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Eco Voices
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Mother Nature
Once upon a time
When
God was thinking in his mind
On how
to fulfill Man’s needs
And
teach him good deeds
God
sent for Mother Nature.
She
fulfilled man’s needs
But
couldn’t fulfill his greed.
So man
started cutting more wood,
And
forgot nature’s Motherhood,
He
polluted water, air and land
And
turned soil into sand !
Through the method of pollution
He
made a plan for Nature’s execution
Now
enough of that killing!
Nature
won’t take more, man will have to stop !
Nature
has given her sons and daughters
A
chance to live happily ever after
So let
us all take an oath
Not to
stop but help Nature’s growth.
Subhankar Swain,
CLEAN-Delhi |
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CLEAN - Lalitpur |
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Naman Jain,
CLEAN-Delhi |
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A
Green U Turn
Under the CLEAN-India
Community Action Programme, we have undertaken various activity
modules that cover environmental issues such as Water, Air,
Waste and Trees. Our Eco Festival campaigns have been
conducted in the school and across local communities. Some of
the activities we have undertaken in the school are:-
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Natural
Holi Colours:
Students
make our own natural Holi colours with commonly available
ingredients - like Flour, Turmeric, Henna, Gram flour,
Beet root, Spinach and so on. They even use the same
natural colours for painting cards, posters and placards
used for our various awareness campaigns. |
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Rangoli Colours:
Students
have learnt the art of making Rangoli colours, using
natural colours mixed with saw dust, which is normally used
to pack chalk. |
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Eco-Visarjan:
Students campaigned to save our rivers by not immersing
toxic idols in them during festivals. Instead they made made
their own unbaked clay idols painted with natural colours
which do not pollute water. |
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Diwali:
Students took a pledge to celebrate a pollution free Diwali
and reinforced it by spreading the message of its ill
effects on children (especially those working in
fire-cracker factories) and pollution through meaningful and
effective posters, placards, painted T-shirts, anti-cracker
marches, songs, poems and plays. |
We have also installed a
TARA Mini Paper Recycling System at our school. We now recycle
all our paper waste and make beautiful products like masks,
folders, writing pads, greeting cards, etc. This small step is a
great leap in terms of reducing the number of trees that are cut
and the chemicals drained out of factories in our water courses.
We have proved that recycling paper could save both our forests
and rivers.
The school is also gearing
for ISO-14001 certification, with the help of Development
Alternatives. The stated goal of ISO (International Organization
for Standardizations) is "to promote the development of
standardizations and related activities in the world with the
view to facilitate the international exchange of goods and
services and to develop co-operation in the sphere of
intellectual, scientific, technological, and economic
activities". In order to achieve this, one of the activities
taken up by the students of Seventh grade is auditing the
consumption of electricity and water on a daily basis and taking
necessary steps to reduce its consumption and prevent wastage.
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Neeta
Ganguly
Teacher, CLEAN-Delhi |
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Where does
Our Water come from ? |
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I f
you will ask a small child where he gets his water from, he will
probably answer: "From the tap." Many more elder people would
also give the same answer. Not everybody knows the bitter but
correct truth.
Sitting by the banks of
the River Yamuna, you not only see the 'beautiful' waters, but
also witness a small bird population and that too the few that
can survive the hazardous pollution. The truth was revealed to
me as we visited ‘Radha Ghat’, where a major part of Delhi’s
water supply comes from. After performing a few tests like the
pH test, phosphorous test and colour and odour test, the results
seemed pretty good, but even then flowing polluting objects
could still be seen quite clearly. Finally, we came to the
conclusion that the water was not fit for drinking.
A great relief it was when
we were assured that this was not the water we drank directly.
The DJB (Delhi Jal Board) had seven such water treatment plants
that were spread all over Delhi. We were visiting one of them,
the Haidarpur, which was the biggest pant, treating 200 MG
(Million Gallon) a day.
It was a massive
structure, with small canals flowing every where. We were then
told the different steps of purifying the river water. The first
step is to catch the river water in a gigantic stream and then
make it pass through metal barriers to separate all the flowing
junk. This process is called screening. The second step is
basically pre-chlorination. In the third step, they filter all
the sediments. In the fourth step, they add Alum, a chemical
that destroys the odour. Post chlorination also takes place
during this process. Lastly, they declare the water as pure
after inspection. Nowadays, these canals have developed fungi
and the water-purifying machines are all rusted. It may be a new
technology, but does it justify or ensure that we will have pure
water for all times to come? It still remains the moot
question!
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Kirat Singh
CLEAN-Delhi |
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It is You Who Has to Care
"Once upon a time when there were jungles .............."
This is how a story will
be told by a future mother some 25 years from now. The fast
depletion rate of jungles all over the world has not only
imperiled the wild life but has also opened the gates for
nature’s devastation. With this mindless depletion of trees and
jungles, we are destroying our life supporting resources. The
resources that we gladly use to facilitate our comforts, in some
way or other, are heavily dependent upon nature.
In the near future, we
will have to pay a heavy price for being an
 unscrupulous
species, interfering in the affairs of nature. It is high time,
that we should realize our responsibilities. It is high time we
are on the right side of the traffic and prevent the situation
to become further rickety.
Hence, it is you and me
who has to care, since a journey of thousand miles starts with a
single step forward. It is you who has to take the initiative.
It won’t be easy, as old habits die hard. So from now, let us
try to decrease the consumption of natural and man-made
commodities, if not stop them altogether.
(a) Reduce water
consumption each day :-
8Turn
off the taps when not needed
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Use a bucket while bathing instead of a shower or bath tub.
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Use a mop and bucket of water to wipe the floor, car, scooter,
etc., instead of washing them, which
takes gallons of water.
(b) Reduce electricity consumption :- This not only reduces
the burning of coal but your bills too !
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Turn off lights and fans when not necessary
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Listen to music or T.V. at a low volume
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Use a CFL or tube-light instead of bulb.
(c) Moreover, be
friendly with nature. Minimize the use of motorized transport
and start walking small distances. Use paper or cloth bag to
carry articles instead of polythene bags.
These are only a few of
the long list of environment-friendly measures. You can think of
more in the same direction. Save nature, save life. Because it
is you, who has to care !!!
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Prajwal Tiwari,
CLEAN-Jhansi
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Forget
These Not
Trees
say cut me not,
Birds
say kill me not,
Animals say hunt me not,
Clouds
say harm me not,
Water
says pollute me not,
Nuke
says destruct me not,
But, I
say forget these not
Sindhur S. Kaushik,
CLEAN-Bangalore |
'Puttanahalli Kere’
I
have lived near Puttanahalli Kere ( Karnataka) for two years. I
am interested in bird-watching. We have seen quite a lot of
birds like purple moorhens, bronze-winged jacanas, white
breasted water hens, pied and grey wagtails, etc. Quite a few of
these birds are rarely seen close to cities. We are lucky to be
able to see them in the city. I think that the vegetation on the
lake attracts the birds.
The
colonies around the lake are using it as a dump for their sewage
and construction waste. After testing the water, I found that it
had pretty high ammonia in it; and I got concerned about the
birds. Large flocks of those birds that visited the lake in
previous winters are coming in much fewer numbers. After a few
years, I wonder if we will ever see these exquisite rare birds
here again. If the water keeps getting contaminated at this rate
then we will lose a rich diverse habitat. I wonder what we can
do to preserve these beautiful lakes.
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Abhishek, CLEAN-Bangalore |
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Plant Trees
Plant trees, please plant
trees,
For this you need not suffer
any fees!
With trees you feel at ease,
So try planting one please.
For trees you need not pay
any tax,
So just don’t continue to be
lax.
I request you to plant trees,
Only then, its importance you
shall see.
Little water daily is that
all it shall cost.
But then, you will see your
tree grow fast,
Finally it’ll grow into a big
one.
And it’ll protect you from
hot sun
It’ll also give you fruits
and fragrant flowers
And bring along blissful
showers,
And since it gives shade and
an atmosphere cool.
Afforestation must be made a
rule!
Trees and plants, friends,
must again be seen
Lest we forget even the
colour Green!
Ashwini S. M, CLEAN-Bangalore |
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‘Nature’s Tiny Magicians’
When I was small, I had
heard that earthworms are called a "Farmer’s Friend", because
their movement through the soil aerates the soil and their
excreta called worm casts are good for the soil. Today, I
realize that these humble little creatures, which many people
shudder at, are like magicians. They convert tons of
organic wastes into very useful and precious manure called "Vermi
Compost".
I put all my kitchen
waste like vegetable and fruit waste, crushed eggshells into a
bin and keep another one for plastic, paper, glass, etc. The
organic waste is put into a small tank in my garage along with
cuttings from the garden and allowed to decompose. I also mix it
with some cow dung. The earthworms, which belong to a certain
species, are then put into this matter.
The earthworms feed on
this and their excreta forms a fine layer on top. This is
collected and is called "Vermicompost"- an excellent
organic manure. Thus, through this wonderful process, a tiny
worm can convert our garbage into valuable manure, which
enriches the soil and does wonders to the plants.
q
Parvathy, CLEAN-Bangalore |
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‘FLAWS’
Five Men F, L, A, W, S
are here today to show our mistakes
It is for us now to
accelerate or to apply our brakes
Listen carefully to what they
have to say
Else in future we have a
price to pay
Mr
Fire
For years together you use me
to frighten wild animals
Cook food and to keep
yourself warm
But today you have exploited
me and
I have lost all my charm
Now the scientists in you use
me in war
To destroy homes, forests and
places
Change your mind before I
decide
To burn you and your world to
ashes.
Mr
Land
Crops, houses, trees, roads
were all there on me before
Wastes, weeds and sewage are
there now
When I am already burdened to
manage you in crore
My cool surface cracks often
to give you a lesson to remember
If you take me for granted
you’ll regret forever
Mr Air
I was all alone before, fully
fresh and pure
You introduced me to unknown
friends like
CO2, CO who have made me
impure
There are diseases related to
me now all because of your negligence
How can you still run
automobiles, industries?
When you know that your
existence
Is in my existence?
Mr
Water
My chemical composition was
supposed to be H2O
But the recent test conducted
on me revealed to be H to O (Household wastes to Oily dirt)
You build dams, made filters
& reservoirs to
Use me in this era
But due to contamination,
people remember,
Me as typhoid and cholera
Mr Sky
The painters before were so
fortunate to
Have added in their pictures
my blue and white
They drew mountains, bright
sun
And beautified me with a kite
I pity you today cause my
true colours
Are replaced by black
After, the thunder and
lightining will strike to
Highlight the seriousness you
simply lack
These five men have finally
proved that ‘To err is Human’
To prove them wrong we need
the right commitment
Towards our environment from
every man to woman
Though the world is now
engulfed in exploiting fever
I still say- "Better
late than never".
Sahana. N,
CLEAN-Bangalore |
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Pohun Jain,
CLEAN-Delhi |
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Water Testing
To
test the water
there is JALTara Kit,
an
interesting game to learn
and to make my memory fit.
Take a test tube
and fill it with water.
Put the pH paper
to
test the quality of water.
Phosphate, chloride, ammonia and nitrate
these are my favorites.
It
is fun for me
The rest will take a while.
Oh! what a magic
comes in my hand.
which on shaking
the colour changes into blue.
For a while
I
stand in a trance,
for I get a chance to be a scientist.
I
enjoy to test
and I want to tell you
that water is our life
and some water borne diseases
can be a threat to our life.
Stuttee Arora,
CLEAN-Delhi |
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