Ecocide originates from the Greek oikos (house) and Latin caedere (to kill), essentially means killing the earth. It has been described by historian David Zierler as the deliberate destruction of ecology and the environment as a weapon of war.

Let us address the elephants sitting all around us. Wars have destroyed once arable land and the conflicts erupting all around us have long term consequences for the flora, fauna, livestock and of course the environment. The damage done by war to the environment is rarely spoken about.

A list of the residual effects of war. Toxic earth, military scrap, barren lands, contaminated water bodies, poisoned marine ecosystems and large tracts of lands in a mess. Loss of habitat reduces wildlife, air pollution from smoldering fires, bombs and missiles.

Forests cannot grow back, a war leads to irreparable damage to air, soil and water. The noise pollution which accompanies a war leads to disruption of animal behavior, breeding cycles and migration routes.

This Ecocide is a war on nature itself. Collectively we have to address ecocide. It is easy to say that we are ineffectual and it is the governments of countries which dictate wars.

One step, we can individually take, that is practice Atmabhava. Look upon others as a reflection of yourself. Respect and love all sentient beings. Treat flora and fauna as being utterly precious, do not tread upon them.

Embrace empathy and empowerment. Be considerate and compassionate. Lastly love, serve and give.

Extracted from Hidden Costs of War. Times of India series.

Aim Hrim Klim