Spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar called for a worldwide cutting down of the plastic use at a symposium which brought together voices from the United Nations, the Indian Government, and Civil Society, while the Indian Government hosted this year’s World Environment Day.
The Art of Living founded by Sri Sri organized a symposium titled ‘Voices Against Pollution, Moving towards Green Energy’, during which people from 80 countries joined him in taking the pledge against plastic, the whole function being associated by United Nations Environment Programme.
The spiritual guru had been once booked by the National Green Tribunal for damaging the Yamuna floodplains while holding World Culture Festival hosted by him there in 2016. The court ordered him to completely restore the plains and make amendments to the damages made.
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During this year’s World Environment Day exhorting others to do everything in their capacity to reduce the plastic use by half, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said that pollution was not just man-made but also made in the mind. He also said if we became aware at the level of the mind, we would start reducing our plastic waste on our own, so we must take the pledge to reduce our plastic waste by more than half.
Sri Sri pointed out that the aim can be achieved by choosing recyclable plastic over disposable ones ‘whenever, wherever’ possible, by carrying one’s own recyclable bags and water bottles, and by avoiding the use and throw items. He advised farmers to avoid burning the leftovers after harvesting and instead mulch and reuse it organically and reminded that “nature needs our support”.
An MoU was signed between The Art of Living and DG Home Guards, with an aim to create 1000 honorary environment marshals. The supposed duty of the marshals is to create awareness in slums and other areas of New Delhi on the dangers of plastic and importance of waste segregation.
With Sri Sri, guest speakers at the symposium included Erik Solheim, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme; Mohammed Adil, Nazim of Ajmer Sharif Dargah; Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth sciences, Environment, Forests & Climate Change; Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State For Environment, Forest & Climate Change and among other dignitaries.
A solid waste management plant will be set up by The Art of Living in Ajmer Sharif Dargah and they also launched a machine to convert plastic waste into fuel, which will be installed in municipalities across New Delhi. Sri Sri Institute of Advanced Research and RV College of Engineering signed an MoU to scientifically document the diverse biodiversity present in The Art of Living International centre at Bangalore and its impact on the city of Bengaluru.
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