My Climate Story: No Longer a Distant Tale
Gurugram, India
2024, Junior, Creative Writing
For some time now, we have been educated about climate change as a gradual change in Earth’s climatic patterns, due to human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes, which emit greenhouse gases. I find it ironic how over centuries our relationship with nature has transformed. While our ancient civilizations revered nature as a manifestation of divinity, today we are degrading it by cutting down trees and polluting rivers. I live in Gurgaon in India where climate concerns were once negligible. Summers, once at 38°C, now scorches at 48°C. Climate change, once a distant concept, now dramatically impacts our day-to-day routines.
As I welcome summer, I look forward cherishing two simple pleasures; savouring seasonal fruits and relishing the freedom of outdoor activities. However, this year, my expectations were not met. A city where once the vibrant hues of myriad mango varieties adorned every fruit shop, has been transformed into a with a mere handful of lacklustre options at inflated prices. I remember, as a family we would sit on the floor and eat lots of mangoes. My mother would artistically cut the mangoes evenly while are father told us about his summer days. My sister would eat the pieces slowly and I would get messy enjoying the pulpy flesh around the seed. Lamentably, those days have disappeared. With temperatures reaching a 50°C, as a sportsperson, I’ve felt a first-hand impact. Heatstroke, asthma attacks and fainting have become common amongst the young and elderly, which proffers a risk in terms of low school attendance, risk playing outside, and spending time under the sun.
As we have holidays, we set off for our annual visit to my grandparents’ house in Jodhpur. This time all my cousins, aunts, and uncles were gathered together. Unfortunately, as the days followed everyone began to succumb to illness and gradually fell extremely ill. Some had severe stomach aches, some had diarrhoea, while others lost their appetite entirely and struggled to muster the strength for basic movements. My sister’s collapse, her head meeting the ground, marked the apex of our fear. The air thickened with worry, watching her suffer epistaxis. Instead of cherishing these moments, we were isolated and occupied recovering. The cause of this, evidently was climate change. As followers of Jainism, our monks follow extreme practices of non-violence. They walk barefooted, cover their mouths with cloth to prevent harming bacteria, and drink very little water because we believe water holds life. Due to heatstroke, the loss of six revered monks left us grieving and teary-eyed, mourning the lives lost.
I’ve observed in my neighbourhood, how climate change touches every life. Local farmers witness their diminishing crops as floods occur unpredictably. Warming atmosphere increases evaporation, amplifying moisture, escalating rainfall, causing immense flooding. My relatives, stewards of a farm in Bihar, face the heartbreak of seeing their crops washed away by intense floods every second day. As people increasingly shift to purchasing basic necessities like groceries and clothing online, a dual-dilemma poses. First, the hardworking impoverished souls who laboriously set up fruit and vegetable stalls struggle to make ends meet, surviving on a fraction of a meal each week. Secondly, the toll on the delivery-men is evident, as they endure the heat and often fall sickness. The milkman, the newspaper carrier—all find their livelihoods imperilled despite their dedication day in and out.
This is the harsh reality of not only my locality, but the entire planet. But what steps can we take? While we possess enough solutions, the question remains – are we integrating them into our lives? As a family, we have taken small steps such as conserving energy in our homes, adopting a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and legumes, reducing our reliance on unnecessary plastics, and selecting lead-free fuels. They may seem small, but have a profound impact. I have involved myself in many initiatives taken within the society. Weekly tree-planting drives, clean-up campaigns, and educational workshops on sustainable-living. One notable project is the community garden, which promotes local food production and reduces our carbon footprint. These efforts have fostered a sense of unity among the residents.
As I share my story, I’m sure many young individuals will relate to it. We need to come together, acknowledge the overlooked and listen to the unheard. The moment has come for us to awaken to the harsh truth –it’s no longer a fictional tale but a threat to our own existence. After all, there is no ‘Planet B’.
Work Cited
Reflection
When I first heard about this competition, I knew very little about climate change. I spent almost a week reading and researching before I began writing. Throughout the process, my younger sister was always by my side, watching me write. Whenever I felt overwhelmed or struggled with ideas, she encouraged me to keep going. Creative writing is something that means a lot to me. It's my form of therapy, helping me navigate through different emotions. As I crafted this essay, I couldn't help but think about the people around me. A sudden wave of realization about the true impact of climate change washed over me. Writing this essay has taught me so much, and it has truly heightened my awareness. I urge those around me to consider their decisions carefully and stay informed. I poured my heart into what I wrote, expressing my feelings, thoughts, and perspectives through words that I hope will resonate with those who read it. The experience of writing this essay was truly wonderful.