Plastic has almost been declared the No. 1 enemy of Planet Earth. Plastic bags and bottles are on the endangered list of commodities in India with Maharashtra set to enforce a ban on certain types of plastic following the example of 17 other states. Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle have been watchwords from decades. However, now they have gained more significance, especially in the light of the recent developments.
The ominous news that more than 200 cities all over the globe are facing acute water crisis and 10 cities may, in the near future, run out of water is indeed an eye opener. Bengaluru too is on the list and that surely is alarming for people living in our garden city. People in Cape Town, South Africa, are bracing themselves for Day Zero – when there will be absolutely no water in their city. There are many such horrifying scenarios being awaited elsewhere too.
Nevertheless, there is also a growing understanding and mindfulness pervading many places. There are remedies being sought and viable solutions are emerging. Water management strategies are being devised: rainwater harvesting, the way in which crops are being selected for cultivation, planting vertical gardens, harnessing the ocean’s water through desalination are now among the many options being explored, among other environmental efforts.
Some days back, my heart leapt up in delight when I found out about the return of the Olive Ridley turtles to Versova Beach in Mumbai after a hiatus of 20 years. This is a victory for the beach cleanup efforts of Mr Afroz Shah and his dedicated group of volunteers. The VIBGYOR Group of Schools is proud of our association with this stupendous humanitarian and environmentally friendly work.
There are many crucial sustainability initiatives that all our VIBGYOR schools are promoting. The foremost among them is the banning plastic initiative and the water conservation initiative. Our schools are promoting environmental consciousness and spreading awareness among the students about these socially relevant topics and year long plans have been drawn up and implemented.
Let us all begin in our own small ways to save our beloved Earth.