Global Warming

We can do something!

One afternoon after finishing a story in class 12, we discussed the theme of the story, ‘Ethics of modern science and its impact on human lives’. The story was about a teenager who undergoes a brain transplant but the operation rather than doing well only affects the main character who undergoes the operation.  The affect is emotional damage rather than the after effects of a scientific venture gone wrong.  The brain transplant also affects the other characters who are related or involved with the main character.

So, we were discussing the theme at a broader level and talking about the effects of science on our planet and our lives. Global warming was the hottest topic that flared instantly. I said that global warming was a real threat to our survival as it threatened the very life of our planet, may be the life of our planet would end during our lifetime because the Earth is becoming hotter and the polar icecaps and the glaciers are melting so rapidly. Hearing this one of the boys sitting at the back responded immediately saying that what if rich and powerful countries could build huge freezers. Every one in the class started laughing. Thought some of his friends were laughing I could say his response was genuine and immediate. There was concern in his voice.  I asked them why it was not possible; his response was rich with imagination. There was a beauty in his response which should be realized by everyone because it is our imagination which has made many things possible.

So without dismissing the boy’s response I asked the others who were laughing to say how they as individuals can help reduce the affects of Global Warming. They thought I was angry for they were silent for some time. So, I asked them again and when I did I was happy with their response.

They put it in a very mature manner and said they can help in their own capacities as individuals. They gave me the response I expected and I was very happy to know that they were now grown-ups. I had taught some of them for four years and now to see this responsibility in them was a reward. They said, though we may not be able to build huge freezers but we can contribute and help in small ways like putting out the lights when we don’t need them, closing the tap when we don’t need water, riding bicycles for short distances, refusing plastic bags, recycling any product that can be recycled, turning one’s kitchen waste into manure,  disposing their waste in the proper places, planting trees etc. There were many responses but I can’t remember all and the important thing was I felt they will do or try to do what they said they can do.

Some may say these are the responses one can expect from class 12 students. Yes that is true but when one hears it from the ones one wants to hear from, it sheer joy.