Saturday, June 6, 2015

Today is World Environment Day 5th June

Today is World Environment Day - 5th June.
World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated every year on 5 June to raise global awareness for taking positive environmental action to protect nature and the planet Earth. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) initiated the programme in 1972.
Let us be conscious of our wants and needs, let us be the change agents for better tomorrow. Lets follow 5 R's: Respect earth, Reduce our needs and wants, Reuse what ever we can, Recycle what ever we can, Restore Nature.
A small narrative to inspire action:
On our transect walks in Northern Sikkim, we discovered the frugality in living and lifestyle choices of Sikkimese people. Not only do they use products made from nature which is abundant and available locally they also maximize its use so as not to abuse nature in any way. On the products maximum use, it is discarded in proper way. The good thing of being organic is it decays with natural process thus there is no waste created in the process. Yet they had good waste management practices. While we did our walks from one mountain to the next to reach villages high up on mountains, they had dust bins indicating travelers to be cautious of their waste and to use bins to discard of any waste they have. Lots of things to learn from them. 
 Dustbins on the way 

Local barbie doll

Local bamboo to display organic products

Baboo utensils locally available

amazing walnut tea on bamboo glasses( which will be reused till they last)

Can we be frugal in our living and life style choices so as not to be a over consumerist giving free way to market forces? 

Can we conserve water, plant more trees, protect forests, go organic, recharge ground water by rain water harvesting, .. list goes on.. but as they say it , every step counts. Let's begin with the 1st step!

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