The future of our Earth

I’m Noah, and I’m the only child of Dr. Joseph Togo, head of the Research Department of Environment and Natural Resources. He’s a strong, strict, and a caring person and he always wanted the best for his family and others. His personality is like my grandpa’s. He’s a tall man with brown skin, dark eyes, and black hair with an athletic build. My mom, Dr. Ayesha Clark, is the chief medical officer. She is a strong-willed individual who tries to fight for what is right for her family and others just like my father. She is the essence of truthfulness, love, and sincerity. She gives us everything but never demands anything in return. The way she cares for us and for others inspires me to do the same in the future. There are a lot of beautiful people in Hope, but I think she is the most beautiful. Mom has a round face, brown eyes and long, light brown hair. When she smiles, dimples appear on her cheeks. She never uses make-up, and I like it.

I was born in 2081 on “Hope”, the largest space station humans ever created. It is made up of three large space stations that were chosen to be joined together. Constructed in the shape of a hollow ring, the rotation is achieved by firing two large rockets attached to the opposite ends of the rim.

The space station contains seven major divisions. The Science and Government station, location of the key command and operations sections of Hope, is in the large primary ring. The People Station has small chambers for 2 to 6 people with hibernation pods to sleep in. There is the Medical Station where Mom works with a team of two doctors and three nurses. In addition, the Farm Station is Hope's agricultural facility. It is where edible plants and vegetables are grown to feed the inhabitants. Next to it, there’s the Hydro Station which provides us with drinking and irrigation water, using activation energy to combine moles of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. And finally, we have the Maintenance Station, otherwise known as the Macha Station, where about 15 people work, including mechanical, computer, and electrical engineers, and repair technicians. They are on the frontlines of Hope as their role focuses on assessing problems or damaged devices and implementing solutions to fix them.

It is currently 2100 and there are 4,846,000 living on Hope, led by Blake Hayz, a wise, sometimes portrayed as a strict, but trustworthy, organized, and understanding person. He has black hair and brown eyes with a dark skin tone. He has been selected by the people of Hope to lead the Council. This is the governing institution that makes executive decisions for Hope, which my parents belong to. Blake can make executive decisions in a time of need, but all decisions are voted on by the Council made up of seven members.

Life on Hope isn’t as good as when humans used to live on Earth. You feel like a bird flying in circles in a large, covered nature reserve, you have everything you need to live but never get the chance to see what is outside.

When I was younger, I made sure to explore everything; the ocean, the sky, every kind of person on Earth, and all the creatures that were left behind, be it even if they only existed in my mind.

As a child, my grandfather Michel Togo, also the president of a country named Zebrowski from 2030 to 2035, always told me stories about life on Earth before humans destroyed it with their egos. Earth was the only planet in space that was habitable for humans, the birthplace of humanity.

My grandpa was my best friend, I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with him and didn’t have to fight with siblings to sleep in his room since I was the only child. He looked after me when Mom and Dad were both at work, he was my go-to during difficult times. Grandpa was a climate activist and a politician, so he had great stories to tell and he was always my inspiration. He made risky decisions, but in the end, he was always righteous in what he did and he was willing to face the consequences of his actions. He motivated me to be like him and never give up in difficult times.

He was widowed when my dad was eleven so half his life was spent working, volunteering and being a great father ...oh and he loved to sing so I would always ask him to sing for me.

Unfortunately, he can no longer sing for me because he died 5 years ago when I was 14 years old. Apart from being born on a space station, it was the worst thing that could have happened to me. I cherish every moment I spent with him and am thankful that I did.

We've been told that the Earth needs, on average, ten million years to recover from a mass extinction, and it’s been only sixty years now since the nations created Hope station, waiting for the earth to recover. With this calculation, I believe that even after ten centuries, people will still be waiting, unless they try to do something to help the earth recover faster.

Just thinking about what our lives have become and what they will be, makes me sad. To think that this whole mess was caused by the selfish past generations that didn't spare a thought for us.

Ever since the industrial revolution began in the 18th century, humans have treated nature in an exploitative and sometimes violent manner merely to satisfy their desires and needs without paying mind to the consequences. They substantially improved the life expectancy of those who lived in “developed” nations, but they also destabilized society, made life unfulfilling, exposed humans to indignities, caused extensive psychological misery, and caused tremendous environmental harm.

Overtime, the greed and desire of humans drove the pursuit that relentlessly used fossil fuels, produced industrial waste, harmed the climate, and led to deforestation. All the while, pollution became increasingly suffocating.

All of these factors severely harmed the climate and the ecosystems on Earth and, as a result of human activities such as hunting and the changes in the ecosystems, pushed many species of animals and birds into extinction or close to it.

My grandfather told me stories about the catastrophes that took place, leaving thousands and sometimes millions of dead.

In 2022, when my grandpa was still young, his city Togolo, the largest and biggest city in Zebrowski, with a population of ten million, suffered a water crisis where the local government had to declare a state of emergency as there was only enough water to last the city for two months. It wasn’t the only country that had this issue, but it was one of the firsts ones to reach that level of emergency.

“We were limited to using thirty litres of water per person, per day. Our water ration was enough for a five-minute shower, two litres of drinking water, a few drops to hand-wash dishes or do the laundry, cook a meal, brush our teeth twice a day, and flush the toilet once”, explained my grandfather.

Things took a turn for the worse in 2025. The entire system began to break down completely, and the Earth told us that enough was enough. She tried to be strong for us, to help us survive, but she had suffered for years and decided that she had earned the right to respond in her own way. She knew she would no longer have to endure this pain if there were no more humans.

Thousands of people and animals died from countless fires and the unbearably hot weather, without mentioning the numerous floods and droughts. There were millions of people who lacked access to clean water, and over two billion experienced water scarcity at least four times per week.

Unfortunately, humanity activity was to blame, such as the use of fossil fuels that increased CO2 levels in the atmosphere, disrupting the Earth's temperature and fundamentally altering the globe as a whole. The primary reason being a phenomenon known as the greenhouse effect, in which substances in the atmosphere such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons allow sunlight to enter the atmosphere but prevent heat from escaping, like the glass walls of a greenhouse.

The more greenhouse gases there was in the atmosphere, the more heat was trapped, therefore enhancing the greenhouse effect and in turn raising the Earth’s temperatures.

Climate change had an impact on the oceans, weather, and food supply, as well as on human health in a variety of ways, caused by rising air temperatures, deteriorating air quality, a rise in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, and the spread of infectious diseases.

In 2035, there was a heat wave in Europe, which at the time was a very resource-rich continent. It caused the premature death of a hundred thousand people, and the rising air temperatures had dramatic effects on the population’s health, both physically and mentally.

The ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica had melted, and the excess water trapped in these glaciers poured into the oceans and caused sea levels to rise, drowning coastal areas.

According to my grandfather's stories, the day were the global situation started changing was April 10th, 2040.

As we know, even minor sea-level changes significantly enhanced the frequency and intensity of flooding when a tsunami occurs, allowing it to reach further inland. By that day, the rise in sea levels was so catastrophic that it triggered a series of 100-meter-high tsunamis, particularly in the Pacific and Southern oceans, engulfing half of Asia, Africa, North, and South America.

“The Tsunami tides came crashing in, obliterating everything in their path. We were like little ants scurrying around looking for our home, a shelter, anything that would protect us from the ferocious tide that wished to wipe us off the face of the Earth. It was much too late for people on the beaches, and those living by the seaside, they had already been taken hostage by the waves, drowned forever in their tears of sorrow and fear”, my grandfather said with eyes full of tears.

About half of the countries completely disappeared, as if they had never existed. People couldn’t believe their eyes, overcome with panic, and looking for somewhere to hide, but where could they go? They couldn’t escape these huge tidal waves. At the time, scientists declared that more of the dreaded tsunamis would soon come, so they knew they had to do something.

Meanwhile, the remaining nations decided to act, saving what could be saved. They decided to plot an escape to space by creating a space station, however, they faced another challenge, the space station could only hold five million people!

You are probably wondering how they could manage to save the more than twenty million people who were left. Well, I can say that a twisted act of nature helped make the decision for them. The second phase of the Tsunami took six million people with it, but they still had to choose, so they decided to take children and young people under the age of 35. Scientists were also allowed to leave as they were an essential part of the mission. By now, you are probably wondering what happened to the rest. Well, some of them accepted the decision and sacrificed themselves for either their children or for the good of humanity, while others did not. Nevertheless, they didn’t have much of a choice. Looking back this could have been simply avoided if humans put their egos to one side and took care of the Earth.

My grandfather was fortunate to be one of the chosen few since he was a well-known mechanical scientist, and a member of the experimental team that created Hope, so he had to be one of the chosen ones even if he didn't want to. He wanted to sacrifice his place and give it to someone else, but my father was still a child and he needed his father.

When I ponder on these stories, I’m overcome with a sense of gratitude and relief that I didn’t have to witness those traumatizing events. However, while it’s true that life on Hope is relatively good, I have always dreamed about going back to Earth, where our existence originated.

I have always wished that my ancestors could have seen what their future would look like, so that they could have changed their ways and worked together effectively to prevent these atrocious events from happening to build a sustainable future.

Since I was a child, I've fantasized about returning to Earth to help her in her rehabilitation. I had discussed this idea with my parents, they were proud of me because I wanted to do something for Mother Earth, but they refused to let me go saying that the Earth still needs a lot of time to recover from what humans had inflicted upon her. My father once told me “I’m really proud of what you have become, but son trust me you can’t do anything for now”. They couldn't persuade me to change my mind because I believed we could still do something for Mother Earth, and I wanted the best for us and for the next generation.

The only person who encouraged me was my grandfather. I still remember his last words when he was breathing his last breath, with a smile on his face that showed me he was proud of me he said, “Earth, Noah. Earth needs us, you need to go to Earth, if they say you can’t, prove them wrong”.

His words piled up in my head, so I continued thinking about how to persuade my parents, because I knew I couldn’t do it alone. I was aware of the consequences, but I was also aware that the Earth needed us more than ever. Lucky for us it had not been affected by nuclear disasters, so it’s still liveable at least for a small community.

It took me six months to convince my parents to be by my side on this journey. “Well, son we see that you won’t change your mind, so we decided to help you, but you know that the decision isn’t mine or yours, we have to convince the council,” Mom said. “But don’t worry so much about it, we will always be by your side” my father added.

I felt a sense of despair, but after what my parents told me, I regained my confidence and courage. We discussed the idea with the council. Mr. Blake did not immediate accept my proposition, but he was open to the idea. “I will arrange for a meeting with Hope’s people, and discuss the idea with them, if you can convince them to support you I will too” Mr. Blake said.

We all have different types of days in our lives, some are ordinary while some are special. There are some days that get etched in our memories forever. Likewise, I also have a memorable day of my life and that was the day I gave a speech to persuade my people.

The memories of this day will be engraved in my heart forever. I couldn’t sleep the night before, I was excited and nervous at the same time. I may not have had definite plans for our future, but that doesn't mean I hadn’t been thinking about it for a long time, running over all the possible situations in my head. I am a people pleaser, so I normally ponder long and hard about my decisions. I believe there is some truth to having a gut feeling, so I believed my idea would be accepted by most people. It was time for change.

My parents came and found me. “It’s time Noah” they said.

Thousands of people were waiting for us in the Mir area where people come together to discuss something with the council. Mr Blake began: “People of Hope, I’m sure you are all curious about the purpose of this meeting. Well, we are gathered here today to decide our future. I’m sure all of you miss life on Earth, where we belong. Hear me now. You've been given a second chance, and as your leader, it is my responsibility to discuss every decision with you and do the best for all of us.” He continued, “Our son Noah has had the courage to take the road towards a brighter future for humanity, something that we the decision makers couldn’t do. Noah, can you please explain to people what you have told us!?”

“People of Hope, I’m Noah the only child of Dr. Joseph Togo and Dr. Ayesha Clark. Some of you already know me but others do not. I’m standing in front of you today to tell you that we have a chance to return to our home where we began our existence as a species. I’m sure a lot of you felt guilty that you were unable to help the Earth, but if you could go back in time would you fix things? Scientists said that we will have to wait for decades for the Earth to recover, but personally I believe that we don’t have to wait. We can act now and avoid making the same mistakes that previously generations made, otherwise it will be too late. We have no idea what is waiting for us down there, but we have to take the risk if we want to live a better life. I have discussed the possibilities with the science and research department, and we all agreed that this is an opportunity we must take”.

“The Earth avoided nuclear disaster, so it will be safe to go there. We have done some research based on the information that we have collected over the years from the satellites in Earth’s orbit that have shown some areas starting to recover, and this is a good sign” my father interfered.

Mr. Blake requested everyone to vote on whether they agreed with the idea of returning to Earth or not. While I waited for the results, time seemed to pass slowly. The results were finally in after two hours of waiting. Mr. Blake was standing by to inform us of the results. “People of Hope, the outcome of your vote will determine whether our future will change for the better or remain the same.” My heart was pounding in my chest when Mr. Blake opened the envelope that contain the results. “I suppose you want change since the majority of you elected to return to Earth,” Mr. Blake said.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I wasn't the only one who wanted the best for us, people just didn’t have the courage to speak up.

After the election, we had to choose a group of 80 people to go to Earth. Certainly, I was one of the chosen ones, and since my parents were worried about me, my father decided to accompany me as well. My mother was left alone, but as I said before, we had to make sacrifices for the greater good.

After six months, the day eventually came that that I had been looking forward to my whole life. We were assigned to the dropship, which would land at the Mayne Cloud military base. On Earth, the dropship arrived too rapidly. We were all concerned since the retrorockets failed to fire when they were supposed to, but luckily for us, the drop ship landed on Earth. My father came out of his seat and checked to see whether everyone was all OK.

The people who were with us gave me something else for me to remember: the honour of being the first person to step back on Earth in over 60 years.

The dropship door was open, so I stepped out and took my first breath of pure air. We finally understood how it felt being on Earth. As they raced out of the dropship to discover our new planet, people were smiling, yelling, and applauding.

My father, the group's leader, informed the council and the people of Hope that we had arrived safely but that communications were down. We started walking through forest, taking our time to admire Earth, noticing that there had been no animals or people, until now.

Here we begin a new adventure, one that I’m sure will be hard but good at the same time.