SHRIKARRA VIDHYA MANDHIR

Sivananainthapuram

CLASS: XI English Core (301)

Topic - The Ailing Planet Summary

The Ailing Planet Summary

The Green Movement started nearly twenty-five years ago. The world’s first nationwide Green party was
founded in New Zealand in 1972. Since then, the movement has not looked back. In fact, no other movement in
world history has excited human race so much as the Green Movement. For the first time, there is a growing
awareness that the earth itself is a living organism. It has its own metabolic needs and essential processes.

The signs pertaining to the Earth’s life show a patient in declining health. People have now fully realised their
moral duty to be good custodians of the planet and responsible trustees of the legacy to future generations

The World Commission on Environment and Development popularized the concept of sustainable development
in 1987. It defined the idea as the development that meets the needs of the present without endangering the
ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Man is the most dangerous animal in the world. Now he has realized the wisdom of shifting from a system
based on domination to one based on partnership. Scientists have arranged list of 1.4 million living species on
earth besides man. About three to hundred million other living species still stay unnamed in humiliating
darkness.

The Brandt Commission was the first International Commission to deal with the question of ecology and
environment. The first Brandt report raised the question whether we were to leave our successors a dried earth
of increasing deserts, poor landscapes and ailing environment. Mr. Lester R. Brown has listed Earth’s four main
biological systems. These are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. They form the basis of the world’s
economic system. They supply us food and raw materials for industry. In large areas of the world, these systems
are reaching unsustainable level. Their productivity is being damaged. When this happens, fisheries break
down, forests disappear, grasslands are changed into barren wastelands and croplands become worse.

Overfishing is common in protein hungry world. In poor countries, local forest is destroyed to obtain fuel for
cooking. Tropical forests are wearing away at the rate of forty to fifty millions acres a year. The growing use of
dung for burning deprives the soil of an important natural fertiliser. Over the last four decades ‘India’s forests
have reached disastrous exhaustion. India is losing its forests at the rate of 3.7 million acres a year. Large areas,
officially named forest land, are almost treeless. A UN study warns that the environment has deteriorated quite
badly in many of the eighty-eight countries investigated.

The growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society. Mankind
reached the first billion mark in more than a million years. That was the world population in the year 1800. By
the year 1900, a second billion was added. The twentieth century has added another 3.7 billion. The present
world population is estimated at 5.7 billion. Every four days the world population increases by one million.

Fertility falls as income rises, education spreads and health improves. Development is the best contraceptive.
However, development may not be possible if population goes on increasing at this rate. The population of
India is estimated to be 920 million in 1994. It is more than the entire populations of Africa and South America
put together. Unless population control is given top most priority, the hope of the people would die in their
hungry hutments. There is no alternative to voluntary family planning without an element of coercion. The
choice is really between control of population and continuation of poverty.

We notice a surpassing concern. People are worried not only about their own survival but that of the planet as
well. People have begun to take an over-all view of the very basis of life. The environmental problem is our
passport for the future. A new world vision has emerged. It has ushered in the Era of Responsibility. It is a
holistic view, an ecological view. We now see the world as an integrated whole rather than separate parts.

Industry has very important role to play in this new Era of Responsibility. Leading businessmen should excel in
environmental performance. Then they can continue to exist as leading manufacturers. The words of Margaret
Thatcher are used frequently. She remarked: No generation has a free hold on this earth. All we have is a life
tenancy with a full repairing lease. ’Mr. Lester Brown, the author of ‘The Global Economic Prospecť rightly
observes, “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers, we have borrowed it from our children.”

QUESTIONS FROM TEXTBOOK SOLVED

A. Understanding the Text

Question 1:
Locate the lines in the text that support the title “The Ailing Planet”.
Answer:
The following lines in the text support the title “The Ailing Planet”.

 “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and
ailing environment.

 A three-year study using satellites and aerial photography conducted by the United Nations, warns that
the environment has deteriorated so badly that it is ‘critical’ in many of the eighty-eight countries
investigated.

Question 2:
What does the notice “The world’s most dangerous animals” at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, signify?
Answer:
The notice “The world’s most dangerous animals” at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia signifies that man is
solely responsible for all the deterioration in environment and depletion of natural resources. Thus man is the
world’s most dangerous animal.

Question 3:
How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted?
Answer:
The earth’s principal biological systems are being depleted by excessive use. Over . fishing is quite common.
Forests are being cut to obtain firewood for cooking. Grasslands are turning into barren wastelands and
croplands are deteriorating as their productivity has been impaired.

Question 4:
Why does the author agree that the growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the
future of human society?
Answer:
The growth of world population puts a severe strain on the earth’s principal biological systems. Due to
excessive human claims these reach an unsustainable level where their productivity is damaged. Development is
not possible if world population continues to grow so rapidly. Increasing population brings hunger, poverty and
unemployment.

B. Talking About the Text

Discuss in groups of four:

Question 1:
Laws are neither respected nor enforced in India.
Answer:
It is painful but true that laws are neither respected nor enforced in India. Let us take examples from everyday
life. Almost everyone is conversant with the rule of the road. Still there are cases of wrong overtaking, lane
jumping, signal jumping, over speeding and road rage. Our laws insist on compulsory elementary education up
to the age of fourteen. Yet we find many illiterate teenager boys or girls of this age loitering around in lanes or
employed in petty jobs in road side restaurants or as domestic servants. Our Constitution insists on the
protection and improvement of the environment. The states have been given the responsibility of protecting
forests and wildlife. Forests are being cut and illegal shooting of wildlife goes on. Similarly, there are laws
regarding abolishing casteism, untouchability and bonded labour. But these remain on paper. In actual life,
these are never put into practice. Hence, it can be concluded that laws are neither respected nor enforced in
India.

Question 2:
“Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing desert, impoverished landscapes and an ailing
environment?”
Answer:
I fully agree with the view contained in the statement. There is every likelihood of such an eventuality occurring
in future. There are solid reasons behind this apprehension. Our resources are limited. They will not last
indefinitely if we go on consuming them indiscriminately. Fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands form the
basis of the global economic system. They supply us food and raw materials for industry. Increasing population
has put a severe pressure on them. Excessive use of these resources have impaired their productivity. In large
areas of the world these systems have reached an unsustainable level. The results are awful and disastrous.
The fisheries will collapse, forests disappear, grasslands will become barren wastelands and croplands will lose
their fertility. Decimation of forests will increase dryness and heat and there will be less rainfall. Hence there is
a possibility of the earth becoming an overheated place full of increasing deserts, poor landscapes and ailing
environment in future.

Question 3:
We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children’.
Answer:
This is a revolutionary statement by Mr. Lester Brown. It focuses attention on the position of man in this
universe. People take it for granted that the earth is theirs as they have inherited it from their forefathers. They
forget the fact that the real owners of the land are our children. We are only custodians or trustees and we must
continue development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of the future
generations to meet their needs. We must not strip the natural world’ of the resources future generations would
need. In our effort to feed the increasing millions, we are plundering the heritage of our children. We have open
overusing natural resources for our present purposes. Destruction of natural resources will create an ailing
environment. Our consumption of non-renewable resources should be checked. We must preserve natural
resources and hand them over to children intact as they are the real owners.

Question 4:
The problems of overpopulation that directly affect our everyday life.
Answer:
Overpopulation causes many problems in every day life. The three basic human needs—food, cloth and shelter
have assumed alarming prepositions. Fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands are under severe strain. In
many areas they have reached an unsustainable level. People resort to over fishing to obtain protein. Forests are
being destroyed to obtain firewood. Grasslands are becoming deserts. Artificial fertilizers have improved the
productivity of croplands. Overpopulation hinders development and adversely affects the spread of education
and health care among the masses. It is observed that the poor beget more children. It only leads them to
unending poverty. More children does not mean more workers but merely more people without work. Thus
over-population leads to unemployment. Public transport proves insufficient. We see long queues everywhere.
In short, overpopulation leads to deterioration in environment and shortens our lives by causing many diseases.

C. Thinking About Language

The phrase ‘inter alia’ meaning ‘among other things’ is one of the many Latin expressions commonly
used in English.
Find out what these Latin phrases mean:

1. prima facie’

2. ad hoc

3. ad infinitum mutatis mutandis

4. caveat

5. tabula rasa

Answer:

1. Prima facie: on the first view

2. Ad hoc: for the special aim

1. Ad infinitum: up to infinity

3. Mutatis mutandis: with necessary changes

4. caveat: a warning that particular things needs to be considered before something can be done

5. Tabula rasa: a smooth tablet

D. Working with Words

I. Locate the following phrases in the text and study their connotation:

1. gripped the imagination of

2. dawned upon

3. ushered in

4. passed into current coin

5. passport of the future

Answer:

1. gripped the imagination of: have powerful effect on imagination

2. dawned upon: became obvious; began to realize for the first time

3. ushered in: to make something new begin

4. passed into current coin: become a part of current usage

5. passport of the future: a thing that enables us to achieve something ‘

II. The words grip, dawn, usher, coin, passport have a literal as well as a figurative meaning. Write pairs
of sentences using each word in its literal sense as well as the figurative sense.
Answer:

1. Grip:
(i) She gripped on to the railing with both hands.
(ii) Terrorism has gripped the country for the past five years.

2. Dawn:
(i) A new technological age has dawned.
(ii) It dawned on me that they couldn’t possibly have met before.

3. Usher:
(i) The Secretary ushered me into his office.
(ii) The change of management ushered in fresh ideas and policies.

4. Coin:
(i) Every coin has two sides.
(ii) She coined a phrase to explain her meaning.

5. Passport:
(i) I showed my passport to the security officer.
(ii) Hard work alone is the passport to success.

E. Notice these expressions in the text.

Question 1:
Guess their meaning from the context.
Answer:

 A holistic and ecological view: a complete view of the whole thing keeping in mind the inter
relationship of constituents among themselves and to environment.

 Sustainable development: development that can be continued for a long time.

 Languish: forced to stay somewhere.

 Ignominious darknes: disgraceful/humiliating darkness.

 Inter alia: among other things.

 Decimated: destroyed.

 Catastrophic depletion: disastrous exhaustion.

 Transcending concern: surpassing concern.

 F. Things to do
 Question 1:
Make posters to highlight the importance of the Green Movement.
Answer:
Question 2:
Maintain a record of the trees cut down and the parks demolished in your area, or any other act that violates the
environment. Write to newspapers reporting on any such acts that disturb you.
Answer:

Maintaining a record: left for self attempt

Letter to Editor: See the specimen given below:

271 Green Road, Silver City 20 March 20 XX
The Editor
The National Herald
New City .
Sub: Illegal felling of trees
Sir
May I use the columns of your daily to draw the attention of the public and the authorities concerned towards an
act that has caused severe violation of environment. The central park adjacent to Green Road had many tall and
beautiful trees which added to its glory. Of late some people began to use it for hosting wedding parties or
political functions. They caused much damage to the environment by damaging the plants, flowers, young trees
and grass growing in the lawns as well as creating noise pollution through loudspeakers.
Yesterday, some enthusiastic members of the green club protested to the organiser of a political assembly
against the misuse of the park and the untold harm to environment. To our surprise, we found that all the tall
trees had been felled and cut down into logs overnight.
We have lodged a complaint with the local police station. We appeal to you to publish this letter of protest
against the illegal felling of trees with your comments and remind the authorities that it is the responsibility of
the state to preserve healthy environment.
I am confident that you will take up this cause.
Yours faithfully
Deepak/Deepika

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Why does Nani Palkhivala call the earth ‘The Ailing Planet’? How can the ailing planet survive?
Answer:
The signs of the earth connected with life necessary for staying alive show that the earth is a patient in declining
health. Its deserts are advancing, landscapes are being impoverished and environment is ailing. Aerial
photography using satellites has revealed that the environment has deteriorated very badly in many parts of the
world. In fact, it has became critical in many of the eighty eight countries investigated. The concept of
sustainable development and green movement can help the ailing planet to survive. People must discharge their
moral responsibility as stewards of the planet and trustees of the legacy of the future generations. The
plundering of the natural resources should be controlled. These must be preserved for the future generations.

Question 2:
What are the earth’s principal biological systems? Why have they been depleted and how can they be
preserved?
Answer:
The earth has four principal biological systems. These are: fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. They
form the basis of the world’s economic system. They supply us food and raw materials for industry. These
biological systems are being depleted by excessive use. Over fishing is quite common. Forests are being
destroyed to obtain firewood for cooking. In many areas of the world, these biological systems have reached an
unsustainable level. Grasslands are turning into deserts and produce from croplands is decreasing. It seems they
have lost their productivity. The decimation of forests is likely to cause extinction of several species. We must
change our outlook and stop overusing the natural resources. We have to hand them over to the coming
generations in a healthy state so that they can meet their needs. Consciousness of our moral responsibility as
caretakers of the legacy of our children can help to preserve these non-renewable resources.

Question 3:
“Forests precede mankind; deserts follow”, Examine the validity of this remark in the light of reading ‘The
Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role’.
Answer:
Forests are one of the most important biological systems of the earth. They came into existence much before
mankind. In this sense forests precede mankind. We have inherited large tracts of forests from our forefathers.
Forests are the power house of evolution. Several species of life exist in them. The world’s ancient inheritance
of tropical forests is now wearing away at the rate of forty to fifty million acres per year. In poor countries, local
forests are being destroyed to procure fuel wood. It is estimated that a five fold increase in the rate of forest
planting is needed to cope with the expected fuel wood demand in the year 2000. It is the responsibility of the
state to protect and improve the environment essay and to safeguard the forests and wildlife. However, large
areas named as the forest land are now treeless. As the forests disappear, deserts will follow. We must take
timely steps to prevent this.

Question 4:
“For the first time in human history we see a transcending concern—the survival not just of the people but of
the planet”. Elucidate.
Answer:
In the twentieth century, there has been a revolutionary change in human perceptions. We have begun to take a
holistic view of the very basis of our existence. The earth is now regarded as a living organism of which we are
parts. It has its own metabolic needs and processes necessary for staying alive, which need to be respected and
preserved.
The environmental problem does not necessarily indicate our death, it is our passport for the future. A new
world vision has emerged. It is a holistic view, an ecological view. This regards the world as a whole rather than
a collection of isolated parts. This vision has ushered in the Era of Responsibility. Industrialists, politicians and
writers have become environment friendly and realised their responsibility in preserving the non-renewable
natural resources.

Question 1.
The author in his article has brought out a very important fact that we need to preserve the planet Earth
for our future generations. Do you feel that Earth is our legacy? Why/why not?
Answer:
Earth is not our ancestral property. We cannot make undue claims on it. In our foolishness, we have depleted
the natural resources without realising how it is going to affect our future generations. The fruits that we eat
today are the products of a tree which was not planted by us. We have to base our thought process on similar
lines. What we sow today, our next generation will reap in future.

Our earth is not our legacy. In the words of Margaret Thatcher; “No generation has a freehold on this earth. All
we have is a life tenancy—with a full repairing lease.”

We should take care of earth’s resources as borrowed wealth. We can neither overuse them nor neglect them.
We have to return them for the next generation to use without any damage and, if possible, with further
additions.
Mr Lester R Brown has rightly said, “We have not inherited this Earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed
it from our children.”