Let's be green

World Environment Day celebrations took on a new look with the British Council organising a host of programmes from talks to movie screenings to street plays.

June 13, 2011 03:41 pm | Updated 03:47 pm IST

Protection and perservation: Arun Krishnamurthy enthralls the audience. Photo: S.S. Kumar

Protection and perservation: Arun Krishnamurthy enthralls the audience. Photo: S.S. Kumar

“We are not going to tell you that plastic is bad or don't throw the waste here or there…,” began Arun Krishnamurthy, an environmental activist, puzzling the audience gathered at the Bristish Council for the World Environment Day celebrations. “We are going to hit you with real stories.”

Of the series of celebrations organised by the British Council in Chennai, one of the days featured a street play and the screening of an award-winning play. The street play, conceived, directed and acted by Arun Krishnamurthy, a climate champion, along with other young school-going activists, was fresh, funny and thought-provoking. They succeeded in making the audience laugh out loud and introspect in silence with their catchy songs, dialogues, choreography et al.

“In school, teachers taught you not to burn plastic. In college you were taught that plastic is a complex polymer. You studied, worked, got married… what's the use?” asked the children. They also hit out on the filling of lakes in and around Chennai for construction purposes which affect the biodiversity that is dependent on the lake for survival.

Students enacted fishermen who reel out things they caught at sea and show it to the womenfolk: old tyres, plastic bags, footwear…! “The beach is not just about the sand and sundal . It's also about the crabs and aquatic animals that belong there.” So saying, they questioned the need for an elevated expressway along the coast that would impact the nesting habits of the sea turtle that comes to the shore to lay their eggs.

Towards the end, the group, comprising members of Roots N Shoots (a part of the Tree Foundation), invited volunteers to help them out with the environmental activities. First up was a lake cleaning in Tambaram. And volunteering does not mean giving up on regular activities. The cast explained how they volunteer at the zoo, make and sell paper bags and also spread awareness and yet get time to watch a lot of TV, go for tuitions and attend music class. “Many come into this world and go, but ask yourself what have you done?”

“The World Environment Day is not a celebration. What is there to celebrate? It's rather a time for realisation,” says Arun. The shortfilm “Kurma” proved the point. It won awards like Best Film and Best Concept at the International Sea Turtle Symposium in San Diego, U.S. where it was first screened.

The film depicted the story of the Yanadi Tribe which was relocated from their settlement in Nellore to make way for a government scientific organisation, without having received the promised compensation. Due to displacement, lack of income generation and awareness, the tribe poaches sea turtles for meat. But with awareness they understand the harm they are causing and stop poaching. On intervention by environmentalists, the people of the tribe have been made aware of the impact of their act and have made efforts to give up poaching. But lack of income makes it difficult for them to buy proper food. The power of visual medium was fully realised that day.

Wishful thinking, “Let's hope we are able to truly celebrate the Environment Day at least next year,” said Arun.

NIRANJANA , X, Siva Swami Kalalaya, Mylapore: Arun addressed our school about the various environmental issues. I was really moved by what he said, especially about the poaching of tigers. In fact, I cried. I resolved to do my bit for the environment. We have to realise that animals have rights too. And it's not that they are encroaching on our spaces but we are encroaching into their land — the elephant did not enter the sugarcane fields, we have cultivated sugarcane in their lands. Being a member of Roots N Shoots I help make and sell paper bags.

MADANKUMAR , VI, Good Earth School, Tambaram: I am extremely moved by the issue of poaching of tigers and elephants. They are serious issues. When I talk to my school friends about various environmental issues, some of them don't bother, while some say that they will consider doing something for the environment. We should also learn to be eco-friendly.

CATHERINE , X, Rosary Matriculation: All the members of the street play met through the Heat Camps organised at British Council. At the camp, Arun taught us how to use media to promote environmental awareness. It is sad that even educated people don't bother about the environment and are insensitive to the plight of animals. When I once spoke to my friends about a programme on TV that set a bad example about the treatment of animals, they asked me if I didn't have anything better to do!

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