By Yug Sikaria (Winner)
Kolkata’s Wake-Up Call: When the Skies Broke
There is only one place where life exists and that’s our Earth, our one and only home, but it’s currently facing a big problem called climate change. It’s not about a single day’s sudden change of weather but a long-term shift in the world’s weather patterns. For example, our summers in Kolkata are getting hotter, and the monsoon rains, which we all depend on, are becoming less predictable. We recently had an almost a cloudburst rain in Kolkata which I have never heard of previously. Kolkata saw 20% of annual rain in only a few hours. This is happening because of human activities. When we drive cars and run factories, we release gases that act like a giant, invisible blanket, trapping heat around the planet and causing it to get warmer.
Climate Change: More Than Just Weather
This warming is creating severe problems for our environment. Our beautiful forests are disappearing, and rivers, including our own Hooghly River, are becoming more polluted. People throw wastes; submerge puja idols and other items in the river. The ice at the North and South Poles is melting, making the sea level rise. This is a big worry for cities like Kolkata and other places near the coast, as they could face more floods. Climate change is also making extreme weather events more common, like intense heat waves and powerful storms. These can ruin crops and make life harder for everyone.
But we can all help if we want. We can start by saving energy at home by switching off lights and fans when we don’t need them. Planting more trees is another great way to help, because they absorb the harmful gases that cause warming. We should also try to use less plastic and reuse things whenever we can. The Earth is our home, and it’s our job to take care of it so that it stays safe and clean for us and for the people who will live here in the future.
