Why Don't we Try to Save the Planet

Commended Entry: "Why Don't We Try To Save The Planet" by Aashvi Dalmia from India

This article was submitted in the Kids World Travel Guide Essay Competition 2023 in the Senior Category 12 - 15 years.

Why Don't We Try To Save The Planet

Wildlife - the first thing that comes to mind is the variety of flora and fauna present on our planet. We think of the different colours and scents creating a picturesque scene in our minds – one that induces a sense of calm and reminds us of the sheer magnanimity of our world.

I remember the first time I felt this feeling was on my first safari ever. At the age of nine, I visited South Africa with my family, a place inhabited by the most beautiful wildlife. Spending a day in that forest was magical , my eyes were glued to on the breath-taking view before me. As I looked around there were luscious green trees towering over me. The sweet chirping of the birds filled my ears as we passed through a short, fragrant bush which sprayed water on me.

My ears were on high alert, adamant to catch everyone single sound, desperate to hear a roar but all it got was the wind running through the leaves. My brain could not comprehend the beauty present in the world and it made me wonder why doesn't more of the world look like this. We saw countless animals in their natural habitat, it was fascinating to see how animals lived without the fear of human activity.

The elephants were shaking the ground as they passed by while the cheetahs swiftly ran by. A lion stretched on a rock as it got comfortable and a dark yellow giraffe slowly chewed some leaves. One of my favourite sights was watching a leopard hunt , it ran as fast as possible making no sound and leaped to its prey without warning.

The breath-taking beauty implored me to wonder why we have put the ideas of wildlife conservation at the back burner. The sheer urgency of the matter invoked in me a sense of guilt but perhaps also pushed me in a state of action. As the day ended I had a pit in my stomach, I was wondering why this beauty depreciating and why we are doing doing anything about it.

As soon as I came back home, I decided to find an answer to my question. I scoured the internet to look for people who were making conscious efforts to conserve wildlife. One that inspired me the most was Jane Goodall. She is known to be one of the foremost experts when it comes to in chimpanzees across the world. Goodall realised the monstrosity of human activity; she learnt that chimpanzees were heavily involved in laboratory experiments to find cure for disease. She was resolute about getting these innocent animals out of these horrendous conditions so she conducted research to prove how these conditions are extremely harmful for these animals and set a limit on the no. of chimpanzees used. She even went to the EU and demanded the stop of using animals for medical research. Jane Goodall even collaborated with NASA to understand chimpanzee habitat better and how it can help with conservation of animals.

I personally believe that this is a great step towards wildlife conservation. This planet was meant to be all the species that it inhabits, us humans were never supposed to dominate. We too can contribute to wildlife conservation efforts by donating to institutes that take these steps. We can also make efforts to help restore their habitats, I spent this summer in the mountains near Manali with my school and we spent three days planting trees. This was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. I felt great to be able to contribute in aiding nature, I was able to help avoid the rapid effects of deforestation as well as help create a habitat for wildlife.

If we as humans make an effort to restore the beauty and the balance of the world, we can create a planet that will thrive. A beautiful landscape will also allow us as humans to enjoy the magnificent landscape around us, it will bring us joy and pleasure to spend time in open air and live with nature as one.

Congratulations on your essay "Why Don't We Try To Save The Planet", Aashvi. Thanks so much for your inspirational essay! We fully agree, that nature will bring us joy and pleasure if we live with it as one!

Aashvi Dalmia attends the International School Bangalore in India. English as First Language. Other Home Language is Hindi.