Nature is hitting back

ALL over the world it is now called “climate change” of nature. People used to call nature “feeble and uncaring.” But nature has its own way of reminding people of their abuse of its gifts – take them back.

And citizens of the world have come to their senses. Now we know it is the only planet we have. We have to take good care of it.

But when we are remiss in our role in caring for nature to the point of abuse, then it has a way of painfully reminding us of that abuse.

“Climate change” is just a mild reprimand. Mankind should be sensible enough to realize that warning. We have to give more in cuddling nature and its gifts.

Take note of what experts warn, “This world is only good for 200 years more.”

Not all is lost. Adverse manifestations are still surmountable, if we continue to be human to nature, experts believe. That is why the United States has Al Gore and Europe has the Greenpeace.

In the Philippines, we have a number of protect- our- nature groups. There is even one or two partylist representatives in the Lower House.

Of course, we are aware that the Aquino administration is seriously pushing for environmental protection. And it is well-known that some sectors in private business have programs on recycling, sustainable resources, greening and conservation activities on regular basis.

Admittedly, we are vulnerable to climate change. El Niño has wrought havoc on us on a regular cadence: Drought that inflicts untold damage to agriculture, dried up rivers and dams – sources of our hydroelectric power – have imperiled the energy output in Mindanao region as well as in Central Luzon.

But as they say, nature can be feeble — Mindoro provinces and some provinces in Southern Luzon are inundated by floods triggered by torrential rains.

Again, that is how feeble nature can be as mentioned in the early part of this column piece.

But we may see the last raindrop by next month. So at the onset of summer in March hydro- powered energy generation companies will limit what they are selling to distribution utilities.

And consequently power retail- ers will be inclined to ration electricity to consumers, in all probability, by April.

This projected rationing is only an option starting that month and may last a few more months in the last quarter of the year when El Niño is seen to mellow down.

There is another encouraging development in forestalling climate change. Last Wednesday the Land Bank of the Philippines and the World Bank have signed an agreement for loan availability amounting several millions of pesos to those who wish to go into “retrieval of methane gas” venture from solid waste areas.

By the way, I am astonished of what Venezuela has started doing a few days ago — rationing energy. Foremost reason is because it is one of the richest oil-producing countries in South America.

Its government has issued a notice that it will to pull the plug four times a day. And malls are required to limit their business operations to only four hours a day.

Obviously, it is conserving energy for future use on account of its deflated income from oil exports caused by the spiraling down of world prices of the commodity.