EDITORIAL

Whenever one sees good effort at making a change through small but sure steps one feels like applauding and talking about it. Nature Foundation’s Green Umbrella programme is an honest and intense effort.

Nature Foundation (India) in association with Sh. M.L. Dewan and Global Warming Reduction Centre, New Delhi initiated with an innovative program called ‘Green Umbrella’ in order to reach the masses who are actually the major stakeholders of the environmental sweepstakes. It was aimed at sensitizing the masses on this important issue of environmental concern and thus motivating them to take positive action and thus contribute towards Protection of the Earth.

The program was envisaged as a school outreach program as it was rightly felt that none better than the students could carry the torch of sustainable development. The program was inaugurated for 2009-10 by Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, the father of Green Revolution in India on 4th April 2009, at Russian Culture Centre by unfolding a “Green Umbrella” which had Green slogans printed over it. Dr. Swaminathan and Prof. M.L. Dewan autographed the umbrella, signifying the formal launch of the programme.

The “Green” stands for a clean and green and sustainable environment and “Umbrella” symbolizes protection, conservation and coming together of like-minded individuals.

The program is envisioned to reach a minimum of 100 institutions in a year through a series of events being organized there on the lines of Essay Writing Competitions, Poster Making, Innovative Writing, quizzes etc. This, in children, would bring forth effective participation in self-learning, using animated and interactive media. As the conclusion of the event, each participating school would be given a Green Umbrella symbolizing that the students of this school are better equipped to face the challenges of climate change and other environmental crises. All these schools would be required to use the umbrellas in an innovative fashion as by the end of the year, all these umbrellas would be gathered at India Gate, which will be termed as ‘Green Out’ and this would give the schools a platform to exchange ideas and creativity with other participating schools. This would also exhibit their creativity to the visitors.

Mr Raakesh Khatri, Executive Director of Nature Foundation, further elucidates: “The beneficiary group of this project would be students of Classes VI to XII in the schools and it would also reach the colleges to involve the students from undergraduate level, and thus the activities included in the program would include activities so as to create interest amongst students and reach them to their hearts deep beneath along with their minds.”

As a part of this program, Nature Foundation got associated with Pragyan’09- the 3 day National Technical Fest of National Institute of Technology, Trichy and organized a special workshop for the students regarding the environmental and nature conservation. Students from engineering and technical institutes and universities from Madurai, Kumbakonam, Chennai, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Chromepet, Coimbatore and Maharashtra participated in the workshop. It covered various subjects such as hazards of rampant degradation and exploitation of bio-diversity, fragile eco-systems and the urgent need to understand the need to recycle, reuse and the importance of conserving our valuable natural resources for posterity. The students were highly touched and sensitized and the enthusiasm witnessed in the interactive session was exhibited clear promises for positive actions in near future. Similar workshop was organized in TEQIP 2009, I.I.E Kurukshetra and over 10 schools already.

 At the end of the year, three Students would be selected on the basis of their creativity exhibited through various competitions and would be awarded Cash Awards worth Rs. 21000/-, Rs. 11000/-, Rs. 5000/- in the name and style of Patron of Global Warming Reduction Centre and doyen of economic ecology Prof. M.S Swaminathan and Nature Foundation (India) “Green” Awards. This would certainly work as motivation for not only the winners but other participants as well and motivate other institutions to participate or organize similar programs.

According to a spokesperson of Nature Foundation the program though initiated in National Capital Region has all capabilities to spread over the whole country and awards would certainly add as a factor of motivation. It is hoped that the army of “Green-Literates”, thus created would be able to face the challenges of climate change in an able manner because, FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED.

All the very best!