Can We Continue to Look the Other Way?
Our societal systems strongly incline us towards unsustainable choices. Corporate advertising stimulates environmentally costly desires, rather than encouraging contentment with what we have.
We have created an economy based on self interest and greed which is not simply driven by profit maximisation or cost reduction alone. It also engages in wanton destruction of environment in the name of development.
Professor Roderick Smith of Imperial College says that in the 21st century we will have used 16 times as many economic resources as human beings have consumed since we came down from the trees. Supply of meat has already trebled since 1980. Cities like Delhi and Bangalore add roughly 1,000 vehicles each day to their roads. Due to intense use of chemical fertilizers for increased yields, 34 per cent of irrigated land in India is saline.
For most of us these statistics are just some coffee parlour points of discussion. They get forgotten beyond the table when we again start to hoard objects and experiences induced by greed and a false sense of self preservation.
Yet amidst us there exists a cadre of remarkable people. Thoughtful, committed people who attempt to change the world for the better. Environmental and social activists have taken up as their way of life, protection of environment. Not satisfied by mere complaining about environmental problems, they follow the advice of Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see”, and work to bring their vision of a better world into reality, even if their actions most times involve personal risks and bring no rewards.
The pages that follow try to give you a glimpse of what such warriors are attempting to do. Some are enterprising entrepreneurs who became green advocates like Tulsi Tanti. Others correct governance ills like Ramesh Ramanathan of Janaagraha. There are those that have worked hard to bring about solutions, like the Water Man Rajendra Singh and Shri Anna Hazare.
In spite of the efforts of these “Rainbow Warriors” we are still not there yet. It remains for the rest of us to listen... and join them.
– Radha Eswar
