Poems to save the world

what will i show my children? / ivory rings, ivory bangles, / shall i show them pictures and skeletons in the museum? / i speak for the elephants, / i speak for tomorrow. this is one of caroline nderitu''s poems; poems that are a cry to save the world. an active environmentalist in kenya, she was invited by suresh heblikar and his eco-watch to read and enact her poems in various schools in bangalore."india and kenya have similar concerns. if you have tigers, we have our elephants to worry about," says caroline, tall and striking in the traditional khanga. on it are printed swahili proverbs about the need to protect nature. "environmental awareness begins with every one of us," says this eco activist. it was the girl guide camps she went to as a young student that made her fall in love with nature. so much so that she began to write essays on the subject and to participate in competitions and debates. at the various camps she also learnt the basics of recycling, garbage disposal and how to preserve trees. "i remember as a child that an older relative or teacher would point at a splendid tree or a group of animals and say it would not last forever. that used to hurt me so badly," says caroline. she shares these cares with like-minded environmentalists whenever she gets to meet them. involving children in environmental protection is also one of her key concerns. "in keeping with the inspiration for eco-watch, i too believe children can make a difference," she says. children, with their ready love of flowers and butterflies and animals and birds are very receptive to this message, she says. as for adults they need to get back in touch with nature. "these days not many people go to the forest or take a walk in the wild," she says. that way, we''ll all be more aware of the pitfals of unchecked urbanisation. caroline''s environmental awareness is not limited to the forests and camping sites alone. she believes in leading an eco-friendly lifestyle. suresh''s home, too, is a perfect example of an eco-friendly living space, she says. even in day-to-day living caroline believes in using alternatives to chemical disinfectants and aerosprays. "for instance, one can buy dry cowdung cakes and burn it to kill insects and mosquitoes instead of harmful pesticides." she can be contacted at www.carolinenderitu.2om.com.