“Environmental protection”, “Climate change”, “Sustainable development”, have become the new mantra of our modern society. Those words are on the lips of everyone, be it individuals, politicians, media people, and even corporates. For nearly a decade now (if not more), we are constantly being bombarded with environmental campaigns and adverts. Even marketing professionals are preaching us the ecological merits of their products or services!

I have a great passion for this cause and am making a career out of it. However, even for me, there comes a point when I start getting sick over this relentless campaigning. Sometimes I just want to put my hands up and yell: “Please, not another word about the environment!!”

In my opinion, a lot has already been said on this issue. There are a lot of people already talking about this cause, and they are doing a very good job. For the rest of us, it is now time to act! This may sound very clichéd but we need to be the change we want to see. So, stop moaning about the lack of infrastructure or government initiatives. Just do what you believe is your duty towards your planet, your country.

One of the turning points in my life had been watching Disney’s version of Pocahontas as an undergraduate student. I had watched the movie before, but it never had the impact that it had on me on that day. What caught my attention on that day were the lyrics of the song “Colors of the Wind”, and one particular stanza which goes as follows:

“You think you own whatever land you land on. The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim. But I know every rock and tree and creature Has a life, has a spirit, has a name”

This brings to my mind the concept of our duty towards our ecology. This concept was present in all ancient civilisations. All these ancient cultures understood that everything was sacred and governed by laws which were beyond the control of human beings. These forces were venerated as spirits, devatas or demi-gods and care was taken not to abuse of nature so as not to “offend” the presiding deities and forces.

I’m not saying that we should completely change  our lives and adopt a “primitive” lifestyle. That would be very hard indeed! Imagine a life without the comforts of a soft bed or the luxury of having nice and well-fitting clothes…Such a life seems almost unbearable!

But perhaps by constantly reminding ourselves that we did not create this planet, we will refrain from destroying it. Perhaps, by taking up the role of a care-taker rather than that of an owner, we will stop abusing this wonderful system, so critical for our survival, individually and as a species.

In this spirit, we are launching the 2015 Environmental Campaign under the theme of “Lanatir, nou leritaz”. This campaign is geared towards giving our volunteers a hands-on experience on wildlife conservation and to encourage them to be proactive guardians of our natural treasures.

Anishta Heeramun
2015 Project Director
JCI Curepipe Green Society
“LaNatir, Nu Leritaz”