Our earth is the only home we have during our lifetime – we must ensure we are protecting and nurturing the very environment that helps keep us alive. What will you do to start protecting our earth? Â
Our earth is the only home we have during our lifetime – we must ensure we are protecting and nurturing the very environment that helps keep us alive. What will you do to start protecting our earth? Â
Our earth remains one of the most beautiful and sure signs from Allah – the powerful and inspiring landscapes, nature, and wildlife that make up our natural world is a testament to the beauty of Allah’s creation.
We, therefore, have a duty upon us to help protect and nurture this beautiful earth – with the growing spread of harmful damage to the environment and disregard for the protection of natural habitats and wildlife, our earth continues to suffer under the relentless growth of uncontrolled capitalism and consumerism.
The Holy Quran reminds us:
And the earth – We spread it out and cast therein firmly set mountains and made grow therein [something] of every beautiful kind…Giving insight and a reminder for every servant who turns [to Allah].”
In an attempt to help foster a movement and discussion around how we all can help protect and love the natural beauty around us while supporting our environment, here are just 5 ways you can help:
1. Become Knowledgable with the Science
First things first – you must become knowledgable with the science. No one is asking you to become a top expert in the field of climate change or environmentalism – all it takes is for you to take the time to read the news and reports coming from scientists themselves. Read or watch videos from institutes, scientists, and professors who know what they are talking about – and learn about how serious the situation is around stopping the growing damage to our environment.
Many politicians and corporations will deny the science or the importance in helping protect and nurture our natural world – what benefit does it give them? We must stand on the side of those indigenous groups (many of whom continue to be killed or silenced in places like Brazil and the US) and many others who are fighting to help protect our earth from greedy and harmful corporations.
2. Share Information with Close Friends/Family and the Community
It remains more important than ever to share information – in our globalized world today, simply sharing information can make an enormous difference. Make sure your family and friends are aware of what you’ve learned – and encourage others to become active learners and share their information too.
Try getting involved in the community – if you have the resources, why not encourage your mosque or local community center to establish programs or events on environmentalism and climate change? You can suggest and encourage your local imam to speak on these issues too – getting community leaders and groups involved will help encourage so many others to take climate change seriously.
3. Take Small Steps Within Your Own Home to Cut Back on Waste
Every person can make a difference – and sometimes it is the smallest acts of sincerity that will make the biggest impact. Try changing small things around your own home to help cut down on waste and the harmful effects it does to the environment – and perhaps this will lead to greater changes within your own life as well.
For example, try reducing the amount of paper, tissue, and plastic you use. Many of us use paper towels unnecessarily in the kitchen – try switching to clothes or reusable wipes to clean. Instead of using plastic wrap for leftover foods, why not use reusable containers? Cutting down on the amount of water and electricity is also important – make sure you’re not keeping on lights unnecessarily and when in the shower, turn the tap off while washing your hair and not using the running water.
4. Try to Shop Locally
Shopping locally not only helps support local farmers – it also cuts back on the harmful effects of transporting goods on the environment. By buying local produce, you won’t be supporting imported goods and produce – meaning that you can slowly make a difference in the amount of food and produce that is imported.
Imported goods and the transportation needed for these goods are extremely harmful for the environment with the amount of greenhouse gas emissions they produce. Sure, you may not get the perfectly shaped oranges or an exotic-sounding fruit, but by shopping locally as much as you can, you’ll be helping stop the damaging effects that transportation has on our environment.
5. Protect Your Local or Regional Parks, Nature Spots, and Wildlife
Finally, it remains a duty on all our parts to help support our local or regional parks and wildlife in whatever way we can. When visiting, respect the nature and don’t leave behind mounds of garbage – you should leave nature as natural as possible, without any sign of you having been there. Be kind to wildlife and ensure you’re not feeding them harmful foods – and ensure you’re not harming them in any way with the garbage you leave behind in forests, beaches, or any other natural spot.
Make sure your community leaders and local politicians know how important it is to help protect the nature around us – both local and national parks – and ensure you’re staying politically active and aware of different measures that may be put in place that will destroy or cut down natural parks.
Our earth is the only home we have during our lifetime – we must ensure we are protecting and nurturing the very environment that helps keep us alive. What will you do to start protecting our earth?
