Green Birthday Cut The Cake Out! 2 Girls ‘Go Green’ Planting Saplings with ‘No Birthday Bash’
Green Birthday Cut The Cake Out! 2 Girls Go Green Planting Saplings with No Birthday Bash
Mangaluru: A Cake, Party and Friends- Most birthdays get over with this pop culture ritual. But what does one give back to the society that raised it for long? The initiative, ‘Plant a Sapling on Your Birthday’ at their locality in Karnataka Housing Board Colony, near Bondel-Mangaluru was launched by Environmentalist Krishnappa K couple of years ago, and this initiative is going on well, as many children have celebrated their birthdays by planting saplings on the Green Land belonging to the Forest Department behind Krishnappa’s house. The initiative, which is supported by the efforts of the Krishnappa, has planted many trees till now- and is still continuing with great enthusiasm and determination to make Mangaluru Green by the Children in that area.
Cute Seven! Sweet Fourteen! – this is how cute young girl Rithika R Kadri, age 7, a IInd std student of Mount Carmel Central School-Mangaluru, and daughter of Rakesh Kadri, a Engineer with SKF Bearings, and Ms Pramila Rakesh Kadri, a home-maker; and Kusumitha M B, age 14, a 9th std student of Kendriya Vidyalaya School-Panambur, and daughter of Manmohan Bejai, a bank officer with Corporation Bank, and Ms Poornima Manmohan, a home-maker-celebrated their birthdays respectively in a unique and environmental style by planting saplings in a open Govt plantation field near to their homes. Both the girls were joined by their parents, grandparents, relatives and friends in celebrating their happy occasion and received blessings from all of them. I was very much touched by this unique way of celebrating the birthday, bringing awareness about environment and greenery. You Go Girls!
The main man behind this initiative is year-old environmentalist Krishnappa K, who is very much determined to make Mangaluru a “Green City”, by sacrificing his time and energy for the betterment of the environment. Hailing originally from Chanarayapatna, but presently residing in KHB Colony-Bondel here, he has planted various fruits bearing plants behind his house. He is very much involved in environmental projects like Vanamahotsava and other projects related to environment and greenery- and is closely associated with the Forest Dept; and other organizations and actively involves in their Swachh Bharath and other environmental programmes.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean birthday girl Kusumitha {whose birthday is today, 16 July} said, ” I am so exited with this initiative of planting saplings on your birthday, inspired by Krishnappa Uncle. We all must plant trees on every possible occasion. Why not celebrate birthdays by planting birthday tree and see your birthday tree growing as you grow. Imagine if each of us plant a tree on our birthday, the world will have at least 7.8 billion trees soon. I have decided to always plant trees on my birthdays and will ask my parents also to do the same on their birthdays or may be their wedding anniversary. By planting this sapling here I have left my mark ( but not the footprint) on my birthday and to make my birthday meaningful. In case it is required to cut trees for some reasons, we should make sure that at least two saplings are planted in that spot. I will do my best to bring awareness among tree planting on birthdays among my school friends, so that we all can make out City green and clean”.
Also speaking, Rithika {whose birthday was on 14 July} said, ” At our school {Mount Carmel Central School-Mary Hill}, we were encouraged by our teachers to plant trees in our neighbour, since July is Vanamahotsava month. I am thankful to Krishnappa Uncle for his idea in planting tree on my birthday. It’s always good to plant trees, because they will give us shade, shelter, clean air and oxygen, and with trees around us we can live a healthy life. I am extremely happy to plant this sapling on my birthday, and I will see that I nurture and take care of it in the coming days. I will spread this initiative among my classmates, so that they too can bring a change and make their surroundings green.”
Manmohan Bejai, father of Kusumitha said, “Nature gives us so much, and it is high time we returned the favour. Our primary hope was to forge a new tradition for our generation – a more holistic one, to be followed by many more people. Planting a sapling on Birthday is like leaving something memorable for the community, and one can enjoy that excitement whenever they visit the area later in life. Birthdays can be made memorable and in turn we can improve the Biodiversity of our community.
It was fun to watch the two girls, Kusumitha and Rithika bantered as they dug and planted, stopping briefly to critically assess the depth of their planting hole before digging some more. Before long, both their ‘birthday trees’ ( Nerale aka Jambulu, and Jack Fruit saplings} were planted to their immense satisfaction, with the help of Krishnappa. “We’re so proud of these saplings that we just planted!” said both the girls while carrying a watering can over, giving the little saplings its first drink of water in their new home. Once the two saplings were planted by the girls, they promised that they would return to visit ‘their’ trees, and posed for group photos with their near and dear ones, followed by distribution of birthday goodies.
Krishnappa also recited some slogans/verses pertaining to the environment, where all the guests repeated after him. It was indeed a unique way of birthday celebration that I had witnessed in a long time. And supporting Krishnappa’s love for trees, I can say that trees are more significant than many of us might imagine. They commemorate births and lives lived. They beautify slums, farms and grand avenues. They provide shade, oxygen, and delight. They cool the Earth. Countless more will provide food for people, in rural areas and cities alike. Many will produce wood and natural oils for building and for fuel. Yet others will be used to create medicines to heal the human body and essential oils to ease the soul. All will draw carbon dioxide from the air, leaving us a little less vulnerable to the threats posed by climate change.
As a responsible inhabitant of this planet, I feel that everyone should celebrate their birthdays in an eco-friendly way-just like what these two girls did. Planting saplings/trees on your birthday are the best way to have a greener celebration on special days like birthdays, anniversaries and other happy occasions. We all know that global warming is at its peak and is showing its worst consequences in the form of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, droughts etc -It has reached such an alarming state that we don’t have time to think- but its about time that we need to act NOW. Trees are the lifelines or lungs of the Earth. They are the best creation of God and provide benefits not only for the environment but also for humans. Trees are one of the most efficient ways to combat climate change and global warming. It would be a big positive move towards environmental protection if we all start planting Birthday trees/Anniversary Trees and help promote this idea till it becomes the most trending thing.
I wish people would start this tradition and make this world a much better and greener place to live for all of us. Change has to begin from us, so whoever is reading this article, make it a practice to plant a tree for your next birthday and spread the word around till 7 billion plus people of this world have at least one tree each. Let’s think of the environment and plant trees ourselves and encourage others too to do so. The state of the environment we are in today-it’s only the trees that can help us come out of this situation.
Like what Krishnappa says “Whatever we do to Nature is ultimately something that we are doing to our own deepest selves.”, – We the citizens should appreciate and support Krishnappa’s fight to save trees/plants, so that we can a have a “Greener Mangaluru” rather that a city filled with concrete structures. Long Live Krishnappa K and his work in bringing awareness about environment- and also for his initiative in having these two girls celebrate their birthdays in a ‘Greener Way’?
Happy Birthday wishes to Kusumitha and Rithika from Team Mangalorean!