Child is father of the Earth

bangalore: during the last couple of months, we have been hearing more about children and environment than we ever heard all our lives about adults and environment. it is as if all the eco friends of the world have suddenly realised that grown-ups are beyond redemption and if there is anyone who can save the earth, it is the child. a few days ago, it was a joy to watch over 500 children on grounds, getting together to forge a bond with mother earth.they'd been invited by film star and eco lover and activist suresh hebliker who has always held that if you really want to save the earth then it is the young ones you need to turn to. "i believe that if you go to schools and train the children, they will take the message home and reform their parents." he'd started the training process more than eight years ago. the eco-watch society had organised an environmental camp at the modern english school; half the participants were hoodlums and many were restlessly disposed. "they set up tents in which they were to camp, and in that environment, with nature around us, i spoke to them on a level and in a language they understood." he drew their attention to sparrows, the wild life, ground water, illustrating to them lovingly how everything was interdependent; above all, how one drop of pure water, in today's time, has become almost as expensive as petrol. the children were informed about how we were spending over 40,000 crores to buy petrol products which were simply stepping up our laziness. "the chinese used only cycles for 40 years after they'd gained independence. the government constructed trees to give shade to the cyclists. the result was that their health improved, they were more energetic, and they improved as a people." during that camp, under the moonlit sky, hebliker was able to strike a chord within the heart of those children that was to transform their lives. he told them that a rough life toughened up a human being like nothing else did. bathe in cold water, preserve water __ don't keep the tap running while brushing the teeth and stuff like that; also, when going to buy vegetables take the cycle instead of the scooter, or better still, walk! long after the camp had concluded, parents were calling up to inform the school authorities that their children had come home changed humans, and were now insisting on `environmental reforms' within the house. there were all-round suggestions of how to conserve water. for example, while cleaning the car, first use a cloth to wipe off the dust, and then turn to washing it; less water will be consumed. in fact, hebliker had made a short film titled `call of the meadow' which, among other traditional joys, showed kalyani wells (the ones with steps leading down to the water) which had been such a romantic and appealing part of indian culture in the bygone eras. today, the wells stand dry, and when we turn on our taps, "we cannot even be sure where the water comes from." he spoke wistfully about eco-tone __ the transitional zone in the western ghats where two or three eco systems merge, which is a wonderful habitat for animals. "it's a 200-mile long belt which was a haven for animals, until the government decided to dot it with highways," said the annoyed activist. the heavy price of progress? it doesn't have to be that way, says suresh hebliker. "development and environment can go hand in hand, this has been proved in places like stockholm. i do not agree with those environmentalists who oppose everything modern. science and technology must and can promote environment," he insisted. like, how? "i'll give you just one example," he said. "instead of those outdated old tractors which used to guzzle unending litres of petrol, and gave out black fumes which contributed to pollution, the light modern tractor can run 10 km with one litre." in short, where there's a will there's a way; if there's an intrinsic love for environment, we can still save the day!