Pantone 361 C

Today, we are taking a Mumbai local train. I am not specifying any train or route. Let it be any silly train. Get in, have a seat and be comfortable. Let it be first class or second class. Let it be general or ladies compartment. No problem because the class or gender really doesn’t matter. Now, wait for the train to reach any bridge. You will surely find someone throwing something outside the train. I have seen some people praying when the train reaches near the sea but still they throw garbage into it.

Yesterday it was World Environment Day. I happened to be in a local train and saw a seemingly well educated and sophisticated girl throwing plastic into the sea. Why can’t they understand that they are doing wrong for the environment? It’s not that they don’t know about pollution and its side effects. A class 5 student knows about pollution and what it is doing to the earth. I can swear that I haven’t done any wrong by throwing plastic or garbage in open spaces or surroundings for so many years. Once I even had a fight with my mother because she threw plastic in an open area when we went for a tour.

You can’t say that only you stopping this bad habit will not do any good. You do it right and make others also do. Your children will learn from you. At least we will have an eco-conscious future generation. I remember excerpts from the speech made by then President Mr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam in a school in Bangalore. He talked about the Indian society’s attitude of throwing garbage in public roads and how an Indian can change when he lands on a foreign country. Mr.Kalam added that changing ourselves first is very important before blaming others. I loved the article during my studies and it really inspired me.

I was a part of the Clean India project in our school which conducted regular classes to increase environmental awareness among students. I changed a lot during that time and became more conscious about environment from that time only.

Till now, I continue to bring home the wrapper even if I have a chocolate. I switch on lights whenever I can. I try my maximum to use water cautiously. I don’t throw plastic anywhere. Because EARTH IS GIVING US THIS MUCH. WE SHOULD GIVE SOMETHING BACK.

[The title Pantone 361 C denotes the pantone colour code for Green]J