Celebrations on Independence Day, on August 14, remind us of the sacrifices our ancestors and leaders made in 1947 for an independent homeland. It is an occasion to reaffirm our pledge to serve our country in various manifestations and professions.

Patriotism, which is an attachment to one’s country and devotion to serve it, demands that we uphold the image of the country. This attachment can be viewed in terms of pursuing various professions and playing effective roles in strengthening the nation through education, research, business and various professions.

We have a relationship with our country and we need to make it stronger. Similarly, we also have a relationship with the natural resources of our country. It is also our prime responsibility to “serve to conserve” these resources to foster the passion and spirit of patriotism. As we all strive to contribute towards the success of the nation through various professions, we can serve the nation through conservation of its resources as well. Judicious use of the natural resources will ensure their sustainability in the long run.

Following are some steps that can be taken to serve our country in our individual and collective capacities.

Conserve resources

Natural resources play an important role in our daily life. Natural resources are decreasing everywhere with the passage of time due their unsustainable use. We need to conserve the resources for ourselves and the generations to come. We must promote the habit of conservation of energy, water, wildlife, plants, etc.

If we conserve the resources we have, it will reduce the demand for natural gas, fossil fuels and coal. Energy conservation in the form of less burning of fossil fuels helps to lower emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the main source of global warming. By conserving energy, we can foster a healthy environment, which is the basic need of every human being.

in the form of less burning of fossil fuels helps to lower emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the main source of global warming. By conserving energy, we can foster a healthy environment, which is the basic need of every human being.

While brushing our teeth, the tap should not be left running as it leads to wastage of water. Moreover, we need to plant more trees for healthy living as plants maintain the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the environment. Excessive hunting of birds and animals should not be done to conserve the biodiversity of our country.

Wastage of resources should be avoided by wise usage of our resources.

Maintain cleanliness

A clean and green environment is a prerequisite for healthy living. A dirty environment spreads diseases. Therefore, by keeping our surroundings clean and green, the regional environment will be worth living in.

Mismanaged solid waste disposal is one of the key issues that spoil the natural beauty in many recreational and residential areas. We must not pollute our environment so that we require less financial and manpower resources to maintain the environment. In most public places there are solid waste dumps which are ruining the environment. If we use dust bins or properly dispose trash, it will maintain cleanliness and diseases will not be spread.

Work hard and with sincerity

Grown-ups are serving the nation in several ways by adopting a profession that best suits them. Nevertheless, children can also serve the nation if they work hard and study diligently; they will be able to increase their knowledge and learn much in the process. This will also reflect the high degree of commitment for excellence in any desired field.

Hard work in any field will bring success and achievement of goals easily. Your hard work and sincerity will earn you recognition and your recognition will in turn earn recognition to the country.

Sense of ownership

All the physical and biological resources of our country are our own. They belong to all of us. Each one of us must have a sense of ownership so that we can treat all the resources as our own and take care of them.

Wherever we are, the resources of our country are our own and we need to foster this passion to stop considering someone else responsible for it.

When we don’t take ownership of our resources, it will lead to environmental damage.

Like-minded friends

By forming a circle of like-minded friends to strive for protection and conservation of the natural resources, you are contributing towards the development of your country. As the circle of zealous friends widen and they all start working together, the environmental condition will improve with the passage of time.

As the saying goes, “A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step”, and this single step is one taken by each one of us working for a common cause.

Obey rules

There are rules to streamline many initiatives in various sectors. It is essentially our duty to follow these rules, even if these are the traffic rules, work place rules and the law of the land. Our commitment to our country lies in obeying these rules. When you follow the school rules, you are sincere to your educational institute and this increase the prestige of the institute. Likewise, if we all become law-abiding citizens, our nation will have peace, progress and prosperity.

The condition of our nation lies in our hands, let us take ownership of it and work to improve it in all ways. Long live Pakistan!

Published in Dawn, Young World August 12th, 2017