There is not much difference between a nature lover and a philanthropist.
You may be wondering what gibberish it is, but it is the truth. One who cares for Nature is expected to care for humans as well.
In the 5th century, the term was coined by a Green playwright and it meant, “Love for humanity.” But we have come a long way since that. Today, humans are expected to be compassionate and caring towards all forms of life, and not just a single species. Hence, the term encompasses generosity in all forms, shapes and kinds. If you are a philanthropist, you should also be compassionate towards nature, which sustains all living forms, including humans.
Power and responsibilities go hand-in-hand. If a species is powerful, it means that all members should be more responsible towards others. It is not that we can reign alone. From breathing to shitting, we need nature to sustain us, take care of us and help us grow. So today, philanthropy encompasses all the activities that can make life better. If someone calls you a nature lover, say that by loving nature, you are doing humans a favour. So essentially, you are a nature philanthropist.
Being a nature lover is anything but boring
Now, no one likes to get free advice. We, the humans, are quite egoistic with a strange assumption that whatever we do is right. Hence, if anyone tries to teach us something, we get all worked up and tag the person as boring. Anything that does not support our actions is insignificant and yes, boring. Many people assume that the entire concept of nature philanthropy is boring.
But the recent happenings across the world have shown us how wrong we are! We have degraded the environment to such a degree that global temperature has risen, newer and more threatening diseases are emerging every day, and the world itself has become unsafe. We may try to hide things under the umbrella of development, but we can only hide them for so long. Nature will erupt and all hell will break loose if we continue with our derogatory activities for a long time.
Hence, nature lovers can bring this world together to preserve, protect and sustain it for our future generations. We have to fight our cravings and embrace alternatives. Let us give you a simple example. When the government banned plastic straws and cotton buds, there were protests in some places. People forgot or did not even care to understand why such a decision was taken.
But all you had to do is, replace the plastic stirrers and straws with metal straws and cotton buds with organic cotton buds that are biodegradable and reusable. Yes, it was THAT easy. Any old habit takes some time to disappear, but it can happen, eventually. But some people were hell-bent on opposing such a wise and futuristic decision, just because it made us get rid of an old habit.
And we call nature lovers boring!
Nature and humans together is a unit
Nature is our mother, and we cannot deny it. Starting from a unicellular organism to a species as complex as humans, everyone has a role to play in the circle of life. So, why treat nature as a different element? We are a part of it after all! Can you be born without a mother? You may say yes, in the form of test-tube babies, but we have not reached that stage in science when babies can be born independently, without needing the biological elements from their parents. In the future maybe, but not yet. So, love for nature is nothing different from love for humanity. Do not let anyone tag you as a nature lover. There is no reason to create a separate definition or label when humans are but a part of nature.
The enemies of nature and humans are the same
If nature and humans form a single unit, their friends and foes should be the same too. And they are! Certain animals, like honeybees, sea turtles, dolphins, ants, and more help maintain ecological balance, while plastic is the evil antagonist that only craves to destroy this balance. If it is bad for the fishes and marine animals, it is equally bad for us. It chokes the marine animals, like sea turtles, dolphins, sea birds and many others, to their deaths. Increased rate of decline of such marine animals is a cause of threat to all species. So, plastic is no friend of ours or nature.
Similarly, excessive greenhouse gas emissions are also an enemy of life. We may be enjoying the cooling effect of the AC inside enclosed spaces, but it is harming the environment tremendously but releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. And this is no cliché! It is real and will remain a real threat unless we do something about it. Do not have to throw your AC out, by the way. You can just limit its use during the day. Have faith; if everyone on earth is aware of these little things that make a huge difference, the world will indeed be a better place to live.
A lover of humanity will want the best for all humans and will do what it takes to ensure that we live longer on this earth. Ignoring the consequences of developmental activities is not an option thus. So, the next time someone tags you as a nature lover do not accept the compliment with a smile. Make him/her understand the true potential of the term and what it means today.