Does technology owe ecology an apology Essay Example

beautifully decorated with rose and raat ki raani plants, emitting a delightful fragrance into the air while accompanied by a delicate cucumber creeper.

I and my father were sitting in our garden, lazily glancing at the photos and headlines while my father leisurely read the newspapers. Meanwhile, my mother tended to her kitchen garden, and my younger brother watered the plants. These moments of calm and tranquility are the ones I impatiently wait for throughout the whole week. The sweet twittering of the Taylor bird and the singing of the koyal added a melodious and heart-melting music to the scenic beauty of the creepers and flowering buds.

Out of nowhere, the peaceful atmosphere was interrupted by strange sounds coming from behind the bush. These were soon followed by tapping noises on the tin roof of our attached garage. Suddenly, a group of pigeons flew off the roof, revealing a swarm of menacing monkeys that leapt onto the gate of our garden. This unexpected sight left my brother terrified and my mother confused. Without hesitation, we abandoned our belongings outside and hurried into our house to seek safety.

Counting the monkeys was a difficult task due to their continuous and erratic movement. Additionally, more monkeys were arriving in small numbers, resembling waves hitting the shore. Some of the monkeys had their babies attached to their bellies, which created a comical scene. It felt as though we were the animals and they were spectators who had come with their families to witness a mischievous monkey species that couldn't be left outside.

After some time, the influx of monkeys subsided, leaving behind litter and debris in our yard, akin to seaweed and

seashells left by receding waves. My mother was furious as the monkeys had destroyed her grown plants, stolen all the fruits, and left no sign of any flowers or buds. My brother was terrified, while my book-loving father searched for a solution to the "Monkey Menace" in his books and sought advice from the officer-in-charge.

While attempting to calm my mother and empathize with my brother, my mind was preoccupied. However, one question lingered in my thoughts: “Does their behavior stem from our actions?” In our relentless pursuit for urbanization, we invade their habitats, seizing their land as we expand our cities daily. Our insatiable desire for progress leads to the destruction of their lush and vital forests, replaced by artificial and decorative greenery crafted by humans who only know how to exploit. Consequently, they are not only deprived of their land but also their sources of sustenance.

And those of us who steal without shame blame them when they demonstrate their willingness to survive, despite our efforts to suffocate them! This issue is not only with the so-called 'Monkey Menace' but also with wild animals like civet cats, pythons, and sambhar deer roaming homeless in cities of North India. Even in the mountainous areas around Rishikesh in the North of India, we encounter many langurs. Particularly on Laxman Jhula, these animals fearlessly climb pylons and beg for food from travelers passing by.

When begging fails to lead to satisfaction, various radical methods are employed, such as continuously asking for food or forcibly snatching it. These animals have adapted well to the modern lifestyle of humans, with one foot in the urban cities and the other in the

wilderness of the Shivalik hills. On a larger scale, we witness similar catastrophic effects of human actions in India. Vultures, positioned at the top of the food chain in the Indian habitat as scavengers feeding on dead animals, have been greatly impacted in recent years due to the widespread use of painkillers, particularly Diclofina, in cows.

Originally, this painkiller was utilized by humans and later extended to cattle. Unfortunately, it has proven to be harmful to vultures' livers, resulting in their demise. Due to their ignorance of the fact that the cows they preyed upon had ingested Diclofinac, the vultures consumed the carcasses and suffered fatal consequences. Consequently, nearly all Indian vultures have perished, with only about 1% remaining. This has led to a proliferation of diseases and pollution through the decomposition of dead cattle's bodies. Additionally, disposing of these carcasses has become an expensive burden for the government.

Later reforms resulted in the ban of Diclofinac, which was a significant loss. Now, vultures are considered a protected species in India and are kept in special medical care to encourage breeding and population growth. Additionally, due to excessive hunting by humans in the past centuries, the Dodo and the Great Auk have become extinct in the Antarctic region. Many organizations raise concerns about these issues, but only a few acknowledge the underlying problems and work towards addressing them.

Human activities, specifically the unregulated cutting of trees, have caused severe harm to these animals and are also contributing to the worldwide occurrence referred to as "The Green House Effect". The 'Thar' desert area in Rajasthan once had flourishing forests; however, they were gradually destroyed because of the growing need

for wood and land. Consequently, the elimination of trees resulted in a rapid decrease in the water table and atmospheric moisture levels, ultimately leading to the dry and infertile soil observed today.

The soil in this region has become infertile and inappropriate for plant growth, leading to a notable decline in the tree population. As a result, certain areas of the desert now possess only a limited number of shrubs. In Ethiopia, human-induced deforestation caused an alarming decrease in forest coverage from 40% to just 4% within 108 years. Research suggests that approximately 6 million hectares of tropical forests are annually cleared for timber, land, and other tree-related products. By 1950, almost half of the world's trees had been felled, putting numerous species at risk.

The process of deforestation leads to an increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Trees play a crucial role in absorbing the carbon dioxide emitted during fuel burning. This excess carbon dioxide creates a layer that permits the entry of heat and infra-red rays from the sun, but restricts their escape after being reflected off the earth's surface. Consequently, global warming ensues and temperatures rise worldwide.

The melting polar ice caps, caused by global warming, are responsible for the increase in ocean water levels. This poses a threat to low-lying areas and major cities such as London and Mumbai may be submerged by rising waters as soon as 2021. Furthermore, global warming disturbs the yearly climate cycle and leads to imbalances in temperature and weather patterns.

In north India, the winter seasons usually lasted until the last week of January. However, last year it persisted until the third week of February. This alteration

in season duration has had a notable effect on bird and butterfly migration patterns, causing a delay in pollination and consequently resulting in a rise in food availability. Furthermore, unseasonable rains during harvesting in northern India have led to a decline in wheat crop yield and scarcity of wheat grains. Regrettably, these circumstances have left many susceptible farmers feeling disheartened and some even resorting to suicide.

There are concerns that 'Global warming' could warm the ocean and heat the water, leading to cloud formation. These clouds might create a protective layer that shields the Earth from heat, possibly causing an ice age over time. Personally, I believe in replanting trees if they are cut down, but some people resist creating artificial environments for tree growth and suggest preserving their natural habitats instead. They argue for us to stop encroaching on their territory and focus on our own.

In addition, environmentalists are protesting against China's construction of a road in the Himalayas due to its potential harm to animal habitats. I fully support this cause as it threatens the existence of unique species found in the Himalayan region that have survived over time. This road construction poses a significant obstacle to their survival, particularly affecting sensitive species like Lichens which have medicinal properties and represent a mutual symbiosis between fungi and algae.

These species are highly fragile and exceptionally vulnerable to pollution, limiting their presence to polar and deserted regions of the world. However, completing this road will result in a significant increase in tourism, leading to more cars being used in the area. Any damage to the unstable and delicate landscape could potentially unleash a catastrophic landslide, avalanche,

or earthquake, resulting in the destruction of numerous species. Unfortunately, humans are often driven by greed and selfishness, even if they just require a room to stay.

'Why should we clear acres of land for more than our requirements? Why don't we save it for tomorrow?' Today, humans have excessively used natural resources to the point where there is a coming shortage. Instead of taking responsibility for their own actions, humans only spoil and blame nature for the disastrous effects. The invention of power was a significant development that has forever changed our way of life. However, the misuse of this knowledge and technology led to the creation of warfare bombs. Furthermore, with the introduction of nuclear power, devastating atom/nuclear nukes emerged, causing colossal effects.

I believe that if humans could limit themselves to their basic needs and reuse saved resources, the condition of the Earth and other species would be improved. In all the cases mentioned above, technology has played a significant role in providing power, machines, knowledge, and more. However, it is ultimately humans who influence the impact and outcomes of technology. Technology has opened doors for a better lifestyle through the introduction of tools and machines. It would be illogical to claim that technology is solely responsible for ecological issues; in fact, it has given us the knowledge to improve the ecology.

Primitive technology was in the form of fire and weapons used for hunting by primates, proving to be crucial and beneficial. In the early 19th century, technology became vital in fighting diseases and epidemics by providing medical knowledge and medicines. Today, technology plays a scientific and technical role by offering the latest gizmos

and gadgets, satisfying our quest for knowledge.