EARTH IS CALLING

Earth is calling video

Ladies walk for miles to fetch water in the scorching sun in Rajasthan villages

Water, the source to life

A cloudy sky in a barren land is like a hope to continue living

As she looked up at the sky devoid of any iota of cloud, the piercing sun rays hit her eyes mercilessly. “When will it rain again, mother? Will I ever be able to quench my thirst fully? Will the basil plant ever grow in our little balcony again?” asked the freckled child. “Keep praying my child, God will answer your prayers someday” assured the unsure mother whose face was withered and cracks appearing similar to mother earth. Seated in a desert in Rajasthan, the mother and child looked up at the sky and tried communicating with God, and finding ways to please him. Up there, God too looked at their faces and wept, his children were thirsty but he had lost all means to quench the same. At this point I remember Tagore’s famous quote;

“Trees are the earth’s endless effort

To speak to the listening heaven”

The world around us is said to be progressing, but how? Is it on the expense of denial of a good life to our future generations? With the looming menaces like global warming, climatic change, forest fires are we really not at the threshold of undoing all our efforts to building this modern world? Whatever the case may be, I just want to remind you that the time to introspect has passed, now its time to act. Instead of just voicing, it is high time we start practicing. 

Counting the last moments, thanks to Global warming

However I strongly believe that the first step towards any movement is spreading the awareness of its significance. And the most powerful tool in doing so is the youth. What is the graveness of the situation that the world at large is facing? Are we on the verge of extinction and Earth on the verge of transformation to a planet like many others, devoid of life? Topics like Global warming must be a part of the curriculum in schools and colleges. Different drives to inculcate correct habits in children should be started by institutions and families alike. When your child wastes water, show him/her the picture of a thirsty child and explain to him/her the significance that even a drop has in the thirsty soul’s life. This was just an example, a radical change in outlook will not come radically, and it has to be gradual infusion of knowledge and information, which will lead to mass enlightenment. But awareness must not be restricted to the growing ones; it has to be omnipresent in all age groups.

I am thirsty

If I ask you “Are you still taking printouts of your account summary from ATMs?” How many can proudly say NO? I doubt the percentage. Do you know that it take 12 trees to make one ton of 100% non-recycled newsprint (Info source- Google)? And do you know that deforestation is the major contributing factor to Global warming? Be judicious yourself and teach people to be so. Stop abusing the Earth by wasting paper and leading to cutting of more and more trees. Knowledge is not only for executing office jobs and college assignments, it has a bigger use. In this era of online availability of all information, government should impose restrictions on misuse of paper.

“Do you own a car and proudly ride your exclusive mean machine to office?” When you get down of that illustrious piece each morning, you must be feeling very proud right?  But have you ever thought how much carbon foot print you increase by avoiding car pooling? Have you ever introspected, that you are snatching the basic rights of living for your future generations? Believe me showing off social status, personal comforts of time etc will appear insignificant when the crisis will near us more. Your societal influence will be better showcased if you act as a better citizen. Infact I believe unnecessary, usage of vehicles and buying the same should be restricted.

Carpooling, is the right way

“After shopping for 1000s of rupees in a shopping mall, how does it matter to pay 5 rupees more for the plastic carry bag right? But if you are charged 100 rupees for that, yeah now that’s a real concern, isn’t it?”  Common, can we really call us educated?  Can’t we see the actual reason why plastics bags are chargeable these days? Plastic pollution is one of the major environmental concerns that we are facing currently. It is hazardous for humans and animals alike. But it is worth remembering that humans are using it and not animals. Click on the following link for more information: PLASTIC POLLUTION

Plastic pollution

Sometimes when I sit back and relax, I feel amused at the greatness of the creator who has created this world. When you feel thirsty it has water, when you feel de-shielded and the sun takes your breathe away, it has trees to give you shadow and calm your wandering soul. From snow-capped mountains to stretches of deserts, from lush greenery to the unknown depths of the sea, each part is mesmerising and bewildering. Nature can. be beautiful, calm but can be menacing as well. And humans, supposedly God’s most wondrous creations, are calling that wrath of mother Earth. Though all natural calamities are not avoidable, yet the frequent surfacing of different destructive faces of the earth, tells a story. It tells us “Earth is calling” it is calling out aloud to stop this abuse on her and appreciate her greatness. Greatness that nests all of us in its safe haven of serenity and tranquility! It is time we take these signals seriously and do our bit to save our home, which is the Earth.

I am thankful to Green Yatra for giving me this opportunity for penning down my views on the subject. And congratulate them for their noble efforts. What I wrote is only a bit of what we should do, introspect yourself each time while you use natural assets and work towards affecting the environment. Be judicious and don’t be selfish, let the human race continue to live and achieve different milestones, even when we have unified with mother Earth. The wonderfully creative video, made by the Green Yatra team is incorporated at the beginning of my narrative.  For more information about it, click on the link below: GREEN YATRA.

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta