On the ocassion of the World Environment Day

It has been around seven to eight years now that I have been traveling the unbeaten paths trying to explore more. May it be forests, grasslands, stream side etc. But it was very recently (around 4 years back), I started to look at all this in a different way. Earlier, I used to roam through forests but never used to observe the birds; as I was living on the fringe of a reserve forest, snakes used to come in our house but I used to kill them. 
 With a boost of inspiration from various personalities, I learned to observe my surrounding. Observation and comparison led to increase in knowledge, knowledge led to sense of belonging to my environment. With the bond with the environment and its inhabitants being stronger, the urge to explore grew. These day long or week long explorations brought out some extremely exciting facts. But in addition, there were fact which were not so pleasing and some, which still prick inside my heart.

With advancing urbanization and so called development, people are going far from nature. They say environmentalist are supposed to care of nature. I only ask them a question - "Are environmentalist the only ones who get benefited by nature? Are they the only ones who breath oxygen, drink clean water, use furniture made out of trees, eat food and use other articles directly or indirectly derived from natural resources?"
You can not deny the fact that every single being is dependent on its natural environment for its survival. Then why is it that only few have to bear the task of taking care of the environment? Everyone avails the rights but few perform the duties. Why?

The only reason I can figure out is due to lack of belongingness. People have become so used to a concrete environment that they don't realize the fact that natural forest lie on the same land as that of the concrete jungles. We have started forgetting that we are a part of nature which is existing for millions of years and are becoming part of what we are creating today, which is pushing us towards devastation.
We humans, are not only putting our future into danger but also of those millions of beings which share the planet with us and can't fight on their own for their survival. Several organisms are getting extinct before they are even discovered.

Look around you. You will see various beings living around you. Take out time on a weekend and go to a place which is a bit far from human habitation and experience nature. Enjoy it. 
Thats when you will truly realize that if you are taking something from it, you should give back too.


What you can do?
You can start from your home:

1)The water which comes through your tap is actually harvested from a river which is a source of water for various other life forms. Even lot of money is utilized to harvest the water and channelize it towards you. So use water very carefully. 

Close the taps while brushing teeth or shaving. Don't use a hosepipe to wash a car but use a bucket and mug.

When using flush, only flush out required amount of water

Immediately fix leaking taps and tanks. Use floaters in tanks.

Report immediately if you see a broken public pipeline.



2)Garbage is a major problem which leads to pollution of our ecosystem and on top of the list is plastic.

Don't accept new plastic bags. Carry one which you already have at home while going for shopping.

Try to use those articles which are recyclable or those which can decompose over a period of time.

The best way is to minimise your requirements. Don't keep on buying unnesessary things.

Dispose the garbage at proper places like municipality garbage bins and not into streams and other such locations.

Don't throw around wrappers of candies, chips or such things anywhere. Keep them with you and throw them when you come across a dustbin.

3)Bear compassion towards living beings.

Keep in mind that there are also other creatures living with us on this planet with an equal right to live. And off course our future depends on their survival.

So please do your part and don't get involved in activities like consumption of meat of wild animals. If you stop eating, there will be decline in demand and hence decline in poaching.

Please don't kill animals like snakes if they enter your house. There are many wildlife rescue volunteers in Goa. Call the one who is nearer to you and he will rescue the snake and release in a suitable natural habitat.
Call me if there's a snake in your house on: 9545436161

Here's is a list of other snake rescuers listed out by Nirmal Kulkarni on his blog:

Snake Rescue Volunteers In Goa

If you abide by the above things, you can help in the cause of protection of environment. Be a responsible citizen and always think how your actions affect your surrounding and always try to minimise the effect.
Lets join hands and make an attempt to safeguard our environment.

If you want to join our group MITRA and take part in activities like awareness regarding environment and wildlife, tree plantation, trekking, birdwatching etc,
then contact me at: rahutherebel@gmail.com

                        or on: 9545436161

Happy World Environment Day to all

Click above to view the Photograph