World Environment Day Message

Happy World Environment Day 2013

One possibility is that the less that gets written on this blog, the greater the chances are, that there’s some serious, albeit unpublished writing and reading going on somewhere. But then again, a blog’s a blog: fairly independent, potentially all-encompassing in terms of target audience (technically speaking, at least), and useful.

So let me wish whoever reads this across the global day a happy world environment day. Now, in the spirit of delegating responsibilities, let me not go into the details of who or how or why this “day” exists, and the related politics. Let me leave it to you, dear reader, to research it if you think it’s important to do so. i’m sure i’ve done so in the past, and a two-minute net search would refresh the memory.

The fact is, there’s this thing called world environment day, and it’s relevant as well as well worth leveraging the attention it already has, to draw attention to related issues; to update a blog;  to drive/steer the agenda in general towards whatever one thinks it’s worth steering agendas for.

World peace comes to mind. As a worthy objective. Nothing delusional, let me assure you, about this aspiration. Especially when it’s the only chance there is, to actually save lives through acceptable means such as dialogue/s, peace process/es, and addressing the root cause/s of problems (for which the starting point involves not assuming that you might not be the root cause of the problem), which is what most governments and those in authority tend to do. (Digressing for a moment, to another plane, the Self or the Ego also has the tendency to do this while analysing matters pertaining to it, and when it transcends this tendency, then solutions and pathways open up with almost magical rapidity).

So, here is my formula:

Fair Trade Through Democratic Processes = Equitable Utilization Of Natural Resources Worldwide

Equitable Utilization Of Natural Resources Worldwide = World Peace

Therefore, Fair Trade Through Democratic Processes = World Peace

Now, as is obvious, each of the phrases used above is likely to have numerous exponents. Each of those concepts as well as their syntheses fall under the purview/subject matter of dialogue, discussion and other such engagement. To be carried out, no doubt, using uncomplicated popular parlance and through verbal means to ensure a thorough outreach which is of critical importance.

Diligence, honesty, selflessness, earnestness, harnessing (nonviolent) abilities and the appropriate channelling of these factors cannot be replaced with the use of force. The difference between the use of such factors and the use of force is the difference between the quality of statesmanship and the lack of it. (To continue with my earlier form of digression: it is the difference between a realised or somewhat realised state of consciousness and their opposites).

So that was the formula. Lets tweak it. (Oops, was i talking to myself and actually saying lets tweet it?! You know, phonetically speaking, as it were.)

My environment day message to all my fellow environmentalists in India (who stand for social justice, equitable distribution of natural resources, non-violence, democracy and justice), is to please not neglect the fact that your area of expertise also involves the analysis of geostrategic affairs (or whatever it’s called). Please analyse emerging documents, white papers, remarks and blue books etc. of various countries from “our” perspectives! (i’m making my efforts and hope to post related writings here soon).

And on a lighter note, i just watched, on youtube, a tuneful “Earth Anthem” written by a diplomat from our country and released in connection with world environment day. While the sentiments intended might have been happy ones, i’d say anthems, overall, ought to stop sounding jingoistic -even planet-wise! The Earth, after all, is not The World. As an article in one of today’s newspapers points out, the arm of the galaxy in which our planet’s located is called the local arm of the galaxy. How’s that for perspective?! Once again, happy world environment day, for all it’s worth.

V. Shruti Devi