Your mother is always forgiving, but do not take her for granted. If you commit hundred crimes she may throw you out. Same applies to Mother Nature. She is no longer ready to accept any more human atrocity.

Mother Nature has been demonstrating her anger in various ways like global warming, climate change, flash floods and droughts, cloud bursts and water scarcity, earthquakes and many more in varied magnitudes. Humans, selfish as ever in their ways, fail to understand or do not want to understand.

Pollution has been the major cause of nature’s wrath since industrial revolution two hundred years ago. Thanks to fossil fuel burning like that of coal, oil and natural gas in big factories, heavy urbanization leading to tremendous motor vehicle traffic, steady annihilation of greenery and natural resources, commercialization of forests and parks and such a chain of follies our mother is gasping for breath.

Now trying to think about saving nature we must understand the basics. First, the ozone layer which protects us from the harmful rays of the sun. This gas in beneficial if it resides in the stratosphere, if it comes down to the earth’s surface it starts adding to global warming. Chemical gases and pollution are harming the ozone layer to a point of consternation.

Second, the greenhouse gases. If these gases remain at normal level our earth is kept comfortably warm for all the inhabitants. But the enhanced greenhouse emission caused by excessive human activities is not normal and it leads to abnormal warming with results in higher sea levels, more rainfall and floods and severe droughts too. Most of these harmful greenhouse gases damage the ozone layer.

Third, the global warming which is a result of the mix of damaged ozone and enhanced greenhouse effect. Melting of glaciers follow leading to fluctuations in climate and natural disasters. Apart from this, if such pollutants are allowed to perforate the ozone there will be 19 million more cases of cancer and 129 million more cases of eye cataracts, scientists warn.

Lastly, our depleting reserve of precious natural resources like water, wildlife, marine world and of course trees and forests. Green plants are ideal for absorbing harmful gases and a green cover contributes directly to Mother Nature’s eco balance.

With this basic knowledge we can now list out the ten ways to save our mother planet-the only place in the endless universe where we can still live happily.

Love Trees: Always keep a habit of planting trees be it your locality or society campus or even your living room. Initiate and organize tree planting campaigns with your fellow residents.

Love Animals: Let the animals be part of the natural habitat or the wild. Never buy or eat exotic and endangered animals or patronize products made out of animal parts.

Love the Three R’s: You should put the mantra in your heart-reduce recycle and reuse. Reduce your requirements to exactly what you need. This will result in reduced garbage and your combined action can relieve pressure on the municipal authorities to dispose garbage. You perhaps know that your garbage while broken into pieces produces harmful greenhouse gases. Reuse all items that are still working or can be repaired. Recycle all products like newspapers, plastic and glass items and scraps by selling them in the nearby junkyard.

Dispose of Garbage Properly: Try to separate your organic waste from other non-perishable waste. You can have a compost pit maybe in your back garden or terrace to deposit all your organic waste and finally make it into a fertilizer the utility of which you would know soon. Never allow your waste to smell bad, because foul-smelling waste means release of greenhouses gases into air.

Be a Farmer: Do not get scared. It is not so difficult. You can do it in your backyard or even in your terrace with permission or cooperation of your neighbors. Apart from plants and flowers you can also start cultivating vegetables for which your compost fertilizer would come very handy. Remember, such practices are no longer novelties.

Stick to Local Products: Get all your required products from your locality as far as possible. This will prevent transportation and packaging which in turn will contribute to less burning of energy thus preventing release of harmful gases.

Identify Your Polluting Acts: Some of the things you use could be polluting agents. Your car, refrigerator, foam blowers, fire extinguishers and others pollute environment if overused. So be moderate in their use.

Do not be a Thrower: Never indulge in throwing things out of your windows or your balconies. This could include anything from garbage pieces to broken scientific products like thermometers, barometers and others that contain mercury. Mercury is poisonous and so harmful.

Household Chores: Always be devoted to your cherished household chores. Prevent wastage of water, save electricity whenever possible, do not burn plastic or waste, do not use colored plastic bags which are already banned in many countries, walk to the local market with your normal cloth bag and so on. Set examples and you will definitely have followers.

Be Aware and Spread Awareness: Be a part of all community campaigns for environment protection in your society, locality and city. Oppose any attempt to construct buildings or super markets in public grounds or parks. Oppose any attempt to cut trees or shave off hillocks. Oppose malpractices by others even if s/he is your best neighbor or friend. Follow international conferences on greenhouse emission rules and other environmental issues and share your knowledge with others.

If all of us join hands we can still save nature and our mother planet.