I was going through the documents on my old computer and came across this piece of writing I once did for English. This was back in year 8, that is when I was 13…
*****
THE URBAN JUNGLE
What type of a name for a city is London? I still can’t believe my parents sent me here.
“David,” they said, “you’ll love it.” Well have I got news for them. I don’t love it, I don’t even like it. I love playing all summer with my friends over the great green grassy plains. But most of all, I love exploring the jungle. I knew the jungle really well. How am I supposed to get used to all this foul air? Tough luck you might say, I have 6 whole weeks to get used to it. 6 weeks!
Here I am in a flat with my cousin who does nothing but sit in front of the television which consumes most of his time. His room is littered with pizza boxes, coke cans lying around the bin and dirty socks, all adding to the distinct smell of the Logan‘s household.
“David,” Lee shouted between mouthfuls of fries, “Superman’s new film is on. Don’t you wanna watch it?”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m going out" I replied walking out and rolling my eyes.
Outside, the cold crisp morning air blew past me carrying with it leaves that rustled in its footsteps. All was quiet except for the sweet birdsong. I stood listening to the unexplainable beauty that God had created. But it wasn’t like the beauty you would find in the countryside. Suddenly my body stiffened. My eyes fell upon the tall buildings pumping dirty smoke into the virgin morning. Man was destroying the beauty which God had created, for nothing but to quench his own greed. The cars, the electricity guzzling lights on every shop front, and the filthy chimneys piercing the clean morning sky with their towering turrets. The jungle where I was from was different. The jungle was a labyrinth of dense forest and tangled vegetation. It was silent, except for the background murmur of little insects, buzzing and clicking. When the day began, you could hear the birds singing their hymns and the tigers come out and prowl through the vegetation looking for food.
A police car went by, prowling just like a tiger. It was hungry and saw what it wanted. Food. Having not eaten for days the chances of the prey getting away were slim. The blue lights came on. The siren began to howl. When the tiger comes out, the other animals move out of the way due to fear. In the same way, when any car heard the siren, they made way for the police car.
Then, a loud, polluting truck rambled by. I felt guilt. But more overwhelming was the feeling of anger. Man had made things that would destroy the beauty Mother Earth had to offer. What for? Greed, selfishness and money. As the birds flew away and the exhaust fumes made their way into my cold, red nose I looked around and pondered over the man made things around me. The technology, the transport, the buildings, everything. Yes it was wonderful. But when this same technology and advancement endangers the life of a fellow living species, it not wonderful at all. It would be better if this technology didn’t exist.
How difficult would it be telling your grandchildren what elephants looked like and why they were no longer there. Would it not be embarrassing to have to say the elephants were killed because man wanted to use its tusks to make rings and other ornaments? After a while the coolness of the morning settled my anger. I walked back home where I found Lee still sitting in front of the television. Maybe this box with moving pictures is not that bad after all. I had 6 weeks to spend in this place, why not make the most of the speaking box and foul air. Tough.
*****
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a tree hugger or anything but the state of the environment sometimes worries me. Here’s a documentary starring ex-president Al Gore, in which he highlights the issue of global warming:
Where do you stand on this whole issue? Is caring for the environment important? Or should we just live while we can, and enjoy it as much as we can?
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Title: Black moon – Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Picture 1, showing elephants in a city taken from here
Picture 2, showing a polar bear on a retreating glacier taken from here
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