ACTION AND REACTION - WHY DO WE WORRY?

         

                                                             

‘For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction is Newton’s third law of motion. When we pour water from one container into another, the first container becomes empty. In day-to-day activity, we see this universal law operating every time. All of us use fossil fuels and generate enormous quantities of carbon dioxide. The creation of Special Economic Zones takes away the agricultural lands of the poor farmers. The building of dams and the development of eco-tourism destroy the ecology of the regions and the natural environment. Excessive use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers for crop protection and production causes environmental pollution. When production increases, the price comes down. We can go on and on citing various examples. It is the cause-and-effect phenomenon.

Fossil fuel is a must, without which no country can survive. Special Economic Zones are required for the economic development of our country. Similarly, dams are needed for impounding water to generate power and also for agriculture, industry and human use. Crops have to be fertilized and protected from insect pests and diseases in order to get a good harvest to feed the teeming millions of our world.

Production, whether agricultural or industrial, has to be increased to meet the needs of the world. Therefore, we have to act, and action has to be initiated. By fearing for the resulting reactions, we cannot run away from the action. Therefore, actions have to happen at the same time the reactions which worry us have to be tackled. Worrying about the reactions which are harmful sometimes to our life kindles us to think and find a solution. Tackling drastic reactions is not easy, still, the human brain has to be harnessed to make the undesired reaction as desired. It may not be fully possible, still, attempts should be made to the extent possible.

Large-scale reactions such as global warming, environmental pollution, health problems, land degradation etc., concern us considerably. One of the arguments offered by scientists is ‘not to worry, because all questions have their own answers. They are optimistic after knowing the seriousness of the problems, whereas millions of people are ignorant about the reactions and do not worry at all.  

There are a set of people who are pessimistic about the reactions and worried always and find fault with the ‘actions’ and try to stop them. It is a constant fight between optimists and pessimists ever since our society came into existence on Planet Earth. Arguments and counterarguments for and against the problems are certainly required, so that appropriate control measures can be taken at the proper time to avoid long-term reactions. Before action, we have to predict the resultant reactions. Depending on the need and necessity and also the seriousness of the reaction, we have to decide whether to act or not to act. A sensible way of starting an action will certainly help us to solve at least partly the unwanted reactions. -NARA