A 'USE'- LESS GEN!!

It is true. The adults are often confused about what is right and what is wrong — they know too much about too many things, you see. But the younger species of the human race have no such compulsions. They make their decisions pretty fast about things they really want, and they make sure that the rest are informed about their choice.They may not always make the right one, but who can ignore their voices anyway? So having the children on one’s side is a sure-fire strategy to reach out to the entire world.

Fortunately, the young brigade — at least a portion of it — has emerged as the most determined and vociferous ambassador for rotecting, nurturing and conserving Environment. And unlike the adults, these young environmentalists abhor token gestures. So no speech making or boring meetings will do for them. They are ready to make real changes in their everyday life, so that the impact can actually be felt and measured. And they are dragging the adults along with them. Sometimes unwillingly, but most often with renewed zeal.

The Gobar Times team tracked some of these wise families, which are led by their young ones. Their backgrounds are startlingly different — rich, middle-class, lower income categories; mothers, grandmothers, cousins — each of them express a new perspective. But their goal is the same —to live wisely — using less and wasting nothing. This is what they had to say about their way of life.

Twisted ways
Remember the July 2006 issue of Gobar Times on ‘The must-buy generation’? It talked about how companies, everywhere, are spending enormous sums of money to entice children to buy their products. Because they know that “the way to a kid’s heart is the way to the pockets of their parents”, as put by Yao Jingyuan, an economist working with the Chinese Bureau of Statistics.

FAMILY 1: Pinaki Das and his father, uncle and grandmother
Pinaki Das is a student of Class IX at St. Paul’s School, New Delhi. He lives with his father, grandmother and uncle in a two-storey house in the elite locality of Green Park in South Delhi. His house is quite close to his school. So, he cycles down to school everyday. How else does he do his “green duties”? Let’s ask him.

PINAKI
Q. What is environment?
A. Environment is each and everything in the surroundings in which we live in.

Q. While doing your routine work, going about everyday business, does anything in particular remind you of environment? Or issues related to it?
A. As I cycle to school, I can be a real spectator of all the things happening around me. Every day I see trucks and sedans bulging out toxic fumes. As it is winter now, people burn leaves along the roadside, which creates a lot of pollution. But, the worst is when people burn tyres.

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’ve taken various measures to make my home green. Such as,

• Growing plants around my house.
• Switching off electrical devices when not in use.
• Using CFLs in place of ordinary bulbs and tubelights.
• I don’t keep appliances on stand-by mode.
• Checking the electricity meters.
• Keeping the AC in 27oC.
• Weighing the LPG cylinders upon delivery.
• Using safety matches more than gas lighters.
• Using bucket instead of shower while taking a bath.
• The people who wash our car use bucket, and not pipes. I also use bucket when I wash my cycle.
• We try to minimise waste generation in the house.
• We have said no to crackers. It is a waste of money and is environmentally harmful as well.
• We use traditional diyas and candles instead of lighting up bulbs during festivals.
• As I’m very health conscious, I don’t like to eat outside or have packaged food. Even my school has shifted to a healthier diet.
• Whenever I buy an appliance, I check its energy consumption and other norms. For instance, on my birthday my uncle gifted me a MP3 player. I immediately checked its energy consumption. Before this, I had a Walkman, which used to run on batteries. I used to throw them away once spent. But, I noticed that the guy who collected the garbage throws the batteries just anywhere. So, I got a re-chargeable player with an auto shut-off feature, which saves a lot of energy and reduces toxic waste.

Q.  What inspires you to take ‘green’ steps?
A. Programmes, activities we do in school, inspire me. I take part in various competitions, which teaches me a lot as well. But above all, the environmentally detrimental actions in our everyday life, such as burning of garbage, paper and tyres, automatically teach me to take green steps.

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. We are planning to buy a car. I’ve told my family that if we buy a car (at all), we must check its mileage and emission standards. It must meet the EURO-III norms at least. Mileage is again very crucial because petroleum should be used to the best possible extent.

Q. Also, tell us about those that have failed. So, what would you do next time to get your voice heard?
A. They don’t always listen to me whenever I ask them to turn off the lights. So, I have to do it myself.

Q.Have you tried to spread awareness among your friends, in the residential colony you live in or elsewhere?
A. I’m doing whatever I can at my school-level and home. I have surely influenced my family. In school, we spread awareness among the students about saving the environment. We put up skits and plays, go from class to class displaying logos about using electricity deftly, segregating waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable, and so on. But my role has been very limited in my RWA. I always give lectures on environment to my friends.

Whenever I go for competitions, I always tell them about things that I learn. One of my friends uses a bike to come to school. But he lives very close to the house. I told him to stop using a bike and start cycling to school. He seems to agree. What I really want is to gather a lot of people and influence people. I want to open something like a club to work towards the betterment of the environment.

FATHER
Q.Your son has told us about the “green steps”. What made you listen to him?
A. Environment is a burning topic. We are just taking from the environment and not returning anything. We should use it but not misuse it. He convinces my mother quite well. And of course, we get roped in.

Q. Do you think you have done the right thing?
A. It is right, of course. It is high time to become conscious 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. May be because ‘environment’ is everywhere these days. In our office we have a certificate for the employees called DNV, which is based on environment. I know about countries, which import certain products only if they have an environment-oriented certificate.

Q. Do you want to tell your colleagues, friends or neighbours about the steps and the reasons behind them?
A. Every school is doing something or the other about the environment. So, in my office my colleagues and I talk about this, and I share Pinaki’s opinions with them.

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 in 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.

UNCLE
Q. 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 tart 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.

• I do not burn crackers on Diwali. I do an anti-crackers signature campaign in the society live in. But, I could not do it this year, as I’ve just shifted my house.Switching off the lights, and using CFLs.
• Minimising the use of geyser.
• We do not use shower, but use a bucket for bathing.
• Covering the vessel with a lid while cooking so that the food cooks quickly and burns less gas.
• Not washing our car with a pipe but using a bucket.
• Checking the electric meter.
• We do not open the refrigerator too often.
• The vegetable scraps that are produced in the kitchen are not thrown in the dustbin. They are added to the soil in our plant pots to provide nutrients to them.
• Using homemade colours on Holi.
• We gift saplings.
• I love cooked stuff, and avoid eating packaged snacks like chips and salties.
• I generally do not check the contents of cosmetics or medicines. But, I once read a poem “Lipsticks for our painted faces, and polish for our shoes in which they use the blabber of whales”. I got scared and switched from lip balm to Vaseline.
• And of course, car-pooling.

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 rotecting 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 anticracker 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 ustainable, 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.

FAMILY 3: Anju Verma and mom
Anju Verma is a student of Class VI at the Deepalaya School, Kalkaji, New Delhi. She lives with her parents and two younger brothers in a two-room apartment. Anju brings home all the tips she picks up at school. So, how green is her home?

ANJU
Q. What is environment?
A. When I think of environment, I think of trees, waste or garbage, water, the air around us, people’s ignorance about pollution, and noise pollution.

Q. While doing your routine work, going about everyday business, does anything in particular remind you of Environment? Or issues related to it?
A. People throw a lot of garbage out on the roads here. If I see anyone doing so, I always tell him or her to not to do this, and that they should not use so much plastics. The people, who are educated, listen to me. They understand what I want to say. But, the ones that are not educated do not listen to me. They ignore everything. I think education is very important to save the environment.

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 segregate waste in biodegradable and nonbiodegradable waste. This is because biodegradable wastes get mixed into soil, while non-biodegradable wastes remain and become harmful for animals and us.

• I avoid using plastic.
• I use less electricity. I switch off the lights and fans while leaving the room.
• My brother and I try to study in the same room, as there is no need to keep the lights on in two rooms.
• I conserve water by using less of it. We all close the tap when not required. I also ask parents to repair the leakages to prevent wastages.
• When my mother washes the vegetables, we re-use the water.
• I use a bucket to take bath and not shower.
• My father weighs the cylinders before taking delivery.
• I give my used books to my junior students or to the library.

Q. What inspires you to take ‘green’ steps?
A. Whatever I do in school, I tell them to my parents. Whatever practices teachers tell me, I try to follow at home. This is all, as we do not have television at home.

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. I share all that I learn in school with my parents. My mother listens to me and takes a lot of interest. I tell her why we should do things this way, to save the environment. When my younger brother throws packets and wrappers here and there, I collect them.

Q. Have you tried to spread awareness among your friends, in the residential colony you live in or elsewhere?
A. Most of my friends are my schoolmates. So, they already know a lot.

MOTHER
Q. Your daughter has told us about the “green steps”. What made you listen to her?
A. She keeps on telling me things like segregating waste and closing the tap and switching off the lights and I listen to her. Well, because she is my daughter and also because she is more educated than I am. If she does something wrong, we, as parents, always tell her to do the right thing. So, if we do something wrong, she tells us to do the right thing, and we listen to it.

Q. Do you think you have done the right thing?
A. She is more educated than me. So, I’m sure that it is the right thing.

Q. Do you think you would have known the environmental impact of your decision unless she had pointed it out to you?
A. No. Besides her I have no other person who can tell me about environment.

Q. Do you want to tell your friends or neighbours about the steps and the reasons behind them?
A. I tell my neighbours about the things that Anju tells me to do. Some listen to me, and some ignore them. But, most of them agree. Her father also eagerly does the things that she tells us to do.

The young sparks of deepalaya

Rahul Subhash, Class X
I do various things at home for the environment.

• I use CFLs that consume less energy.
• I check the electricity meter. I found that the reading was very fast. So, we got it corrected.
• My mother checks the weight of LPG cylinder. Itold her that it should be 14.2kgs.
• We do not have the money to buy packaged food.My mother cooks at home.
• We segregate waste into biodegradable and nonbiodegradable. But, I have seen that the MCD does not collect the waste from the landfills. Only when there is a marriage close to the area, they come and clean it.

Yashmin Khatun – Class VI
My parents follow whatever I tell them. My mother says if I’m saying it is important, then it must be. So,

• We segregate wastes.
• After washing vegetables, we use the water to wash utensils, water plants.
• We use water only as much required.
• We switch on lights only when needed.
• I rarely buy new books. I take them from the library. But when I do, I give them to the juniors.

PAVAN AND AKASH
Q. What is environment?
A. Environment is our surrounding. There are trees and plants, animals, water, electricity, car, petrol, gas… 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. The Yamuna is so dirty now, and even the Ganga. We go rafting quite often. The Ganga changes completely as it flows from the place where we raft, to other cities. People are building hotels and apartments on the riverbeds. How can they?

We used to camp near the Rajaji National Park, Uttarakhand, on the side close to the road. Earlier, we used to see animals, like deer and leopards, come there and drink water. Now somebody has put a rafting camp there. So, animals have nowhere else to go. The environmentalists tried to convince the government to stop these people, but nothing happened.

Q. What does ‘protecting or conserving environment’ mean to you? Have you done or changed anything at home to be more eco-friendly?
A. We plant trees downstairs and keep plants in our house.

• We have installed a RO (Reverse Osmosis) plant in our home. Earlier, the residual water used to be thrown away. Now we collect the water in a bucket, and use it to wipe the floor, or wash our car, or to put it in our cooler during summers.
• We close the tap when not required.
• We do not use pipes to wash our car. We do not even use a bucket full of water. We just use a wet cloth.
• If any one in our colony tries to wash their cars with pipe, we make them stop. Even if they use a bucket full of water, it would get dirty and people would just waste it. So, we should just get it in small quantity. And you can always go get more water if required.
• We have put a litre bottle of water in the flush, so that we can save at least a litre of water every time we flush.
• We do not keep the television in stand-by mode. We close off the main switch as well.
• We try to switch off the lights and fans when we leave room.
• We use CFL bulbs.
• We do not wrap our gifts in wrapping paper. We use old newspapers. Recently, we had a party, and all the return gifts were packed in newspapers.
• In Diwali, we collected old newspapers from every house and sold them. We got about 3000 bucks.
• We put up dustbins in our colony. There was so much litter here, and it was not really because people do not care. But, because there were no dustbins.
• Around our colony, we often find a lot of pigeons lying on the floor. Probably they have a disease called Ranikhet.
  Their necks are bent. So, we put paper collars on them so that it stays straight. Then we gave them to Friendlicoes.
• We also collected money for the sterilisation of stray dogs around the area. After sterilisation, the colony members look after them.
• When we go shopping together, we do not take polybags from the shops. We carry the stuff in our hands. This is because you can never get rid of plastic. If we throw it in the land or water, it just stays there and rots. If we burn it, it harms the environment.
• If, at all, we get a plastic bag at home, we just keep it in one place and reuse them. So, if we have to give someone something, we just give it in the bag and ask him or her to return it. Sometimes, when we have to buy a lot of things, we carry our own plastic bag.
• We have a lot of singlesided papers, that is, one side has been written on. We write or draw on them. If we need both sides, we just paste the two used sides of the paper together to make a double-sided paper.

Q. What inspires you to take ‘green’ steps?
A. Our main influence is our school and our GEEK (Garden Estate Environment for Kids) club. Sometimes, we see programmes or films on television.

Q. Have you tried to spread awareness among your friends, in the residential colony you live in or elsewhere?
A. Most of my friends are eco-friendly because they are either in my school or my colony. For instance, the DLF Corporate Park, the office complex that is close to our colony has a pipe, which always leaks into a small lake. The lake used to be very pretty, but now its water is completely black. Nobody goes near it now. We are trying to write letters to the building authorities to try to fix the problem. Earlier, we could see a lot of lizards, snakes. But, now they are all gone.
MOTHER
Q. Have your kids ever influenced you to adopt ‘green’ practice or take a ‘green’ decision?
A. We have not burnt a single cracker for the last 2-3 years. We really did not think that children, who are so fond bursting crackers, would manage to make a colony almost quite. People would just wonder if Diwali is even on in the area. That is how powerful a tool a child is. There is another thing that Akash said to me last year, which has stayed with me. During festivals, we get mithai and various gifts that we keep on exchanging. He said to me “Mamma, this is so much of waste. Is this of any use?”

This really made me stop and think. My husband and I called all our friends and told them that we were really grateful for the gifts that they have sent us, but we were not giving them anything in return. Instead, we would donate the entire amount we had set aside to buy gifts for the members of a home run by a charitable trust. Last year, I advised my friends to do the same.

Recently, Pavan won an under-9 squash championship. He donated his prize money to the Bihar flood victims. Even Akash did the same. Also, we gift plants. This Diwali, my husband’s elder brother gave CFLs as gifts. The thing is that one has to start thinking differently to bring about a change.

Q. Your sons have told us about the “green steps”. What made you listen to them?
A. Well, we all are involved with the environmental activities in our own ways. I love animals. I used to work in the Blue Cross Society, Pune, which is like the Friendicoes in Delhi. Since I was a child, I used pick up puppies and bring them home. Once, I even got a baby donkey home. So, when my kids do something like this, I don’t panic. I try to arrange a shelter or a home for them.

Their father is an avid trekker. So, he is conscious about these issues as well. His elder brother is into solar cooking. He has done a lot of demonstrations in slum and rural areas. He set up a first-of-its-kind solar cooking unit in his in-laws house. They have set the kitchen in such a way that the solar cooker is paced in a tray-like thing, which can be just pushed out in the sun from the window. Once the food is cooked, the tray is pulled back again. In our family, kids have learnt to live using as little resource as possible, naturally. It’s the only way we know.

So it’s not about grand, sweeping gestures, but about little everyday things. Taking the bus or the metro instead of the car or using a bucket of water to bathe rather than turning on the shower full throttle. In the giant task of taking care of Planet Earth, these baby steps are the best way to begin. And these young campaigners even manage to have a lot of fun while doing the ‘right’ thing. Oh yes, grown-ups have a lot to learn from them. And a very long way to go.