Words like ‘Global Warming, Climate Change, Desertification’ all run a chill down our spine. These are no longer textbook words. We see the effects of these phenomena all around us today. We did not pay heed to Severn Suzuki in 1992 and we still do not pay heed to Greta Thunberg, Avani Avasthee and the like today, which begs the question; What kind of planet are we leaving behind for our children?
That is why we need to work on the UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action
We have taken up a few Program Actions as listed below:
Mangrove Plantation in the Sunderbans: At SI South Kolkata we decided to do our bit to halt the terrible impact of cyclones on the coastline along the Bay of Bengal. We decided to plant the sturdiest of mangrove varieties that grow in the salty waters along the bay: the baine or the Indian mangrove. Why mangroves? All trees give us oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. Now, the mangrove can absorb four to five times more carbon than any other tree. They thus provide a carbon sink. Their entangled root systems create a suitable habitat for tropical and sub-tropical biodiversity and most importantly, mangroves, once they are 10 metres high, can reduce the strength and fury of cyclonic waves by 60%. The Tsunami in 2004 devastated entire villages except for the areas where mangroves had been grown.
Plant trees: In the city of Kolkata, along roads and in school compounds, in women’s centres and villages SI South Kolkata has planted fruit trees like the mango, guava, jamun, coconut, shady medicinal ones like the neem and so on have been planted through the years.
Stop the Use of Plastic: Every year a couple of drives are initiated to motivate people to use cloth bags and stop using plastic.