American environmentalist Rachel Carson’s seminal book Silent Spring warned the world of impending disasters, launching the environmental movement. The few lone voices raising the alarm have now grown into universal concern.

This year has shocked people across continents as they struggle to put out wildfires, succumb to flashfloods, pull bodies from under the rubble of buildings in the aftermath of earthquakes, and take shelter from tornadoes and hurricanes. Just as Pakistanis were coming to terms with an impending drought, excessive rains have flooded the whole country.

The French philosopher Voltaire said, “Men argue. Nature acts” — or perhaps reacts. Humanity may just be caught in Earth’s natural reset. However, many hold human hubris and our indifference to the calls of nature responsible. While nature adapts and renews itself, humans remain rigidly intractable, waiting for nature to bend to their ways. Mountains are cut, rivers are straightened, narrowed and dammed. Animal habitats are reduced, forests are cut down and clouds are seeded to create artificial rain. Nature is replaced with ever-expanding concrete cities.

Property laws were developed to ensure people learned to coexist. No such laws exist to ensure humans can peacefully coexist with nature. The economy, power drunk in its aim to create what American environmentalist and cultural historian Thomas Berry calls a “technological ‘wonder world’”, goes through natural resources with increasing volume and speed to produce consumer goods that only become piles of junk and waste heaps.

As 2025 continues to be defined by flash floods, wildfires and other natural disasters across the globe, it is imperative for mankind to re-evaluate its relationship with nature

Awareness of planet Earth was only for the poets, the romanticists, the religious believers, the moral idealists. The British biologist Sir David Attenborough suggests that “by bringing economics and ecology face to face, we can help to save the natural world and in doing so save ourselves.”

While environmental activists engage with policy-makers in world summits, society as a whole needs to reconnect with nature. Urban dwellers can make many parks, zoos and green spaces but, to truly understand how nature works, there is no substitute to experiencing nature in its own domain. Young men used to raft down the Indus River. Hikers still explore untrodden ways.

The Pakistani poet Afzal Ahmed Syed writes, “The bird no longer nests in the tree, because the tree no longer lives in the forest.” Much can be learnt from village wisdom, from small farmers who can tell a flood is on the way by the colour of the river, who can predict rain by how high the eagles fly, and understand a meandering river reduces the flood risk and should not be straightened.

Thomas Berry writes, “To redirect the course of humanity, change the stories by which we live.” The stories we have lived by have brought us to this place. The ‘prosperity’ story promotes worship of acquisitions and money. The ‘biblical’ story focuses on the afterlife rather than the world around us. The ‘security’ story invents devastating weapons. The story of man as the centre of the universe is the most dangerous of all. The new generation has to be taught to respect and partner with nature.

Eco-linguists stress the need to rethink the words we use to describe our relationship with the natural world. A 2025 study found a more than 60 percent decline in the use of nature-related words between 1800 and 2019. Jackie Morris’ bestseller, The Lost Words, brings back words to re-enchant children with nature. Pakistani children are more likely to describe colours as purple and pink rather than jamani or tarboozi.

The term ‘Mother Earth’ suggests nature, like a mother, is patient, always supportive, staying hungry to feed her child. In fact, nature is a powerful force that resets the planet through earthquakes, renews land by flooding, forest fires or wild twisters and hurricanes.

Nature provides many metaphors: tree roots and strong trunks represent strength and belonging. The Urdu word for neighbour is humsaya — sharing the shade of a tree. Changing seasons, the metamorphosis of a butterfly, and riding a storm are commonly used metaphors. Nature can also be used to describe negative situations, like being caught in a spider’s web or depicting unwanted immigrants as ‘alien’ or invasive plant species. The terms are transferred generationally, becoming abstract rather than based on personal observation.

Art has played an important role in celebrating the beauty of nature, from Japan to 19th century Europe. Emperor Jahangir commissioned a new genre of miniature painting documenting nature. Cinema has consistently highlighted the impact of climate change. The messages need to become part of every child’s education.

The word ecology comes from the Greek word oikos, meaning ‘study of the home’, referring to the Earth as our collective home. The whole Earth should be considered shamalaat, the Urdu word for common land.

Berry warns us, “The real history that is being made is interspecies and human-Earth history, not nation or international history. The real threat is from the retaliatory powers of the abused Earth, not from other nations.”

Durriya Kazi is a Karachi-based artist.
She may be reached at
durriyakazi1918@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, EOS, September 28th, 2025