Rethink man’s relationship with land, nature

As one who considers this planet our home, I read with much interest and concern lawyer Joel Butuyan’s column, “Uncharted life of extreme heat,” (Flea Market of Ideas, 7/13/23), where he wrote about its causes and dire effects on human lives and properties and called on all stakeholders to act and mend their ways. Lamentably, it generated 10 comments as of this writing, almost all sounding sarcastic, if not outrightly dismissive.

Regardless, it reminded me of the parable of the boiling frog. The idea is that the shift in temperature is so gradual that the frog fails to realize that the boiling will eventually lead to its demise. However, can humans really afford to be oblivious to a life of extreme heat like the frog? Aided by reason and science, we are asked to respond to the impending catastrophe scientists have warned us about before it is too late.

Our response may start by changing our mindset about our relationship with nature and the land we live in. The dualist view separates the land where we live and the spiritual realms where god, gods, and spirits live. Our indigenous religions strongly connect with nature and their lands because they believe that their ancestors, deities, and spirits are embedded in every aspect of the environment. Given this belief, they, as stewards of the land and everything in it, must maintain their land’s social and cosmic order. Pope Francis, recognizing the crucial role of indigenous people in the struggle against climate change and global warming, said:

“We should listen more to indigenous peoples and learn from their way of life to properly understand that we cannot continue to greedily devour natural resources because ‘the Earth was entrusted to us in order that it be a mother for us, capable of giving to each one what is necessary to live.’ Therefore, the contribution of indigenous peoples is essential in the fight against climate change.”

Noel Asiones