Earth Day is meant to celebrate the beauty and wealth of our planet. Over the millennia, nature created so many species, fauna and flora. All of them are able to live side by side. Some of them have the ability to adjust or modify their living environment or lebensraum (what a surprise, according to my dictionary, the German word Lebensraum is also valid in English). But, none of the other species modifying their environment, has such an impact on the other species like the humans.

I took this image about 10 years ago. It’s taken with a fish-eye lens from a viewpoint set up by the company digging here for brown coal. Unfortunately, this cast hole still grows although the government already set a date for stopping it. Forests are still dying, farmers have to give up their farms, and towns are torn down for digging the worst energy source out of the ground.

A few years ago, I won a small prize with the color version of this image. I guess it fits perfectly to remind everyone to help protect the environment and ensure we live in an environment that promotes health and endurance.

More of my images can be seen on my own blog.