So, I am an environmentalist and consider myself quite responsible to do something to preserve it. Hence I have always been on lookout for activities where I can leave a mark or do something worthwhile, have joined Greenpeace in the past and did some other basic stuff, but wanted to go bigger. So here came my chance, there is this guy who is roomie's friend, one day he came to our room and told us about this initiative which in simple terms is about environment consciousness but it's bigger in terms of operations and impact, well I was definitely in, the moment I heard it. About the initiative, the operation is going to begin with a big event wherein we will arrange for a gathering of about 5000 eminent people from politics, bureaucracy, social leaders, and other important people from the NCR region primarily, as this is the venue for the opening event. This event will have lots of practical and factual information being delivered, and a strong message being passed that some people want to do something for the environment and everyone else is expected to at least support it as basic responsibility, even if they can't be a part of the operation itself. This event will be followed by numerous smaller events across the country, concentrating on places where a mass of people can be gathered and then delivering the message. Focus shall be on schools, colleges, institutions, markets, big housing societies etc.
One of the basic problems we faced while brainstorming on how to make it more effective and sustainable was that most people do recognize it as an issue, and tend to know of the basic facts about the spill outs. But, still somehow people don't really appreciate the gravity of the situation; they hear about global warming and fail to notice the almost tangible changes in weather for example. Most people want to do something or are conscious but don't have time. In a country like India lack of resources can be another major setback. Despite all this, some people, agencies NGOs have come up and are trying on various levels, but then there arises the problem of coordination and auditing. Believe it or not, even as all NGOs are supposed to work for environment consciousness and general social betterment, most do not want to cooperate with each other. There is this totally irrational competition or ego amongst these NGOs or agencies as well, which is holding back the collective effort from being substantial. Anyways this post is not about cribbing over what's wrong, but is about thinking what can be done to make things better.
As for my part in the NGO and the event I have been given the task to maintain the website and to handle corporate communications. Publishing various facts, analysis etc. and performing the task of an editor for the website. Although it's been getting really tough to find some time after the regular B-school life for the extra effort required, but my excitement and interest about doing a good self satisfying thing has kept me going. I have been wondering how to make the effort more inclusive, the message more penetrative, the goal more holistic and the people more interested. And as the theme of the event says, with which I totally agree, we need to glamorize the word 'environment conscious', we need to make it the next 'in' thing. Something people would take pride in indulging in and would like to show off. This can apply to all sections of society but, it would be easier to begin with the youth and the elite. Both of who are relatively open minded and have the time, energy and resources to put in the effort.
Now, we all talk about putting in the effort, and taking the pains, and all… but what is this effort? What do we need to do? Is writing blogs on environment an effort? Is organizing such events an effort? Will it help the environment? Not directly it seems, in fact conducting such a huge event will lead to wastage of energy in one way which is quite paradoxical to what we are saying! Although it will create a ripple, in the pond perhaps, it can't kick everyone out of the slumber at once, but it might shake them a bit, remind them for a few hours, and maybe even bring a few facts to the notice of people, which have been lost, or ignored. Also the subsequent events to be organized in schools etc. are going to be the key I suppose, primarily because the youth is more responsive and caring today, after entering adulthood, survival becomes such a looming problem that the planet getting heated up doesn't seem so big.
As we could figure out why the efforts were not sustainable, we had to think out of the boxes and decide on strategies that could help us having an impact that would last. I could think of few things which remain an integral part of life despite all else that's happening to us in the while, would like to quote some of those here; moral values, integrity, hygiene etc. these are the things which we have accepted as general norms of good life, and follow them regardless of all other pain in life, we take pride in these things and count them as assets, don't we? We thought why can't environment be one of these things? Something you can feel proud of if your son shows interest in it, or something you can mention at a tea party and would hold your head high while doing so. Something you can get printed on your T-shirts and feel cool about it.
So that's basically the endeavour we have set for ourselves, we understand and know it's going to have to be really big and should reach out to people from all possible mediums. TV, radio, shows, events, movies, newspaper, and celebrities whatever it takes to make the message heard and understood. Remember the news which created so many ripples, saying Amitabh Bachchan is vegetarian, it gave immediate pride to every vegetarian, I remember my parents took pride in mentioning it. Well so it's like this, if John Abraham says save environment it will be cool, if in a movie SRK quotes global warming it would cause kitty party discussion amongst ladies. It sounds really farfetched as of now, but we will be trying our best definitely.
I have to get the website started as soon as possible so for now so it's time to move…
For any more info or details on the same feel free to get in touch.. Afterall that's all we intend to achieve, your attention.. :)
