Man has lived in harmony with Prakriti… since times of unknown. The Vedas accord the environment a place of primacy. So, care was taken not to upset the balance of the environment by the human excesses. Water and natural resources were valued. Wastage and pollution of these esteemed resources was strictly disallowed by the Vedas.
A key prescription for planning of towns and villages in the Vedas, was that they be surrounded by trees and forests. This was natural wisdom at work to aid good rainfall, prevent soil erosion and to guard land from turning into desserts.
Yajurveda favoured the conservation of forests for safeguard the country from all sides. From such mantras one can discern the importance given to the environment in Vedic times. There are numerous references to forests, trees and gardens, vatikas in our epics the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Our rishis and munis clearly loved to live far from the hustle- bustle of towns and therefore they built ashrams nestled in forested areas. It is believed our rishis treated trees with reverence. Our rishis had foreseen the environmental degradation that we are facing today (1).
Our seas, almost every beach on earth slowly being transformed into a plastic soup. Plastic, a miracle material, invaluable in preserving food in our kitchens, the stuff of medical breakthroughs and a key part of the latest renewable energy technology. If plastic use is confined to the positive uses alone, there would be no problem. Unfortunately, we have a planetary addiction to the very worst types of plastic: the kind that is used for a few minutes or seconds and then discarded. The numbers alone are alarming: an estimated 12 million tonnes of it enter our oceans every year, harming plants, animals, communities and entering our food chain. The impact can be seen in every corner of the world.
This is the high time to end this addiction to throwaway plastic which is pressing a problem as climate change. India is taking regional and global leadership. It is hosting World Environment Day today, with the message being ‘Beat the Plastic Pollution’. India has gone ahead and notifies the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016, which lays down an excellent framework for responsible plastic use.
Individuals will be called on to exercise their power as consumers by second-guessing their shopping habits. If this happens enough, retailers will quickly get the message to ask their suppliers to do better. That will also spur changes in our throwaway consumerism. The linear model of planned obsolescence, in which items are designed to be thrown away immediately after use, needs a rethink. Indian business is also joining the call to action. It requires us to collectively slam the brakes and we will have fulfilled our moral obligation to leave the planet in a better shape for future generations (2).
Matter Referenced: Times of India, Ahmedabad, Sunday, 3rd June, 2018 by Lajpat Rai Sabharwal and Tuesday, 5th June 2018 by CK Mishra & Erik Solheim.
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