Written by Aaitijhya Goswami
Edited by Othaila Abuzaid & Hanna Karasinska
As the sun rose over the horizon, the light passed through the spaces between the towering skyscrapers of the city, it fell on the gas mask clad face of the garbage picker, who was picking up the garbage from the overflowed littered street, covered in dense fog and smoke, it has been 5 years since the government had issued orders in the city to restrict the citizen to their homes and not to step out without the use of gas masks.
After the air quality had dropped down to hazardous levels, gas masks were initially issued for free for the first few months, but as the death in the local slums began to increase at an exponential rate, panic spread in the city like wildfire as the demand for gas masks increased, their prices skyrocketed as well, gradually, the deaths began to plague the city. Also the parks, and roads, which where usually full of lively children chattering and loud cars in traffic congestions became empty,
Seems quite like the melancholic dystopian realities seen in sci-fi movies right? Well this could be the reality of this world we call home if we consider climate change as a trifling matter now. Climate change is one of the most important issues which threaten the damage of the environment of the earth and it is about time we take some time out of our busy schedules and do our part in order to conserve the environment and make the world a better place. The lack of awareness about climate change and neglect for the roles we have to play in order to conserve it, have plagued educational systems around the world, and especially in India.
In the rush to learn new skills and fulfilling the occupational requirements of the continuously changing topography of the corporate world, and in the pursuit of better universities and institutions to get our degrees from, the educational system has somewhat lost its motive to educate and encourage young minds to create a better future.. The topics of climate change and proper waste disposal are shifted to the last pages of the textbooks and are often omitted or considered unimportant. The voices of the few student protesters go unheard in the relentless urban hustle of our lives.
With the pollution rates rising exponentially every year and many perennial sources being blocked by the tons of polythene debris dumped every day. Lack of education and awareness about proper disposal methods have caused huge mountains of garbage to be formed on roadside open fields, which are often set ablaze in the open to free up space for future dumping, causing smoke and poisonous gasses to be evolved, which cause thousands of people, old and young alike to develop acute respiratory diseases. Over one-fourth of the urban population in India is affected with respiratory disorders, with many requiring intensive care at all times. The lack of visibility in foggy weather has also caused many accidents on the highways in big cities, which claim hundreds of lives each year.
Although the climate awareness scene in India is developing year after year, with many companies and startups setting up their own sustainability models and waste management systems, students in schools and universities taking an interest over the problems which urbanization has cursed the environment with and are also agitating for better methods of waste management and strict regulations for industries to secure a greener environment. Afforestation drives have become very common with more young students participating and influencing others to do so. Recent developments have enabled the setting up if solar powered cells, windmills and other sources to prevent loss of fossil fuels and to prevent depletion of harmful gasses from chimneys, in spite of all of these, there is a major part of the young workforce who are still unaware about cleaner habits and disposal methods, as the educational system still continues to nurture disregard for this topic, but together with the awareness and zeal of the new generation of activists and positive cooperation of the government, the brighter skies and greener meadows are not far from view!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
References:
[1] India lacks awareness about tools to quantify green emission: Bureau of Indian Standards. (2015, September 11). The Economic Times. https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-lacks-awareness-about-tools-to-quantify-green-emission-bureau-of-indian-standards/articleshow/48917052.cms; (Accessed at 08/10/2023)
[2] Majra, J., & Gur, A. S. (2009). Climate change and health: Why should India be concerned? Indian Journal of Industrial Medicine, 13(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5278.50717;
[3] Pandve, H. T., Chawla, P., Fernandez, K., Singru, S. A., Khismatrao, D. S., & Pawar, S. C. (2011). Assessment of awareness regarding climate change in an urban community. Indian Journal of Industrial Medicine, 15(3), 109. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5278.93200
[4] Kagawa, F. (2022). The Heat is On! Towards a Climate Resilient Education System in India. Kathmandu: UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia. https://www.unicef.org/rosa/media/17581/file/The%20Heat%20is%20On%20-%20India.pdf. (Accessed at 08/10/2023)
[5] Channel, W. (2019, June 4). Lack of environmental awareness hurting our city, say young Kolkatans | Weather.com. The Weather Channel. https://weather.com/en-IN/india/news/news/2019-06-04-pollution-kolkata-environment-day-youth; (Accessed at 08/10/2023)