Where is it? The answer is you are standing on it or what is left of it! To demonstrate that this home of ours was well architectured up to the finest details such as the small micro -organisms that affect consumption of oxygen, we can explore the Biosphere 2, an artificial planet earth. This intriguing project was created to try to replicate the environmental conditions of the earth in a chosen secluded area in a bid to establish a new earth on planet Mars.

This September will be exactly 26 years since seven people, both men and women had the sealing of the door behind them as they entered a dome- like, glass structure which was to be their home for the next for two years. In this mini earth, were the various geographical conditions of the earth such as; a desert, rainforest, marsh land and a small ocean.

Also loads of ‘desirable’ animals, insects and plants were included so as to recreate the exact earth sphere. Well into the project, the crew members started having many challenges, top among which was the lack of oxygen. They could hardly move around and minor tasks such as keeping track of things became major maneuvers. Clearly, something was wrong but what was it? Apparently, the oxygen levels had gone done and yet they were being competed for by very many organisms on top of the human beings. The micro - organisms in the soil kept on reproducing at a terrific rate and upset the state of the atmosphere. After a while, more oxygen had to be pumped in to the Biosphere structure to ensure that the people and the project survive. At the end of the two years the verdict of the project was: failed. Surely there is a super architecture!

Human beings had been proved wrong again. That we can create the original earth sphere with all the precise attention to the details that make our world a good home to live in is not as easy as it seems. Sadly, what has been proved without reasonable doubt is that we are able to destroy at small levels (leaving taps dripping, lights on the bulbs, misusing paper etc ) as well destroy as on a massive scale; (cutting trees, using undegradable materials like plastics - which by the way takes about one million years to decompose). So what are you going to do about it?

Lois Nakibuukais an educator and counsellorlnakibuuka@yahoo.com