Public Awareness about Environment
LAKSHMIRAJ RATHORE LLB (H) 2021
Out of all the multitudinous issues around the globe, the environmental degradation is the most important issue. Our life squarely is dependent on a healthy environment. Needless to say, the Earth is the only place we call home! This is the only place that provides us with the most basic necessities of air, food, water and other needs. Promoting awareness about the environment is the sine qua non and a necessity. It is important that one should don the role of environmental steward and participate in creating a brighter future for future generations. Not everything could be left to the government to perform. Rather one should shoulder the responsibilities of relieving our mother-earth from all the encumbrances of varied pollution which we produce and piled on our mother home. If we go on misusing our environment, there is no way in which the Government can perform all these clean-up functions. Prevention of environmental degradation must become an essential part of all our lives.
Individually each one of us can play a very crucial role either actively or even passively in a variety of ways. Humans undoubtedly are the most important polluter and hence the burden to clean up and save the planet is the solemn responsibility that must be executed earnestly. We can reduce wasting natural resources and we can act as watchdogs that inform the Government about sources that lead to pollution and degradation of our environment.
Certain measures are very crucial in making this possible and shoring up the
environmental crusade. One way is via public awareness. Often people are acutely unaware of their actions and their impact on the environment. It is therefore very important that everyone should be made aware of the consequence of their behaviour on the environment. This could be done in a variety of ways such as via newspapers, radio, television, which strongly influence public opinion. These aforementioned methods are elaborated more specifically such as (a) Use of Media – Media can play a vital role in creating peoples’ awareness about the environment and conservation of natural resources. Mass media is a robust tool that can serve the purpose of creating awareness ‘en-masse’ by means of its multi-channel regional and network service comprising programmes such as talks, interviews, plays and documentaries etc. (b) Classroom Education – Environment education should start at the very beginning of child’s education. Even when distinctive discipline has been opted by the student in their career, they still require constant sensitization and education on the environment. Environment awareness is the ‘mool-mantra’. And this would manifest in the human consciousness through continuous classroom education. Education on environmental issues and sustainable development at college and university levels will enhance the knowledge and will bring in pro-environment action for solutions to environmental problems and methods for conservation of natural resources. (c) Association with Environment NGOs/local movements – The civil society has a very crucial role play. They are the ‘opinion-creators’ and has the ability to upheave the public mood towards the cause of the environment. A variety of activities which essentially focusses on ‘recycling waste’, ‘environmentally friendly products and being promoted by NGOs and the local community should get the space it deserves and should be promoted. These NGOs definitely has an indispensable role to play. (d) Participation in public discussions/events on the environment – Events are a great way to find out what’s happening in specialist areas, discover new ideas, get inspired, meet like-minded people and promote environmental awareness. Participating in environmental calendar events like earth day, wetland day, environmental day. This would also enhance individual knowledge and motivate others also.
Finally, one must ask oneself: What can we do? – Rather than whining about the environmental hazards and pollution, one must focus on what little action we all can initiate to render the environment benevolent. Most of us always complain about the deteriorating environmental situation in our country. We also blame the government for inaction. However how many of us actually do anything about our own environment? We can think about the things we can do to support the environment in our daily life, in our profession and in our community. We can make others follow our environment-friendly actions. We as individuals should also practice & promote saving resources- paper, energy, water, reduce plastic, to follow 3R i.e., Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle should be the most important template which must be propagated to shore up public awareness. This would definitely provide a concrete mechanism to achieve the goal of environmental sustainability.
LAKSHMIRAJ RATHORE LLB (H) 2021
