Gandhiji’s thought on environment and what are you going to learn from it?
By – Vansh Bakshi (class XI)
Mahatma Gandhi had a deep belief in living simply and responsibly, understanding that our actions directly impact the environment around us. He taught that we should respect nature, as harming it ultimately harms ourselves and our communities.
Gandhi emphasized the principle of non-violence, which extends beyond our treatment of people to include our relationship with the natural world. He viewed nature as sacred, urging us to appreciate its beauty and importance.
From his thoughts, we can learn valuable lessons about sustainability and the need to reduce our consumption. We should strive to live in a way that protects the environment, recognizing our responsibility to care for it. Working together with others can amplify our efforts to promote positive change, and by fostering a deeper connection with nature, we can cultivate gratitude and a sense of stewardship.
In essence, Gandhi’s ideas inspire us to create a more harmonious relationship with the environment, encouraging us to live in balance with the world around us.
Gandhiji and the environment
In my opinion picking up waste was surprisingly a rewarding experience. I began my journey down the street near my apartment, armed with gloves and trash bag, picking up the trash and litters scattered on the sand and the pathway. The litters that I collected was mainly plastic bottles, wooden spoons, candy wrappers and cigarette butts. And since there was a tire repair shop for two wheelers nearby, I was able to find bunch of nails on the ground too. As I picked up each piece of waste into my trash bag, I could see a small, but a significant change in the street. It was gratifying to see the difference that I’m making. Few people that were passing by also thanked me and some people even helped me collecting waste. Even though it took me quite long time to segregate it, but the overall experience was positive and fulfilling. This also reminded me the small actions can make big differences.
I segregated the waste according to whether the waste was recyclable or not. I put the waste that can be recycled into one trash bag, for example, plastic bottles and cans and the non-recyclable wastes in other trash bag. I took most care in segregating and disposing cigarette butts, since it could not only cause toxic plastic pollutions, but also catch fire if it was kept near dry waste. So to prevent this, I made sure that cigarettes were completely extinguished and also made sure that ashes of cigarette butts did not mix with other waste.
Segregating the waste can protect the environment by reducing the release of toxic and harmful gases which contributes to global warming. Additionally, segregation of waste can prevent the leakage of poisonous substances into soil which damages the soil fertility. Furthermore, by separating waste into recyclables, organic waste, and non-recyclables, we significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. But on the other hand, segregating the waste can require more money and time to maintain the attention and efforts from the public. Furthermore, if the segregation is not done properly, it can contaminate the recyclable wastes.
Despite these challenges, picking up waste and segregating them can make remarkable and meaningful impacts to the environment.
While many people think about food, population, and IT industries first when they think of India,,as a foreigner, when I think about India, the first thing that pops up in my head is Mahatma Gandhiji who I saw several times on the rupee and books.
Out of so many things that Gandhi, as a nonviolent social justice fighter have said, I would love to talk about harmony of respect and nature. Even in one day, we tend to produce tons of trash and waste and this is not just about me and my family, but everyone in this world. Moreover, these kind of lifestyle damages the nature and our environment. However, I couldn’t realize the seriousness of this.
Gandhiji has always emphasized on the preciousness of nature.
There are numerous things we can do to help the environment, like joining the environmental group and gather with people periodically to pick up trash from marina beach or the streets of Chennai. But I think it is more important to start with small actions that I can do right now. After taking part in this event, I started taking small steps like unplugging the unused cords, and to reduce disposable items.
I segregated the waste according to whether the materials that the waste of made of. I put the waste that can be plastics into one trash bag, papers and cardboards into one trash bag and wet waste into one trash bag.
Segregating the waste can protect the environment by reducing the release of toxic and harmful gases which contributes to global warming. Additionally, segregation of waste can prevent the leakage of poisonous substances into soil which damages the soil fertility. Furthermore, by separating waste into recyclables, organic waste, and non-recyclables, we significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. But on the other hand, segregating the waste can require more money and time to maintain the attention and efforts from the public. Furthermore, if the segregation is not done properly, it can contaminate the recyclable wastes.
Despite these challenges, picking up waste and segregating them can make remarkable and meaningful impacts to the environment.
Mahatma Gandhi once said If you want to change the world, start with yourself The future depends on what we do in the present
In order to live a life that respects nature, we must understand the seriousness of nature’s illness and help each other.