Engineering with Responsibility

The crisis the Earth faces today is not a secret, almost everyone knows about it but very few take it seriously. Chances are that someone reading this post might also disregard this by saying "just another global warming message....".

However, the problems we face today are not limited to global warming... Pollution is at an all time high, Several species have become extinct or are in the brink of extinction, Natural disasters are becoming increasingly common, the list goes on... Clearly there is something wrong, and we humans are responsible.

Our actions, especially engineering ones have disturbed the "balance" in nature causing ecosystems to fall apart and create catastrophe in the process. All disasters we face today are either caused by us, or its destructive effects are magnified by our actions. For example, Sea erosions and tsunamis hit us harder because we excavate and remove all the natural coral reefs in the coastal area which would otherwise serve as a very effective natural wave breaker. Also filling of marsh land increases the likelihood and severity of floods.

But some people justify these actions by saying that it is necessary for development and improvement of our lifestyle... or these are minor side effects of engineering a better world. All these claims are false. How can we say we are developed when we face natural disasters almost everyday? Engineering that does not go hand in hand with nature is not engineering but "Reckless building".

Engineering encompasses the ideas of creating with care and concern for the surroundings, managing resources efficiently, and ensuring sustainability. Engineering which neglects the above aspects cannot simply be called Engineering. Fortunately, as of recently more attention has been given to this area resulting in looking for ways to protect nature and the environment. Emergence of new fields of Engineering such as Environmental Engineering and Earth Resources Engineering is a promising trend.

It is very important that we take the task of protecting our earth very seriously. Engineers need to work with responsibility. The only way of improving ourselves is by protecting nature and using its resources carefully and efficiently.

What we should understand is that all the resources on earth are limited. Therefore we must use them with extreme care. After all, Earth is all we have got, We don't have another planet to go to...

see what I mean: http://www.oneearth.org/