Imagine a world where there are no trees, no blue skies, no birds, and no animals. If this Earth we live in had indeed been a place like that, we would probably never have seen it, because we would not have existed at all. Humans are very much a part of nature, even though we have apparently distanced ourselves from it. Even today, when we are technologically savvy and highly self-sufficient, there is no doubt that we are extremely dependent on nature. We do not just draw inspiration from nature; we draw our very resources for survival.
6 reasons why nature is important to us
In this article, let us see how nature impacts and influences our daily lives.
Provides nourishment
The most important contribution of nature to human life is, of course, food. It would be impossible to continue to survive on the planet if we did not get nutrition from the planet itself. Imagine if there was no nature around us. That would mean no crops would grow, no animals would roam, and no trees would be there to bear fruits and flowers. The seas, rivers, and ponds would not be there either to provide us with water. There would be literally nothing to eat or drink. Since prehistoric times, man has secured from nature; initially by hunting animals and gathering fruits, then graduating to growing crops, and finally transitioning to our modern kitchens. Today, we can cook delicious dishes and drink purified water, but none of that would be possible had not nature provided us with the raw ingredients.
Provides power
As humans living in the twenty first century, it is impossible to imagine life without electricity and coal and gas and other forms of fuel. And we get these resources from nature itself. The wind, water, and the sun give us our electricity to power everything from our household appliances and motor vehicles to industrial machinery. The coal and oil reserves are created out of deposits of fossilized plants and animals, proving that nature keeps on giving even after it is long dead. The minerals and metals that we need to build everything from cell phones to wind turbines are all mined from the earth, where they occur naturally.
Air to breathe in
The very air we breathe is part of nature itself. It is this unique mix of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and other gases that makes the air breathable, and the planet a livable place for us. Without this composition, no living being would be able to survive on the planet. The importance of balance of this composition becomes evident when we disrupt this balance; for instance, places with high air pollution become unlivable, with the people and animals becoming susceptible to diseases that lead to a life span cut brutally short.
Balanced ecosystem
Nature maintains a wonderfully balanced ecosystem. Each animal and plant has a purpose to serve, and anything that becomes redundant is wiped off, gradually or at once. Every being in the system is self-sufficient, drawing nourishment from the resources available around themselves. Most importantly, it is a symbiotic relationship among all the members of the system, which means that even the smallest of disruptions can have pretty serious consequences on the entire ecosystem.
Sheer force
Even today, when we are technologically sufficient and extremely advanced, we are absolutely at the mercy of nature. This is proven every time a natural calamity strikes- be it a hurricane, a tsunami, or an earthquake. Even today, we know of no way to stop them; in case of earthquakes, we cannot even predict them. All we can do is run for cover when the disaster strikes, and then emerge to survey the damage once it is over. It is the sheer power of nature over us that keeps us on our toes.
Inspiration
Finally, nature is a potent muse. From poets to artists to the mist prosaic soul, you would be hard put to find a person who is not enthralled by the sheer beauty of nature. Nations earn billions in revenue from tourism thanks to their natural beauty, and great works of art have been created from the inspiration nature provides us.
Today, Mother Nature is in serious danger. We have been too engrossed in our technological advancements and our ability to harness nature’s gifts to truly take care of nature herself. As a result we are on our way to perform the highly self-destructive act of killing the goose the lays the golden eggs. And the signs are visible: natural calamities are more frequent than ever, and we have almost exhausted all our reserves of natural resources. We have killed off a bunch of animals for our selfish reasons, seriously disrupting the ecosystem. Rising global warming and climate change has become a reality, warning us to pull our act together while there is still time.