about our future generations.

13. What are the four principal biological systems that the author refers to?

The author refers to fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands as they form the foundation of the global economic system. They provide raw materials for industry.

14. How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted?

Earth’s principal biological systems are being depleted by excessive use. Over fishing is quite common. Forests are being destroyed to obtain firewood for cooking.

Grasslands are turning into deserts and produce from croplands is decreasing.

Short Answer Questions:

1. What does one see on the mirror inside the cage in the zoo at Lusaka Zambia?

Answer: Standing in front of the mirror inside the cage in that zoo, one finds his own reflection on the mirror, suggesting that human beings are the world’s most dangerous animal.

2. According the Lester Brown, what are the four principal biological systems of the earth?

Answer: They are four: fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands.

3. What do you mean by the concept of ‘Sustainable development’?

Answer: Sustainable development means: development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”, i.e., without stripping the natural world of resources future generations would need.

4.            ‘What goes under the pot now costs more than what goes inside it’ what does that suggest?

Answer: That suggests that the cost of firewood has become higher than cost of rice and other staple food.

5. What is the role of industries in the preservation of environment?

Answer: Industries and industrialists have to exercise control in use of natural resources. Thetop officials need to become the guardians of our environment if we have to think about our future generations.

What are the factors as enumerated by Nani Palkivala that have made our earth an ailing planet?

Answers: In the lesson Nanai Palkivala has discussed the different factors that have made our earth an ailing planet, needing immediate attention from and treatment from the human race.

One major factor that has left our planet earth ailing is that the claim of human race on fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands, which comprise the earth’s principal biological system, has become an unsustainable level. They have been consumed in such a way that there cannot be fresh resources for consumption for the future generation. Thus, farmlands have become infertile, and there has been overfishing. And then for reasons like demand for firewood, industrialization and urbanization, huge areas of forests have been been cleared all over the world in alarming rate everyday.

The factor responsible for such mindless and mad exploitation of all the natural resources is uncontrollable growth of population. Although it took thousands of years for the world population to hit the first billion mark, now every ten years is burdening the earth with a billion population. The problem of overpopulation is greater in countries like India. Such overpopulation is the root cause of our planet earth becoming deceased needing treatment in the form of care and concern and population control and lower carbon emissions.

2. ‘We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers: we have borrowed it from our children.’ Discuss.

Answer: Value Points:

-earth’s resources are limited.

-The resources have been almost exhausted by the generations so far

Uncontrollable populations growth is responsible for such demand on the available resources

-Every generation needs to think about the future generations

-Borrowed things are treated and handled with career

-Thus the resources are not to be exhausted as they belong to the future generations.

3. What is the remarkable shift in our attitude towards the earth brought on by the Green Movement?

Answer:   Value Points:

-a remarkable change in the attitude of the human race towards the earth - Shift from the mechanistic view to the holistic and ecological view - Mechanistic view- that the earth is an inanimate thing like a brick, a rock etc.

-Holistic view- that the earth is a living organism, like a human being, an animal.

-Thus earth is considered to be ailing, suffering from diseases.

-Needs treatment from human beings

-Treatment- population control, control of carbon emissions

Questions for practice:

Long Ans. Questions:

1. Why does Nani Palkhiwala call the Earth an ailing planet and what is the role of the Green Movement?

2. Nani Palkhivala in his essay ‘The Ailing Planet’: The Green Movement’s Role’,calls man ‘the worlds’ most dangerous animal’. How does he defend his viewpoint and at he same time holds out hope for the world?

3. What picture of the future of the planet does the author paint? What can thwart that scenario?

Short Ans  Questions :

1. What causes endless anguish to common man?

2. What are the unusually alarming statistics about the population that the author talks about?

3. Why is the Green Revolution important?

4. Justify the title of the essay.

5. Explain the statement ‘forests precede mankind; deserts follow’.