Restoring Our Earth

Amber Amir, Hounslow

Every year on the 5^th of June, we celebrate World Environment Day. However, what is this day actually about? Well, the basic purpose of this day is to raise awareness about how we can protect the environment. It centres around the actions that we can take as individuals to sustain the world that we live in. Every year, there’s a different theme to focus on and in 2021, this theme is Ecosystem restoration. This topic encompasses the recovery of ecosystems that have become degraded but it also emphasises the importance of conservation. As mentioned by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), “the earth is green and beautiful and Allah has appointed you his stewards over it”. Therefore, as Ahmadi Muslims, and just as humans, we have a responsibility to preserve the Earth, as Allah gave it to us.

Now, how can we do this? Perhaps, one of the most obvious ways that we can help to save our environment is through recycling – instead of throwing plastic packaging in the bin, throw it away in your recycling bin. It doesn’t take much time at all but has an incredible impact on the world. For instance, recycling just one tonne of paper saves 17 trees; 4000 KW of energy (the amount of energy needed to power a home for a year); 380 gallons of oil; 7000 gallons of water and approximately 3 cubic metres of landfill space. After reading this, there should be no reason for not recycling.

Another way we can protect our environment is through aiding local ecosystems. For example, planting a tree or simply having a bird feeder in your garden can make a huge difference. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated himself “Whoever plants a tree and diligently looks after it until it matures and bears fruit is rewarded”. We can use the example of the tree as a microcosm of Earth. Islam clearly states that we should take care of Earth, so who are we to dispute this fact?

Furthermore, it is particularly important to consider the legacy we will leave behind for future generations. If we destroy our planet, how will future generations thrive? His Holiness,  Mirza Masroor Ahmad , highlighted the significance of this at the 15^th Annual Peace Symposium UK. He stated, ‘striving to protect the environment and to look after our planet is an extremely precious and noble cause’. The environment is incredibly necessary to our everyday lives, and we can physically not survive without it. Therefore, it is our duty to protect the world.

However, in this speech, His Holiness also highlighted that the protection of the environment should not be the only issue tackled with urgency. He said, “people living in the world’s poorest nations do not concern themselves with the environment, or the latest figures on carbon emissions; rather they wake up each day wondering if they will be able to feed their children”. Wealth inequality is a rapidly increasing issue across the world. Poverty is becoming a widespread phenomenon, and as highlighted by His Holiness many people struggle to even get access to clean drinking water. If we are protecting our environment, should we not make it our duty to protect those who live in it as well? Every child, who grows up in poverty, is likely to remain there and this issue becomes exacerbated with each generation.

So, as we celebrate World Environment Day, we should remember that whilst the protection of our environment is highly valued, there are other issues that should receive the same amount of significance from us.