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GRANDMOTHER Q. Your grandson has told us about the “green steps”. What made you listen to him? A. When Pinaki tells me something, I listen to him. This is not only because he is my grandson, but also because it has a bigger purpose – everyone’s good. Q. Do you think you have done the right thing? A. Sometimes, we react silly and do things that harm the environment, which is very wrong. He says all these things for our good. It will benefit the entire society. I am from West Bengal. Things have changed so much. My father used to stay in cantonment area. There were vast open tracts, big houses with big windows… Everything was so nice. When I got married to Delhi, I used to stay in Jor Bagh. But, Delhi wasn’t the same then. So less cars, open spaces, the air was so fresh and pure… People used to commute in tangas, and then came buses and then cars. Everyone has a vehicle now. It is such a big change. Sometimes, I feel it is good, after all, people have such a fast life now. But sometimes, it feels very bad. 
UNCLEQ. Pinaki has told us about the “green steps”. What made you listen to him? A. I always listen to him and support him. I feel each and every elder should support the children in the family. Everyday, we read in the newspaper about things, which are caused by our ignorance. Still, we do not listen to children nor take them seriously. But, we should. We should encourage these things. But, very few people do so. I support all his endeavours. Sometimes he and my daughter even warn us “don’t do that, as the effect will be this”. I love what they tell me. Q. Do you think you have done the right thing? A. Yes, surely. The practices we have been following for the last 20-30 years cannot change suddenly. But, we need to and have to; else we will ruin this world completely. We have to start with small steps, and gradually, take things further. A major environmental campaign is on in schools, but the problem is that whether the elders are following it or not. Kids, like my daughter and Pinaki, are very sincere and they are fulfilling their duty. However, the scope of children to do something is very limited. So, it becomes our responsibility to do something for the environment. Children should persuade us, force us or even blackmail us in someway to do something about the environment. Q. Do you think you would have known the environmental impact of your decision unless he had pointed it out to you? A. I read a lot about environment, see environmental movies, and many of my friends are also involved in various campaigns. So, a bit of awareness has developed. But yes, Pinaki and my daughter obviously influence me. Q. Would you take any step, which would probably be “inconvenient” yet green? A. No deal is big enough as far as environment is concerned. I’ve been to Himalayas several times. And I’ve seen it change. People are destroying the mountains and rivers… everything. When I went to the last Kumbh mela, I saw that the Ganga River was completely polluted. All the rivers are dying. So, we must take steps to save the environment. I try to support the cause in every possible way . Q. Do you want to tell your colleagues, friends or neighbours about the steps and the reasons behind them? A. Of course. We have to spread the message; only then can we make a difference. But I believe it is not only about sharing. It is about doing. Even the simple practices of switching off the lights or fans while going out of the room will convey the message. One can always preach but what matters is that if you are yourself doing the things or not. It is not like politicians, who preach something and do the opposite. Also, I am part of a theatre group. We are planning to enact a play by Tagore ‘Ochola ekhon’, which is based on environment. The play, written so many years ago, is still applicable. I’m also planning to make a small film on noise pollution. People honk so unnecessarily, even during red lights and traffic jams, which should be brought to notice. FAMILY 2: Misha Bansal and her mother Misha Bansal is a student of class IX at Delhi Public School, Rohini, New Delhi. Her mother teaches English in a neighbourhood school. They have recently shifted to a spacious bungalow. So, what else has changed in their lives… may be the green way? Let’s find out. MISHA BANSAL Q. What is environment? A. Environment is our surrounding, nature, people, society… everything. Q. While doing your routine work, going about everyday business, does anything in particular remind you of Environment? Or issues related to it? A. When I go to school, our bus crosses the Yamuna River. The river is extremely dirty and polluted. Also when I see trees being cut to make space for building malls and other such structures. Q. What does ‘protecting or conserving environment’ mean to you? Have you done or changed anything at home to be more eco-friendly? A. I think using less, and therefore, wasting less is the real meaning of protection. I have taken many steps to ensure green living at home. The things that we are taught in our environment club, I come and use them at home.
Q. What inspires you to take ‘green’ steps? A. My school is a major influence on me in other ways too. I’ve joined the environment club. We are taught different methods of reusing or recycling things like paper by say by making paper-mâché. Q. Have you ever influenced your family members to adopt a practice or to take a decision that you felt would help protecting natural resources? Give us instances of successful attempts. A. Yes, my parents do listen to me because we have to start acting now, as there is so much of environmental degradation. We have to use the resources judicially, and conserve them for the future generations. They listen to me and try to implement things that I tell them. One of the major decisions was that of buying an air conditioner (AC) for our home. I asked my parents to not to buy AC, as it produces harmful CFC gases, which are a major cause for global warming. Q. Tell us about those that have failed. So, what would you do next time to get your voice heard? A. Sometimes, my parents do not listen to me. For instance, when my father washes his hands, he keeps the tap running. When I tell him to close the tap, he never listens to me. Other times, he forgets to switch off the geyser. It is hard to completely convince them. There is always some “laziness” in them. Q. Have you tried to spread awareness among your friends, in the residential colony you live in or elsewhere? A. In the bus, we have formed a club. We do not allow students to throw packets and aluminium foils out on the roads. We tell them to just keep the rubbish in their bags, and not dirty the roads. If they do not listen, I just take the trash and put them in my bag. So, my bag is often full of “garbage”. I also share my ideas and thoughts with my friend who stays upstairs about environmental issues and ask her to do her bit in saving the environment. 
MOTHER Q. Your daughter has told us about the “green steps”. What made you listen/not listen to her? A. We always listen to whatever she says, and give it a lot of importance. We do not just laugh it away or anything. Q. Do you think you have done the right thing? A. I feel very proud of her. Past generations have made such a sorry mess of things. I see a lot of hope in her. If we are going to leave a devastated planet for them, at least they know better and will leave a better a place for the future generation. Whatever harm we have done, they will try to rectify it. So, I listen to what she says and try to put it to practice. I do not feel this is a burden, at all. Q. Do you think you would have known the environmental impact of your decision unless she had pointed it out to you? A. I read a lot about environmental issues in newspapers. Being educated parents, we were always aware. I think in some ways we instilled this thought process in her. But, when it comes to practice, she has been more of a force than what we could have been otherwise. Misha has been a really great influence on us. After the anti-cracker campaign, we haven’t burnt a single cracker. Others find it very amusing, and often ask us how we can celebrate Diwali without crackers. But, we do it because our daughter insists on it. And we believe in her. Q. Would you take any step, which would probably be “inconvenient” but friendlier to nature? A. We will take every step, which is environmentally sustainable, until and unless it’s completely impractical or beyond our means. We will try our best for sure, and little adjustments will not deter us. Q. Do you want to tell your colleagues, friends or neighbours about the steps and the reasons behind them? A. We convey the green messages outside. But everybody thinks, “What can we do? What can one person do when no one else does anything?” I tell them that every drop counts. Recently we had gone out, and were eating inside the car. My nephew was going to throw things out of the car. I stopped him, and asked him to collect the garbage in one bag and throw it in the dustbin later. They agreed because I took responsibility and didn’t force anything on them. But, that fire is missing. We have somehow learnt to live with everything… adjust. The “chalta hai” attitude is too strong in us. We know what has to be done, but we do not do it. We are always passing the buck on others… the government, the parents, and the teachers. But we ourselves do not do anything. We look at others for solutions, not in us. |
