Do we own planet Earth?

This post should have been a continuation of the previous post about my home, Goa. Instead, I am writing about a thought that has been disturbing me since the day I got back to Pune.

Do we own planet Earth? I mean, is this planet our property?

Why this thought? Because everyday on my way back from office, I am overwhelmed with the way green Pune is turning into a concrete jungle. Somewhere deep inside, I feel part of the problem. I ask myself this question and try to be diplomatic about it everyday. And every time I pick an answer a round of counter-questioning ensues.

What if I say yes?
"This planet is our only home, we live here. So yes, we kinda own it." Calling it my property seemed politically incorrect so I took a detour. Immediately the counter-question struck with all its might.

"Hmm.. Your Home. So is it always this shabby and uncared for? And it creates quite an impression, I must say."

"Impression? Homes are for expression not impression?"

"If you say so. In either case, you are either expressing disturbance or creating an impression of it. "

Clearly, I feel like a hypocrite. The state of my planet (if I claim to own it) is the state of my mind.

Fear of condemnation leads me to think otherwise. What if I say no. "Own a planet, are you kidding me? I don't even own a flat. And anyway, I don't know where I am heading. I am clueless about my life and its aim. I am mere traveller, a nomad."

"Mere traveller, huh. Why not mere mortal? You can exonerate yourself and shrug by saying 'we are here for a while. We cannot take anything with us.' When you visit your friends' homes, do you ask them to adjust to your whims and fancies?"

"Of course, not. You can't just barge into a bar and ask for milk. You order whatever is on their menu. You adjust to their style."

"In that case, how do you so audaciously ask your fellow species to write themselves on the journal of extinction? Leave alone adjusting to them, you ain't even giving them a fair chance to co-exist."

I am in a no-win situation right now. Can't seem to find a convincing answer. Perhaps apathy is a viable option.

"I work my butt off 12 hours a day (central air-conditioning, please). And what concrete jungle are you talking about! A man's got to rest somewhere. I did not ask for it. This concrete jungle was there much before I came here. I alone cannot be blamed for climate change and extinction. I've had a hard day's work and need some rest. And yes, I am going to the concrete jungle, wanna come?"

The conversation with myself left me quite uneasy. I won the battle but did I win the war? I do want a green planet. Honestly, I don't like living in a flat. I love bird watching and the marine life. But these do not put food on my table, development does. Or does it?

Though I've always been an ardent supporter of growth and development, I am secretly settling for a bargain called stagnation.

So, what was the cost of development? Err...Our Planet.