The human mind navigates the world and its challenges using three primary mental tools – instinct, emotion and reason. While instinct and emotion are intrinsic, reason is acquired through experiences and observations. Since the dawn of civilization, humans have come a very long way owing to their intellectual curiosity and innovative mindset.
By sharpening our minds, we could harness the power of the resources around us and could use them for our advantage. Unlike other animals, the humans are constantly seeking answers to much deeper questions of life and existence. We are always chasing purpose in life, because we believe that everything in the world exists to play a part in the larger scheme of things. This social and intellectual edge over other species is what sets us apart from the rest. This realization is also accompanied by a responsibility and a duty to never let this intellectual superiority become the premise for unfair dominance over and exploitation of the other species.
Unfortunately, today man is putting his greed before natural balance and universal harmony. We are causing irreparable and irreversible damage to nature and other living beings, and this is in turn deteriorating the quality of our lives. Small changes and interventions in nature are rippling into bigger ones that will eventually decide the fate of mankind. A disturbing example of this is the danger of extinction of bees, which poses serious threat to mankind by disturbing the pollination process of several plants, essential for the ecosystem. In another alarming instance, there are speculations of wars happening over fresh waters. Such happenings time and again establish that we must adapt with nature and not try to dominate it.
As supposedly the most intelligent and social species to tread the earth, we need to protect the
nature and other life forms in order to sustain the world. By taking the world for granted, we are
only testing its limits and making way for its wrath. Today, we have most number of people the earth
has ever housed, and hence we need resources and opportunities for them on a magnanimous scale.
Whatever we do today, be it inventing latest technologies, bringing out a revolution in connectivity
and transit or creating the legacy of our civilization through built environments, must be in line with
our concern for our environment.
While we are making homes and built environments at an unprecedented rate, the construction
sector contributes to 23% of air pollution, 40% of drinking water pollution, and 50% of landfill
wastes. Similarly, as we redefine fashion and fame, the fashion production makes up 10% of
humanity’s carbon emissions, dries up water sources, and pollutes rivers and streams. As we work
on futuristic technologies, the technology industry will constitute 15% of global emissions by 2040.
Hence, on hand we are working on our present and the future, but at the cost of the stability and
health of the Earth. As Architects and designers, it is our duty to bring a positive difference in environment, since we are professionals and critical thinkers who play a major role in connecting people with places and the environment. If we wish to sustain our growth, we must align it with nature and exist as a part of nature, rather than assuming its control.
Construction industry Source: https://archdesk.com/blog/how-does-construction-affect-theenvironment/#:~:text=Some%20try%20to%20pretend%20that,and%2050%25%20of%20landfill%20
wastes.
Fashion industry source:
https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/sustainablefashion/#:~:text=Fashion%20production%20makes%20up%2010,of%20microplastics%20into%20the
%20ocean.
IT Industry source: https://madeintandem.com/blog/environmental-impact-techindustry/#:~:text=An%20Increasing%20Number%20of%20Devices,entire%20world’s%20transportati
on%20sector%20emissions.
