Sustainable Future

            It’s definitely an inconvenient truth, environmentalist and author Al Gore would put it. It is. The damage on the environment smacks right before our faces in the name of development. Globalization is actually more an apt terminology here as it applies to gradual but systematic destruction threatening the life of the planet Earth ensuing from the politics taking its toll in the playing field sponsored and pursued by the Big Fifteen headed by US, Great Britain and many other capitalist-oriented world power. Probably an honest mistake too, any  proponent would easily beg the issue when pressed by the people qualifying the legitimacy of the project vis a vis to the destruction of the environment. Taken in its entirety, globalization has far reaching effect inflicting  far and wide across the seas and continent whose ill effects we are now feeling.           

Such was the theme of the  forum repeatedly shown in channel 10 featuring the eight Sophie global awardees pooling their various expertise and interest  together preserving to what is there left to  mother earth. Most importantly,  the event seeks to explore measures of protecting Mother Earth in the face  of growing  challenge of unpredictable climate change brought about by globalization.  The venue is at London Hall where these caring and concerned environmentalists from different countries- Argentina to Africa, India to China, France to Brazil and Sweden to France share their thoughts on the reality of climate change the audience mouth agape and held as if in suspended animation learning the status of  massive destruction wrought by global competition.

            The few leaders are criminals as they sacrifice the life of the planet in their pursuit for their greed, fumed the elderly  Catholic priest from India getting sustained applause from appreciative audience of all persuasion. Business just gives damage. Whether its in petroleum or automobile industry which registered the most profit, there is the need to relaxed them if only to give breathing space to secure the health of the environment. Banks too has corporate responsibility to Mother Earth. They should not loan out money to skewed mining firms with questionable environmental background, Romina Picalloti, Environment Minister of Argentina, intoned. The two black political activists on the other hand are  calling for the concrete political action by the people as sovereignty directly emanates from them. Government simply reacts from what the people desire. That how important cooperation of the people is, they drive home their point.  Why so?  Power resides in us because we are consumers, she stressed. That if we do our part.  That’s why we have mobilized people for worldwide campaign of planting trees to check the balance of environment, the lady added.

            Just how pervasive and rampant  the destruction is  the global perspective  wrought by incessant  globalization is I think already very explainable. Tsunamis, earthquake and deluge are just few of the examples inflicted on us by imprudent exploitation of the environment in the name of business and profit. It spared no one. We’ve been into it taking its toll on us. Witness the Guinsaugon incident in Samar, typhoon Ondoy in Luzon, long dry spill just everywhere destroying our agricultural industries and all that. The indication are intermittent long rain showers destroying our mountains before  they cave in leading to soil erosion, floods resulting to displacement of houses brought by mudflows and siltation of our major rivers.

            Apparently, the fulcrum of  development should be balanced between profit and sustainability. If we can’t, then one thing is sure.  We would be soon overtaken fast by events and would all be swept ourselves away by an incident we  know would happen but just didn’t give damn  controlling it. We’ve been through it.  We can’t alter climate change but we can mitigate it. This what Mr. Stein, the UN Representatives summarized the proceedings that the facts presented and measures adopted start from the mind, passing through the heart and wallet. It’s immaterial whether you are a believer, an atheist, red  etc for as long as we care for it.  Well said.

            So you want to last and survive that long? Then be cautious, stand and be counted. Have your energy be part of global crusade against big corporations bleeding our Mother Planet Earth dry exploiting her only resources – environment – at will for profit. She’s the only what we’ve got.  Losing her to the greedy should  be the mistake we should afford to commit. I submit.