India is celebrating its 72nd Independence Day and it’s time for us to take our responsibilities towards the country seriously. Most of us don’t think twice before using plastic cutlery, trash bags or even just straws. The consequences of our actions are harming the environment.
And so as a form of inspiration, we’ve made a list of 5 Indians and environmentalists, who took their commitment to the country seriously and played their part in making it a greener place. We’ve handpicked the most inspiring stories from across all platforms, that forced us to think harder about our contributions.
1. John Abraham – Set Up An Elephant Village
An active member of PETA, he has also been awarded the Eco Warrior Award for his work with elephants. He found the homeless elephants on the streets of Mumbai a home near Tillari Dam in Konkan. After several personal sessions with the state government and forest department of the areas, they were made an elephant park to stay in.
2. Vimlendu Jha – Cleaned River Yamuna
A social entrepreneur and environmentalist, Vimlendu has spent over a decade struggling to clean River Yamuna. He is also the founder of Swechha, a Delhi based NGO that covers an umbrella of environmental issues, from planting trees and creating a mini forest in Dwarka to organizing insect hotel building workshops. You can volunteer on their website and do your part!
3. Madhu Bhatnagar – Rainwater Harvesting In Schools
As the deputy head of Shri Ram School, Delhi, she was one of the first to implement rainwater harvesting in school in 1999. Her method was later adopted by over 2,000 schools in order to save water. She also chartered out an Environment Education Policy long before the Supreme Court asked for it and is now retired, working on her cause wholeheartedly.
4. Dia Mirza – UN Goodwill Ambassador
The UN Environment’s Goodwill Ambassador, this former Asia Pacific has wholeheartedly dedicated herself to the cause and often travels in order to create awareness about the same. From wildlife to having safer menstruations, her volunteer works has no limit. Don’t believe us? Just have a look at her Instagram.
5. Poonam Bir Kasturi – Recyling Waste
Poonam began Daily Dump, which makes products for composting for home and commercial use in order to reduce the carbon footprint we leave on earth. They also have regular trash walks that take your around the city in a bid to create a cleaner India. Their website is super efficient and you can volunteer anytime you want!
6. Aabid Surti – Saved 10 Million Litres Of Water
A painter, cartoonist, playwriter, journalist and environmentalist, he helped save 10 million litres of water! How? This 80-year-old national award-winning author, goes door to door in his apartment complex with a simple question, ‘Do you have a leaking tap?’ as a part of his ‘Drop-Dead’ initiative. Accompanied by a plumber and a volunteer, he has saved 10 million litres of water in 56 apartments over the years.
7. Jaswant Singh – Created A Garden Of Eden
His home is fondly known as Chennai’s Garden Of Eden, 4,000 sq. feet of just plants and trees of different varieties complete with a tree house. But rare flowers aren’t what make his garden special, the ecosystem of it all, from the rearing of honeybees to making his own manure with compost, while running it all on solar panels seems like a mind-blowing task. He has proved that you can run a 100% self-fulfilling and organic household by just putting in a little more effort.
You might also like :
Save Earth Slogans in Hindi
पृथ्वी दिवस का इतिहास
Paryavaran Slogan in Hindi
Image – Mark Parkinson, Instagram, International Book Of Records, The Hindu
AWESOME NEWS! POPxo SHOP is now Open! Get 25% off on all the super fun mugs, phone covers, cushions, laptop sleeves, and more! Use coupon code POPXOFIRST.
Read More From Lifestyle
Sreejita De Marries Again, All The Pics From Her Dreamy Haldi & Mehendi Ceremony
Isha Jain
Fast-Paced City Life Or Peaceful Evenings In Small Towns? Here’s Why People Are Making The Shift
Vedika Negi