You are like us, a thinking being who contemplates what has happened, is happening, and will happen in the past, present, and future. Life is the miracle of this world, created about 4 billion years ago, and we humans have only been on this beautiful planet for 250,000 years. Yes, we have succeeded in this struggle and reached a balance with nature. This was necessary for the continuation of our life. Pay attention to this short story I am telling you, and think about it and decide what you want to do with it. The wonder of the earth, this beautiful planet, is in front of our eyes every day and every moment, but we do not think about it. Volcanoes are the source of life on earth. At first, our beautiful planet was in flames, with gases made up of dust and debris, like many other planets in the universe. The existence of life in these reactions is truly a miracle. Today, our life is a connecting link in the chain of living beings that, after nearly 4 billion years on earth and alongside each other, continue to live and thrive.
Even today, new volcanoes create magnificent landscapes for us. They show us glimpses of what the earth was like at its inception. Molten rocks that erupted out of fear of destruction: pure particles that burned or spread out in thin layers before being extinguished or fissured. The smoke clouds that rise from the earth’s layers are an example of the earth’s early atmosphere. An oxygen-free atmosphere: a thick atmosphere that was saturated with water vapor and full of carbon dioxide. A fiery furnace and then a cooling earth caused the water vapor to condense and rain down in torrential floods. The precise distance from the sun made it possible for the water to remain in liquid form. Water created pathways: these waterways, like the veins of the human body and the branches of trees, bring water to every part of the earth. They separate minerals from rocks and gradually make the salty oceans sweet and heavy, which is the beginning of primary nourishment. Water, a vital and essential liquid, has irrigated these barren valleys. The paths that this water has taken are like the veins of a body and the branches of a tree that have revived the earth. Perhaps it seems like a simple occurrence, but if you look deeper, you can see that countless actions and reactions have taken place so that we can survive today. A real balance in different sizes: it took millions of years for us to be able to drink a glass of water easily today. Earth is a great trustee that has preserved everything entrusted to it, but we have never respected it. Where did life come from?
Where did the first sparks of it come from? The first cells that science knows about were formed in hot springs on Earth and took on color there. These organisms are called primitive bacteria. The first bacteria feed on the heat of the earth, except for cyanobacteria or blue-green algae. They can rotate towards the sun alone and extract energy from it. They are the ancestors of all plant species yesterday and today. These small bacteria and billions of them have transformed the fate of our planet. They changed the earth’s atmosphere, but what about the carbon that had poisoned the atmosphere? That carbon was stored and imprisoned in the earth’s crust: in the seas and bodies of microorganisms. Microorganisms made their bodies with carbon that had accumulated at the end of the oceans. The sedimentary layers in the mountains are actually billions and billions of microorganism shells. Thanks to them, carbon was gradually released from the atmosphere, and other forms of life expanded. It was this life that changed the earth’s atmosphere. Plant life, which simultaneously benefited from solar energy and was able to break down water molecules and release oxygen, filled the air with oxygen. The water cycle on earth is a process of continuous renewal. Waterfalls: water vapor – clouds – rain – springs: rivers – seas – oceans and glaciers: this life-giving cycle never ends, and there is always a constant amount of water on earth. All living species on earth drink similar water. It is one of the wonders of creation that water does not remain in a fixed form and can take on various liquid forms.
Like flowing water, there are gases like water vapor and solids like ice.
In the Siberian region, the frozen surface of lakes in winter, when floating ice pieces stick together and protect the deep water from the cold, creates life in the coldest point on earth. The cycle of life is a regular and interconnected system, and nothing is left to chance: air and water are inseparable, and everything on this beautiful planet has been created for our life and existence. The green spaces seen among rocks and seas are the source of oxygen production on earth, and 70% of the gas needed for our lungs is produced by algae found on the surface of the oceans. Earth has been created on the basis of a stable balance in which every creature plays its role, and despite other creatures, some will survive. It is a delicate and fragile harmony that can be disrupted by wrong patterns: coral reefs are the result of the fusion of algae and shells. Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the ocean floor, but at the same time, they provide a suitable place for thousands of species of fish, invertebrates, and algae, on which the balance of survival in every ocean depends. Earth has been waiting for billions of years, and it took more than 4 billion years for trees to appear on it.
In the food pyramid, trees are located at the top. Trees are the only natural elements that constantly move towards the sky in the battle against gravity. They move calmly and without haste towards the sun. Branches and leaves are the source of nutrition for trees. Even the ability to absorb light energy is inherited from very small cyanobacteria. Trees store light energy and use it for nourishment, then transform it into wood and leaves, which later decompose into a combination of water, minerals, vegetables, and excellent materials, gradually forming soil. Soils participate in the continuous activity of microorganisms in nutrition, drilling, construction, and changes in the earth. Their collaboration has created a suitable and fertile habitat on the earth, and we see that all forms of life on earth are interdependent. We have extensive knowledge about life on earth, including the types and diversity of living organisms, their behavior and patterns, their interdependence on each other and on the environment, and the destructive effects of human activities on life on earth. Millions of species of animals, plants, and microbes live on earth, and their diversity varies widely across the globe. From organisms that live in water to large animals on land, as well as microorganisms that live in soil. We know about many of the relationships between living organisms, such as the feeding relationships between plants and animals, the social behavior of animals, and the dependence of microorganisms on soil, etc. However, many relationships between organisms and our understanding of them are still being explored.
The creation of the earth is a beautiful miracle, and life on it is the greatest mystery. Animal families gather in groups through social behavior, and this life has been passed down to future generations to this day. Some animals adapt to their natural habitat, and this is beneficial to both of them. Animals eliminate their hunger by feeding on trees, and trees can flourish again. In the amazing story of creation, every particle and every creature has a role to play and a place of its own. Nothing is created on this planet without purpose, and we call this the interdependence of life. This is where you stand. Earth has been benefiting from an inheritance of over 4 billion years, while you, with only a few thousand years of life, were able to disrupt the balance of billions of years, thinking of yourself as superior. Despite your ability to sustain life, you have taken up the space of all living organisms and occupied all the lands in a way that no other species has been able to do before, not even the dinosaurs, the giants of the earth. After thousands of years of nomadism and thanks to suitable weather conditions, humans found a permanent habitat for themselves. They no longer needed to hunt for survival. Humans settled in humid areas where they had access to fish, game, and vegetation, places where land, water, and life were intertwined. Even today, most humans live on the coastlines of continents, beside rivers, or in areas related to water, and one in every four people on our planet lives in a place where humans have lived for 6,000 years. The only energy they receive is what nature provides from season to season. This way of life is followed by more than 1.5 billion people, which is more than the total population of wealthy nations. They receive what they truly need from the earth.
For a long time, the relationship between humans and the earth was balanced and good, and for a long time, the economy seemed to be a natural and equal partnership. It can be said that the balance was appropriate, but in these areas, people do not have a long lifespan and must work hard because the lack of certainty about their lives hangs over them. In these societies, education is a privilege that not everyone has access to, and children are only an investment for their families. Of course, as long as they can work hard and be effective in earning a living for their family. The earth provides them with food, satisfies their hunger, and meets their daily needs. Everything comes from the earth, but in small towns, nature changed the fate of humans. A farmer became a laborer, a beggar, or a trader. What the earth gave them, the city dwellers bought, sold, and exchanged. Goods were passed from hand to hand, and ideas were also exchanged. The inherent genius of humans made them always a seeker. The physical energy and extraordinary power that nature had bestowed upon them had led them to choose animals that could help them explore new lands. This was the beginning of social evolution and the destruction of balance. How can one conquer the world despite hunger?
The invention of agricultural tools gave our lives a different color and scent, and this happened in less than 10,000 years ago. Agriculture was the first great revolution of humanity, which resulted in the production of essential foodstuffs, the formation of cities, and the beginning of civilizations, and put an end to unknown issues related to hunting and gathering. Humans with agriculture obtained a commodity for the first time that exceeded their needs, and this led to the emergence of cities and civilizations. For agriculture, humans extracted the energy of animal and plant species that eventually benefited humans, and gradually the memories of struggling for hunting were forgotten. With the production of agricultural products, dietary diversity also increased. We learned how to adapt the product to water, soil, and weather, and we are like other living species on earth. Food preparation is one of the most important daily activities of humans, and when the earth loses its abundance and water becomes scarce, we are able to extract as much water as possible from the earth to survive, although we are unaware of the disasters that we are going to bring upon ourselves and future generations.
Humans have shaped the earth with patience and love that this beautiful planet seeks, and have worked on it many times with abundant sacrifices. Agriculture is still the most widespread profession in the world: half of human’s work in agriculture, and over three-quarters of them work in agriculture by hand. Agriculture, like generational customs and traditions, has been passed down with great effort to future generations, and for humans, it is the first condition for survival. However, after relying on physical power for a long time, humans found a way to harness the energies deep within the earth. This confrontation and border between ancient and modern eras, although good for humans, was also the source of many destructive outcomes. One of the worst consequences of this destruction was the onset and emergence of various diseases. Nature never disappears; it is replaced. This means that when something is taken from nature and not replaced or returned to nature, nature does this process itself, and we call this process the restoration of nature from nature. When this restoration process is underway, nature is actually layered, and we call this process the sedimentary layers of nature. When nature is placed on another nature, it creates a two-step process. Among the natural sediments, the greater the distance between them, the lower the level of life energy for us, and the smaller the distance, the higher the level of life energy. These are the two main factors that disrupt the balance, which are the two main factors of all diseases: energy depletion or accumulation. The flames seen from refineries are actually from plants. An example of sunlight: solar energy absorbed by countless millions of plants millions of years ago. Over 100 million years ago, it turned into coal, gas, and most importantly, oil. This example of sunlight saved humans from hard work on earth, which was actually a dangerous illusion of salvation. The new era of human life began with oil, which freed him from the shackles of time. For some, it brought comfort and ease: in just 50 years, which is the lifespan of a human being, the earth changed surprisingly more than any other time, and this high speed was disrupting the balance in nature.
Faster and faster: in the past 60 years, the world’s population has almost tripled, and more than 2 billion people have migrated to cities. Faster and faster: cities with thousands of skyscrapers and millions of people: 40 years ago, in this area of China (Shanghai), there was only a small fishing village. And again: faster and faster: in Shanghai, 3,000 towers and skyscrapers were built in just 20 years, and many more are under construction. Today, more than half of the 8 billion population on earth live in cities, which marks the beginning of rapid destruction in nature and the destruction of balance. New York: one of the world’s multicultural cities, is a symbol of excessive energy consumption and use that the earth has given to humans. The power of millions of immigrants, coal energy, and unlimited oil power, and we have replaced reality with illusion and sacrificed elements to structure and nature: we have destroyed the earth. The question arises: has science, especially medical science, been powerless in this regard?
The answer is clear: science is not powerless, and the only thing that can make science ineffective is the imbalance in nature. Population growth: more consumption, more production, more waste, and more chemicals and toxins. What was the result of all this “more”?
In the past 100 years, and especially in the past 40 years, we have almost brought what the earth had built and stored over 4 billion years to the brink of destruction. What was the result of this rapid destruction?
A physical body that is 200,000 years old minus 4 billion years of storage is equal to 3.8 trillion years of natural interference compared to the 4-billion-year evolutionary process and the 200,000-year physical evolution. With this terrifying fraction, can we expect not to get sick?
It is not reasonable to expect science, which is itself part of the evolutionary process and nature, to compensate for a fraction of more than 3 billion years.
If we ignore this period of time and focus only on the 200,000 years, the result is that medical science is lagging behind in terms of human evolution and is out of balance compared to the unnatural acceleration of destruction over the past 50 to 60 years, which has disrupted the balance and led to disease. Therefore, we cannot blame medical science and if there has been a deviation or medical science has turned into a business, it has nothing to do with medical science or doctors themselves, and we are all equally responsible for this imbalance. Therefore, before blaming medical science and doctors for this imbalance, we must conclude that we, as humans, have caused these mistakes and errors, and in this war, there is only one winner: nature. If we restore the balance as much as possible, doctors will not make mistakes in diagnosing the root causes of diseases, because physics and nature move forward simultaneously. The United States is the top consumer of oil. In farms, machines work instead of humans. One liter of oil produces the energy equivalent of 100 pairs of hands working for 14 hours, and only 3 million farmers remain in the United States who produce enough grains to feed 2 billion people, but most of these grains are not used for human consumption. In the United States and most industrialized countries, grains are converted into a type of plant fuel. Solar energy, in addition to being useful, dries up farms in the absence of water, and 70% of the water used for agriculture is used by humans. Everything is in the service of agriculture. The expansion of monoculture farmland ends with an increase in pests. Pesticides are another gift from the petrochemical revolution that destroys pests and turns other products into history. Now the important issue is: What should we do with surplus production in modern agriculture?
Given that surplus production in modern agriculture has negative effects on nature and the environment, we need to look for solutions to better manage resources and reduce waste. Some possible solutions include:
1. Promoting multi-crop and diverse farming instead of mono-crop farming, which has more waste.
2. Using managed cultivation methods and non-renewable farming to prevent drought and reduce water consumption.
3. Promoting non-toxic farming instead of using chemical pesticides that can harm human health and the environment.
4. Developing new and innovative technologies such as hydroponic farming and vertical gardens that can improve surplus production with less water and less space.
5. Promoting organic farming and supporting small and local farmers that can contribute to sustainable development.
6. Better management of waste and recycling to reduce environmental pollution and increase soil fertility.
Since global environmental problems require all-round efforts and cooperation between different sectors, we must all work together to find solutions to better preserve and manage resources. Although these petrochemical products (pesticides) were able to prevent the spread of harmful products, they have had other consequences for us. These toxic pesticides have entered the air, soil, plants, animals, rivers, seas, and oceans, infiltrating their cells and taking the place of mother cells, spreading throughout all forms of life. Are they not dangerous for humans, who have now been saved from hunger?
These farmers are doing a good job with their yellow protective clothing, first with pest control, then with chemical fertilizers, another discovery of petrochemical science. They produced unique products in areas that were previously neglected. These products became compatible with soil and weather, resulting in increased product diversity and easier transportation. Therefore, in recent centuries, 3/4 of these diverse products, which had been produced and expanded by farmers for thousands of years, have been destroyed, and as far as the eye can see, plastic fertilizers have been spread on them. Greenhouses in a region in Spain are considered Europe’s vegetable garden. A city where the products are always the same size and shape, waiting for hundreds of trucks to transport them to stores across Europe. As a country advances, the consumption of meat by its residents also increases. How can we meet the growing global demand of people without concentrated animal farming?
Note: The translation is done to the best of my abilities while keeping the context and meaning of the original text. However, some nuances and cultural references may be lost in translation. Faster and faster, as always, we are not in balance in the cycle of life. Now, producing meat from animals has become a priority over animal husbandry and has become a daily process. What will these disposable containers filled with meat from these animals bring us?
The lands that are trampled by these vast numbers of animals do not even allow a blade of grass to grow. Hundreds of trucks bring fortified grains and soybeans for these animals, which are only intended to be turned into meat. As a result, it takes 100 liters of water to produce one kilogram of potatoes, 4,000 liters for just one kilogram of rice, and 1,300 liters of water for one kilogram of meat. We are not even counting the oil and gasoline consumed for their transportation. Agriculture has turned into an oil industry that can feed twice the number of humans on earth, but this ability has decreased with the production of standardized and diverse products. This brings us a sense of calm that we never imagined, but it also makes our lives dependent on oil and introduces a new way to measure time. Our planet’s clock must synchronize itself with the tireless machines that strike this solar energy package. Our planet is slowly synchronizing itself with this hollow order that is our thoughts. Such ideas and hopes go hand in hand with our insatiable needs, and this human desire has no end, but we should not accept it. For many people around the world, in Los Angeles, United States, it is a symbol of this endless consumption pattern. In this city, which spans about 100 kilometers, the number of cars is equal to the number of residents. In this city, every night displays an interesting show of energy. In this city, day and night do not have any other meaning and, in fact, there is no difference. The entire city is lit up by large and small lights. When you look at this city from the sky, it is as if you are looking at a smooth and well-kept earth to the sky.
Faster and faster, distances are no longer measured in kilometers but in minutes. Cars create residential areas where each home is a palace in a safe distance from busy urban centers, alongside crowded and populous cities, a dream that is only seen on television. Houses built in two rows next to each other, even in Beijing, where houses are copied and rebuilt identically like a colony. Houses that must be built in a specific mold on the map. The car has become a tool for comfort and progress. If the use of cars becomes ubiquitous in the world, our planet will have more than 5 billion vehicles, not 900 million. Faster and faster, as the world progresses, it becomes more thirsty for energy consumption. Cars are everywhere, digging the earth to find energy. Swallowed stars hidden in it since the birth of the earth: minerals. Over the next 20 years, we will witness the most extraction from the earth, more than the history of human existence.
This is mercy: 80 percent of the wealth generated from minerals is only in the hands of 20 percent of the world’s population. Before the end of the recent century, unbridled mining almost destroyed the earth’s resources. Faster and faster, shipyards produce oil tankers, gasoline tankers, and containers to meet the world’s industrial product needs. Most consumer goods travel thousands of kilometers from the producing country to the consuming country. Since 1950, the volume of international trade has increased 20 times. 80 percent of trade is done by sea, and 500 million containers are transported annually to the world’s largest consumption poles, such as Dubai. Dubai is a perfect example of construction sites in the world and subsequently one of the most dangerous killers of natural resources in the world. The United Arab Emirates is a country where the impossible is now possible. Dubai is a super-advanced model of Western consumption, for example, artificial islands in the sea. Dubai has limited natural resources, but with its money, namely oil money, it has prepared millions of tons of materials and supplies for construction. Now Dubai can create sky-scratching forests, each taller than the other, and these massive and unbridled constructions are being carried out in a place without natural resources. Dubai has no farmland but can buy food. It has no drinking water, but it can produce it at great cost and energy consumption to sweeten the water and build more skyscrapers. Dubai is always sunny but does not use solar panels or solar batteries. There are many spaces here to amaze tourists. Dubai is a city that has made visual beauty its criterion, but it seems to want to reduce something from nature, and it should be emphasized that nowhere is as dependent on nature as Dubai. Dubai is a prominent example of the Western world, but we do not realize that they are depleting the resources that nature has given us. Dubai, now a country, has become the largest destroyer of nature. When we transformed an area as large as Dubai from its initial state to a consumer state, we actually sealed the death of the planet Earth.
This planet is in a delicate balance, and if something is destroyed somewhere, it can cause destruction in distant places. Do we still expect not to get sick? Or if we get sick, can we be cured? These things have become a dream. We know very little about the world beneath the oceans and what covers 4/3 of our planet, except for what we observe outside of water. The depths of the oceans are still a great mystery. The oceans contain thousands of species of life whose existence remains a mystery to us, and these great mysteries are still undiscovered, but we are destroying them. Disappearance before discovery. Since 1950, the fishing industry has increased fivefold, reaching 100 million tons per year from 18 million tons, and thousands of fishing companies are emptying the oceans. 4/3 of fishing areas have disappeared or drastically decreased. Many large fish species that have been overfished have become extinct or are on the verge of extinction because they have not had an opportunity to reproduce. Humans are destroying themselves, ravaging the earth’s resources, depleting the energy of the earth, and emptying the resources of the oceans. How are we supposed to live? All fish reserves are at risk due to uncontrolled consumption. First sign: The population of mammals is declining. They are becoming more vulnerable every day due to human settlement on coasts and polluting their habitats. They are now facing a serious and new threat: drought. They are unable to find enough food for themselves and their offspring in an unequal battle with other industrial fishing fleets, and their reproduction has decreased significantly, putting them at risk of extinction. Is the responsibility of this natural slaughter solely on the politicians, or are all humans equally responsible?
Second sign: Seabirds always have to fly long distances to find food, and there is a great risk of fish scarcity for them. The food of these seabirds was previously hunted by humans. In Indonesia (Jakarta), fishing is booming throughout the year, but fish stocks are now severely declining, and there will be little food for fishermen. Fish does not have a high proportion in the human diet, and the consumption of fish is 1 for every 5 people. This is called uncontrolled hunting and consumption. We have forgotten that natural resources are scarce: 500 million people live on desert lands, and they know how to use it properly by adopting correct consumption patterns. Their life in the desert is dependent on wells that have been nourished with water from rainfalls of 25,000 years ago, which have filled underground springs. These underground waters also cause plants to grow in the desert and provide food for the locals. Some of the circular agricultural lands are due to the discovery of water pipes in them, creating a beautiful scene but at a significant cost: underground waters are non-renewable resources. In Saudi Arabia, the dream of an industrial desert has faded. Therefore, to achieve this dream, a significant cost must be paid. We can see deserts that have been turned into green lands, and greenhouses have been built in them, which are fed by drip irrigation and water consumption is reduced with increased exports. One of the most abundant rivers in Jordan now has a narrow stream of its water exported to Europe and America in baskets of fruits and vegetables, and as a result, the sea deprived of these water resources is reduced by one meter every year.
Due to heat, the water in the islands evaporates, and beautiful salt islands are formed, which are unusable. In Udaipur, India, water is a kind of miracle that comes to this city through dams and canals, creating an artificial lake. Does water hold so much value for the builders of this city that they allocate one of their palaces to it? India is a country that will face a serious and increasingly severe water shortage in the future century. Over-irrigation has so far fed the growing population, and in the past 50 years, 21 million wells have been dug, and in many parts of the country, machines have to dig deeper to reach water. In western India, 30% of the wells have dried up, and underground water reserves are running out. Seasonal rains that fall in different months try to fill these underground resources. In dry seasons, native village women dig for water with empty hands. However, thousands of kilometers away, the average daily water consumption is 800 to 1000 liters per person. Las Vegas is built on a desert where now millions of people live, and this number is growing rapidly. The residents of this large area are the world’s largest water consumers. Palm Springs is another city and desert with tropical plants and many green areas, but for how long can it survive? The earth is unable to tolerate this excessive consumption. The river (Colorado River) that brings water to these cities is one of the same rivers that will no longer flow into the sea. The water level of this river, which is slowly approaching its bottom, is not in good condition. Water scarcity could have a completely negative impact on the lives of nearly 2 billion people before 2025.
Wetlands provide a suitable environment for water restoration and purification. Sponges regulate water flow in wetlands and absorb water in rainy seasons and release it in dry seasons, a process similar to what happens in natural refrigerators in the poles. The water flowing from the mountain peaks carries with it the seeds of plants that existed in the previous areas. Moist lands make up 6% of the earth’s surface. Under their calm waters, a complete and modern factory has been placed where plants and microorganisms work in the water and remove pollutants.
Wetlands provide a suitable environment for water restoration and purification, just like forests. However, in our competition for obtaining larger lands, we are destroying more habitats for food production. We are destroying more lands for agriculture or construction. In the past century, half of the world’s wetlands have disappeared, and we have little knowledge of their properties and roles. Just like oceans that were unseen being emptied, wetlands have suffered the same fate. All living materials are interdependent on each other: water, soil, air, and trees. The miracle of the world is right in front of our eyes. Trees breathe in the earth, releasing it like mist in the air, and this mist covers the sky like a canopy, ultimately turning into rain. Forests prepare the necessary moisture for life and store more carbon than in the earth’s atmosphere. Carbon is another essential element that makes up our life. Primary forest trees provide a suitable habitat for 4/3 of plants. They have provided a wide range of biodiversity, which is true for all types of life on earth. Forests produce medicinal drugs that cure us, and our bodies can identify the compounds released from these plants. Our cells understand their language; in fact, we are all part of the same family. Over the last 40 years, the world’s largest rainforest, the Amazon, has shrunk by 20%. The forest has been turned into farms, livestock pastures, or soybean fields, and 95% of soybeans are used to feed livestock in America, Asia, and Europe. We have turned forests into meat. When forests and soil are burned, they release large amounts of carbon, which makes up 20% of greenhouse gases emitted throughout the planet. Deforestation is one of the main factors contributing to global warming, and hundreds of plant and animal species have disappeared forever, breaking one of the long evolutionary chains. Can we still expect humans to remain healthy and even be cured?
Even with deforestation, we have lost the information of life and the emergence of these species. We need this information for the evolutionary line. Twenty years ago, the fourth largest island in the world, Brunei, was covered with vast primary forests. With recent deforestation, this vast primary forest will no longer exist in the coming years. Living creatures: dependent on water, air, land, and sun, are the four main components of life, and whatever you do with nature, you will see the result. In Brunei, this dependence on the four components of life has been lost: in a place where the most important and essential biological foundation exists, this tragedy has been exacerbated by creating a palm oil factory, one of the most productive and consumable oils in the world. Palm oil, in addition to responding to our growing demand for food, is also used in cosmetics, detergents, and most importantly, alternative fuels. The biodiversity of the forest has been replaced by a single species, the oil palm, which has provided a job opportunity for indigenous people in the area, namely oil palm cultivation. Another example of massive deforestation is the Eucalyptus forest. Eucalyptus is used to produce paper pulp, and with a fivefold increase in demand for paper over the past 50 years, its production has also increased. A forest cannot replace another forest: no other plants grow under Eucalyptus trees because their leaves produce toxins that prevent the growth of other plants. Although their growth is very fast, they quickly deplete water resources, leading to yet another tragedy.
Soybeans, palm oil, Eucalyptus trees, and deforestation have destroyed our production resources and life, adding to the tragedy of global warming and water scarcity. However, on the other hand, deforestation is sometimes the only way to continue living. More than two billion people still rely on coal for their livelihood. In Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, coal has the highest consumption rate. Haiti, which was once the pearl of the Caribbean, can no longer feed its people without foreign aid, and only 20% of the hills in Haiti still have forests. The land is completely empty, and nothing holds the soil back, causing all the soil to be washed down towards the sea with heavy rains. What remains is not suitable for agriculture. In some parts of Madagascar, erosion is evident, and the edges of hills are cut for hundreds of meters. The fragile and crumbling soil is composed of living materials. The soil formed by leaves that took years to form these extraordinary layers is now disappearing due to erosion. In this region, a form of the story reminds us of the residents of the eastern island of Rapanui. They were the most remote island in the world and lived off natural resources to the point where nothing was left, and their civilization was destroyed. They completely disappeared from this land, which had the tallest palms in the world. They cut down all the trees for wood, but then faced extensive soil erosion. The Rapanui people were unable to fish because there was no tree to make a boat out of. They had formed one of the most advanced civilizations in the Pacific Ocean. They were innovative farmers, sculptors, and skilled sailors. However, they faced excessive population growth, improper use of natural resources, and social problems that led to feedback, turmoil, and famine. Many of them did not survive these events. The real mystery of this island is not how the strange sculptures got there, but rather how such powerful civilizations disappear from the face of the earth.
This is just one of the existing hypotheses, but it has a special connection to our lives today. Since 1950, the world’s population has tripled, and we have destroyed the fundamental structure of the earth more than the past few thousand years of our existence. Nigeria is the largest oil exporter in Africa, while 70% of its population lives below the poverty line. Wealth is hidden in the heart of the country, but people do not have access to it, and this reality applies to our entire planet. Half of the world lives in poverty while living on the consumption resources of wealthy countries. It should be noted that the issues mentioned only examine the factors that disrupt the balance on earth and the main causes of diseases worldwide and have no political implications. It is important to note that if a country, city, or region is mentioned, it is only as an example and a model for describing this process of disrupting balance. Even development has failed to solve this problem, and the gap between the poor and the wealthy has increased every day in the past 50 years. Today, only 2% of the world’s population has access to half of the world’s wealth. Is such injustice not significant? This injustice is the same as the destruction of balance, and there are reasons for the scale of population migration that we still need to examine precisely.
Las Vegas had only 700,000 inhabitants in 1960, but by 2025, its population will reach 16 million. Las Vegas is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, growing rapidly. Immigrants to this city are farmers who are driven from their own country for economic, cultural, or natural resource depletion reasons. This is a new type of suburban growth that has grown out of compulsion, not progress and prosperity. Every week, more than one million people are added to the population of cities around the world. One in six people now lives in a densely populated area without access to basic necessities such as water, sanitation, and electricity. Will people thousands of years from now, when they look at the destroyed and ruined civilizations of the past, find something similar to what we have done to the civilizations of the past? Something like the Rapa Nui civilization? Will future generations also realize that depleting natural resources has led to the destruction of our civilization?
We continue to explore reserves that we cannot live without, and every day we expand the scope of these explorations. Even in places that were previously untouched and where exploitation was very difficult, we do not change our ways. Is it possible that oil will run out? We are still able to extract oil. The world’s largest mining machines move thousands of tons of sand and gravel. The process of heating and separating materials from sand requires millions of cubic meters of water and enormous amounts of energy, and its pollution is a tragedy and a disaster. The most essential thing we need to do is to collect every particle of sunlight. Oil tankers are getting bigger and bigger. Our demand for energy is constantly increasing, and for our growing needs, we need a massive furnace that requires even more fuel. All of this is due to carbon. Over the decades, the carbon that has heated the earth’s atmosphere like a furnace and that nature has absorbed over centuries, allowing for the evolution of life, is now being released, causing global warming. Once, the idea of a boat or ship reaching a polar region was considered a dream or miracle. Transportation, industry, deforestation, and agriculture are activities that release vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Without realizing it, molecule by molecule, this carbon can change weather conditions. The polar ice caps, which have been affected by global warming, are now fully visible, and this process is happening very quickly. The Arctic ice that connects Asia, Europe, and America is melting and separating, and the polar ice cover is disappearing. Under the influence of global warming, this ice cover has lost 40% of its thickness in 40 years, and its surface is becoming thinner every summer.
It will probably disappear completely by 2030. Solar rays that were previously reflected by ice sheets now penetrate the dark waters and raise their temperature, intensifying global warming even more. These glaciers have embedded the history of our planet within them. The concentration of carbon dioxide has never been so high in any period. Doesn’t this reckless use of natural resources threaten the lives of all living beings that are part of a cycle of balance and life? Climate change is accelerating this process. In some polar regions, the balance of nature has completely disappeared, and when there is no balance, what will evolution create? In the past 30 years, the Arctic has lost 30% of its ice coverage. This warming is happening rapidly, and the fresh water resulting from this warming is spreading into saltwater oceans. Ice sheets in Greenland make up 20% of the Earth’s fresh water. If these ice sheets melt, sea levels will rise up to 7 meters. There is no industry in Greenland, but its ice sheets are affected by the greenhouse effect, which occurs in other parts of the world. Our activities’ system is not limited to one point, and wherever we are, the consequences of our activities affect the whole world. The Earth’s atmosphere is unified and indivisible. In Greenland’s lakes, rivers merge and appear on the surface. It was previously thought that the water at the bottom of these surfaces would turn into ice again, but the opposite happens. The water flows beneath the ice sheet and moves it towards the seas, dividing them into ice mountains. As fresh water from Greenland’s ice sheets pours into the salty oceans, low-lying coastal lands are submerged.
Sea levels are rising, and with the warming of the air, the water’s expanse has increased. In the 20th century alone, sea levels rose 20 centimeters, and everything became unstable. For example, coral reefs are very sensitive to even the slightest changes in water temperature, and 30% of them have been destroyed. They are one of the essential links in the chain of living beings. The Earth’s major wind currents are changing direction, and rainfall patterns are shifting, altering the geographical climate. Residents of low-lying areas, such as the Maldives, are most at risk. What will happen to large cities like Tokyo, one of the most populous cities in the world if sea levels continue to rise at this rate? Every year, scientists’ predictions become more alarming: 70% of the world’s population lives in coastal areas. 11 to 15 major cities in the world are located on the coast or riverside. As sea levels rise, salt enters fresh water, and residents face a shortage of drinking water. In these conditions, migration becomes an inevitable phenomenon. Instability threatens people’s livelihoods. In Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro is an interesting mountain, but 80% of the peak’s ice has disappeared. In the summer, the rivers no longer flow, and the shortage of water affects the lives of the local people.
Even in the highest peaks in the world in the heart of the Himalayas, permanent snow and glaciers are melting. Yes, these natural glaciers play a very important role in the water cycle, storing water as ice in the winter and releasing it in the summer when the ice melts. The Himalayan glaciers are the main source of Asia’s largest rivers, including the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Mekong. Two billion people depend on these rivers for their drinking water and irrigating their crops, such as Bangladesh, located on the delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra. This country is directly affected by the phenomenon that is happening in the Himalayas and the sea level. It is one of the most populous countries in the world and has been severely affected by global warming. The disaster caused by severe floods and storms, which is increasing in this region, can destroy about 1/3 of the land and force those affected by this phenomenon to eventually leave their homes. Even wealthy countries will not be safe. Drought will envelop the entire planet. The sky and energy are not something that can be replaced or bought with wealth. In Australia, half of the farms are currently affected. We are destroying the climate balance that has allowed us to grow and evolve for over 12,000 years. Large wildfires are becoming more and more threatening to major cities. These wildfires exacerbate global warming as they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by burning trees, and the system that controls our climate is rapidly deteriorating because the elements it relies on are being destroyed or are in the process of being destroyed. In Siberia, the air is so cold that the earth immediately freezes, and this phenomenon is called “permafrost.” Under the surface of this permafrost lies ancient history. Methane is another greenhouse gas that is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
If the permafrost melts, methane is released and causes an incredibly rapid and uncontrollable greenhouse effect. We will be led to an unknown land, and humanity still has the opportunity and chance to reverse this incredibly destructive and dangerous process. An opportunity that is passing like a cloud: something that is happening right now. The result is the behavior that humans have performed in the ritual of centuries, especially in recent centuries, towards nature and its balance. Weather and primitive organisms have been intricately linked to each other in a precise order, and the problem arises from disrupting this balance and connection. Therefore, in the first step, nature should be viewed as a coordinated whole, any harm to which will eventually come back to us, and responsible use and considering its consequences in the creation system can ensure its survival in the best possible way. 20% of the world’s population are consumers and use 80% of its resources. The world spends 12 times more on military expenses than on helping developing countries, and 5,000 people die every day due to consumption of polluted water, and one billion people do not have access to clean water, with one billion people suffering from hunger, and more than 50% of the world’s grains are used for animal feed or fuel. 40% of agricultural lands have suffered long-term damage, and 13 million hectares of forests disappear every year.
One out of every four mammals is at risk of extinction. One out of every eight birds is at risk of extinction. Half of all primates are at risk of extinction. Living organisms are being destroyed a thousand times faster than the natural rate of extinction. 4/3 of fishing areas have been completely emptied or are at risk of extinction. In the past 40 years, the polar ice cap has lost 40% of its thickness, and we will have 200 million migrants due to unfavorable weather conditions by 2050. The cost of what we have done is very heavy, and those who often have no role in it are paying for it. Today, we see large refugee camps scattered throughout the deserts, the size of a city: should we always build walls to preserve human life, like the Great Wall of China? Walls that we build on other people’s homes, and without regard for them, we build a comfortable life for ourselves, and the truth is that it is too late to be pessimistic. I know that one person alone can destroy any wall. In the world, four out of every five people go to school, and humanity has never had such an educational opportunity before. Anyone, from the poorest to the richest, can promote knowledge. Lesotho is one of the poorest countries in the world, but it has invested relatively heavily in education and acquiring knowledge. Qatar, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, has made extensive investments in culture, education, research, and innovation.
Science is an endless source of knowledge. Non-governmental organizations have proven to be more effective in alleviating people’s suffering than the power-hungry and wealthy nations. The Antarctic region, located in the southern pole, is a natural resource that is exclusively dedicated to peace and science and has resources that cannot be found in any country. During a treaty between 49 countries, this treasure was divided among all humanity. Countries have only been able to preserve 2% of the surrounding waters from pollution, and although this amount is not significant, it is twice as much as what was done in 2013 and 2014. The first wildlife parks were established a century ago, covering more than 13% of the continents. These parks create an environment where human activity can coexist with the protection of other species, soils, and natural landscapes, and can become a law. These forests and lakes provide the necessary water for cities. In South Korea, forests were destroyed during the war, but thanks to a comprehensive and national reforestation program, 65% of the forests have been restored, and more than 75% of the papers have been recycled.
Costa Rica has protected its own lands through investment and dedicated all its capital to natural tourism and the protection of the country’s natural forests. Guyana is one of the world’s largest wood producers, with only one tree cut per hectare. These forests are a major economic resource in the world, but these trees are given the opportunity to be rebuilt, and this program can only be sustained if forest management is mandatory. Justice provides an opportunity for consumers and producers to obtain. When the trade is fair, the buyer and seller will benefit equally. Everyone can progress as long as they refrain from destroying natural resources and take full advantage of solar energy and work hard and honestly to restore what they have destroyed. With money, anything can be bought, and with wealth, water can be directed to the desert, but with wealth, natural resources cannot be purchased again. Therefore, this is a universal issue, and the poor and rich have a shared stake. We are on the brink of destruction, and now is not the time to make excuses. When the Earth’s reserves of land, air, soil, oceans, and seas are depleted, it will no longer matter whether you are poor or rich: we are all involved in this catastrophe, and how can justice be established between those who only have their hands as their tools and those who harvest their products with modern machines that have replaced humans.
We must be responsible consumers and think about what we consume. I’m not saying don’t consume, no: but I’m saying be aware that consumption will have consequences, and I have seen agriculture that could feed all the people in the world with human power if it did not trap these products in its livestock. I have seen fishing that takes care of its catch and protects the wealth of the seas and oceans, and I have seen houses that provide their own energy, such as solar batteries. Unfortunately, only 5,000 people live in such self-sufficient homes. Fortunately, most cities have placed this on their agenda. Today, only a few governments have made renewable energy plans their top priority, and I know that 80% of the energy we consume comes from fossil fuels. In the most populous country in the world, two coal-fired power plants are created every week. While I have also seen power plants that capture the carbon resulting from coal consumption and store it underground instead of releasing it into the atmosphere, it is still unclear whether this is a viable solution for the future. I have seen a power plant that works with geothermal heat and draws its energy from the earth. I have seen a generator that uses the energy of ocean waves to produce electricity by stretching over them. I have seen a forest of wind turbines alongside a sea that supplies 20% of its country’s electricity. Some countries have created 2.5 million jobs from such investments.
Where on Earth does the wind not blow?
And where does it not receive free solar energy?
I have seen costs incurred in the desert under sunlight.
Everything on Earth is interconnected.
The Earth is connected to the Sun: the primary source of energy.
Can’t we learn from plants and harness solar energy?
The sun provides the same amount of energy to the Earth in one hour as all humans consume in one year. Solar energy will exist as long as the Earth exists and will not disappear. What we need to do is to stop destroying the Earth and look to the sky. What we need to do is to take the maximum advantage of solar energy. These are just a few examples of the new knowledge and experiences we have. The new human adventure is based on balance, intelligence, and justice in the distribution of natural resources, and it is time for us to join together. By looking to the future and considering what remains, we can make up for some of the past. We still have half of the world’s forests, thousands of natural rivers, glaciers, lakes, and countless rescued species. We know that the solutions are here and we all have the power to rethink and make changes. It is our duty to make improvements.
So what are we waiting for?