20 July, 2006

Each one plant one – how difficult is it really?

Go ahead, do your bit for the environment--plant a tree. It's therapeutic, fun, and could qualify as your good deed for the day.

I would like to believe that I am conscious about the environment, aware of what I can do to make this planet a better place to be. But truth be told my efforts begin and end with not using plastic bags and selling old newspapers to the kabarhiwaala. This undemanding support for our environment at times does leave a niggling doubt about maybe doing something more. Not being the kind who is into crusades, mobilizing neighbours etc., inherent laziness prevents me from taking active participation. That changed, strangely enough it took a couple of rainy days to push me into action. Nothing drastic, but drops do make up the ocean, don’t they…

The rains were here and everything looked so green, vibrant and full of life! Call it middle age catching up but this year the rains made me want to participate at a more personal level. Oh I did kick off the shoes and go splashing in the water, eat deep fried temptations and wash it down with gallons of tea - that and all the rain related traditions. But this time I wanted to do some more. The sight of all those newly washed trees was so beautiful; I decided suddenly I would plant a tree! I have limited gardening skills, but this much I know that the monsoon is a good time to plant. So! The decision was made. After all how difficult can it be?

As I found out, it was surprisingly easy. I visited a nearby nursery, communicated my thoughts to the owner who gave me choices and advise on how to go about planting a tree and that was it! Came home, decided which part of our apartment compound I wanted the young tree to grow and with help from our chowkidar dug an appropriate hole (the management did create a ruckus, but that was later). Followed the directions from the nursery on how to plant it and voila! There I was standing next to this slim green entity which looked kind of forlorn until a gust of wind blew past and to my eyes it was as if the youngster braced his leafy shoulders and got ready to face this big bad world.

Can’t deny the feeling of accomplishment! In my forty odd years this is the first time I have ‘given back to society’ so to speak. It’s only a tree which may or may not grow into maturity. As long as I live here, I know I will look after it. As a matter of fact, I have also recruited the neighborhood kids to keep an eye on it (protective instinct won over inherent laziness). I would like to believe this plant will flourish into a mature tree with beautiful white blossoms (I planted champa aka magnolia) the smell of which will scent the area around it for years to come. And kids will play under it and travelers will take shelter and yeah…. I am romanticizing but don’t blame me, planting a tree has that kind of effect you know.

As I found out, planting a tree is as simple as just deciding to do it. In this day and age how tough is to go to a botanical nursery, pick one up and do the needful. The effort will come, when the mind is made.