Humans are permeating harmful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere at a rate much faster than the plants and oceans can absorb. Industrialization, deforestation and pollution have immensely increased the atmospheric concentration of perilous gases. These gases persist in the atmosphere for years together and induce Global Warming which is already under way with consequences that must be faced today as well as tomorrow.

The ozone is depleting and if this continues ultra violet rays will enter the earth directly which will induce skin cancer in humans. Also it will damage the crops leaving us with no food to eat. Global increase in temperature is an outcome of the greenhouse effect. Increasing temperatures are causing a broad range of changes all over the world. Melting of glaciers at the poles is increasing the sea level. It is estimated that by the year 2100, the world will witness a rise in sea level by about 25 meters. When usual rains push the water level even by 5 inches, causing floods throughout many coastal areas, imagine what it would be like when the water will rise by 25 meters?

Global warming could further lead to a large scale shortage of food and water and have catastrophic effects on wildlife to the extent of extinction of some species. What do you think happened to all the dinosaurs? No, they didn’t just vanish into thin air; they became the victims of climatic changes. If these gigantic creatures could not bear the consequences, how can we bear the brunt?

Has anyone noticed or even bothered about the recurrent variation in the climatic conditions of the world? When one talks about extreme climatic changes, we cannot leave Mumbai out of it. Mumbai, the commercial capital of India, witnessed the worst rains in July 2006, which flooded many parts of the city taking the lives of hundreds of innocent people. This was a result of frequent, uncertain and intense rain downpours. Think about the famines in Southern Africa that claim the lives of many children every year… Think about the Tsunami that hit India and Thailand playing havoc with life on coastal areas… Think about the cold waves that freeze people and animals to death…Think about the forest fires that have burnt and injured the wildlife… Who is to be blamed for the loss of all these lives? Some superstitious people would consider this as the wrath of God and start offering prayers and gifts to please the Almighty. But… wake up people… if anyone can help us at this point of time it’s us, because it’s our negligence that has led us to this condition.

In India the summers extended till August … it didn’t rain enough in some regions during monsoons ... its December and still no sign of winter. Isn’t this an outcome of the global change in climatic conditions?

Did you know that a plastic bag which is made of polythene, takes approximately 1,000 years to decompose? Polythene is non biodegradable and so harms nature in many ways. Every year thousands of animals and water bodies choke on plastic bags mistaking it for food. Is it not our duty to stop or at least limit the use of plastic bags?

Does anyone remember the Bhopal gas tragedy that took place in 1984? The day is written in the black pages of Indian history. A Union Carbide subsidiary pesticide plant released 42 tonnes of methyl isocyanate gas, exposing at least 520,000 people to toxic gases and killing thousands of people and animals. The impact was so enduring that the people in Bhopal are still bearing the after effects of the incident. Health issues like eye problems, respiratory disorders, lack of immunity, heart ailments, female reproductive defects and even birth defects in children born to affected women have been reported in Bhopal.

There’s a reason behind quoting this example that when the people in Bhopal are facing severe health problems even after so many years, we can clearly visualize the impact that Global warming is going to have on us.

The day is not far when strong hurricanes, droughts, floods, heat waves, wildfires, volcanoes, earthquakes and other natural disasters engulf the earth and become a common sighting.

We cannot amend the damage that has already been done, but we can surely prevent any further injury to nature and to protect the health and economic well-being of current and future generations.