Special report by Annesha Lahiri, Intern-WWF Kolkata
KOLKATA: A child asked me while I was talking about this year’s Earth Hour how could just an hour’s switching off non-essential lights be of any use to our planet. I was moved by the innocent query.
Our Director of WWF-India,WBSO, Dr. Saswati Sen took over the conversation and explained to her that if everyone does it,then it will most definitely make a difference.
One hour is the minimum timing a person can do his bit towards saving this expanding consumption of the fossil fuels.
This year on March 25, WWF Kolkata organised a walk at 7:30 a.m in which students from 8 institutions participated and people from various other fields joined our noble cause.
The walk commenced from Victoria memorial and ended at Eliot Park. We had started with only 35 people but many more joined us during the walk.
We are grateful to the Kolkata Police who not only joined us but also took care of the tiny tots who participated in it.
After the walk, there was an interactive session in which the students pledged to give up one thing from their daily life to extend their hands in conserving Nature.
A street play was put up by the volunteers of WWF-India, WBSO to convey the message “to give up to give back” Mother Earth, a pollution-free environment.
A special mention needs to be made herein that from 8:30-9:30 p.m, all the non-essential lights were switched off on Rabindra Setu (Howrah Bridge).
As a member of World Wide Fund for Nature-India, West Bengal State Office, I would say that if together, we do our bit then everything will be possible.
Its takes just a little effort and desire to take the baton and start a good deed because the mass will eventually follow.
So step up and let’s not constrict an hour for the Earth but take an oath to make it better every minute. Let’s Give Up bad habits and get back a beautiful life.
Remember the words of Bapu-‘The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.’. Let Reduce,Reuse and Recycle be the order of the day.
