Earth Day 2009 Saw Earth Hour Re-Done, Began Green Generation (Youth) in India
Moving the Earth on Her Day!
When Earth Hour was celebrated on the 28th of last month, the city of Delhi saved 600 MW of electricity - the highest in any Metro city in India - just by switching off non-essential lights. In terms of Carbon emissions, it was as if 2.3 million small cars were taken off the road. It was thus decided by the Chief Minister of Delhi that the Earth Hour will be celebrated every month in the city, and 22nd April - the Earth Day was appropriately chosen to be the day for this month.
Earth Day this year was also a landmark event for the city. Delhi faces several environmental issues most of which are actually the challenges of a rapidly evolving capital city of a country which is developing at an equal pace. Trees being cut almost every day, a polluted river only getting worse, the mobility crisis and the inequity, vehicular pollution and unplanned urban planning are all issues faced by citizens who wanted a solution to these by having a say in the decision making and access to basic information.
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The Earth Day in Delhi saw the launch of a Delhi Environment Action Network (Delhi-EAN), as a network of civil society organizations and citizens - the need for which was long felt. It was setup as a response to the
onslaught on the trees of Delhi, the dying status of river Yamuna, the polythene and waste mess in the city, and the transport and mobility crisis. Backed by national organization Development Alternatives, the day also saw the launch of the Green Generation Youth - and became a symbolic day for welcoming the youth into the environment lobby!
In a gathering of over 300 students, at India’s first Prime Minister’s residence the oath towards a green generation youth was taken and the energy and enthusiasm among these children made the entire complex alive. The awareness level in the children and the committment to securing their own future was - as a teacher described - non-existent in the previous generation.
The children were then introduced to activities planned around nature and natural products, right from painting with natural colors to making stuffs out of naturally found materials. The most popular among all was moving the earth to make pottery other earthen objects. All during the event, the interest of youth and the future generation in associating with nature for their own survival echoed the feeling of the youth from across the Planet.
Indians love to discuss and also provide solutions, but when it comes to implementation……GHU.All of these earth days etc in the Capital and children of the richer classes of society dtaking oaths in front of the PM’s office are just hogwash. Let us see what the PM or CM of Delhi can and will do.
I do enjoy Mr. Singh’s articles. The education of the younger generation is, indeed, the best way to promote change in society. Leaders can only promote policy directions. It is the responsibility of each individual citizen to make positive changes in their day-to-day behaviours. I often hear stories of children who have learned in school and through television programs the necessity to help keep their environment cleaner. These children are very good and reminding their parents and peers to think before they toss that piece of refuse. Together we will improve.