Our Land Our Future - World Environment Day 2024

Another World Environment Day is here.

This year's theme is 'Our Land Our Future'. The theme set by UNEP changes every year.

Ghumakkad was recently at Gandikota gorge, known as the Grand Canyon of India. The place in Andhra Pradesh attracts many visitors. But the visitors litter the rocks and the crevices as the picture shows. For such irresponsible tourists, themes like 'Our land our future' do not appeal.

No amount of sloganeering will work. The feeling and the urge to preserve our environment has to come from within. Otherwise, the slogan will have to be amended to read 'Our land, doomed future'. The glory of Gandikota as shown below, may only remain in the books and pictures in times to come.

Ghumakkad has been writing regularly to help preserve the environment. Some of our stories are listed below. Just click the link to browse.

Beat the Plastic Pollution - World Environment Day 2023

Only One Earth - World Env Day 2022

Reimagine, Recreate Restore - How to restore the environment? World Env Day 2021

Mutualism by Nature - how few species are dependent upon one another

Shrinking Urban Lakes- Impending Disaster

What Can We Do? - Practical things to do by individuals

As we said above, 'Together We Can!' Let us do our bit to save the environment. Every drop counts in this effort. The above links provide practical ways what each of us can do to save the environment.

Readers may like to browse the above message in a video format. Click on the short 40-seconds video below:

Sharing below a PQ- picturesque quote- based on a picture of Thunder Lilies in our garden shot by Ghumakkad. It says 'Smile and the world will be yours'.

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Happy World Environment Day 2024!

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ Secunderabad/ 5th June 2024

#worldenvironmentday #environment #earth #pollution #deforestation #lakes #trees #plants #birds #animals #responsiblehumanbeings #humangreed #ghumakkadharsh #ghumakkadhb #jaagore #climatechange #unep #everydropcounts #gandikota #grandcanyonofindia

Beat the Plastic Pollution- World Env Day 2023

#BeatPlasticPollution is the theme for World Environment Day 2023. Steered by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the theme changes every year and addresses a topical issue concerning the environment.

Plastics are harmful and take hundreds of years to degrade in a landfill. According to Biodiversity.org, "Unfortunately, the bags don't break down completely but instead photo-degrade, becoming microplastics that absorb toxins and continue to pollute the environment." 

Plastics contain toxic chemicals. According to Geneva Environment Network, "These include endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which are linked to infertility, obesity, diabetes, prostate or breast cancer, thyroid problems and increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, among others." And the list of diseases goes on.

So another World Environment Day is here. Once again we urge every citizen to take care of the environment around you. Be it your home, school, college, residential complex or the trees and plants in your neighbourhood. If we keep the environment clean and green, half the battle is won. Otherwise, we will loose the species that make up the environment. We will only see the birds or animals in the books! 

We pose the following questions to provoke us.

The above pictures are also available as a short 1min 30 sec video.

Ghumakkad has been writing regularly to preserve the environment. Some of our stories are listed below. Just click the link to browse.

Only One Earth - World Env Day 2022

Reimagine, Recreate Restore - How to restore the environment? World Env Day 2021

Mutualism by Nature - how few species are dependent upon one another

Shrinking Urban Lakes- Impending Disaster

What Can We Do? - Practical things to do by individuals

As we said above, 'Together We Can!' Let us do our bit to save the environment. Every drop counts in this effort. The above links provide practical ways what each of us can do to save the environment. The readers may also visit www.jaagore.com for an excellent video message on climate change. 

We reproduce a PQ based on Ratan Tata's famous line 'I've often felt that the Indian Tiger has not been unleashed.'

Thanks for browsing.

    - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ Secunderabad/ 5th June 2023

#worldenvironmentday #environment #earth #pollution #deforestation #lakes #trees #plants #birds #animals #responsiblehumanbeings #humangreed #ghumakkadharsh #ghumakkadhb #beatplasticpollution #jaagore #climatechange #unep

Even Plants Avoid Plastics

Are the plants and creepers more intelligent than us human beings?
Do they care more about the environment? 
Do creepers know how to avoid plastics?
The answer to all is yes.

Ghumakkad made this observation in his yard. To let the Karela करेला (Bitter Gourd) creeper climb up, we tied a small twine made of plastic. The creeper initially used the plastic twine to take a grip, albeit slowly and probably reluctantly. As it grew further, it bent sideways to find a natural grip of a branch or a leaf. And it succeeded. One step at a time. Read the picture story below.

If only we humans could be as discerning and intelligent as tiny plants and creepers, we could save our planet from ecological abuse and degradation.

Karela creeper had figured earlier in another story titled Jewel Bug. You may browse to marvel at Nature's another marvel. The bug had settled on a Karela leaf as shown below.

Nature continues to fascinate Ghumakkad. Does it fascinate you too?

Thanks for browsing.

     -  Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 28th March 2019

#nature #ecology #plants #creepers #plastics #environment #degradation #karela #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #jewelbug

World Earth Day 2017

Every year on Earth Day, we pledge to make earth a better place to live. But do the promises go beyond the speeches, posts, blogs and other media hype? Sadly no!

Ghumakkad was in Chennai and attended the Annual Day of his grandson's school. The children of the school had put up a spirited show. Class V students performed in a multi-media presentation titled 'Save Elephant Save Earth'. It had a powerful message. 
Another dance-drama based on the life of great poet Subramanya Bharathi depicted his writings on Nature and environment besides other topics. Pictures:

Full marks to the teachers and students of Shishya OMR School, Chennai for delivering a powerful message. I am convinced if at all we can save the earth, the campaign has to be driven by the children. Such a campaign was successfully run in Delhi in 1997 to reduce pollution during Diwali. All thanks to the schools in Delhi and their children.

You may browse Ghumakkad's earlier message on Earth Day 2013 here.

Each of us can make a difference. Let us do our bit to leave a better environment for our children and grandchildren. Haven't we borrowed it (the Environment) from them? Think.

Thanks for browsing

     -Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 22nd April 2017