A more apt heading for this piece would have been 'Man is active and overactive'. Only negatively. Because the piece is a genuine concern of the author about the way man is going about the destruction of environment, mindlessly, senselessly.
It is true as Varaaha Murthy has pointed out, the main factors that are responsible for the loss and destruction of the Nature are: Religion and Politics. These are the two factors for most of our worries today. Though it has almost been a habit to blame everything on them. A large number of our religious and political leaders are self-centered and opportunists of the first order..
But there is one another principle factor that has played havoc with our dear Nature (dear-- both literally and figuratively).
And that is our excessive materialism. Our excessive money-mindedness. Man's greed has been growing out of all proportions taking a heavy toll. Be it any field.
Money has become the mantra. Leave alone trade and industry. They are legitimate avenues of making money. What about politics? What about even religion and social service? They too have become money-spinners.
One instance will do. The UNESCO, a major wing of the United Nations, wanted to declare our precious but vulnerable Western Ghats as a heritage site banning most of environment-unfriendly activities, and protect and preserve this biodiversity-rich gift of the God to man. But no. Our politicians opposed it. Insensitivity at its worst. Why? Because the Western Ghats are a veritable goldmine which could be exploited to their hearts fill, and their pockets-full.
A more apt title for this.... at its worst...
- C T Joshi