Code Red – The Linkage

 

The selfless gift of Nature to mankind; its beauty forever lingering in human minds, making it a better living place for all, of course, created by the supreme power as all say, satiating the hunger of the rich and the poor, a place of multiplication for food and other forms of utility crops, keeping countless buildings in its surface and mightily turning some of them upside down, taking in all the dead and decayed ones, churning everything into a source of fossil fuels and precious diamonds, still winding its magic wand to give her wealth, withstanding the pollution-menace also dangerously alarmed as ‘Code Red’ by UN scientists by the repercussions of our acts – Mother Nature, as we all celebrate her as ‘Earth Day' on April 22 every year.

 

GREEN- This word replenishes my mind and keeps me energized.If the Earth is always lush with green pastures, WOW… As a naturalist, I always talk to the students about why we call Earth Mother Earth and its importance to preserve it.

The Holy Bible declares in the book of Psalms 24: 1 “The Earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it”

“Orbiting Earth in the spaceship, I saw how beautiful our planet is. People, let us preserve and increase this beauty, not destroy it! ”                                              – Yuri Gagarin

“The poetry of Earth is never dead.” – John Keats. (On the Grasshopper and Cricket)

 

On Earth Day, steps are taken and executed to prevent the planet Earth from deforestation, global warming, and pollution. It was founded by American Senator Gaylord Nelson for environmental education.

The United Nations is moving forward with addressing environmental issues by “thinking and acting globally”. The following are some of the steps in the events that focussed on the stalwart of the United Nations.

Protecting the ozone layer, production of organic foods, protecting endangered species like whales, etc., and preventing oil spills in the oceans.

Encouraging participants to protect various threatened animal species through educational resources, planting trees, introducing climate action-guide,

Earth Day also concentrated on the “Green Cities” campaign to help cities to become more sustainable to reduce carbon print out.

To avoid and prevent plastic pollution a clean-up project was undertaken by Coca-Cola and Starbucks to eliminate and reduce the usage of plastic.

“Plastic pollution-free world is not a choice but a commitment to life – a commitment to the next generation”                                                                            - Amit Ray 

“Let us listen to the voice of unborn generations and make the earth the hospitable place that any human being deserves”                                        – Gro Harlem Brundtland

A program was conducted on how to adopt a plant-based diet known for its healthy effects, preservation of bio-diversity, reforestation of the Earth, and spreading climate literacy and environmental literacy where like-minded people join hands and address various issues related to preserving the cleanliness and safety of the Earth.

Encouraging the student fraternity to involve in garbage litter pick up and cleaning in their living place.

Earth is rightly called Mother Earth because it provides raw materials and the basement for civilization and also sustains the economic status of every nation.

“Love the Earth as you would love yourself ” – John Denver

“There are no passengers on spaceship Earth. We are all crew” Marshall McLuhan

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth find reserves of STRENGTH that will endure as long as life lasts” 

-  Rachel Carson (Silent Spring)

At St, Britto’s the students are involved in various activities like presentations, workshops, Nature walks, and Educational forums building up nest-cave for birds.

Global cleanup, removing trash from parks, trails, and beaches to improve the living place for various habitats thereby protecting wildlife and safeguarding the Earth from illegal human activities.

‘Canopy Project’ is a project under which trees were planted so that it becomes a storehouse of carbon and absorb greenhouse gases to enhance the bio-diversity protecting waterways and thereby enriching soil nutrition.

A design poster task was entitled to students to draw a clean and safe planet Earth.

A short film was taken by the students on the importance of Earth Day.

“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.” Franklin. D. Roosevelt. 32^nd President of the United States.

“He that plants trees love others besides himself.” – Thomas Fuller.

A philosophical approach to Earth

The Earth is interconnected with five elements of nature and environment linked -  if untouched can make wonders and if touched, leaves an indelible impression of the everlasting disaster which needs to be addressed for the betterment of itself in all ways.

Trees are a poem the Earth writes across the sky. Humanity cuts them down for paper so we may record our emptiness. – Khalil Gibran.

“Earth Day should encourage us to reflect on what we are doing to make our planet a more sustainable and livable place. – Scott Peters, Congressman.

“The miracle is not to fly in the air or to walk on water, but to walk on the earth.”

Nature is bountiful but struggling as issues like a forest fire, floods, extremes of temperature, and oceans turning acidic are alarming signals turning all heads towards the planet Earth. It gets destructed due to climatic change, deforestation, intense agriculture, livestock production, illegal wildlife trading, and poaching.

How to save Mother Earth?

The following are some of the ways by which everyone can save Mother Earth.

Every individual can opt for walking and use a bicycle as a mode of transport thus avoiding the emission of carbon-di-oxide to a larger extent.

By reducing carbon exhaust from trucks, vehicles that are driven by diesel with a high level of sulfur forming black carbon called ‘soot’ which pollutes the earth now filled with a less polluting form of diesel without the sulphur content.

Some important factor that pollutes Mother Earth is the usage of polyethylene bags or similar products, nothing but plastic pollution which affects badly the land, ocean, marine life, and our health.

“The Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth”                                                                     - Chief Seattle

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it”                                            – Robert Swan

 

Real Earth Day is when we convert Earth into a safer place for our future generation.

Earth Day Network is an organization that leads Earth Day worldwide and educates millions of people about the health risks associated with the use and disposal of plastics causing a very serious threat to life.

Earth Day now brings citizens around the world to raise awareness and take action regarding environmental concerns like global warming and renewable energy.

Earth Day provides opportunities for all citizens to involve and become active in the environmental movement to preserve the Earth.

It widens the meaning of the environment by including green schools with the environmental curriculum. It advocates for people to go for organic, local, and sustainable agricultural techniques to improve food and agriculture instead of chemical pesticides which contribute to environmental degradation.

“On Earth, there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it”                                                                    Jules Renard

“Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty”                                                         – John Ruskin

A Futuristic approach to saving our planet

“Our goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality, and mutual respect for all other human beings and all other living creatures”              - Gaylord Nelson

“Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known”                                                        – Carl Sagan

“Only When The Last Tree Has Died And The Last River Been Poisoned And The Last Fish Been Caught Will We Realize That We Cannot Eat Money”

Let’s work together to promote harmony with nature and Mother Earth towards a sustainable program for both people and the planet. Let us celebrate, preserve, protect and restore our planet.

At the end of the day, I came to know that most of the students come to school by walking or cycling in reducing “carbon footprint”. As I have instructed the green group committee is formed in school to conserve and avoid waste, taking up recycling projects, planting more saplings, and conducting rallies. Above all, awareness is raised among them and it provides a sense of satisfaction in my inner self.

 

Testimonial:

 

 

I’m S. Kapil, an alumnus of St. Britto’s Mat Hr Sec School, now doing my Mechanical Engineering III year. In our school, several activities and programs were held during various international days observed for several purposes. One such day I remember is volunteering on one of the celebrations of Earth Day which is observed on the 22^nd of April every year which is indeed a noble deed. Several years after I joined my job, I started to work on protecting the planet in association with many NGOs.

This helped me to assist them in conducting rallies, awareness camps, etc where we gathered the youth to join green groups. Our team visited various schools and conducted Earth Day activities where we had presentations, group discussions, and brainstorming sessions and elaborated on ways to Go Green by encouraging the planting of more trees in one’s locality with target points and knowing its benefits. This way, I am happy that our team has supported the cause of protecting the environment and extending it toward protecting a safe and cleaner Earth.