When We Heal the Earth, We Heal Ourselves Essay Example

When We Heal the Earth, We Heal Ourselves Essay Example When We Heal the Earth, We Heal Ourselves Paper When We Heal the Earth, We Heal Ourselves Paper A fringe of life is developed by nature for all living things including man. All life forms follow nature’s commands except man, who has found ways of ignoring them. The sun, the moon and the stars would have disappeared long ago had they happened to be within the reach of predatory human hands. A very good morning to one and all. Today I’m here to share my views with you on the topic â€Å"when we heal the earth, we heal ourselves.† Healing the Earth, our Mother, is something that is more urgent than ever and, hopefully, it is not too late. It is, however, very much true that by healing Mother Earth we will also be healing ourselves and society. Man has gone in for wholesale destruction of species, often because some were interfering with his activities, while others were exploited to the brink of extinction or to extinction. The same has been done with the Earths resources, whether it be wood, minerals, etc. and in the pursuit of profit from those sources entire areas have been clear felled and otherwise destroyed and/or poisoned. The destruction of the rainforests for hardwoods and farming and the destruction of the Appalachian Mountains for coal where entire mountain tops are blown off are but two examples. The overfished seas and poisoned oceans are another. The former for our needs and often for greed, and the latter due to greed with oil spillage, sewage and chemical dumping, etc. No community that is in constant combat with the natural world can ever be a happy one and it will be one that, in the end, loses, and more than just the battle. If we ever win this battle, then we are making the best of efforts, against Nature to make sure we are dead, in the literal sense of the word and all other senses of it too. I have come to believe that the physical destruction of the earth extends to us, too. If we live in an environment thats woundedwhere the water is polluted, the air is filled with soot and fumes, the food is contaminated with heavy metals and plastic residues, or the soil is practically dustit hurts us, chipping away at our health and creating injuries at a physical and psychological level. In degrading the environment, therefore, we degrade ourselves. The reverse is also true. In the process of helping the earth to heal, we help ourselves. We see the earth bleeding from the loss of topsoil, biodiversity, or drought and desertification, and if we help reclaim what is lost and try to save what we have for instance, through regeneration of degraded foreststhe planet will help us in our self-healing and indeed survival. Our house is burning down and we are blind to it. The earth and humankind are in danger and we are all responsible. It is time to open our eyes. Alarms are sounding across all continents. We cannot say we did not know! Never before in the history of humanity seem people have to be so stupid and conceited as they are at this moment in time. Things that should not be done are being doing â€Å"just because we can do it† whether it is playing with a dangerous energy source – in this case nuclear power – or that collider thing in Switzerland where they attempt to recreate the â€Å"Bing Bang† which, if we are unlucky, could also spell then end of the world if they succeed. Let me throw some light on the elixir of life- water Discharge of sewage into the water bodies, such as rivers, lakes and streams is hazardous to human health and also to aquatic flora and fauna. Pollution of water systems may cause outbreak of diseases like diarrhoea, dysentry, cholera, typhoid, etc. Contamination of water with certain chemicals is also a health hazard. Treatment of polluted h2o is important to fight against such deadly diseases. Remember we have one home†¦..we build it or destroy it†¦..it is our own home we gain or lose†¦..

Christmas Traditions Explained for ESL Class

Christmas Traditions Explained for ESL Class Christmas is one of the most important holidays in the English speaking world. There are many Christmas traditions in these countries. The traditions are both religious and secular in nature. Here is a short guide to the most common Christmas traditions. What Does the Word Christmas Mean? The word Christmas is taken from Christs Mass or, in the original Latin, Cristes maesse. Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on this day. Is Christmas Only a Religious Holiday? Certainly, for practicing Christians around the world, Christmas is one the most important holiday of the year. However, in modern times, traditional Christmas festivities have become much less related to the Christ story. Examples of these other traditions include Santa Claus, Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, and others. Why Is Christmas so Important? There are two reasons: 1. There are approximately 1.8 billion Christians in a total world population of 5.5 billion, making it the largest religion worldwide. 2. And, some think more importantly, Christmas is the most important shopping event of the year. It is claimed that up to 70 percent of many merchants annual revenue is made during the Christmas season. It is interesting to note that this emphasis on spending is relatively modern. Christmas was a relatively quiet holiday in the USA until the 1860s. Why Do People Give Gifts on Christmas Day? This tradition most probably is based on the story of the three wise men (the Magi) giving gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh following the birth of Jesus. However, it is important to note that gift giving has only become popular in the last 100 years as figures such as Santa Claus have come to be more important, and emphasis has been shifted to giving gifts to children. Why Is There a Christmas Tree? This tradition was begun in Germany. German immigrants moving to England and the USA brought this popular tradition with them and it has since become a much-loved tradition for all. Where Does the Nativity Scene Come From? The Nativity Scene is accredited to Saint Francis of Assissi in order to teach people about the Christmas story. Nativity Scenes are popular around the world, especially in Naples, Italy that is famous for its beautiful Nativity Scenes. Is Santa Claus Really St. Nicholas? Modern day Santa Claus has very little to do with St. Nicholas, though there are certainly similarities in the style of dressing. Today, Santa Claus is all about the presents, whereas St. Nicholas was a Catholic saint. Apparently, the story Twas the Night before Christmas  has a lot to do with changing St. Nick into modern day Santa Claus. Christmas Traditions Exercises Teachers can use this Christmas traditions reading in class to help start a conversation on how Christmas traditions are different around the world, and whether traditions have changed in their own countries.