The Footprints of Mankind in Today’s Ecological Crisis

Written by Juan Diego Crucillo
Illustrated by Zamanttha Zyrah V. Sahidulla
Posted on December 3, 2020 | 4:00 PM

With back-to-back storms ravaging the country, the Philippines is scrambling to recover from the damages they have caused. We were warned of the destruction that typhoon Rolly, regarded as the world's strongest tropical cyclone in 2020, would bring to the country. No sooner when Rolly left, two tropical storms ravaged the country - Severe Tropical Storm Siony and Tropical Storm Tonyo. However, it was typhoon Ulysses that caught everyone by surprise, which resulted in chest-high floods submerging parts of Metro Manila and the provinces of Isabela, Cagayan, Rizal, and Camarines Sur. 

Typhoons are nothing new to Filipinos. The geographic location of the Philippines beside ocean waters means the country is at risk of intense and frequent tropical storms. Within this decade, the country has encountered strong typhoons like Ondoy and Yolanda. With strong winds and heavy rainfalls, the country is prone to experience flash floods and landslides. Stronger typhoons are a result of today’s ecological crisis. The present day features a lot of technological advancement and industrial development; however, it has created a lot of negative impacts on the environment, damaging creation and risking the poor. 

Global Warming is the gradual increase of temperature of the planet. It is driven by greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and certain synthetic chemicals, that trap heat inside the atmosphere of the planet. Vehicles, power plants, and factories produce those by burning up fuel to generate energy. In 2019, the average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces increased 0.95°C from the 20th century average of 13.9°C, making it the second-warmest year recorded. Although it may seem small, the increase has drastic effects on our planet. It caused severe heat waves, floods, droughts, and typhoons in countries with warm climates, like the Philippines.  The warming world would melt the ice caps at the polar regions leading to the rise of sea levels. Climate models suggest that if the increase in temperature would not be controlled, sea levels would rise at least 12 inches that could inundate cities lying along the coastline. 

Another problem that has threatened our environment for the past decades is deforestation. In a study conducted by a team from the University of Maryland, one and a half acres of forest are cut down every second. In 2018, the tropics lost around 12 million hectares of tree cover. Forest fires have become more frequent, with fires recorded across Amazon, Indonesia, and Africa last 2019. In the Philippines, the documentary, Our Planet, recorded about 90% loss of our natural rainforest. Forests and trees play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity in the environment. They are home to a diverse range of flora and fauna that are native to countries. When we experience typhoons, the roots of the trees absorb flood water and support the soil, avoiding higher floods and devastating landslides. In the aftermath of Typhoon Ulysses, there were calls to save Sierra Madre, the longest mountain range in the country, from the construction of Kaliwa Dam. Sierra Madre has been the natural shield of the country against typhoons from the Pacific Ocean. It also helps in reducing the strength of the winds and height of floods experienced in Luzon. By cutting down trees, we destroy the homes of living creatures and expose ourselves to greater damages from natural disasters. 

For the expense of development and profit, countries are promoting economic growth by the exploitation of natural resources. Humans continue to extract fossil fuels, excavate minerals, collect sand, cut down trees, and degrade soil at an alarming rate. The abuse of ecosystems has enduring consequences for future allocation of natural resources as we are slowly exhausting their availability. The sad truth is that degraded ecosystems may not recover immediately or naturally despite interventions against exploitation. The World Wide Fund (WWF)  for Nature warns that the exploitation is causing an enormous deficit as we continue to consume resources at a rapid rate. If it is not solved, 2.5 planets are needed to supply Earth in 2050. However, planets that can sustain life are millions of light years away; thus, risks of extinction even of the human race will be in a much higher risk by that time. 

We are also living in a world of pollution. As we continue to consume the resources available, we generate more waste that would take thousands of years to decompose. According to the World Bank Researchers, the world makes at least 3.5 million tons of solid waste a day. If no immediate action is taken, the researchers estimate that the figure would increase to 11 million tons. Additionally, the World Economic Forum reported that by 2050, plastic waste in the oceans would outweigh the amount of fishes present. There are an estimated 5.25 trillion plastic particles floating in the oceans today. Moreover, the air we breathe today is filled with emissions from vehicles, by-products of manufacturing and power generation, and fumes from chemical production. Air pollution is now classified as a carcinogen that can affect the health of human cells. With so much impurities in our environment, it seems that we are already thriving on a filthy planet.

If these problems in our environment will not be resolved immediately, the ecosystem we live in will be adversely affected. In the 2019 Global Assessment by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem, 1 million of an estimated 8 million species of animals and plants worldwide are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss, exploitation, climate change, and pollution. It is alarming that the living creatures today share the same fate--pitiful life in the hands of humans. Their population is being depleted by habitat loss and illegal hunting.

The people below the poverty line are at risk of facing the extreme consequences of the degradation of our environment. For the densely populated slum areas in the urban cities, the effects are already a harsh reality for them. They do not have the capacity to prepare for and cope with natural disasters, like typhoons, floods, and droughts; however, they are at the forefront of those calamities. They face uncertainties on how to start all over again without much financial support; while some lose their poorly-built houses. Due to their economic stature, they could not easily access healthcare services. Therefore, the environmental conditions continue on marginalizing them, without any hope for decent recovery and livelihood. 

In the time of much-needed environmental awareness, Pope Francis issued his encyclical Laudato Si’, a call for moral responsibility for the care of creation and the poor. It tells us the symbiotic relationship with nature, where human health and economic health are linked to the health of our Common Home. He believes that human activities are the root cause of climate change and the ecological crisis we are currently facing. The encyclical urges us to realize that the continuous development of the world at the expense of earth’s resources is a false economy. It encourages us to protect integratedly the creations of God and the lives of the poor.

The best gift for the future generations is giving them a world where nature prospers and everyone lives freely of ecological and economical problems. Definitely, the quality of life for them depends on our actions today. So, how can we respond to Pope Francis’ call for the protection of our Common Home? 

First, we should lessen our waste production. We could use recyclable and reusable materials instead of the single-use ones. As much as possible, we should conserve water. Although it is a renewable resource, we should still give other people access to clean water. Also, throw your trash directly into trash bins. If there is none available, then bring it with you until you find one. Walk or ride a bike instead of using a car when going to places. It is both good for your health and for the environment.  Additionally, we should engage in sustainable development, where the needs of the present do not affect the needs of the future. The trees that have been cut down should be replaced and the oceans that have been filled with trash should be cleaned. Lastly, we must spread awareness about the condition of our planet today. There are some people who seem to be ignorant because they are not affected directly. We need to echo the cries of our environment by creating immediate actions to halt and reverse this crisis.

Pope Francis encourages us to be “the protectors of Creation, protectors of God’s plans inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment.” We are not just part of nature, but we are one with it as well. By saving our planet, we also save ourselves and for the people to come. There are tons of ways to help our planet, it all boils down to whether you create an action or not. The evolution of mankind relies on the quality of the environment. If we will not create immediate actions today, then the lives of the future generations will be at risk. Will you allow the environment today to be a memory for posterity? Our Earth protected us, it is just right to save our planet as well.