Save environment plant trees

The 5th of June is the World Environment Day. It has become a tradition that learned people get together on this day and discuss the fate that awaits our future generations. It has become an annual ritual in which there are innumerable participants but no concrete results. We curse the truant monsoons; we stare at helpless peasants waiting for rains in their parched soils when suddenly we hear of a dam burst inundating hundreds of villages elsewhere. Or of bush fires that leave behind burnt embers as memories of dark green vegetation that was home to innumerable varieties of flora and fauna. The smoldering leaves float in the wind spreading the smell of death – not only death of nature but gradual of mankind.

Any place where there is a multitude of greenery; there is peace, calm and quiet. Large trees like the Banyan give shelter to hundreds of birds, they provide shade to the weary traveler, and they are a thing of beauty – that is why we worship this tree. In the botanical garden in Kolkata, there is a banyan tree that is ageless – it has innumerable roots that go into the ground. People do not know which of these is the original trunk.

Cutting trees is a serious offence but, in cities, the axe falls indiscriminately on these protectors of environment – excuses that are put forth range from the innocent 'widening of road' to the bizarre 'for hoardings of ads to tell us to plant more trees'. The railways introduced tree plantation drives all along the sides of the railway tracks – plenty of funds must have been earmarked for this activity on a continuous basis but the results do not indicate any noteworthy progress. Similarly for the preservation of mangroves – these protect the coastlines and when plans are worked out to convert these into living areas like the salt pans of Mumbai, it foretells a bleak future for the environment.

Save environment ban plastic

Protecting environment is everybody's business – we must take the initiative and put our foot down when we come across anyone who is flouting the norms. Formulating regulations and not being able to implement them is not what is required. If plastic bags are to be banned, let there be no limits laid down for thickness. A ban is a ban and is to be enforced. Those that churn out this poison must be taken to task. There again, they usually are those who have hit upon a novel business, their earnings go to feed the family. Therefore, they must be provided with alternative means of earning.

Then there are the throwaway plastic cups and glasses that one sees in the railways. Water in plastic pouches are served with food in trains. Mention must also be made of bottled water – some of the containers should fall in the banned category. Earthen containers to serve tea could have been a better substitute – these could be more costly but the additional financial burden would be borne by the travelers if it is forced upon them. After all, a cup of tea costs must more outside than that in the train. Similar earthen containers could be used in those dispensers that sell cold drinks – if the containers are painted, the youngsters would not even notice. In order to popularize these, some film celebrity could be roped in to say that he (or she) drinks only from such containers. Taking it a step further , in order to make a point, these containers could have numbers printed on the bottom – users could be given rewards for accumulating so many points and claim their gifts. Such advertisements would certainly wean away the youngsters from plastic cups; they fall for new twists very easily.

Save environment ban thermocol

Thermocol is a bio non degradable product and is one more enemy of environment. The use of this product has grown in the past ten years or so – most packaged items rely on thermocol. Whether it is a television or a computer or a washing machine, the inner packaging is invariably of thermocol. It is easy to mould to shape and ensures damage free transportation of fragile consignments. But what happens to this ultra light weight packaging material once the product is taken out and the packaging discarded? Some use these for decorations – they can be easily cut into desired shapes, painted and used to liven up the walls. But, a majority of these find their way into dust bins and from there travel to the dumping grounds to remain buried in the heap of trash. Since these do not possess bio degradable qualities, they continue to remain intact.

Similarly for thermocol sheets used in schools and colleges, these are used for mounting drawings and photographs in exhibitions or in the showcases of shops or for decorating stalls in fairs. But, whatever is the purpose, at the end of the day they create environmental problems. Days of paper and cardboards have gone, so also have gone those corrugated sheets that one would fund in medicine bottles to support the bottle in its package. Thermocol has taken over and if things are not checked, the dumping grounds would get converted into mounds of thermocol, plastics and other such products like reels of music cassettes, damaged floppy discs, damaged compact discs etcetera that will annihilate mankind.

save environment - ban pollution

Yes, pollution of the atmosphere is destroying the ecological balance that is so important for survival of all living beings. The picture is more or less the same in any large metropolis – the air is always heavy with the fumes of exhausts mixed with dust particles and other pollutants. Other pollutants could cover waste gases of nearby factories, and during festival times could be a result if burning firecrackers.

Indiscriminate use of petrol and other gaseous products result in the global warming phenomenon that is being discussed at practically every forum. Everyone is trying to find out solutions to contain the bad effects of gaseous pollutants. Keeping a check on the emission factors of vehicles is not given the seriousness that it deserves. On the one hand we suggest traveling to office in car pools – on the other we invite people to buy the latest model car because it has plenty of new gadgets that will set the owner apart from the commoners. Finance is easily available and, when the car is delivered, who would want to be a part of a car pool and not show off his latest acquisition? There is a new model released practically every month and, there are cases when families proudly declare that they own more than one car. Therefore, expecting car pools to operate to the satisfaction of environmentalists is asking for too much. We human beings want to make our presence felt on society and never bother about the serious repercussions of not heeding the warning signs.

Pure and healthy air is what the body requires and properly maintained parks are one means of inhaling fresh air – here again, open space comes at a premium. Specially constructed jogging tracks in natural surroundings are much sought after by the young and the old but, even now, we seldom walk short distances – instead, we rev up the car to go to the barber's or kick the scooter to go round the corner to pick up a friend. We should cultivate the habit of relying more on alternate means of movement rather depend always on a vehicle powered by petrol or diesel.

Lessons of Red Riding Hood

At some point of time, someone somewhere visualized the dangers that lurk in every step for girls – and important lessons were passed on down the generations via bedtime stories like Little Red Riding Hood. There is hardly anyone who has not heard the story of the little girl who was sent by her mother to visit the sick grandmother. The child carried fruits and delicacies for the bedridden grandmother. A wolf saw the child and followed her to the house of grandma. Then, it devoured the old lady and lay in wait to taste more fresh and tasty morsels in the form of little Red Riding Hood.

The lessons are unambiguous –

Mothers should never send their little girls anywhere all alone and without chaperons
Girls should be very careful of strangers and suspicious of anything that appears to be out of the ordinary

Girls should know that villains hide beneath innocent looking dresses of do-gooders, like a wolf in sheep’s clothing