A MOTHER's PLEA

8/18/2019 A MOTHER's PLEA

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A MOTHER’S PLEA

Ma. Aiza San Pedro Santos

My dear children hear my plea. I am now suffering an ache beyond physical

pain. It is an agony that strikes through my very core, a grief that dominates my

entire soul. I crave for your attention. For many centuries I’ve been imploring you

to notice, and yet you remain numb and insensitive. You failed to notice the signs

I’m giving you. Have you just forgotten, or are you really uncaring and negligent?

Then, let me remind you once more. On your mind I’ll let you create a picture of

the grief that I’m suffering. My air, the breath of life, has now become a poison. Your various activities

have been the causes. Your industry has improved, in some ways, yes. But it also

brought contamination to my once pure and safe air. You may have improved

your means of transportation, but the burning of your vehicle fuel just increased

the amount of nitrogen oxide in my air by 690 percent. Now, my atmosphere is amixture of pollutants- carbon monoxide from your car, sulfur dioxide from your

power – generating facilities, lead, nitrogen and particulates from your industries,

volatile compounds, and even methane from your solid wastes. Before, a gulp of

healthy air brings you life; now it could bring you death.

Haven’t you noticed the change in climate? Global warming has beenrapid. This is because of the greenhouse gases- carbon dioxide, methane,

nitrous oxide, ozone, and synthetic chemicals like chlorofluorocarbon and sulfur

hexafluoride trapped in my atmosphere. Some of these gases naturally occur in

my atmosphere, but most of them are produced at a record level by your


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activities, in your industries, and products. Do you know that this global warming

could affect your health? Even plants and animals will suffer. The weather,

glacial ice, the sea level and wildlife will also be affected.

My lands have been barren. The soil that had been very fertile a long time

ago had grown very tired and fruitless. Your unhealthy soil management methods

have degraded my soil quality. The chemicals you use in your fertilizers,

insecticides, and pesticides interfere with my natural soil process and destroy my

useful soil organisms. Your solid wastes are dumped everywhere. Plastics, paper,

metals, woods, etc. are just some of the loads of rubbish you plunk on my once

beautiful face.My waters are now dead. Industrial pollutants overcrowd my once clean

and clear water systems. Your sewage system is very poor. Before, my waters

are filled with healthy aquatic life. Now it is loaded with toxic wastes. Your solid

wastes carried off from the land are floating in my waters; they replaced the

teeming population of aquatic resources. . Most of them look very unpleasantnow; none of my young ones would be able to swim in it. Remember, my children

every organism needs water. Don’t let the time comes, when you don’t have even

a single drop to drink.

My precious minerals are now almost gone. You’ve used almost all of it

And yet you’re not contented. You’re destroying me to find the rest of my

hidden wealth.

Most of my other creatures are now in extinction. You hunted them mostly

for pleasure, for fun. And most of them died because the natural habitat they

used to have is now savagely destroyed by your doings. I allowed you to cut my


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tress, to use them for your needs, but you don’t know how to replace what you’ve

taken. Now, my forests are almost gone. My wildlife has lost their home.

Our Creator appointed you as our caretaker, for you are the most

intelligent among my children. Yes, you are indeed very intelligent, you are above

my any other children, but you have been irresponsible. You have forgotten your

responsibilities because you are blinded by your modernity and technology. You

are wise, and yet your sight is clouded by your desire to fly higher. I let you soar

high; make use of me and what I have to achieve what you want, but you have

become ungrateful.

Now that it is almost too late, some of your brothers and sisters started toact. But most of you failed to listen.

My dear children, I beg you to hear me. I’m happy for you when you achieve

success, but please don’t set aside my welfare. Work for your wellbeing, but as

you advance with your technology and expand your wisdom, may you include me

in your development. May you learn to be humble and look back on your roots, your lowly beginnings. I and my other creatures depend on you. YOU ARE

OUR ONLY HOPE.

Despite all these, you still have my trust… and my love.

-Mother Earth

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A MOTHER's PLEA