If Earth survives, so shall life There are three ways of looking at World Environment Day, which is being observed today. We can be cynical about UN-mandated days and carry on with our lives without bothering to spare a thought about the state of our environment and the direction towards which we are hurtling at an alarming speed. It's nice to be cynical but cynicism does not yield results; on the contrary, we would only be hastening the arrival of doomsday. Second, we could convert World Environment Day into a fashion statement and thus reduce something as serious as the survival of life on this planet to a frivolous issue, much like the 'social service' done by those who comprise society's thin upper crust. The third option would be to use the occasion for contributing our mite to the noble cause of halting the degradation of our environment and ecological system. This could be done either through deed or word; even encouraging those who shall inherit the planet from us to be mindful of the consequences of their actions can go a long way in halting the rapid environmental degradation, most conspicuously felt through the climate change that we are witnessing across the world. Shall we then plant a sapling today and tell our children to water the plant every day? Or think of innovative means to reduce our energy consumption? Maybe decide to let the family car rest in the garage more often? Or resolve not to use plastic bags, even when they are provided free of cost? It is easy to blame the developed countries for the state of the global environment; after all, their factories have contributed most of the greenhouse gases that are responsible for climate change and global warming. Having inflicted the damage, they are now insisting that developing countries should reverse the process and restore the enviroment back to health. But what about the state of the environment in our own country? Who is to blame for the degradation of our rivers, which sustain life in our villages and our cities and without which much of our land would be barren? The manner in which we have polluted our rivers in the name of development and industrialisation is a shame and a blot on our collective conscience. This is best exemplified by the dumping of industrial and urban waste in Ganga and Yamuna, which are symbols of India's cultural identity and witness to our nation's civilisational history. Other rivers have not been spared, either. The fetid drain to which we have reduced Yamuna in the nation's capital city speaks volumes about civil society's callous indifference and Government's criminal apathy. It is not sufficient to blame politicians and policy-makers; we should also introspect and accept responsibility. Let us then decide to stand up and be counted, to prevent the felling of trees, the poaching of wildlife and the destruction of what remains of that which we inherited from our ancestors in this ancient land.