WorldSikhEnvironmentDay14MarchInmemoryofHar RaiJibecoming7th Guruin1644

Respect,loveandlookafternature

GuruJicreatedparksandgardenswhereheplantedfruitsandfloweringplants,medicinalherbsandwildlifesanctuariesatKiratpur sahib

Pavan guru-Air

Paani pita-Water

Matadharat mahat –Earth

Naturegivesus

• Watertodrink• Airtobreathe• Foodtoeat• Beautytosee• Energyforfuel• Materialsforsomanygoods

Badthingshumanstodonature

• Pollutethewater• Pollutetheair• Wastefood• Hurtanimals• Choptrees,plants,flowers• Droplitter• DestroyanimalandbirdHabitats

WorldEnvironmentDay

Startedin1972bytheUnitedNationsraisingawareness,supportingactionanddrivingchange

Eachyearithasadifferenttheme,thisyear2018itis:

‘Beatplasticpollution’

ActivitiesworldwidetocelebrateMarch14

• Bicycleralliesremindingpeoplethatcarscausepollutionsocycleifpossible

• Treeplantingeventsinlargegroups• Introductionoforganiclangar• Organickitchengardensingurdwarasgrowingpesticidefreefood

• GuruHar RaiJistoriesandsakhia

• BasedinWashingtonDC,USAandworkingwithschools,universitiesandgurdwareworldwidetopromoteGuruHar RaiJisenvironmentalmessage

• ParticularlyencouragingPanjabs governmenttoworkonreducingpollutioninthestate

• MakingAmritsartheholycitygreener.Planted2000treesinAmritsar

• www.ecosikh.org

Ecosikh projects

• WorldSikhEnvironmentDay14March• AmritsarFoundationday• Organiclangarcampaign• Greennagar kirtan• YouthEnvironmentalLeadershipworkshops• Organicfarmertraining• GuruHar Rairukh lagao leher – treeplanting• GreenDiwalicampaign– noneedforfireworks

Panjabs environment

• EcoSikh haveproposeda4pointagenda:1. Increasethenumberoftrees2. Improvethecleanlinessofwaterandstop

wastingit3. Stopburningwastetoreduceairpollution4.ReduceharmfulpesticidesinFarming,promotekitchengardensAndorganiclangar

Panjabpriorityno.1- forests

• Panjabonlyhas3.5%offorestcover• 900,000treeswerecutdowninthelast5years

• Moretreesmustbeplantedtoprovidewildlifeandbirdlifehabitatsandprovidecleanair

Panjabpriorityno.2– savewaterandkeepitclean

• Watershortageduetooverfarming• Watershouldnotbewasted• Farmersandgeneralpublicneedtolookatwaysofusingwatermoreefficiently

• Industrialwastemustbetreatedbeforebeingreleasedintotherivers

Panjabpriorityno.3– stopburningwaste

• Stubbleburningkillsnutrientsinthesoil• Pollutedairwiththetoxinsofburntwastecausesdamagetohumansastheybreatheitin

Panjabpriorityno.4– reduceharmfulpesticidesinfarming

• Farmershavepressuretoproducelotsoffoodsotheyusechemicals,whichcansometimesbeveryharmfulespeciallyastheyenterthesoil,waterwaysandhumanfoodchain

Factsaboutnature

BeesarevitaltoourlivesastheyareamongtheprimarypollinatorsofplantsintheUK

Cottonisthefabricwhichrequiresthemostwatertogrow

Plasticbottlesbagsandotherwastetakeshundredsofyearstobreakdownwhenburiedinthegroundasrubbish

Whatcanyoudotohelptheenvironment?

1. Reduce– uselessplastice.g.glassTupperware,don’tprintunnecessarily,don’tleavelightsandelectricalequipmentonforlongerthanneeded,don’tleavetapsrunning

2.Re-use asmuchaspossible– oldelectricalequipmentcanberepairedorvaluablemetalsremovedtobeusedinsomethingelse.Dropoffatlocalrecyclingcentreswww.recyclenow.com

3.Recycle asmuchaspossible– paperisaneasyone!Useyourlocalauthoritywastecollectionservices.Foodwastecanbecomposted,wastecookingoilcanbeconvertedintobiodiesel.Contactyourlocalcounciltoday

Reduce

• Turnoffthetapwhenwaterisnolongerneeded

• Switchoffthelightswhennotintheroom• Printdoublesided• Don’twastefood

Reuse

• Donateoldclothingandtoystocharities• Insteadofbuyingbottlesofdrinksreuseabottle

• Usetheplainsideofjunkmailasscrappaper

Recycle

Recycle

Takebatteriesandelectricalitemstoyourlocalrecyclingcentre

Cleanoutplasticbottlesandyoghurtpotsbeforerecycling

Recyclecardboardandpaper

Washoutglassjarsandbottles

Usefulwebsites• www.recyclenow.com

• www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

• www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

• www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

• www.keepbritaintidy.org (#GBspringclean)

WhatdoesGurubani say?• Eak Bageecha:Acompilationofshabads fromtheGuruGranth SahibJiontheEnvironment

• TheGurucaresfor,nurtures,andresideswithinnature,andexpectsustobemorecaringaboutourenvironmentineveryaspectofourlives.Thepurposeistoinspireustobemoreconsideratetowardsourenvironmentinallofourdailydealingsanddecisions.AstheGuruaskedus,wecanandshouldtakestepsonanindividualbasistobringbackthelostgloryofourgarden,makingthisearthabetterplacetolive,notonlyforhumanbeings,butforallofCreation.

Eak bageecha (agarden)byGuruArjunDevJi

• Thereisagarden.Ithassomanyplantscreatedwithinit.Andeachbearsthesweet-nectaredNaam asitsfruit.||1||

• Considerthis,Owiseone,Inthisgardenyoumayseekthemeansbywhichtoattaineternalbliss.ObrothersandsistersofDestiny,Thisgardenhasdarkpoolsofpoisonhereandthere,Butitalsocontainstheambrosialnectarwithinit.||1||Pause||

• Thereisonlyonegardenerwhotendsit.Hetakescareofeveryleafandbranch.||2||Hebroughtalltheseplantsandplantedthemthere.Theyallbearfruit– noneiswithoutfruit.||3||TheonewhoreceivestheambrosialfruitoftheNaamFromtheGuru– ONanak,Suchaservanthasawaytopassovertheoceanofillusion.||4||5||56||