The UN-led World Environment Day is a global event that is observed every year on June 5 to call upon everyone to stand for environmental action. This year, the event was hosted by China with the theme #BeatAirPollution. Air pollution has become a global crisis that needs global commitment in order to realize a better environment.
The issue is particularly important for India as recent studies show that seven of the world’s ten most polluted cities are in India. This is evident from the diseases people are being exposed to and death count that increases every year in the country. As per the State of India's Environment (SoE) Report 2019, 12.5 percent of all deaths in India take place due to air pollution. The number is high enough to demand immediate action by everyone, including individuals, communities and government.
On the same note, DJJS Sanrakshan aligned its annual campaign 'Rebuild' with the UN theme to draw attention of masses towards the ailing environment and urge them to make sustainable choices. For this, the entire month of June was dedicated to environment, and throughout this period, DJJS generated related awareness through workshops, sustainable living booths, bicycle rally, tree plantation, etc. Moreover, the nature conservators undertook the Mask Challenge, a special initiative of UN for the day to emphasize the dire need for clean air.
In the awareness workshops, DJJS nature conservators discussed the main sources of environmental pollution, i.e., unsustainable transport, untreated garbage and unchecked use of coal, and encouraged people to adopt the traditional Indian lifestyle, which is a typical example of sustainable living. On the other hand, sustainable living booths were setup at various places to apprise people of green waste management and Hitkari kheti (the organic way of farming). The nature conservators explained visitors at the booths about the way to dispose of waste, execute composting, type of vegetables to grow, etc. These activities were intended to connect people to their roots.
DJJS Sanrakshan has been actively working towards addressing environmental concerns by infusing pro-environmental values in people of all age groups. The aim is to not just aware people at physical level, rather explain the spiritual significance of the practices too to ensure that "माता भूमिः पुत्रोऽहं पृथिव्याः (Earth is our Mother & we are her children)" is realized in true sense.
