By Dr Kirti Shekhawat
Regulated tiny steps and minuscule efforts, culminating together, arbitrate with each other to provide a route to an outcome that is tremendous. History proves that all great feats had small beginnings.
Over the ages, exploitation of natural resources for the benefit of mankind, by man, without replenishing, did take a toll on earth, which in turn reacted in an alarming way, sending messages of mass destruction if preventive measures were not taken immediately.
April 22, 1970 was the day when the First Earth Day was observed with the aim of creating awareness among the participants about the importance of environmental conservation by Denis Hayes, a graduate student at Harvard University, Nelson. Twenty million Americans, which was approximately ten percent of the American population then, gathered on the streets, schools and colleges in hundreds of cities to create awareness about protecting the environment. Senator Gaylord Nelson converted it into a national agenda.
The United Nations Conference, the First Earth Summit, from 5-16 June, 1972, on Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden, was the first step towards sustainable development and establishing the interdependence of humans, other living beings and the planet and 5th, June was designated as the World Environment Day, a part of the UN Environment program.
By 1992, the focus was on sustainable development. Meetings such as the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the Rio de Janeiro, Earth Summit Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration Statement of Principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests were convened and the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC in Japan in 1997, marked the turning point.
In various parts of the world, people, ordained to conserve nature, believed in its sanctity. They revered the five basic elements of nature – water, fire, earth, sky and air – in the varied form of trees, plants, animals, birds, flora and fauna, stones, land, rivers, rain, the moon, the sun, the sky, the solar system.
They were identified with Pagan (derived from the Latin word ’paganus’ meaning ‘rural, rustic’ which later meant ‘country dweller’) religion dating back to the 4th century with seeds in Iceland, Norway, Sweden. In Roman language, ‘Pagus’ was the smallest unit of land in a country district and Pagans were those who followed the beliefs and religions of the countryside. Other religions associated with Paganism include native Chinese polytheism, Homeric (Greek), the Germanic, Arabic, native American ‘Taoism,’ Inuit, Yakut, Australian aboriginal spirituality, South American (Aztec, Mayan), Romans, Norse God (Odin, Thor and Loki) worshippers, Egyptians and many more.
The fusion of religion, history, literature and culture culminating into the Vedas as early as 1500 -1200 B.C, the Puranas written over a long stretch from about the 4th to the 11th century B.C. and the Upanishads between 800 – 500 BCE by the Indian writers were able to elevate their Gods to immortality, relating the one main God Brahma, who is a source of everything, to all other deities who were a part of Him, transforming a monotheistic religion, Hinduism, the so-called ‘oldest religion’ of the world, into one with a polytheistic belief where the Eternal Being, comprising the world, God and the soul directs the human beings, the conscious ones, through the texts to maintain friendly relations with each and every entity of nature which is essential not only for their own survival but for the biodiversity around.
The oral tradition and the scriptures have consistently considered Earth as mother, the producer and as honey, the nurturer which had led humans to consider nature as an extension of their own life. Along with narratives on spiritual issues, meditation, the cycle of life and death and rebirth, karma and yogic practices they also speak of ‘the splendors of the cosmos, urge humans to protect, preserve, nurture and nourish the environment by protecting and maintaining purity, safeguarding habitation, afforestation and non-pollution.’
While other pagan religious pockets were destroyed, Indian paganism survived due to its culture. The level of awareness towards the protection and preservation of the ecosystem by the seers and people of those times translated to traditions and customs that are still prevalent in India.
Sensitive and far sighted visionaries and intellectuals, in their own way tried to caution the ignorant masses in the guise of religion.The ingrained belief in the cycle of rebirth promotes ahimsa (non-violence) as there is an unconscious fear of being born again as an animal or bird, subconsciously making it clear that humans are not superior to the other inhabitants of the earth. They have to live in harmony with nature, seeking peace. This positive fear leads to constant veneration and obedience, bowing down to God and nature.
While there is a need to concentrate on environmental issues like climate change, habitat degradation, pollution, plantation, etc. the World Earth Day – 2024 focuses on Planet vs. Plastic. Statistics prove that, ‘380 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year and only 9% of plastic ever produced is recycled.’All over the world there is a collective voice rising for a 60% reduction of plastic by the year 2040. This is possible by acknowledging our shared responsibility in protecting and conserving nature by taking concrete steps to reduce plastic use in various ways to stop plastic pollution.
The most effective step to stop plastic pollution is to consciously make individual efforts to eliminate plastic use from daily life. Less circulation of plastic leads to lesser manufacture and even lesser plastic in garbage that ends up in landfills. The next foot forward, towards the second step is to make use of reusable shopping bags and food containers. Saying no to the use of plastic coffee mugs, tea cups, water bottles, straws, utensils, plastic bags is the third step that again requires only individual effort.
On the collective end, we need to work in unison by participating in public discourse and conversations, being a part of rallies, awareness campaigns on the harmful effects of plastic pollution, nature book reading sessions with children, plastic free community garden clean up drives, support environmentalists, inspire people to adopt eco-friendly practices, segregate waste, support companies that cut back on plastic use by using reusable resources and raise collective voices to advocate environmental policies for a healthier and greener future.
Each one of us has to realize that we have a positive role to play, expanding our thought horizon, exploring the different areas of the world, understanding the varied facts related to climatic change, converse with the younger generation to create awareness about protecting nature, developing the habit of giving back to nature to restore what has been destroyed and preserving for now and the future generations so that we have a plastic free future and make our contribution to reduction in plastic use.
Dr Kirti Shekhawat has been a life-long academician, educationist and teacher before she turned a short story writer after her superannuation as principal.
Disclaimer: The views expressed are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times
