Green earth in safe hands

Thiruvananthapuram: Some time ago, most environmental conservation messages revolved round the argument that the blue planet should be protected for the sake of tomorrow’s people. Now, it looks like the grown-ups are entrusting ‘tomorrow’s people’ with the mandate of saving the planet.

At least, some of the government agencies in the state are. They have designed vacation camps around the idea that children will be the agents of change. And in some cases, like ‘Haritha Nagarolsavam’ which was conducted by Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the activities do not end with the camp.

Every participant of the corporation camp is now officially part of the ‘Green Army’. They are about to be used by the corporation for popularising source-level waste management. A weighty responsibility, indeed. But the camp which primed them, despite the gravitas, was full of fun-filled activities.

The discussions were thought-provoking – sometimes for the grown-ups. For example,  S.R. Sruthilaya, a class X student at GGHSS Cotton Hill, asked her ‘camp mentors,’  “I stay outside the corporation where there is no system to manage plastic waste. How will my being responsible help?” She was told that it was important that a system is in place, but it was the individual’s responsibility to reduce and reuse plastic.

The project was borne out of an idea proposed by Finance Minister Thomas Isaac. The civic body conducted brainstorming sessions with various environmental organisations to design the camp. “We had started out with the idea that it should not look like a classroom,” says Anoop Roy, health inspector, project secretariat, corporation.

Dr Isaac had suggested to institute prizes for children who help spread awareness on the use of kitchen bins. Anoop Roy says that even if the children manage  to convince their own families, the campaign will be very successful. “Half of the city’s households will have at least one schoolgoing child. So it will be an effective means to reach out to parents. Another aspect is that it is easier to inculcate new habits in children. They are more open to change,” he says.

Suchitwa Mission also hopes to bank on the ability of children to convince their parents about the correct practices of waste management, cleanliness and water conservation. It has already launched ‘Chakka Manga Thenga Greeshmolsavam’ in some districts like Ernakulam and Kollam. In every grama panchayat in the state, at least two camps will be held.

During the three-day camp, children will get to savour dishes made from jackfruit, mango and coconut. Mission executive director K. Vasuki says, “the camp encourages children to choose healthy food over fast food, and in the process, also reduce waste. Fast food inevitably creates inorganic waste in the form of the food wrappers and covers.”

The DPI had announced that every school should follow ‘Green Protocol’ which discourages the use of plastic tiffins, bottles and bags. Through the summer camp, the mission intends to make children aware of the harm man causes especially when plastic waste is not disposed of. They will be told about rainwater conservation.

The problem with having many such camps is that in some cases there was an overlap of ideas. So Sruthilaya  was heard saying how she and her friends were fully convinced of the importance of reducing the use of plastic even before she became a participant of ‘Haritha Nagarolsavam.’  Just a week before that she was part of ‘Mambazhakkalam,’  and towards its end, she with her friends had made the headmistress promise that the school will use ink pens, instead of plastic pens.

Almost everyone who runs such camps attests to the fact that children have immense convincing power. M. Veena, director of DTPC’s ‘Mazhathulli’ camp, shares an anecdote that delineates it. “On the last day of the camp came a surprise announcement from DTPC secretary that Akkulam park will be developed. The children immediately requested him not to hurt any of the trees and he agreed. They repeatedly asked him to ensure that the banyan tree at the front should be protected. The fact that they did not need to be prompted to come with that response makes us very happy,” she says.

The children had climbed that banyan and eaten fallen fruits from the trees nearby. They were told about boat rides that were once possible in Akkulam lake - now covered by water hyacinth. They did not need lectures on environment conservation. Probably only the parents needed classes. After all, it is the grown-ups who damage the environment. Perhaps why Suchitwa Mission dedicates a couple of hours on the last day of the camp for the parents of the participants.