ONLY ONE EARTH - June 5, 2022

Rajagiri Doha has dedicated a whole week towards 'observing' or 'celebrating' world environment day 2022. Aptly it fell on Sunday, the first working day of the week. 

School assemblies here, lasting for about an hour (2 periods of 40 or 35 mts) are opportunities for education beyond class rooms. It would be linked to a theme (usually observance of a day - Mother's Day, Ambedkar Day, Environment Day, Earth Day....). The auditorium is used for the purpose and either a batch (e.g., all III graders) or two batches come together. There is an overall coordination by the CCA (Co-curricular activities) coordinator (here it is Mr. Regal of the English Department), but specific organisation and details are undertaken by departments - Science, or Maths, or social science or Languages... so on...This was the turn of science department with Mr. Harish Thalapil, HoD Science holding the reins. , and for today, VII & VIII graders were the group. Regal opened the day with an animated appeal for protecting 'mother earth', citing the challenge raised by Greta Tunberg. 

A policy is that by the end of the year, every child would have had at least one occasion to appear on the stage, and be part of a performance. There is someone to do the compering (one or two), someone does the mandatory Arabic Prayer (an intoning of a relevant qur'anic verse).  There was a tree dance, in which 12 students took part.  The song was in Hindi.  Naturally, it spoke about what trees do. Then there was a singing by 30 students - I am the Earth by Glyn Lehmann.  I had never heard this very popular, appealing and moving song. It was sung very well. I felt moved.  Aisha spoke effectively and enthusiastically, about initiatives to be begun with oneself, with me. 

The section head, the effervescent Ben Antony, also as the English department head, confronted the gathering with the English pronunciation of the word 'environment'.  When I encountered the students, Aisha, responded boldly that she is maintaining a garden which he did today as well; regarding Greta Tunberg, not even 10% had heard about her or remembered her.  Does that show poorly on their GK or is it the trend? Sure, last 2 years, Greta is not heard much. I challenged them as usual to start with their homes, and to contribute towards net zero status, starting with each one, and each home. 

But I was happy for the campus that one step towards a green campus could be taken. I was surprised to see that there was not even a single date palm on the campus, despite it being Qatar.  When the request was placed before the management, it was granted.  Typically, we thought of getting saplings from some nursery and plant them, and nurture them over next 6 to 8 years to make it green.  The saplings planted last year (Sidra, the national plant, Plumeria, some palm) all wear a stunted look. Not growing. No tending either I fear.  The plant consultant Mr. Basil, a lebanese, reported to the MD that it was better to plant rather grown up ones, so that they would be able to withstand the extreme weathers. 

So we identified some 20 spots for planting trees (saplings or bigger ones), with date palms (fruit) to take the major share, and between 2 palms there would be Neem (herb), or Plumeria (Chempakam?), Cassia Fistula (Kani Konna) - flowering plants, Moringa (Drum stick - vegetable) and  Sidra.  But finally, when the estimates were given, we were a bit shocked.  What was thought to be accomplished in about 2 to 3000 QR, now came to 20000 QR. 3500 for a date palm (classic - that is Basil's description of the plant), 700 each for all other plants (all of them grown to the height of about 3 mts or more).  They would plant, nurture for some time, if they wither off, they will replace (no idea of time limit for the same).  The budget included their charges of 2000 QR.  The MD sanctioned the amount of 20000 and we had 3 grown up palms, 3 neems, 2 gulmohor, 2 cassia fistula, 2 plumeria and 4 moringa - in all 14 trees. 

For 2 days, about 4 to 6 company workers did manual labour to dig pits, carefully, not to destroy the plumbing lines.  Say, another 1000 QR. The soil was cream coloured and appeared having a lot of limestone content.  It seemed to have no fertility at all.  So Basil's people add peat moss (Helioflor), which comes in packet of 340 lits. each one costing some 100 QR. That is added.  The pit is made ready. 

Early morning crane arrives along with the truck loaded with the trees. The crane has to be managed before the children come or else there would be a great traffic jam.  And not having that charm of children or teachers planting the saplings, there was no issue. They lifted the palms over the high walls and placed them directly into the pits.  Some of the pits required concreting to protect the plumbing lines.  There was a token planting led by MD and the admin leaders. The students were busy with PA (periodic assessment) and later on, the school council was briefed about the development and were taken to the spot to have a picture with the planted trees. 

Though the organic aspect of the growth of a sapling to a tree,  the gradual greening of the locality etc.  cannot be witnessed, hopefully, in another 6 months, the ground and the boundaries would have a green look. There was the fear that the authorities may question the trees as a safety hazard for children.  But the MD brushed them aside and told that at the most they might ask to add some protection around the sturdier trees.  That was a huge relief. 

This age of instant gratification, we have instant tree cover as well. But did we add any good? Isn't it the same or worse that some plants growing well elsewhere were pruned and planted here? So is it at the best, a transfer from a greener region to a less greener plot? Or is it a nursery where they grow plants protected into big ones and then make arrangements for planting them all over? I hope it is the latter way. 

Next period, the children came to play in the ground. I found hardly anyone interested in exploring the trees newly planted. Now the Physical Education teachers should take to themselves to add the task of familiarising the children with the new arrivals on their play territory.  I hope it happens. 

Two interesting experiences were  befitting the theme 'Only One Earth' (i) I could engage in an interaction with our new Christ College students in Idukky on the day's implications for us. (ii) Later, I listened to Mr. Sreedhar, now in the limelight for his logical positioning and campaign against the Silverline (dream) development project of Kerala government. We had been known to each other and many a time collaborating on environmental issues. He said that like 'Only One Earth', we have also 'Only One Keralam' and we had to be very attentive to its uniqueness in planning for its development. And in all these years, post floods of 2018, with government and UN agencies coming together Rebuild Kerala on resilient and sustainable lines was proposed as 'Nava Kerala Srushti'  (Rebuilding Kerala), for the first time taking into account the unique geographical features of the state. The theme is to learn to live with water.  But the dream project of the government is as good as throwing the plan into waste bin! He pointed out the lack of leadership with such a vision, and I fully agree with him, and we have yet to wait for such an alternative to rise.   

The forum was that of Shastra, and Dr. Jis our former project fellow had sent me an invite. The good news I heard was of the bold initiative of a dozen of the Sastra forum women (I believe of a scientific community) to publicly resolve to have recourse to nature friendly management of menstruation.  I thought it was a very bold initiative to come out and educate the community  regarding the uncalled for, wasteful and waste generating practices and nature friendly and affordable alternatives to it.  Kudos to them! A few years ago, I had tried with our women's group on the campus to try the same as a pilot project with our local communities, but it just didn't take off. 

I was contemplating someone asking me, what can we do for a greener planet? I would say, oh, a 101 things.  Then I realised that it was not easy to list out 101 things.  I think we can, though it's not easy.  So my next task is to list out activities for individuals and groups for a sustainable living on the Only One Earth. 

101 Things to Do ....