June 5 is World Environment Day. Every year, the United Nations announces a new theme for the Day. The theme for 2023 is Solutions to Plastic Pollution. This year's theme focuses on encouraging people to give up on the usage of plastic and identify it as the source of environmental degradation. This year will mark the 50th anniversary of Environment Day. On June 5, 1973, the first World Environment Day was celebrated. The Earth is the only home to mankind. Environment Day aims to emphasize this simple statement with the aim of encouraging more and more people to work towards environmental conservation.

Man is the best creature in creation. Besides us, there are many other natural resources including animals and plants in this world. Everything that we see around us in this world is created by our Creator. Some of us call Creator as God, some as Allah and some as Bhagwan. By whatever name we call Him, He is one. Different people have different opinions and there is nothing wrong with that. The Creator is also pleased with the name by which man calls Him. The important thing here is whether we remember Him with gratitude or not! If we remember with gratitude, then surely some responsibility rests upon us. So, what are the responsibilities?

As I mentioned that man is the best creature in creation, it is very important for us to maintain the importance of this word 'best'. Apart from humans, there are millions of species of plants and animals in the world. Not all plants can move or talk. On the other hand, animals can move but are not so intellectual as humans. They can communicate with each other but cannot speak like humans. The plants and animals that surround us are in a similar situation to the newborn human child who is in a helpless state for some years after birth. Children have to rely on their parents and others for various needs due to their helplessness. As they have this dependency, parents and related parties have to play a special role. Failure to fulfill this role puts children at risk.

All the flora and fauna around us except humans are as helpless and dependent as the children in our house. If we do not give them care like children, they cannot grow properly; not adorned with flowers and fruits. It should be noted that the existence of mankind survives on the bounty of these flora and fauna. We often don't understand it or even if we do, we don't try to do what is right for them.

Each and every activity we perform, from the time we wake-up in the morning to the time we go to sleep, including eating and drinking throughout the day, has direct and indirect contributions from flora and fauna. In their absence, mankind cannot survive even a moment. Apart from food grains and herbs from plants, we get oxygen we consume every moment. The carbon-dioxide that we emit from the body by consuming oxygen is again taken by this plant like the Neelkanthi (Shiva) and maintains the qualitative balance in the atmosphere.

Mankind has a major role to play in caring for God's creation. But what does our current reality say! Can we really fulfill this responsibility properly? In fact, we are acting like selfish in fulfilling this duty! The consequences of this selfishness can be fatal which can put our future generations in dire straits. There will come a time when there will be no way out of it. Some of these consequences we may now be beginning to witness and in some places experience ourselves. From the developed world to the developing and underdeveloped world everywhere, inconsiderate behavior towards God's creation especially towards flora and fauna is being organized every day. If this situation continues, we will not be spared from nature's revenge.

We are constantly deforesting to serve individual and collective interests; polluting the soil and air by using excessive chemical fertilizers and pesticides to produce more crops; we are destroying aquatic-terrestrial animals and fish resources and doing activities that are going to extract natural resources. By such activities we are putting our future at grave risk. Individuals, society and even the state are not caring enough for the nature around us but each of us should do our part.

Many countries of the world have started paying extreme price due to climate change. Now often in developing and underdeveloped countries including Europe, America and Australia are witnessing untimely floods, droughts, heavy rains, non-rains, frequent excessive lightnings as well as burning and deforesting. Also, due to increase in carbon-dioxide levels, global warming, the water level is gradually increasing due to the melting of the ice accumulated in the North and South polar regions. Due to this, many low-lying areas of the world are slowly sinking into water and people are losing their habitats and agricultural lands day by day.

If we were caring towards creation and playing a responsible role to the creation; then we would not have to see such animosity and horror of nature. Of course, what we see and experience now is only part of the whole grim picture. If we are not aware now and are not careful and kind to God's creation, we will soon witness and experience the horrors of nature. The only way now is to be aware and responsible to them.

Our lack of judgement, selfishness and inconsiderate behavior towards nature will inevitably consume us one day. Then we will have nothing else to do. It is the same situation exists at all levels of individual, society and state. None of us are doing anyone's duties properly. One third of the total area of a country should be covered by forests for natural balance and healthy living but our country has only 17.4%. It is not enough to maintain the balance of the environment. So, we need to be aware now and take our role.

So, where is the solution to this situation? Of course, the solution is within our hands; it is about caring for creation and taking a responsible role. Among the three levels - individual, society and state - the individual level is the most important. A person is independent. Good or bad depends on his will. A person can take care by planting trees in his house or any of his fallow land. He does not need to take permission from anyone to do this. By doing this work, he/she not only brings the welfare of his family but also the society. Planting and caring for a tree are like building an oxygen factory. The people of the society can benefit from this factory.

Our entire life is totally dependent on God's creation. We often forget this. Without plants, animals and natural resources; we cannot go for a moment. However, no matter how much we do injustice to God's creations, we behave as they are, which means we ourselves are ruining our own future. It's like kicking yourself in the foot. If this situation continues, none of us will survive.

Currently, wars are going on in different parts of the world. The weapons used in this war are destroying the creations of both God and man. Plants, animals and natural resources are suffering tremendously. The weapons that are currently attacking the tidy land of Europe are destroying not only man-made houses, roads, factories, but also the plants, animals and natural resources created by God. World leaders including Russia and Ukraine cannot avoid responsibility for this. No one knows when this war will end. We are in uncertainty; this means the destruction will continue. All peace-loving people of the world should be vocal about this now.

Nasty war is not only here; it is likely to spread from north to south and east to west. This means; we are planning to destroy God's creation. Today, various states of the world have nuclear bombs in their stockpiles. If they are ever used in battle then God's creation will end in an instant. We know more or less the horrors of World War II. Numerous nuclear weapons, thousands of times more powerful and terrifying than the atomic bombs that were used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan on August 6 and 9, 1945, are currently in the stockpiles of various countries. This is terrible news for us. When the going gets tough, none of us are safe.

In the media, we often see China-Taiwan, North Korea-South Korea, India-Pakistan; Even Myanmar is inciting war by falling on Bangladesh. If a war really takes place in this region, the biodiversity of the Asian continent will be under extreme threat. The natural environment will be in dire straits. As a result, the animal family will be in crisis of existence. If biodiversity is not maintained then animals including humans cannot survive there. The combination and coexistence of plants, animals and natural resources is essential for human survival.

Now, if we come to the question of caring for God's creation, then people should have care and love for people also. The question is: who will take care of whom? For example; as a rich man/woman can take care of a poor man by financial support, so a poor man/woman can show his love and care to a sick man by showing sympathy. So, we must show care and love to one another. However, its manifestation can be in different forms. This depends on our mentality. Financial capability is not the main issue here. We have a lot to do with all of creation. Humanity and love can awaken our sense of responsibility to the creation.

The Holy Father Pope Francis wrote an encyclical letter on June 18, 2015 on protecting our habitat, environment and livelihoods. Title of the letter: Laudato Si. The main topic of the Universal Paper is: Nature and Environment. The Holy Father said in his letter, we must now decide what kind of future we want to leave for our next generation who are now growing up in the world. That's why; we all need to continue our small efforts to ensure our habitat and livelihood together so that we can leave a safe earth for our future generations.

Nicholas Biswas is a media freelancer. He was awarded with the UNFPA Media Award twice in 2007 and 2008. He has also translated and published six books and number of articles, who can be reached at: gonomaddyom@gmail.com