HELP THE EARTH

What activities have been planned by the city’s organisations to commemorate the Earth Hour? PT checks out

CELEBRATING DARKNESS:
Puneites are doing their bit to help the environment

WHEN you were a child, elders at home must have told you to switch off the lights whenever you left the room. But did you follow their advice? Chances are, you didn’t, not because you wished to play a prank but since you were simply indifferent. Even as an adult in today’s times, many of us are guilty of keeping the television on while snoring away. We forget to switch off some other electronic gadget after leaving the room. Such a casual approach has impacted the Earth badly, which is why the need for an Earth Hour is even more significant than it might have been. Earth Hour is a global initiative in which the world demonstrates their will to defy climate change by switching off their lights for an hour. On March 26, the city will plunge into darkness for an hour at 8.30 pm. Hear Bhushan Salunke, co-ordinator for Youth to Youth Foundation, Pune who launched the initiative in Pune three years ago. He says, “This year, the theme is to go beyond the hour. The response to the Earth Hour has been good, and now we want people to switch off electronic appliances when not in use. Also, we want to engage the present generation in the initiative. Taking this global call of action further, we have started a plantation project in the city.” 

Green Energy Foundation is organising a poster campaign to spread awareness about the initiative. President of the foundation Sharmila Oswal highlights, “Many times, people are not ready to participate as it causes a lot of discomfort. So we tell them to at least switch off for five minutes, if not more. We have been organising programs in schools and colleges to spread the word among the younger generation. To get people used to the habit of switching off the nonessential electrical appliances, and organisation has come up with an interesting concept. Sanchita Jain, creative director of Happy Hands Foundation, gives the details, “We are putting up switches — electrical switches in a Switched On mode on different walls, streets, poles, trees, pavements...anywhere and everywhere across the city. The idea is to make people switch them off. This might motivate them to go home and do the same. It’s also to make people aware about the climate change.”
Many organisations are doing their bit. 

NDA too will pull out all plugs for the noble cause. Lt Gen Jatinder Singh AVSM, SM, Commandant NDA, says, “The lights will go off across the NDA campus for an hour, showcasing its support for a global movement against climate change. It is inspiring to see how a simple step as switching off lights for an hour can make a difference. These future military leaders will definitely play a significant role for the cause of a greener earth.” NDA has organised many green initiatives including cadets using bicycles 24x7, observation of only cycle’s day twice a month wherein all officers either walk or cycle to their place of work and tree plantation drives among others. 

Hotels too will participate in the drive. General manager, The Westin Pune, Anuraag Bhatnagar says, “Showing our commitment towards a greener planet, we have launched a campaign that starts on March 26. We have organised a drive to clean-up the Mula Mutha river bed along our hotel’s property once a month for the entire year. We will also be laying the foundation for an Herb garden in the hotel premises which will expand to include other aspects as the year goes by. Apart from switching of the lights at all our food and beverage venues, we are spreading the word through posters, videos and collage making competition.”
The O Hotel too is switching off the non-essential electronic appliances. Avijit Chaturvedi, vice pesident, (operation) confirms, “We are organising a candle-lit dinner at the hotel and will be participating in the Earth hour initiative.” Jaswinder Narang, general manager of Le Meridien says, “We have put collaterals in our lobby and in guest rooms to make people aware about the Earth Hour. 

Non- essentials will be switched off for one and a half hour from 8 pm.” Are you doing the same as well?