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Clean & Green Environment
Nidhi Agrawal
Our mother earth is the gift of God to each one of us. It is our humble duty and responsibility to maintain it pristine for coming generations. Each of the living things - trees, plants, insects, aquatic life, land animals and we human beings are entitled to clean and green environment bestowed to us by our fatherly god who has not felt the invigoration effect of fresh air, the pleasure of chirping birds, the moving stream and the sweet sound of waterfalls. Could anyone say that he would not like to sit by the side of a pristine brook, appreciating the beauty of nature, stroll around in wood thickets or see deer playfully moving around. Is there a "Midas" who wants to exchange all these gifts of God with the mundane material things? Please let me know. Please !!
I see not a single soul coming forward. So does it mean that we are running the mad race of materialism without realising that we are doing so. Is it that we are following the blind sheep not knowing the path being treed. Take - deep breath. Stop for a minute. Are you planning to continue breathing the obnoxious exhaust of the racing vehicles, drinking the water of stinking rivers and eating the vegetables of the toxic soil full of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Do you say yes? Want to say yes? Can you afford to say Yes?
It's a matter of survival !!!
As I said in the beginning it is our humble duty and responsibility to maintain the earth pristine. No not only our duty and responsibility, but a requirement, our own selfish need to survive - where do we go from here.
We have to become conscious, raise awareness amongst us for reducing poisoning pollution. We are glad to say that Little Eco Friends of Class V have brought in fresh thoughts in the field to our school. Let us nurture this seed planted in the soil of St. Joseph. Let us hear the clarion call of the environment. Let us all pledge to reduce pollution, use eco friendly material in all our endeavour. Let each of us monitor ourselves as well as be a guide to our friends in reminding them when they slip in their duty of maintaining a clean and green environment.
My colleague will now enumerate an action plan. Let it be our bible for a clean and green environment, an environment of reduced pollution.
Action Plan
1. Sound Pollution
- Speak softly.
- Avoid unnecessary clanging, loud sounds.
2. Vehicle Exhaust
- Share vehicles while coming to schools, going to parties etc.
- Insist on your parents to go for vehicle emission tests.
3. Use Eco Friendly Material
- Use leaf plates, cups during picnics or better still
- Use steel plates and cups during picnics, parties wherein the children wash their own plates. Do we children going to USA for higher studies not wash our utensils there. If in USA, why not in India.
- Avoid use of poly bags.
- Use eco friendly cloth bags, paper bags, jute bags.
- Stitch cloth bags from old clothes.
- Donate old clothes to Little Eco Friends who will get the cloth bags stitched free of cost for you.
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Little Eco Friends
By Nidhi Agrawal
"Ban Polybags"
Today plastic is being used in every walk of our life. People are blindly accepting plastic as it is cheap, durable, light weight and easily available. They can carry heavy weights as compared to paper bags but the people have not yet realised that plastic is a threat to our environment.
Plastics are non-biodegradable. They can not be destroyed. Plastic bags often choke the sewage lines. There are so many articles coming in the newspapers like 18 deers killed in Bannarghatta National Park and 2 cows died in Lucknow due to plastics. Many of goats in search for food eat plastic and die. It is shocking that a cow was being operated and one tonne of plastic was found in her stomach due to which it dies. Plastics can not be destroyed. On burning it gives out cancerous fumes which are injurious to health.
The advent of plastic has started in recent years but it has spread so much it becomes impossible to think of a world without plastic. Today plastic is used in every field. The pen we hold, the plastic bags we use for provision etc. Plastic can choke children playing with it to death. The provision carried in carried on coloured plastic can lead to food poisoning. People have a tendency to collect plastic bags and keep it for eg. if a thing can taken in one plastic bag they take four to five bags. If we have a plastic bag we should try to use it as many times as possible. The more times we use the same plastic bag the user will be its demand and so the plastic bag will be less generated.
We classify plastics into two kinds of thickness - above 20 microns and below 20 microns. Plastics above 20 microns are better than those below it. They are thicker and so can be used many times. They can be recycled again. The use of plastics has been tried to ban in places but as it is easily available it still continues to be in use.
Though plastic can not be completely stopped. There are some things in which we can not replace plastics but where we can replace it we should try to. There are other alternatives of plastics like paper and cloth but they have not as popular as plastic because they are not easily available. Plastic effect has been very harmful and its effect will be more felt in the generations to come. If we don't stop using plastics the other generations will not be able to enjoy the beauty of this wonderful earth. We "Little Eco Friends" are trying to reduce the use of plastics. The "Little Eco Friends" use paper and cloth bags instead of poly bags. We have gone to different stores telling people the ill effects of plastics and use cloth and paper bags. The public knows its harmful effects and ready to use cloth and paper bags but the problem arises that the cloth and paper bags are not cheap and readily available. "Little Eco Friends" is trying to bring a revolution and make earth a better place to live for the generations to come. |
Little Eco Friends
By Harshit Agrawal
"If I was reborn as a tree"
I would feel a lucky person if I was reborn after death as a tree because I could help people in many different ways. I would also help maintain a greener environment by being reborn as a tree.
Trees are natural air conditioners by enabling continuous evaporation of water through the stomata of the leaves. They provide shade to people from the scorching sun. Trees become umbrellas and give shelter against rain. The trees help the birds to make their nests on them. The birds work hard to bring twig and various things and make the nest. The mother birds take lot of care of their young ones being hatched from the eggs. Slowly the young ones become big and strong and ready to fly. Thus, the life of the trees and the birds are intertwined.
The trunk and branch of trees comprise of wood. Wood is useful to mankind in several ways. The houses are decorated beautifully with furniture. The cozy beds which are so comfortable to sleep on, the chairs you relax on, the paper you write on, the doors which keep you safe etc. are all made from wood. All this wood comes from the trees. But people are indiscriminately felling trees and at this rate it would wipe off trees from the
face of the earth. I agree that we have to cut trees but if we cut a tree why don't we grow two trees. This will help for a greener environment and also would be a big plus point for the future generations. They could continue to have enough wood for their use.
A tree helps to get rain. Rain keeps the earth cool and balances the weather. If there was no rain, because of global warming it would be tough for mankind to survive. During photosynthesis the trees take in carbon-dioxide and release oxygen. Trees take in carbon-dioxide because it is needed by plants to prepare glucose.
The roots of the trees hold the top soil from being eroded. If the top soil gets eroded there will be only barren land left on which you can not grow plants. If there are no plants then it will be tough for herbivorous animals to survive. If the herbivorous animals get extinct the carnivores animals won't have anything to eat. These are the physical benefits of a tree.
Other than physical benefits a tree gives us a few lessons on metaphysical aspects also.
Children throw a stone on the tree and of course, it hurts the tree, but in return a tree gives us juicy and tasty fruits. Like than even if people do bad to us, why should we even return them bad. We should learn from trees to be always benefiting others even if they are bad to us.
You find so many snakes around a sandalwood tree but does a sandalwood tree take the bad qualities of a snake. No it does not. Similarly even if we, for some reason, have bad, un-social elements around us, we should keep ourselves away from their bad qualities.
You have seen a lotus flower, it grows on marshy, dirty land, but still it is so beautiful. Like that we should also not take the bad qualities of the people around us.
The trees give us so much and I would really be a very lucky person if I become a tree when I am reborn after death.
My request to you is to save
trees and watch the world become a greener,
healthier place to live in.
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Poem By Harshit On Environment
Plants help us a lot,
Plants are like our Gods,
Plants give us wood, oxygen, tea
And they all are free
Plant more trees
And then you see
Earth - becomes pollution free
Better late than never
We will use cloth, paper bags forever
We formed our Little Eco Friends
Who are who are friends of the environment.
Polybags are silent murderers
They are animal killers
so why do you use polybags
Come on ! Come on the right track !!
Have you all gone crack,
To use polybags !
That is why I say to use
Cloth and paper bags.
Help the environment
By not using polybags.
And just using cloth and paper bags
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Presentation |
Presentation at National Young Environmentalist Award Ceremony, Taj Residency, Bangalore on July 17,2002
Harshit : Respected Judges, Parents, Seniors and dear friends,
The Young Environmentalist Awards programme of VOLVO has spurred we young children to have added interest in observing and improving our environment.
Our mother earth is the gift of God to each one of us. It is our humble duty and responsibility to maintain it pristine for coming generations.
Proliferating poly bags have been polluting and poisoning the beautiful earth.
Harshit : We children are working for creating awareness against use of poly bags and promoting use of eco-friendly cloth and paper bags.
Safdhar: We are also pursuing other activities like tree plantation for ensuring better environment.
Vishesh : This presentation discusses the activities undertaken by us, the continuing actions, and our future plans.
Harshit : Poly bags have been choking earth.
Hari
: (to death)
Harshit : We have been disturbed by screaming Headlines.
Safdar : Isn't it chocking - 18 deer chocked to death by poly bags at Bannarghatta National Park.
Hari
: Drains closed by poly bags.
Vishesh : So sad, earthworm insects are suffocated by poly bags left in soil.
Harshit : Non-biodegradable plastic. A monster.
Karan : Beautiful earth cries for help against poly bags.
Harshit : Growing menace of poly bags was being observed by us. Volvo project helped us to formalise the project. Thanks to VOLVO.
Safdar : Little Eco Friends is a group of environment appreciating children
Harshit : Little Eco Friends with eco-friendly bags.
Hari
: Our objectives
Karan : War against poly bags
Vishesh : Love for eco friendly bags
Safdhar : Tree plantation
Harshit : We studied the present situation and implemented the project to create mass awareness against use of poly bags and promoting use of eco friendly cloth and paper bags.
Safdhar : During survey we found people use poly bags for collecting vegetable, milk and everything.
Hari
: We met Pollution Control Board
Safdhar : and our visit to Compost Development Corporation was very interesting.
Harshit : MD explained about difficulties in separating poly bags from garbage.
Karan : Each one of us visited more than 50 flats spreading eco messages.
Vishesh : Collecting old clothes, stitching cloth bags and distributing to flats and shops
Safdhar : Cloth bags distributed in Nilgris.
Hari
: Posters at Vitan.
Vishesh : It was fun distributing cloth bags at Vitan
Harshit : Over 3000 complementary cloth bags distributed.
Karan : Hindu, Times of India, Praja Vaani interviewed us. We printed T-Shirts and planted trees.
Safdhar : We performed street plays at Food World, Cauveri Emporium and opposite Pizza Hut.
Hari
: Posters were a good way to spread our message.
Karan : To hold posters
Safdhar : Banners were forceful in saying no to poly bags.
Vishesh : We all have our visiting cards
Harshit : People have been appreciative of our work.
We, little eco friends, have stopped using poly bags.
Safdhar : More cloth bags, paper bags, T-Shirts are being prepared.
Harshit : Is it not a good idea to have poly bag free schools and poly bag free Bangalore.
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Green Police stations.
- Uncle Sangliana's children rally will be a good forum to spread the eco-messages.
- We will seek Police Commissioner's support for street marches.
- We are planning to spread message to our SAARC neighbours.
All : We have understood the eco-friendly nature of cloth and paper bags.
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Presentation of Little Eco Friends at Vebb Ground at the assembly of children before the street march on August 11,2002
Little Eco Friends
Harshit : A very Good morning to every one - Our mother earth is a gift which God gave to each one of us. It is our humble duty and responsibility to keep it pristine for coming generations. There are quite a few people who are trying to help improve the environment. Little Eco Friends is a group of environment appreciating children working on creating awareness against the use of polybags and encouraging the use of cloth. We collected old clothes and got them stitched. We visited flats and superstores like Nilgiris, Vitan etc. We met Pollution Control Board. Our visit to Compost Development was really interesting. We are also doing tree plantation.
Today we are going to have a street march through M.G. Road. This rally will help us to create mass awareness among people about the disastrous effects of polybags. I thank our guests for joining us today.
I now request Safdhar to present bouquet to Shri Upendra Tripathy.
Safdhar: Mr. Upendra Tripathy, the Chairman of KSPCB is a very helping and social man. I make it a point to thank him because he has helped us a lot. I request Mr. Upendra Tripathy to say a few words. (Mr. Tripathy speaks).
Safdhar - Poly bags are silent killers. They choke the sewerage lines and block air to plant roots and earthworms suffocating them to death. Animals die because polybags choke them.
Isn't it shocking - 18 deer chocked to death by polybags in Bannarghatta National Park.
Harshit: I now request Vishesh to present bouquet to Mr. Sangliana.
Vishesh: I thank Mr. Sangliana who have permitted us to do this march. Mr. Sangliana is really concerned about the environment. He tries every way to help the environment. Could you please say a few words Sir to encourage us children. (Mr. Sangliana speaks)
Harshit: I now request Hari to present bouquet to Shri Suresh Heblikar,environmentalist.
Hari: Trees provide us with food. They give us medicines, paper, wood etc. They give us life giving oxygen. The roots of the plants and trees prevent soil erosion. Yes, I am talking about Mr. Suresh Heblikar who is looking forward to a better greener environment. He is the man from Ecowatch. His NGO has planted more than 70000 saplings. I am happy that LEF are also members of Ecowatch. Mr. Suresh Heblikar, could you say a few words, please. (Mr. Suresh Heblikar's speech)
Harshit: On a broader front we are working towards inculcating the habit of using eco friendly materials in all our walks of life. Using eco friendly materials is to become a part of our life style. We are planning to visit Hotel Leela Palace who have received the best award for eco friendly hotel. We will learn the process for converting/recycling garbage and other waste materials for useful purposes like compost for gardening, power generation for hotel, water for the plants, etc. We will encourage use of flower/plant extracts for use as perfumes / deodorants - these are the itr, oleresins of yesteryears. CIMAP is helping in these efforts. Organic farming in place of chemical fertilizers like urea - they are almost at same cost but have much less social costs.
Ankush: I would like to mention a few operational matters for the street march :
- I would request for volunteers to take care of children - teachers & parents present may kindly accept the responsibility.
- We shall be distributing paper bags to children. Polybags enroute may kindly be picked up and put in the paper bags.
- Children may kindly maintain discipline on the road.
- Each school, I understand, has prepared their slogans. They can voice it out, one school at a time, during the march, may we can begin with FABS. Shri E. Hart may kindly take note of.
- Children of each school, may kindly stay together for convenience of administration.
Harshit: I request everyone to stand up and repeat what I say.
" I have understood the Eco-friendly nature of cloth and pledge to spread the message all around and
to stop using polybags"
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| Letters
Sample of the letter written by Little Eco Friends to the press thanking them
July 20,2002
The Chief Editor,
Uday Vani,
Bangalore.
Dear Sir,
Little Eco Friends - Newspaper Coverage
As you are aware, 'Little Eco Friends' have been selected to represent India for the "Young Environmentalist Award" programme being conducted by VOLVO, Sweden. The finals for selection in India was organised at Taj Residency, Bangalore on July 18, 2002.
Little Eco Friends received lot of attention and felt highly motivated by the extensive newspaper coverage provided by New Indian Express, Bangalore. We the parents, guide and the Little Eco Friends themselves will like to place on record their heartfelt appreciation and gratefulness for the newspaper coverage provided by your newspaper.
We look forward to your continued encouragement for the Little Eco Friends and the children wanting to join group to make it a mass movement.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
(Harshit Agrawal)
Little Eco Friends
Flat No. 201, X-Block, Alpine Place,
1st Main, Seshadripuram,
Bangalore - 560020
Ph. 3461365
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Sample of letters written by Little Eco Friends for making arrangements for its programmes
August 29, 2002
Father Michael John. SJ,
Principal,
St. Joseph's Boys High School,
Bangalore.
Respected Sir,
Little Eco Friends - "Say No to Poly bags"
As you are aware Sir, with your kind blessings, 'Little Eco Friends' have been selected to represent India for the "Young Environmentalist Award" programme being conducted by VOLVO, Sweden. In continuation of the programme, 'Little Eco Friends' seek your kind blessings and support for the following :
(i) Collection of old clothes at school for stitching cloth bags.
(ii) Street March on August 11, 2002 on M.G. Road.
It is proposed to organise a children rally at St. Joseph's Boys High School Ground (behind Centenary Building,
M.G. Road) of 500 children from 10 different schools on August 11, 2002 at 09:00 a.m. The rally may be addressed by your kind self, Police Commissioner and other dignitaries.
The children will then proceed on street march on M.G. Road up to the Gandhi Square crossing Cauvery Emporium, Gangaram etc. where they will disperse at 11:30 a.m. Enroute the children will stage street play at two places.
- Permission may kindly be granted for use of St. Joseph's ground for the rally.
- A podium for the dignitaries and some seating arrangement for the children in the ground would need to be done. I seek your kind advice on the subject whether the school could arrange for the same.
We are taking necessary approvals from competent Government authorities for arranging the rally and street march.
(iii) 'Little Eco Friends' propose to visit Mysore for a day to spread their eco message - 'Say No to Poly bags, promote eco friendly cloth & paper bags' and 'Promote Tree Plantation'. They propose to visit 2 schools and superstores for the purpose.
(iv) Visit to SAARC Countries - Kathmandu (Nepal) and Colombo (Sri Lanka) where direct flight services are available.
We shall be glad to have your cooperation in visiting 2 schools in each of the 2 countries as also in
Mysore. While we would be arranging the travel etc.,
co-ordination and permission from schools could be arranged by seeking your kind help.
We shall be glad and grateful for your necessary approvals and support.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
(Harshit Agrawal)
Little Eco Friends
Flat No. 201, X-Block, Alpine Place,
1st Main, Seshadripuram,
Bangalore - 560020
Ph. 3461365
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Letter to Shri H.T. Sangliana,
about the proposal to organise rally
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July 26, 2002
Shri H.T. Sangliana,
Police Commissioner,
Bangalore.
Respected Sir,
Little Eco Friends - Street March -
M.G. Road - "Say No to Poly bags"
It was an honour for 'Little Eco Friends' to receive
the national award for "Young
Environmentalist" at your hands. As discussed,
'Little Eco Friends' proposes to organise a rally at
St. Joseph's Boys' High School Ground (behind
Centenary Building, M.G. Road) on August 11, 2002 at
09:00 a.m. The rally will consists of about 500
children from 10 different schools of Bangalore and
would be blessed by your address. The rally would
then proceed for a street march on M.G. Road up to
the Gandhi Square crossing Cauvery Emporium,
Gangaram etc. where they will disperse at 11:30 a.m.
Enroute the Little Eco Friends would stage Street
Play at two places (near Cauvery Emporium and
opposite Bombay Store).
I, therefore, solicit your gracious presence on the
occasion of the rally and 'Street March' at St.
Joseph's Boys High School Ground (behind Centenary
Building, M.G. Road) on August 11, 2002 at 09:00
a.m.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
(Harshit Agrawal)
Little Eco Friends
Flat No. 201, X-Block, Alpine Place,
1st Main, Seshadripuram,
Bangalore - 560020
Ph. 3461365
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