Losing our environment is not like losing an election. It means losing our entire future. No amount of money can buy that. It is very important that we preserve whatever we have left of our green and blue planet before it is too late - Aishwarya Sridhar
These are the introductory lines in a documentary film by Aishwarya Sridhar to save the last wetland in Uran, Maharashtra, India. I did an online interview with her, young and vibrant, internationally awarded photographer and eco-warrior, Aishwarya Sridhar in 2021. Here is the link for those who want to read more about her. (http://scchangetheworld.blogspot.com/2021/06/the-chronicles-of-wandering-mind.html). Unfortunately, notwithstanding all the chatter and noise, rallies and relays around this sacred day, i.e. today, June 5, Sridhar’s words still linger because of the tough times we have only invited for ourselves.
Concurring with Sridhar, senior museum advisor, Ganga S Rautela gravely observes: The overall loss of forest cover, in Himalayas, known as the ecological capital of India is over 1000 Sq Km which has resulted in landslides, soil erosion, drying springs, changing river courses, shortage of drinking water and degradation of biodiversity. As per one report, the dense forest of Himalayas will decrease from 61 percent in 2000 to 16.8 percent in 2100 and eastern Himalayas from 76.2% in 2000 to 8.7 percent in 2100. Himalayas, known as ecological capital of India, are also impacted by the irreversible climate change.
Despite repeated warnings from the scientists about the dangerous impact of greenhouse gases from human emissions and several rallies taken out by eco-warriors over the years, things only worsened. Why situations came to such a pass is most baffling. There are too many questions that perturb me, especially when many issues at stake have easy and often cheap solutions. Befuddled? Then run through the following pointers:
Why do we need tissue paper when a simple handkerchief can do the needful? The former will only land in a landfill. Why do we create so many landfills when most of the wastes can be reduced, reused, recycled and/or go for composting? Last month, a bride in Chennai, Uma Raghavan, made hopeful news, when she and her family, ensured that over 110 kg of wastes from her wedding were reduced to nil. Nothing went to the landfill.
Why don’t we stop using single-use plastic and carry a cloth bag instead? Single-use plastic do not decompose fully and can’t be recycled. As has been seen in Delhi some years back, individuals, voluntary and/or non-governmental organisations had distributed free cotton bags to the local vendors in the market. These bags would be given to the customers when they bought groceries from them.
Why do we need a car to go to the next lane when a quick walk can do wonders to not just our body and mind, but also for our ambient air quality? For the same reason, why can’t we arrange a carpool to reach the office and /or drop children in the school?
What is stopping our wealthier citizens to majorly invest in solar panels and reduce usage of fossil fuels?
Why is public transport so disdained? They can influence air quality when more people opt for this mode of transport. Moreover, it is cheaper and in good/working condition in most cities. For example, in Mumbai, it is darn cheap and the vehicles are in good order. Imagine travelling in an AC minibus for a distance of about 6.2 kms on a Rs5 ticket! In an AC local train, for a distance of 39.76 km, you pay just Rs100!!
And of course, for all these initiatives, citizens should take the onus.
We are losing out on our ‘natural treasuries’, (as the prominent conservationist Valmik Thapar who recently died would say) and yet most commoners are oblivious of it. Agrees Rautela, former director general of the National Council of Science Museums, on whom I am writing my first and his sole biography. Soaking into the Mumbai monsoon, he was walking down the memory lane through a village road in Uttarakhand, the land of Chipko movement (villagers hugged trees to prevent their felling in the seventies). He is very close to his village, Gwar Pajena, and has requested me to refer to him as Gangu because that is the affectionate nickname he has earned from his fellow villagers. The labyrinthine lane that runs through his village navigates through the hills and the forests. He observes: When your childhood is reared in nature, you tend to become more sensitive towards Mother Earth. We had thick forests of Pine, Deodar and Oak. But whatever wood is required, we would always use discarded ones. However these days, consumerism has pushed our eco-sensitive habits and hence children are also getting influenced by such callousness. For that matter, I wonder whether kids today do run after butterflies, notice a honeycomb or stare at the nest of a weaver bird alighted with fireflies and chirping of crickets as the dusk sets in.
Ganga S Rautela
As we get on to another World Environment Day, and amidst increasing promises of planting saplings (sometimes at a price), I wonder, how many of them have actually hugged our native and sacred trees like Peepal, played under a Banyan tree or can point to a Jamun tree? How many would rally for planting more indigenous trees as they restore biodiversity, improve soil health and support wildlife. Why are the road verges not developed and maintained with nature-friendly herbs/shrubs? Or for that matter, how many pledge to support only sustainably produced products. Recently, I came across a video on social media. In the video, an old man explained when you hug a tree, how its energy gets transmitted into you which makes you feel good. I have felt it every time I hugged a Banyan or a Baobab. When I shared this video with Gangu, he affirmed it too: Trees especially those that are providing large canopies of leafy shade, also emit huge amount of oxygen, most important for our existence. Now, these ancient trees are not just examples of biological markers, but disappearing (some) species as well.
Gangu was clear when he observed that climate change cannot be reversed: To mitigate or reduce the impact of climate change, we need to reduce emission of greenhouse gases, reduce consumption of high carbon foot-print material, practice low consumption lifestyle and adopt a green lifestyle to reduce burden on Earth's resources.
It is high time that each of us make some green commitments before, as Aishwarya Sridhar notes, it is ‘too late’. Things that we can include in our schedule and teach children as well so that sustainability percolates deep down. To start with, let’s each of us take responsibility of the trees in our neighbourhood; prompt children to come out and play at the local park; make fortnightly/monthly and day/overnight trips to a nature park or nursery to imbibe a sense of 'curiosity' and 'sensitivity' among city kids towards nature; periodically check on any leaked taps and pipes in the neighbourhood and take the responsibility of reducing, recycling and composting wastes during festive occasions.
What do you say?
#June5 #WorldEnvironmentDay #indigenoustrees #singleuseplastic
