Inderpal Singh Batra- The real environment Hero

Inderpal Singh Batra is a nature loving from his childhood and is fascinated with sparrows. One day, a tree near his house was cut to make a building there. That tree was home to many sparrows and he felt really bad that day. We often come across many problems around us but a person who transforms a problem into an opportunity is a hero. So, is Inderpal who decided to make his home, a place where birds could live safely. He started to plant trees in his place and placed mud pots so that sparrows can have a natural habitat. At first, Inderpal planted bougainvillea and shami, when these plants grew, he added mud pots with clothes,cotton, and grass kept inside it. In the span of few days, sparrows started coming and today people from different parts of India come to his place to watch these sparrows. 
With his efforts the resident of Banaras has given many sparrows a safe natural habitat. It is truly a wonderful work to give habitat to those birds who have lost their homes due to urbanisation and Inderpal and his family are a big inspiration for all of us. 
Perfect example of how individualist effort has evidently made a difference.

Let's make homes for your childhood bird

In my previous blog, I promised you all that my next blog will have simple and easy solutions that we can adapt to bring back our 'bachpan ki chidiya'- Sparrows back in our homes. Due various reasons like concrete buildings, lack of sparrow homes, the population of this beautiful bird is constantly decreasing. Earlier we need not count the birds as we had this bird in so large number but now we can hardly see this bird. Situation is worse and we have to take an action as soon as possible to revive the population of this home bird. The super easy methods that we can inculcate in our households are listed below-

-Plant at least three plants in your balcony and take good care of it.
-Use your kitchen waste as manure and add these to your little garden.

-This is surely begin the decomposition process and then would help in the development of microbes    that these birds feed on. 
-You can also add bird feeders in your balcony.
-Keep water bowl and bird bath containers so that  in summers birds can have water and also can take bath which will help these birds to rehydrate.

-Plants  and hedges, that are native to the place, can be grown. This encourages sparrows to come     back.
-Artificial nests in our balcony will help these birds have a safer and a constant place to live and     breed. 

My childhood's best memory, where are you?

Sparrows were considered to be every home's bird back in 90s. We could easily see two or three just sitting on our balcony shelf. My favourite childhood memory was also seeing sparrows flying from one home to another but now in the 2000 era, we are hardly seeing any of our childhood bird around our house. What exactly are the reasons for the sparrows to vanish like that from Delhi?

With Delhi running fastly into modernisation and modifying itself into a modern urban living, there is no space for the bird that has always been a part of our household. Lack of ventilators, houses are now made up of glass panels leaves no room for sparrows to make their homes. There are no green trees in your yards now, most of us do not have yard at all as all we see is concrete building everywhere in Delhi. For the majority of children in Delhi, a sparrow is only a pretty picture in their bird books. Noise, installation of mobile towers, radiation have made these bird's life hell. Some have died already and some are on the verge of extinction. We as humans have exploited Delhi bird's  natural home and habitat. So, what can we do?  
You will get to know about interesting solutions that individually you can do to revive your childhood bird in your  house  again. So, stay tuned................

Let's learn to segregate

Garbage ,a dump of waste that we throw out of our homes and we want to get rid of it as soon as possible. What actually happens to that pile of waste that we throw out of our house? Have we ever thought about it? 
Most of us think that we have thrown away the pile of waste and now we have fulfilled our responsibility but that ragpicker who takes all the waste from our houses then has a hard time as first he has to segregate it into dry and wet waste which should be our habit. Government are giving out a lot of advertisement around it but this can only be implemented when we adapt this habit in our daily lives. 
Individuals approach is the need of the hour which includes the process of segregation at our own home.  Let's make it a habit that  when ever we throw anything we should always segregate so that it becomes easy for ragpickers to recycle the waste.
Recycling waste is very important as then only we can eliminate the load that is constantly increasing on earth.Most of us aren't aware that outside Delhi ,there are huge mountains of waste which is creating bigger problems day by day for the people around the place as it is inviting  diseases on a large scale. Blue for dry and green for wet waste. 
So, let's make this a practice to  segregate so that we make this world a better, a cleaner and  healthier place to live. 

People, the real victims of climate change

In the recent times,Delhi's air quality have been known for consistently decreasing .We all know that the air quality had decreased to such a level that visibility level was minimum.This problem attracted world over news channels and publications as environment and climate change adverse impact was purely evident. 

The problem was not only the visibility, the impact of this pollution was huge as it was seen on Delhi's people as they  were highly affected ,they were seen coughing all the time and some were reported to have series breathing problems. Everyone blamed vehicular pollution but the root cause was over exploitation of resource and gradual increase harmful products usage like plastics.

Climate change has truly not only depleted resources but also had immensely affected people living in Delhi and world over.And there is a need to urge people to use alternate resources so that the impact of climate change can be reversed.

Allow your children to be in love with nature

In our childhood we have played so many games, one of the game was hide and seek where we used to hide behind the trees, we have enjoyed our childhood playing here and there but we really see now children playing outside. The answer is no or very less, today children are more connected to playing games on phones and tablets. Ironically, we make a cartoon in subway surfer run but the children are not at all indulge in physical activities. They are made to study about the greenery around but can't feel the trees. On talking to Prerna Bindra, a well known environmentalist,  she threw the light upon this subject that parents should allow their children to be with nature. She also added that the needs of today's generation is are entirely different from their own in the lack of a more natural environment. Children of today's time are distant from nature. Children needs to be around nature to literally feel its beauty not just made to learn about it. If they will feel it then only they will be able to understand its problems and then only they will initiate to save it. Inculcating values of saving natural resources from very tender age should be there so that they fulfill their individualist approach from their very childhood. 

India, a nature loving country since ancient times

Vanaspatey Shanti, the hymn from yajurveda which prays fro peace across flora and fauna on Earth is an evident that India has always been an environment loving country so what has actually happened to our ancient beliefs. What are we forgetting? 
Taking care of environment, indeed is what we have overlooked. India is land which has a culture that has been intrinsically connected to nature since ancient times. In fact, India is the only country where natural resources are worshipped. Nature was always given due respect. It is our tradition that rivers are considered valuable and are revered. Environment which has given us a lot and is still giving us is just asking to take care of him as he did and is still doing. Environment wants little bit of nourishment, care and protection. In the contemporary times, it is believed that we are not aware about our tradition of giving respect to nature. It has now become the need of the hour that we should go back to our roots to protect Mother Earth and our future.
Now it has become necessary that we do our part in safeguarding environment's interest because if we will not realise our responsibility today, it will be too late...........

Recycling is now one click away!

Open the app-book a cab! Open the app-book a movie ticket!, Yep that's what we do nowadays to do almost everything we have an app. From paying electricity bills to shopping we can do it just by clicking on an app but what about having an app for recycling. Interesting, Right? A man from South Delhi too thought same way and brainstorm over it and decided why not? Let's have a recycling app so that we can recycle and get recycling services also quick and easy and POM POM came into being. Deepak Sethi, Co-Founder and Co-owner of Pom Pom pvt. Ltd. developed this app which is one of its kind that makes recycling super easy. It works exactly how most of the apps function, a guy from pom pom will come to your house take all the plastic bags, glass and plastic bottle and even newspapers and in return will give you reasonable price. 

Now you all must be thinking that kabadhi valas around our house does the same. But here is where pom pom is different. After collecting the recyclable waste, the company adds further value by segregating these and supplies them to industries that recycle  them to manufacture new products. This eliminates the middle men in the process and makes you feel like a Hero! 

Students across schools are learning recycling in their theory books but this app will make them practically understand the process of recycling. So, this app just not adds value to your wallet but also inculcates the recycling values in your children for a better tomorrow.
 #everdayisearthday #recyclingisfun #let'srecycle 

Sunita Narain- An inspiration

             Hi, everyone here I am with my another blog about a person whom I personally admire, Sunita Narain. An Indian environmentalist and political activist as well as a major proponent of the Green concept of sustainment development. I was fortunate to meet her during the New Delhi World book Fair 2018 in Delhi where in a session she highlighted how we can individually do our part for the environment which truly inspired me. Narain is director general of the India-based research institute the Center for Science and Environment, Director of the Society for Environmental Communications, and Editor of the fortnightly magazine, Down To Earth.
I attended a discussion session during the New Delhi World Book Fair where she was one of the panelist and with her powerful voice she started to share the actual problems of Delhi's environment, where she said that vehicular pollution pollutes Delhi's air majorly but other factors are lack of greenery in Delhi and poor waste management is increasing pressure on environment with each passing day. She also added that with measures like kitchen gardening, using vegetable leftovers as compost and planting more and more trees near roads will initiate the progress that we want to see.
Sunita began working with the Centre for Science and Environment in 1982. She has always believed that if we all give our part in saving the environment change will come and it will be evident. Over the years, this influential lady has developed the management and financial support systems need for the Centre, which has over 100 staff members and a dynamic program profile. In 1990s, she got involved with global environmental issues and she continues to work on these as researcher and advocate. In 2016 Narain received the IAMCR Climate Change Communication Research in Action Award and was in the Time Magazine's list of 100 Most Influential People.
 A simple woman who influences so many people and make them realise their individual responsibility towards environment should be saluted and through this blog I want to thank her for all her work and motivation that she gives to everybody that they too can make a difference.

Chandi Prasad Bhatt-India's first modern environmentalist

Chandi Prasad Bhatt, an environmentalist and social activist by profession who founded Dasholi Gram Swarajya Sangh(DGSS) in Gopeshwar in 1964, which later became a mother organisation to the Chipko Movement, in which he was pioneers, and for which he was awarded the Ramson Magsaysay Award for community leadership in 1982. He was also awarded  with Padma Bhushan in 2005. He is also an author of Pratikar Ke Ankur, Future of Large Projects in the Himalaya , Ecosystem of Central Himalaya. Today this visionary man is known for his work on subaltern social ecology and considered one of India;s first modern environmentalist. Although, Bhatt has attended meetings in lowland India and abroad as a spokesperson for chipko, he has remained a man of his land. He along with his wife continue to live a simple life of their Himalayan neighbours. Bhatt is also a recipient of the Gandhi Peace Prize in 2013. He is truly an environment hero and inspiration for youngsters.

Sunderlal Bahuguna-One man Army

We often come across the problem of urbanisation which is increasing at an alarming level. Many people from different regions come to the developed states or metropolitan cities. Sunderlal Bahuguna was born in a small village called Maroda village in Tehri, like every area this place too had some problems. Bahuguna instead  of moving to the cities decided to solve the problems. A  follower of Gandhi ji, he never used any violent techniques to fight for the rights of environment. He always used non-violent ways to fight for preservation of forests. It is said that the ideas was of his wife and he implemented it.

He was the one to initiate, the great Chipko movement which was a revolutionary movement in the field of saving trees, he gave the slogan "Ecology is permanent economy". He also motivated people to voice against the colonial rulers in India's freedom movement. A Padma Vibhushan holder for environment conservation has always worked for environment interest and safeguard its resources.
To dedicate your whole for the  preservation of nature is really difficult for any person but this man did it all to make environment around him resist its beauty. An inspiring person and a environment lover has time to time worked for rivers, trees conservation so that he could give away his part of saving environment. 

Afroz Shah- A common man with extraordinary vision

We all love the sight of beautiful sea flowing onto our feet and we see a sunset in front of our eyes. This beautiful sight is expected by us if we go to any destination where beaches are there. Likewise, Mumbai is just  not famous for bollywood stars but also for its beauty of beaches. The reality is just opposite as most of the beaches in Mumbai is now a pure representation of dump, plastics  and all sorts of wastage. This is my personal experience of going to Juhu beach and expecting the beautiful sight and getting exactly opposite experience. Seeing this view of wastage in sea, I felt really bad and it really made me sad. I know that most of us would have felt in the same way but did we think of doing anything,  I don't think so.

Afroz Shah, a common man who also loved roaming around Versova beach as he had played there when he was a kid but when he grew up, this beach has lost its beauty which really affected him and urged him to do something extraordinary. A common man with extraordinary vision as he started cleaning this beach his hands and motivated many volunteers to work for this beach so that it can revive its beauty. This is noted to be the biggest citizen initiative to clean the beach, it took 109 weeks for him and his volunteers to show the world the citizen power and love for nature. It was his hard work that he was recognised by many actors and actresses  and they through twitter supported him. Even, the Big B came to the  beach and helped Alfoz to clean the beach. Afroz's journey was difficult as BMC many times interrupted in his working. Afroz now cleans Versova beach every sunday with the same passion and commitment. Through this bog I would like to appeal to everyone who love to travel to beaches, mountains and rivers to see its beauty, let us do our part of  not throwing waste, plastics into these bodies so that the beauty can be maintained. 

Vandana Shiva- A true environment Hero.

It is often a myth  that if a person is in the limelight then only he is doing something worth. But this is not the reason why people work for social cause. People work for a social cause when they really feel about it and workings are not restricted to just organising marches and all. Everyone has their own way of expressing their thoughts, so do Vandana Shiva. She is a well known environmental activist, Indian Scholar, food sovereignty advocate and author of 20 books. She is one of the leaders and board members of the International Forum on Globalisation and a figure  of the global solidarity movement known as the alter-globalisation movement.
As a daughter of a forests conservator and a farmer, Vandana had that nature loving since childhood, growing up she had developed interests in agriculture and food. Vandana has spent most of her life in the defence and celebration of biodiversity and indigenous knowledge. In 2003, she was given a title of  'Environment Hero' by Time magazine. Her work on agriculture started in 1984 after the violence in Punjab and the gas leak in Bhopal from Union Carbide's pesticide manufacturing plant. She is a person who has worked extensively to promote biodiversity in agriculture to increase productivity, nutrition, farmer's income. A true Environment Hero, she is who has proved that individually we can make a difference. 

Bhagat Puran Singh-An Environmentalist

I am back with another blog in which I would like to start with a situation. Let's imagine when we are passing from a normal road and a man is circulating a pamphlet will we read  it? On asking this question from some of my friends, they said that they take it but never saw what is written in it. Do we realise that small piece of paper could have something that can completely  change our thinking. Now, you all must be thinking why I am narrating this situation or making you imagine this situation because today as I am going to write about a man who wrote pamphlets from his very own hands and then circulated to people to raise awareness about soil erosion and pollution. These days these two terms must be very common but interestingly when Bhagat Puran Singh used these terms people weren't aware of  them. 

Bhagat Puran Singh, a man  who did not finish schooling after 9th like many of us did but then too had a different ideology towards nature. He believed that in selfless service of humanity. He was  an environmentalist and visionary. A Padma Shri awardee, also initiated tree plantation drives, organised talks and lectures on various issues concerning the environment and social life, and also wrote a large number of books regarding the same. Some of his famous works include"Education of man","Righteousness alone exalts a nation".Plant or Perish",The Way"and many more.He was truly a man who could see the future of mankind without trees and will always be remembered for his contributions towards environment.

Anadish Kumar Pal-A Real Hero of Environment

Talking about the Heroes of Environment in my last blog, I promised you all that my next blog will be dedicated to them.So, here I am with Anadish Kumar Pal, a very popular environmentalist, Indian inventor since the age of 14 years and a poet. You must have not seen him in news or channels but he deserves an applause from everybody for his spectacular work for environment. Pal has obtained 10 United states patents in total. In 2009, he got his most significant patent for an electromagnetically controlled fuel efficient internal combustion engine, titled as "Relaying  piston multi-use valve less electromagnetically controlled energy conversion devices." 
Not an engineer or a designer by professional, Pal loved inventing machines that create value for environment. In 2013, he obtained a patent for gravity modulation and its reception where he has claimed to have demonstrated a gravitational wave based communication link.
Pal also takes positions as an environmentalist on the issues of saving trees in Delhi and in that regard seems to have come under various threats from an anti-tree lobby.
A true environmentalist also started a self taught electronics designer to do freelance projects for companies like Maruti Udyog, Honda, the National Institute for visually Handicapped, Dehradun. 
He is truly a person of honor. For further updates keep supporting. 

The Real Heroes of Environment!

It is very evident that pollution and climate change is becoming a global issue and is affecting many lives on Earth but it is also very true that individuals who have realised that it is not just government responsibility to save our environment are real heroes of the society. They do not initiate so that they can get publicity or can get coverages in publications, they do it as they can see the near future where earth is not green anymore, where life on earth is not life anymore. These heroes need a salute and are worth being icons of youngsters as they not only help our environment regaining its beauty but are also helping us by motivating us to work towards Mother Earth.
The upcoming series of blogs are dedicated to those heroes ony who have shown us that yes individually we can make a difference. Stay tuned for knowing them.