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“माता भूमि पुत्रोऽहं पृथिव्या”
This verse from ‘Atharvaveda’ captures the theme of “Only One Earth” very beautifully for the 50th World Environment Day on 5th June, 2022!
It translates to –‘ Earth is my Mother & I am her Child’.
My approach for this Environment Day can be titled “Sustainable Living!”
Sustain, as the word goes, forms a bridge between the present and what the future holds for us!
While evolution has been a constant in the present generation, a thorough analysis is required right from the level of an atom to the atmosphere in the small habits that we as a society are accustomed to.
A small change to our current habits can create a drastic impact on society and the world we live in!
This World Environment Day let’s pledge to create an atmosphere of belongingness to our “Only One Earth”.
Sustain, as the word goes, forms a bridge between the present and what the future holds for us!
The environment also consists of active flora & fauna!
The ultimate focus for “Only one planet” should be on the dependence on Green Energy, which reflects on the energy which is clean and generated through renewable sources.
Indian literature of Vedas and Upanishads is richly populated with awareness of nature and the ecosystem we thrive in.
Each of our fundamental actions has to be concentrated on measuring the impact it creates on the five-building elements of nature i.e., Earth (Prithvi), Water (Jal), Fire (Agni), Air (Vayu), Space (Aakash).
At the grassroots level, the five elements form the basis of change on this planet. Any effort to correct the existing negative impact on the environment should be focused on analyzing one natural element at a time.
Below are some exciting steps that could be taken on a small scale and their larger effects:
🎄 Limit the use of Air Conditioners (Uses freon & other chemicals & ultimately leads to an increase in Earth’s temperature)
🎄 Making a switch to Electric Vehicles through personal & public transport (Reduces dependence on fossil fuels, which ultimately preserves climate)
🎄 Effective recycling & safe disposal of Electronic devices like mobiles & laptops (Preserves soil quality)
🎄 Active treatment of smoke emitted from automobiles & industries (Cleaner air quality helps in maintaining green cover over Earth)
🎄 Reduce any unwanted burning of waste or toxic material (Helps in creating a safe atmosphere for our flora & fauna)
🎄 Go digital & save paper (Conserves trees)
🎄 Switch off your gasoline operated vehicles at long stops & Traffic Signals (Collectively reduces carbon emissions)
🎄 Installation of Solar panels on rooftops for energy Independence (Reduces usage of conventional energy generated from non-renewable sources), In addition, excess energy generated through solar panels could be reverted back to the grid thus making it more “Clean”!
Collectively, as citizens of rich cultural heritage, we have to think at a global level and act at a local scale. If each of us has a mindset to live naturally without having much dependence on depletable resources, that could be the first step in providing a breathing space for our Mother Earth.
Some of the small actions that we could take on a personal level are:
- Installing a thermometer and using the Air Conditioning only when it crosses a threshold level.
- Making the switch from gasoline to Electric Vehicles
- Rainwater harvesting & groundwater conservation
- Collect plastics from the neighbourhood & surroundings and divert them to a recycling centre
How can EVs be effectively utilized to save the carbon footprint?
The idea revolves around the concept of Clean Energy. It is defined as energy generated through clean and green sources as opposed to conventional energy generated through coal power and other non-renewable sources. By analyzing the power sources in Indian states having a larger composition of clean energy, we can make a difference on a personal level through the usage of EVs thus saving tons of CO2 yearly.
The top five Indian States having the highest production of renewable energy are: (Source: MNRE.gov.in)
- Rajasthan
- Karnataka
- Gujarat
- Tamil Nadu
- Maharashtra
Switching to EVs in the above states and the ones generating more percentage of clean energy would gradually help in combating the negative effects of fossil fuels produced until now!
Use of Electric Vehicles as a mode of
- Personal Transport
- Public Transport
The use of EVs can be enhanced in the cities and states of India having green energy generation that neutralizes the carbon footprint generated against the energy generated through non-renewable sources like coal through power plants.
