Q1.
Can you think of more such treasures of nature?
Answer
Ajji has already named four treasures — pure air, fertile soil, plenty of sunlight and trees that feed and shelter animals. Many more can be added, and each one is something we did not make.
| Treasure of nature | Why it is a treasure |
|---|---|
| Water | Streams, rivers, ponds, rain and groundwater — for drinking, cooking, bathing and growing crops |
| Forests | Wood, fruits, honey, gum, medicines, and a home for birds, insects and wild animals |
| Soil | Holds the roots, stores water and nutrients, and grows all our food |
| Wind | Winnows grain, sails boats, turns windmills and generates electricity |
| Rocks and minerals | Stone for houses and roads; iron, copper, aluminium and gold from minerals |
| Plants and animals | Food, milk, cotton, wool, honey, wood and medicines |
| Fossil fuels | Coal, petroleum and natural gas buried deep inside the Earth |
Why the book calls them treasures: a treasure is something valuable that we did not earn but must guard. Nobody manufactured air, soil or a river — nature gave them to us free. And unlike money, if they are spoilt or finished, no shop can sell us more.
Try This: Stand outside your home for five minutes and list ten things you can see or feel that nobody made — sunlight, breeze, birdsong, a neem tree, clouds, soil, ants… That list is your own “treasures of nature”.