Over the past fortnight, the headlines have been filled with news reports of earthquakes, tsunami warnings, El Niño and below-average rainfall. It makes you wonder just how much nature influences our lives—and how much we influence nature in return.
Earthquakes occur when tectonic plates beneath the Earth’s surface move. These powerful movements have shaped mountains, continents and oceans for millions of years. They are a natural part of our planet and are beyond human control.
Climate change, however, is a different story. Human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of forests, have played a major role in raising global temperatures.
Scientists know that climate patterns such as El Niño influence weather across the globe, often bringing drought to some regions and floods to others. At the same time, forests continue to disappear as cities expand and trees are cleared for roads and industries.
None of these events share the same cause. Earthquakes are geological. El Niño is a natural climate pattern. Rising global temperatures are largely linked to greenhouse gas emissions, while deforestation is the result of human activity. Yet together, they remind us of one important fact— our planet is a complex system where everything is connected.
When forests disappear, we lose far more than trees. We lose natural air conditioners that cool our surroundings, absorb carbon dioxide, protect wildlife and prevent soil erosion. Rising temperatures, in turn, affect glaciers, rainfall patterns, food production and biodiversity.
Nature will always surprise us. Some forces, like earthquakes, are beyond our control. But the choices we make every day–planting trees, reducing pollution and using resources wisely–can make our planet healthier and our communities more resilient. We cannot control nature, but we can certainly choose to live in harmony with it.
