Care for Water: Save Your Planet
Humanity as a race need to forego various differences, required to stand together and act now to reduce the global warming condition of our planet.
“Children! Do you know that water is one such unique element present only on earth’s surface and for which life is possible on this blue planet, out of so many planets and moons present in solar planetary system?
Another interesting phenomenon of this element is that it is present in all the three forms and these distinct forms help in sustenance of life!” shared by our social studies teacher in our elementary class, that the student were listening intently.
In our elementary school, the social science teacher used to be very energetic and enthusiastic person who was introducing lots of stories, fun and facts into the class room, arousing interest of the children to learn more about their surroundings and environment.
On that occasion when she was sharing about the topic of ‘Water on Earth’, she was making many insightful references awakening the interest of her students.
“Can anybody name what are the three forms of water?”
As a sincere geography student, ignited by my granny’s ardent knowledge of earth’s science, enthusiastically I raised my hand to answer teacher’s question.
“Teacher! The water takes all the three forms, in liquid form it is called water, flowing in the river, present in our ponds and wells. In gaseous form it is called water vapor and in solid form, it is called ice and snow.”
With a happy smile she said, “Very good! Thank you.”
In order to encourage the students to think more, she then said, “Let me put you an upgraded question. By any chance do you have any knowledge about how these three forms decide continuity of life on earth?”
I looked around, saw friends were trying to articulate the answer that I already knew from my granny, who was making me learn the text books at home in advance of the school curriculum. I raised my hand once again. She nodded and indicated to answer.
In an enthusiastic voice my answer was, “You know teacher, water is essential for all, so nature has created this liquid in such a way that it flows from upper slope areas to base region and in the process, it quenches the thirst of all the species of animals, birds, plants and humans, thus helps us all to lead a better life. And to continue that flow of water, the water vapor loaded clouds when collide with high mountains, precipitation happens at higher sloppy areas, flows through the river catchments and flows through the rivers to satisfy our need .”
“Good boy! Okay do any one else knows how the solid form of water helps in maintaining life on earth?” The question was little bit difficult for all of us, so we kept on looking at each other’s face as if the other fellow knows the answer.
Looking at her class’s ignorance about the topic, the teacher automatically answered. “Okay! The water in the solid form is called ice and is stored in cryosphere of earth. The water in this zone is present in frozen form like snow and ice on land, ice caps, glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice.
These ice sheet has a unique aspect that its high reflective white surface radiates back the solar radiation and helps in maintaining the earth’s temperature. Simultaneously, during summer, when liquid water in the water bodies gets vaporised and creates water scarcity condition, the ice in the cryosphere slowly melts and satisfy the need.
Another uniqueness of these solid forms of water is that in upper layer of mountainous region, these solid water particles act as a binding factor for the mountain, holding the earth matter together, keeping the mountain form intact.
In another word you can say, stability in the cryosphere is essential in maintaining world’s climate, reduce landslide and avalanches, continuity of water supply for all the species and agricultural production for humans.”
In current scenario when repeated news visuals of multiple avalanches, landslides and subsequent human sufferings in the Himalayan and other mountainous region of India are coming up since the beginning of the monsoon of 2025, the elementary school learning popped-up in my mind. I
t is indicating about the gravity of the worsening global warming situation which is interfering into the cryosphere of the earth system.
The disturbances in the global atmosphere and the earth’s cryosphere are creating conducive environment for big disasters to unfold like massive flood, drought, land slide etc., that has a consequential impact on the survival issues.
Humanity as a race need to forego various differences, required to stand together and act now to reduce the global warming condition of our planet.
Otherwise down the line after a couple of decades, the earth may turn out to be unsupportive to hold life. The world, that embraced humans since thousands of years, helping them to flourish, may become hostile and uncooperative for the human civilisation only because of the global warming.
Now it’s the time that we act together and make it a liveable planet for the future generations, as someone rightly said, “We have not inherited this planet from our forefathers, but borrowed it from our children”
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