GREEN LIVING FOR YOUTH

My dear young brothers and sisters!

What do you mean by youth?

As I understand, youth it is essentially a state of mind and not of body. We can call a very old man a young fellow if he exudes the bubbling enthusiasm of a young person and bent on transforming the world around him.Conversely, even a very young boy, if he is superstitious and lazy, devoid of enthusiasm may be called an old fellow!

Hence, I expect you to develop a positive bent of mind and a everlasting enthusiasm to bring in a bit of change in the world for better. This needs a positive change in your attitude, which will bring in the necessary change in yourself.

By transformation, I mean a total change in you for the better, which will in turn bring in change in the way you do things. This will gradually lead to change in the world, however small it might be.

I think by now, you must have studied environmental science in your basic courses.

By green, I mean environmentally benign, friendly and sustainable. Less air and water pollution, less contamination, less wastage, less destruction, less consumerism, less killing, less injury, less deforestation.

It would also mean more saving and conservation, frugal living, integration, more protection, more biological diversity, less vehicular and industrial toxic emissions, afforestation, organic farming, soil conservation,

I would say, green education, that is, education which will promote green living, or living in tune with the nature and environment, conserving natural resources and all life forms.

For example, when it comes to eradication of hunger in the world which is the 1^st Millennium Development Goal, organic farming which involves raising crops without using chemical fertilizers and pesticides and instead, using natural organic manures, compost, bio-pesticides like neem-based azardirectin etc. This system has been recommended by the Japanese agricultural scientist Dr Fukuoku.

There are many individuals and organizations working for organic farming like Dr M.S. Swaminathan of Swaminathan Research Foundation, Dr Seeta Ramanjaneyulu of Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA), Deccan Development Society (DDS) etc.

Organic farming will make farming sustainable by reducing the input costs like seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides etc., reducing soil erosion, pest and insect attacks, enhancing soil health by maintaining necessary temperature, moisture and life in the soil, enhancing quality and nutritive value of crops, reducing exposure of farm labour to toxic chemicals, making quality seed available to the farmer for the next crop, enhancing biodiversity by preserving the natural insects and birds which help the pollination and reproduction. It would also enhance the natural resistance of crops to harmful pests and insects and preserve the natural friendly insects and birds of the crops

Now I think you have got an idea of the need for preserving the environment and green living for your own future, for the future generations and for the whole earth and its life forms.

Thus man has the responsibility of ensuring the well being of all the living beings around him which alone will ensure his own well-being. This is the secret of symbiotic living, that is, mutually dependent living.

Now, I would invite you to come out with your experiences and learning to enable me to imbibe from you.