Cause for the Earth

Writing for http://greenyatra.org/ on Earth Day, in association with Indiblogger.in

More than 90 farmers committed suicide in 45 days in Marathwadaa. Reason? Uncertain rains, failed crops, burden of debt. 

Water problem still persists in major parts of the country. Reason? Every drop of water is a life savoir for few whereas more than 3 liters of water is wasted daily in cities.

Rising pollution level, global warming, deforestation and so on...

It's a vicious cycle where the reason and cause chase each other. We know the causes, we debate and educate people, but do nothing for it. It’s high time we fasten our belts, lest we should see dead Earth in few years. While the emission of CFC from air conditioned rooms and refrigerators cannot be ruled out, we can contribute towards a greener and better Earth in our own way. Every move counts. Do small things daily. Sharing few simple and convenient ways here-

Birds are dying. How many sparrows do we see these days? Like dinosaurs, soon birds will be extinct too. Fill in a flat base earthen pot with water every day. You can save the lives of thirsty crows, pigeons, sparrows, parrots and all birds of your society. A small move will be a blessing. More than

Save Birds

1000 birds die each year in absence of water and trees. I remember rescuing a pigeon at a metro station who was scared, thirsty and unable to fly. I arranged water for the poor bird. By the time I reached the bird NGO, it died in my arms. I cried. I was angry & upset with what trauma humans have caused to nature. A bird sitting in a corner of an air conditioned metro station went unnoticed by everybody. Those who noticed, thought the bird was enjoying the AC. The metro officials were also of no help. It was an eye opener for me and I pledged to save birds with every resource that I have. A flat earthen pot with water is the best thing you can do for the nature's delight- birds. Planting a tree is the second best thing you can do. However, you may not have space to plant a tree. So have a shady plant outside your house or in balcony, big enough for a bird to take shelter in. Place a water vessel near the plant or on the edge of the pot. Thou shall be blessed by mother Earth.

The moment I told my husband about this movement, he fully agreed and wanted to plant a tree in our colony's park.

Pool in- People residing in an area commuting to same working place can contribute by car pool in. My colleagues go for car pool in and their efforts are praise worthy. Not only they save fuel, but also reduce the pollution level, save money and parking space. Getting each other's company and bonding is an added advantage. A small step can make a big difference. Encourage others to do the same. Applause to those who have started doing it. You are the guardians of nature. Be responsible & sensitive to the environment!

Save water- It has been reinforced several times to save water, but nobody pays heed to it unless they face a scarcity of the same. Irrespective you stay at

top most floor of your multistory building or a remote village, water is a valuable resource for all. Summers is the time you realize the importance of water, isn't it? So, close the tap while brushing teeth or shaving. My family does a wonderful job of saving as much water as possible. We utilize every drop. If guests leave water in glass, we pour the remaining in our plant.  We don’t take bath in showers. We bath with a bucket of water, ensuring no wastage of water. The muddy water from the mopping bucket or after washing clothes, we sprinkle it on the dusty roads, to settle the dust. We do not waste fresh water for the purpose.

We eat daal and deserts in the same bowl. One bowl less used means one bowl less washed, hence saving water. As we eat out in restaurants, we ask waiters to serve deserts in the same dish. We do not eat with fresh spoons for separate food items. Once the restaurant manager asked us why. We told him “Less utensils mean less water wastage. That’s our way to contribute for the environment”

Collect rainwater in open vessels on your terrace or roof tops. Use it to water the plants or wash the staircase of your house.

Collect waste water from air conditioners or RO water purifiers, and use the same to wash your verandas, terrace, stairs etc.

Re-use/Recycle- Hard shells of coconuts, wooden planks, dead bamboo shoots. All these natural and bio-degradable things can be

Recycle organic waste

effectively put to use for nature. I have created bird houses with these organic waste items. You can do the same. Broken wooden frames, irreparable wooden cots etc are usually burnt during holi or sold to a kabaadi.Be creative, and make something useful.

Consider the environment before taking large number of print outs at work. You have all the liberty to make a notebook from waste papers with unused sides. Do not trash them unnecessarily.

No to polythene- Small things in daily life can make a difference. For example when you visit kirana stores or grocery shops, carry your bag with you. Ladies can stuff the purchase in their handbags, instead of asking for a carry bag. People who buy single packaged item, can carry it in their hands, can’t they? Why ask for a poly

Say No To Plastic

bag even when you buy a single item? Excess use of polythene lead to a ban in many states of India. A small hill station like Dalhousie has been banned the usage of plastic. People should stop using plastic on their own, before it’s too late.

But small time vendors started opting for cheap polythene that are more harmful, which in my opinion should be penalized. Ultimately these polythene bags go in the bin from where strays end up chewing poly bags. Thousands of strays die due to polythene. Death of cows is a painful example of the same.

Better to use paper bags or cloth bags, which major retail giants provide. To carry your own bag is most advisable.

Save electricity- Rise in population has lead to more demand of electricity. However our power plants and efforts by the Government are unable to meet the huge demand. As the corporate hotshots and metro city residents enjoy the well lighted air conditioned facility, there are many places where a basic facility of electricity is absent. Every power button button that you switch off can benefit the needy. My bosses at give an excellent example to us by switching off the lights before leaving their rooms/cabins, even if they leave for meetings as short as fifteen minutes. In spite of the unlimited power supply and generator backup, we do not waste power, so that those deprived of the need can benefit from the small move of ours. Do the same at home. Turn off the lights, fans and AC when not in use. Water turbines have immense pressure to generate electricity. Do you think the turbines can fulfill all needs when the demand shoots sky high? Lets curb that demand and do our bit for the Earth.

Years later, when you would look for a green place for yoga or trek, you wold find none. Preserve and care now, to make the coming generation see a green beautiful Earth.