Taking blue skies for granted

We human beings are always taking the good things in life for granted. Take for example, the blue sky that greets you every morning when you walk out of the front door.

I have been expecting and receiving blue skies for decades,until recently when the haze from a nearby country swept into our region (Southeast Asia). For weeks, the sky was grayish and was definitely dirty.
Breathing became laboured for most of us who travel daily on the road. For a while back there, it was depressing. Nature which used to grant us all kinds of favours was not amused anymore.
The shifting cultivators in Kalimantan, Sumatra and other Indonesian islands were burning up patches of the jungle and forest indiscriminately. At one point, satellites spotted close to 900 hot spots from the orbit.
Suddenly, the entire situation became quite grim. Doctors were doing good business. Bronchial problems became common. I developed a cold that wouldn't leave me for about seven days. Normally, the flu bug normally takes up residence in my body for only 24 hours before I give it the heave-ho!
Today, I read in the newspapers that the depletion of the ozone layer over earth's atmosphere is alarmingly large. Just about a week ago, Tony Blair (British PM) had one of his environment experts pronouncing dire warnings about global warming.
It's all coming together, if you know what I mean. If the earth thinks it can survive very well without some positive contribution to the well being of a living planet, it is becoming quite apparent that the planet will strike back.
It bears logic that if you don't after your backyard, it is not going to grant your the favours that you deserve. In many industrialised countries and in continents where manufacturing and other industrial activities are taking place, signs are seen on the ground and in the sky that all's not well.
Soon, and here we are talking about perhaps a decade or two, the process will become hazardous to our health. Yes, we probably have to go into damage control when the alarm bells ring. However, by then, the death toll will indicate that once again, man has committed another colossel error in managing earth.
It is so strange that while we are making so much fuss over wars, potential regional conflicts and life-threatening diseases, we are also neglecting with impunity the planet we call home.
It is like setting the roof of your home on fire and still have meals in the dining room. It really makes no sense. Where are all the so-called intelligent people on earth? Have they left for another planet?
At this rate, we really don't have to worry too much about AIDS, cancer or bad food because we are going to die while jogging on our tracks. The tragedy of it all is that death will come in instalments.
It won't be that funny once the process starts. Scientists will as usual have their two-cent worth of expert advice. There will be as many expert views as there are researchers who are willing to give their opinions.
World leaders will call for summits, conferences and seminars to address these pressing issues. Some people are of the opinion that we can stop worrying about nuclear bombs and uranium enrichment programmes because the badly abused environment will smack us right in the face.
As an individual I have taken so many good things in life for granted, starting with the blue sky that I mentioned in the beginning of this passage.
If all the so-called clever scientists in the world can find the moral courage to get together to plead their case in front of their governments, perhaps there might still be some hope for the people on earth. Otherwise, it is going to be a long road to hell.
I wish there was someone out there brave enough to call me an alarmist. It's probably a little too late. The signs are all out there for everybody to see. If we are blind, that's fine. We have other things to worry about but for the rest of the 6.5 billion on earth, it's not going to be rock and roll.
This line: "Life is not what it used to be" is going to be heard more often now. I wish I have more reassuring words for the younger generation but the only thing I can say to them right now is "sorry, the adults have really fouled things up this time."
Life is no longer going to be a bed of roses because the roses are dying. Environment neglect and land abuse are gateways to touching base with death. I guess we have touched that once too often. Now, Death is knocking at our door, regardless where we are residing on earth.
It's no longer funny. Notice, I am not laughing anymore.