Essay on “Man and his Environment” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.
Man and his Environment
The environment in which we live consists of four major elements: land water air and living organisms such as plants and animals. It is tragic that man has shown gross disrespect for the very environment which sustains him. Industrialization deforestation and overpopulation .have polluted the environment to such an extent that there is already a doubt if life on this planet will survive for long. However scientists leaders individuals all over the world have become aware of the danger and are trying to take steps to check pollution and create a better physical and biological environment.
So far as human knowledge goes life exists only on this planet. It is our moral duty to see that we do nothing which hinders its growth. We should take various steps to Make it rich and meaningful. Man has to avoid haphazard growth abandon laissez-faire philosophy and plan and direct everything in all spheres of life. Man has been doing this for centuries. He has controlled vast forces of nature and subdued them for his material gain. He has annihilated distances has effected-a revolution in the methods of agricultural and industrial production used his knowledge of science and technology to eradicate poverty disease and ignorance from large part of the globe. But he has not yet succeeded in creating an environment which is favorable to life’s full growth. He has not maintained a happy balance between himself and nature. The use of science and technology has Created as many problems as it has solved.
The most serious problem before mankind is to make this planet a decent place to inhabit to create an environment—physical social political— . in which every man regardless of his: race religion or nation may enjoy to the fullest extent the conditions of civilised existence in which his sense of beauty is fully satisfied in which man and Nature many live in perfect harmony. Man has built up with the help of his insight an elaborate civilization But this: foresight is not visible in many cases.
The most typical example is that of war. War as an instrument of national policy has theoretically been discarded but the specter of a full fledged war with the deadliest weapons of mass destruction has not yet beer: banished front the minds of the men. With the invention of nuclear and thermonuclear weapons a situation has been created in which if war breaks out on global scale this planet will become unfit for human habitation. With the conning of the space age a new danger has arisen. While peaceful Cooperation in outer space would help mankind greatly. the future if the human race would be put in a great jeopardy if nations. begin to concentrate on using outer space for military purposes.
Although Malthus has underestimated mans ability to develop natural: resources to the extent of his requirement the point tie made that there is a limit to numbers- which this planet can support is irrefutable. There has to be a right balance -between population and natural resources. If the present rate of population growth is not checked mankind will confronted with a population explosion Of the most disastrous kind. danger of unmanageable population is most acute in underdeveloped nations in which fatalism poverty and ignorance combine to frustrate attempts at rational regulation and control. If the present population trend persists not all the schemes of the Planning Commission Would be able to tackle problems of poverty unemployment disease and ignorance. In the biological as in other spheres man and Nature must learn to work hand in hand.
There should be cooperation among all nations for common well being. International economic stability and progress depend upon this factor. The material resources of the world are unevenly distributed Population pressure varies from country to country. Sonic countries have a heavy population pressure a very limited land area and poor natural resources while others. enjoy unlimited natural resources with relatively small numbers. After the Second World War; it has. been realised that international economic life has to be properly regulated if economic anarchy is to be eliminated. and that affluent members of the international community must help the poor nations develop their limited resources and achieve economic maturity. Rich nations are spending astronomical amounts on armament and exploration of outer space but when they are called upon to render .aid to developing nations they plead lack of resources. Everywhere in developing countries We see unemployment destitution sickness squalor slums and a sense of frustration. Improvement of the environment has little sense if nearly two-thirds of the human race is compelled to live at a subsistence level. The world would be a happier place to live in if ill kens of colonialism and neo colonialism ended racialism in all its forms and manifestations disappeared human rights .were universally respected and a liberal social order was established.
Although industrialisation has greatly benefited mankind it has led to urbanisation. Urbanisation is not undesirable in itself but the haphazard growth of modern cities and towns has created a very unhealthy environment. It has given rise to overcrowding slums inadequate civic amenities. It is responsible for prostitution juvenile delinquency addiction to alcohol and drugs of the most injurious kind crime etc. Urbanization must be so planned that cities may enjoy all the advantages of villages. If people cannot breathe fresh air and live in open spaces if they live amidst noise and excitement if they lead hectic lives full of stresses and strains they cannot be healthy and strong and cannot lead peaceful lives. Man can isolate himself from nature only at his peril. We must decentralise town life and create garden cities where air is fresh smokeless. and the civic amenities. are amply provided.
Conservation of natural resources is as important as their exploitation. It is a crime against humanity that these resources should be used up to enrich a greedy exploiter. The conservation of forests is indispensable for human life. If the profit motive is allowed to destroy forests the environment would grievously suffer. The use of firewood for domestic purposes is denuding our forests eroding the soil silting rivers and affecting the climate”. Fish is an important source of food for millions of persons all over the world. Yet no attempt has been made to organise exploitation of fish on scientific lines. The poisonous waste poured by the industrially advanced States into the oceans contaminates the fish and makes it dangerous for human consumption. Food must be saved from pollution. Pesticides have to be employed to preserve food grains against the ravages of insects. The natural resources can be properly conserved developed and exploited only if international cooperation is available and if scientific devices are .used intelligently. Unfortunately the idea of profit motive is still dominating.
The increasing use of science and technology in industry and agriculture has done it-repairable damage to human environment both rural and urban environment where there are big crowds Of people and where most of the -industries are located. The air in cities arid towns is being polluted by all kinds of poisonous gases from industrial plants and automobile exhausts. Science .and technology must be used to serve humanity not to Poison the environment and disturb the delicate balance which makes healthy life possible. Man must learn to accommodate himself to his total environment–physical biological technological and spiritual. The spiritual environment is far more important than anything else because. the ultimate determining factor in mans actions and behaviour is his value system. If the unity of the human race is effected all problems of environment can be easily solved.
In India the strategy is to ensure development with social justice. It is gratifying to note that nations are becoming aware of the need for improving the human environment and making life safer and healthier. The Stockholm Conference on Human Environment the first of its kind represents a landmark in human history. Spectacular results cannot be expected from such conferences. We can look forward to modest. gains since no conference can bring about a revolutionary change in the outlook of nations. Man must learn to live in peace with himself with his fellow-beings and with Nature. It is only mans egoism Which makes him behave that he is the centre of things in the universe and that he can do what he likes with his environment .The truth is that Nature has created this planet and everything included in it plants .forests animals and birds air water sunshine—with a purpose or design. Man can control the forces of nature but partly overcome the limitations of his physical surroundings and develop synthetic substitutes where there are shortages if raw materials. But he cannot go beyond certain limits. Man needs pure air water and food. He cannot trifly with these basic requirements. Nature will not forgive man if he continues to contaminate the atmosphere oceans and rivers. The fact that he has reached the moon should not be interpreted to mean that he has become the lord of the universe. He is still an insignificant creature. He can only be Natures partner in this great enterprise of making this Planet a decent place to live in.
The creation of a happy environment is a co-operative effort. Statesmen scientists engineers artists and men and women in the ordinary walks of life must develop full awareness of their obligations towards humanity. It is a crime against mankind to build up arsenals of thermonuclear weapons of mass destruction. The fact that they are not recognised as crimes and statesmen do not hesitate to contaminate” the atmosphere by nuclear testing is an index of our lack of true culture. Scientific research is partly directed under instructions from politicians responsible for national defence here again our culture is to blame. The primary obligation of scientists and statesmen should be towards humanity. The Government should not become a tool in the hands of private entrepreneurs out to make huge fortunes but must ensure .that their products do not pollute the environment.