Events That Spark Hope and Inspiration

Last year, in the month of April, I came to Pabna district. It has been almost a year since I started living here. During this time, many things have fascinated me. Within it, there is a small species of water lily. I had never seen this type of flower before. Along with it, there is a mustard field.

small species of water lily
Small species of water lily

In the place where I used to live before, there were far fewer mustard crops compared to Pabna. However, where the small water lily plants were, construction work has been going on for the past few months. The work is almost finished. A new road has been constructed through the middle of that small stream. Maybe next year, there will no longer be any water lilies blooming there. When I walk by it every day, it makes me feel sad.

At one time, there were plenty of parrots in our village, but now they are no more. Maybe my future generations will never get to see any teals in their lifetime.

When I think about these things, my mind becomes sad. In our Bengali language, there is a song that goes:

মানুষ হইয়া জন্ম লইয়া,
মানুষের করিলাম কি?
Being born as a human being,
What have we done?

These words make me reflect on the actions of humanity and how we have treated the world around us. As humans, we have been given the ability to reason and make conscious decisions, yet we have also caused harm to the environment, animals, and each other. It is important to reflect on our actions and strive towards creating a better world for ourselves and future generations.

When all these incidents are taken into consideration, my mind becomes disturbed. Within all of these incidents, however, some occurrences happen that show us dreams. I have tried to prepare a list of this type by researching the internet resources. Those who are environmentally conscious like me will appreciate it even a little.

We know that on February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. I believe with all my heart that war is not a solution. War is always a lose-lose situation, like a game of two Igor’s. In war, the innocent suffer the most, and they do not even know what the war is all about. Whatever happens, the environmental damage caused by war is always disastrous.

Some countries in the European Union have agreed to reduce the use of fossil fuels to save the environment. However, there is no opportunity to feel good about this decision because they are thinking about the environment.

When Russia invades Ukraine, European countries side with Ukraine. As a retaliation, Russia occasionally cuts off or reduces gas supplies. Since Russia supplies almost 40% of Europe’s gas, European countries are faced with problems due to this hostility from Russia.

Then, they panic. So, what can be done now? Let’s start reducing our dependence on fossil fuels from now on. I call this type of work “Alga Pirith.”

As long as it doesn’t hurt our own interests, we don’t care about it. Whatever the reason may be, if this decision becomes effective, then it is a very good thing.

Sundarbans, which is very close to my home, is a beautiful forest that I am very fond of. During the month of Baishakh, we have almost daily storms in our area, which we call “Kal Boishakhi Jhor“. When I was young, I used to be very scared of the storms, but now I am used to them.

At that time, we had a thatched house. With the wind from the storm, the thatched roof would become empty. I would get scared and go to sleep under a blanket.

In 2007, Cyclone Sidr hit and damaged our kitchen, living room, and cowshed. I just thought, why didn’t Sundarbans stop this storm? I went on a tour of Sundarbans and was mesmerized by its beauty. I was in my third year of university at that time.

One evening, I went to a pond for a swim. The pond is surrounded by a forest and is a popular spot for wildlife, including deer and other animals who come to drink from it. It’s even said that a tiger resides within the forest. Using soap or shampoo is strictly prohibited since animals frequent the area to drink.

As the sun began to set, I noticed a group of at least 20 deer, including some fawns, within the nearby forest. I was in awe of the sight and felt a warmth in my heart at the mere sight of these beautiful creatures.

It’s always such a joy for me to see any kind of baby animal, and the sight of these fawns was no exception. I felt lucky to witness such a breathtaking moment and felt grateful for the opportunity to connect with nature in this way.

As I write this, memories of that evening are still fresh in my mind. If I could capture the memories as a photograph, I would take many pictures. It would surely include these baby deer. During that swim in the pond, I also saw a lot of deer tracks on the shore and even found a tiger track near our friend’s feet. Without looking in any direction, we splashed a little water on our bodies and ran away.

When it can be understood, these creatures will no longer have any benefit, and they will be placed on the list of extinct animals. A circus team left two beautiful tigers in the forest. Later, a team found them and handed them over to the LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. This incident occurred last year. Now they are mostly healthy.

It is a sad reality that many animals are exploited for human benefit, without regard for their well-being or survival. However, there are still people and organizations working tirelessly to protect and preserve these creatures.

In my opinion, most people do not think about electric vehicles, with one of the main reasons being the issue of charging. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t charge my motorcycle or bus on the go, at least not in the realm of electric motors. Therefore, when it comes to long journeys, people have not yet started to consider electric vehicles. However, that may change in the future with new discoveries and inventions.

Until now, we have only seen chargers for mobile phones that are wireless or require a cable. However, a university in Sweden has created a new device that could change the game. This device allows you to recharge electric ferries and trucks, which is a huge step forward. It is a beacon of hope for those who have been concerned about the range of electric vehicles.

When we talk about environmentally friendly power, solar is usually the first thing that comes to mind. However, there is a major issue with this type of technology – solar panels have a limited lifespan. Although the lifespan of a solar panel is around 30-35 years, after that point, recycling becomes a significant challenge.

Recently, I have been inspired to write some articles about home solar panel installation to encourage more people to consider this technology. However, during the writing process, I couldn’t help but think about the end of a solar panel’s life. If I can’t recycle the solar panels I’m using now after 35 years, then the situation will be similar to plastic waste.

The reason is that some unscrupulous businessmen may produce very low-quality solar panels, which may have a lifespan of only 10 years. After that, there is no way to dispose of these panels without causing harm to the environment. However, solar technology is highly adaptable and has seen extensive development over the past 10 years. Despite this, I have always believed that humans can overcome any obstacle if they truly want to, just as they can toss impossible situations aside like a child’s toy.

Researchers at Deakin University in Australia have been working on this issue. They have discovered a new thermal and chemical technique that can extract silicon from old solar panels. This method could potentially address the issue of disposing of solar panels in an environmentally friendly manner.

Norway, to me, seems different from other countries in a comparative way. As I mentioned earlier, I have been writing articles for a few days to encourage the installation of solar panels. I am very fond of birds and animals. If you visit my Facebook profile, you will find pictures of various types of birds. However, those birds or animals are no longer here. I used to make them the main characters of my stories and write environmentally conscious stories.

Anyway, my new client is also very fond of birds and is very aware of the environment.

Screenshot of a message from my animal lover client, dated March 20th, 2023 at 8:24:36 AM, on Upwork platform.
Screenshot of a message from my animal lover client, on Upwork platform.

During the time when I was writing an article, I mentioned the founder of KFC, Colonel Sanders’ age. However, my client requested that I provide a different example instead of using this one. The reason being that by using Colonel Sanders as an example, I am indirectly promoting animal cruelty.

A screenshot of a loving reaction message received when Grandma Moses' name was used as an example instead of KFC.
A screenshot of a loving reaction message received when Grandma Moses’ name was used as an example instead of KFC.

Therefore, I switch to using Grandma Moses’ name as an example.

During this time, I feel like a crusader against environmental pollution, just like those who give lengthy lectures on TV talk shows about the environment but haven’t set foot in a forest in the last 10 years.

On the other hand, my client is comparable to a Norwegian. She thinks about the environment silently and carries out her daily tasks in such a way that there is no harm to the environment in any way.

On April 15th, 2023, a 2.9-kilometer long tunnel will be inaugurated in Norway. This tunnel, named Fyllingsdalstunnelen, will only be accessible to cyclists and pedestrians.

I find it hard to believe that any country would not want to undertake such an initiative.

The country that emits the most carbon is China, followed by the United States. However, there is hope as the United States has sourced 40% or more of their total energy output from carbon-free sources by 2022. This includes a mix of nuclear and hydro power, as well as an increasing amount from solar and wind power.

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