People blame climate change on many factors — melting glaciers — for instance. Yet, I’ve never heard anyone hold herself accountable.

Studying Sai Baba’s teachings in the volumes, Sathya Sai Speaks, and listening to his discourses over the 20 plus years I’ve lived in Puttaparathi, I began to understand that I too was contributing to the imbalance.

According to Guru Sai, “Unfortunately, today, as a consequence of scientific and technological progress, humanness has declined and man considers the world as only intended for his enjoyment. As a result, the powers of nature are being used in a manner that poses a great threat to the world. Abusing the resources of nature and forgetting his own basic human nature, man is going against the purpose of creation.”

I know I need to continuously practice the basic human values of truth, non-violence, love, right action, and peace to strengthen my own character, yet I often fail.

Beloved Puttaparthi Avatar taught “Many natural catastrophes are entirely due to man’s behaviour. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wars, floods, famines, and other calamities are the result of grave disorders in nature. These disorders are traceable to man’s conduct. Man has not recognised the integral relationship between humanity and the natural world. Man is a part of the human community. Humankind is a part of nature.

Nature is a limb of God. Man has not recognised these interrelationships.”

I know the preciousness of water; here in Puttaparthi I have gone some summers without it. I know the difficulties of dried up bore wells, inefficient municipality supply, landlords who refuse to do the needful, and waiting in line to fill up containers.

We are provided with plenty said our Dear Mother Sai, “For example, the oceans contain air needed by the earth for more than 10 years. One lightening in the sky emits enough electricity required for the entire world for 20 years. By building gigantic dams and storing huge quantities of water in one place, the earth goes down in that area and consequently goes up on another area, like a see-saw. The indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources by the scientists and technologists results in imbalances and pollution of the five major elements leading to catastrophes.