Roll No: 21

MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENTS IN INDIA

GREEN CONSUMPTION AND

GREEN BUSINESS

SYNOPSIS1. Introduction

2. The different Environmental Movements in India

3. Green Consumption

4. Green Business

5. Twenty-one Green Tips

INTRODUCTIONEnvironmental and ecological movements- collective actions of several social groups

Protection of environment and maintenance of ecological balance

Definition: The environmental movement, a term that includes the conservation and green politics, is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement for addressing environmental issues.

Environmental Movement is generally used to describe and understand different types of local struggles and conflicts concerned with livelihood issues and ecological security.

Mahatma Gandhi’s role in The Freedom movement: The Environmental movement in India is a legacy of Mahatma Gandhi.

Environmentalists in India in 1989 – around 700

The Activities of the Environmental groups can be broadly categorized as follows :• Creation of environmental awareness and

dissemination of information.• Campaigns and public interest litigations to oppose

projects detrimental to the environment.• Field projects to develop innovative and participatory

models of natural resource management.• Policy research and lobbying with policy-makers and • Support for field and action groups

ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENTS IN

INDIA

CHIPKO MOVEMENT

CHIPKO= To stick

Started in 1731 by the Bishnoi community in Khejarli, Jodhpur district of Rajasthan.

Led by Amrita Devi

Modern Chipko movement Started in 1970’s in the Garhwal Himalayas of

Uttarakhand. Based on the Gandhian philosophy. Locally it is called as Angwal.

Decentralized and autonomous initiatives of locals. Village women lead the movement to save their means

of subsistence. Chipko slogans: ‘Ecology is a permanent economy’ “ What do the forest bear? Soil, water and pure

air.”

AIM: TO PREVENT CUTTING OF TREES

Feature by UNEP:

‘In effect the Chipko people are working a socio-economic revolution by winning control of their forest resources from the hands of distant bureaucracy which is concerned with selling the forest for making urban - oriented products’

Achievements of Chipko movemento Activists succeeded in stopping the felling of trees.

o Forced the Government and industry to become more sensitive.

o Disadvantaged villagers can raise their voice against rampant environmental destruction and succeed.

o Chipko movement demonstrated - human life and ecology are balanced - highlighted the dangers.

o A satellite remote sensing study by the Space Application Centre- Forest cover which was lost due to commercial felling between 1959-69 was regained in the sensitive catchment area of the Upper Alaknanda river.

Prominent figures:Chandi Prasad Bhatt: Founder of Chipko Movement, Dasoli Gram Swarajya Sangh’(DGSS)

“Let them know we will not allow the felling of a single tree. When their men raise their axes, we will embrace the trees to protect them.”

- Chandi Prasad Bhatt

Sunderlal Bahaguna: A Gandhian activist and philosopher

Dhoom Singh Negi: First person to save trees by hugging them along with Bachni Devi

Bachni Devi: First women to hug trees and saving them in Chipko Embrace

Surviving participants of the first all women Chipko Action at Reni Village in 1974 on reassembled thirty years later.

Mr. Ghanshyam Raturi: Chipko poet, whose songs echoed the during the movement describing the method of embracing the trees to save them from felling.

‘Embrace the trees and savethem from being felled;The property of our hills, savethem from being looted.’

“Our movement goes beyond the erosion of the land, to the erosion of human values. The center of all this is humankind. If we are not in a good relationship with the environment, the environment will be destroyed, and we will lose our ground. But if you halt the erosion of humankind, humankind will halt the erosion of the soil.”

-Chandi Prasad Bhatt

NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN (NBA)

THE NARMADA RIVER

Narmada means ‘ever-delightful’, one of the holiest rivers in the country of India “they say that even the site of the river will cleanse all of your sins”

It is the most powerful mass movement, started in 1985,against the construction of huge dam on the Narmada river.

Focus of the movement-saving the trees and the fauna, rehabilitation of the poor people living around the area

Movement started in 1986 when the World Bank lent India $450 million for the Sardar Sarovar Project

the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted by the Government of India on October 6, 1969 to adjudicate over the water disputes.

As per the Tribunal's decision, 30 major, 135 medium, and3000 small dams, were granted approval for construction including raising the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam.

Medha Patkar

Started the NGO Narmada Bachao Andolan.

She mobilized tribal people, Adivasis, environmentalist, and human rights activists against the Sardar Sarovar Dam being built across the Narmada river in Gujarat.

Mode of campaign.

Events: Save the Narmada Movement Established in

1989

Sept 1989 - 60,000 people rally against destructive development.

Jan 1990 – 5,000 people marched on the Narmada Valley Development authority offices forcing them to close.

March 1990 – 10,000 protesters blocked the highway from

Bombay for two days.

May 1990 – 2,000 people staged a sit-in outside the prime ministers house in Delhi.

Other groups:

Arch Vahini -ARCHD (Guj)

Narmada Asargrastha Samiti (Guj)

Narmada Nirman Samiti (MP)

Narmada Dharangrastha Samiti (Mah)

All the above groups joined hands with NBA with a non violent approach

Believed in the need for fair rehabilitation plans for the people who vehemently opposed dam construction despite a resettlement policy

Aamir Khan

Baba Amte

Arundhati Roy

Ladhenge Jeetenge,Narmada bachao, Manav

bachao

SAVE THE SILENT VALLEY CAMPAIGNThe campaign was started by Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad

It was a social movement aimed at the protection of Silent valley, an evergreen tropical forest in the Palakkad district of Kerala, India.

In the 1960’s the state government began planning a dam to generate hydroelectricity as the basis for regional economic development.

The government eventually abandoned the project in 1983 and the valley was declared as in Silent Valley National Park 1985.

Lion tailed Macaque

Save the Taj Campaign

Main reasons why is the Taj Mahal affected:1. Industrialization.

2. Transport.

3. Garbage.

4. Yamuna river.

5. Human inhabitance

6. Acid rain

Professor J. M. Dave, Dean of Environmental sciences at JNU in New Delhi first raised the grave doubts about the impact of Mathura Oil Refinery

Campaign

Mitti Bachao Abhiyan

Launched in 1977

Against the water logging and salinity caused by the Tawa dam in Madhya Pradesh

THAL VAISHET CAMPAIGNDevelopment of worlds biggest urea plant 50kms from Mumbai

Mumbai Environmental Action Group

BEDTHI CAMPAIGNSecond after Silent Valley

Arecanut, Cardamom and pepper

BEDTHI

RIVER

STOP BHOPAL PATNAM-INCHAMPALLI DAMSProtested by Jungle Bachao, Manav Bachao Andolan

DOON MININGPIL filed by Rural Litigation and Environment Kendra in Dehradun.

SC ordered the closure of the mines on grounds on environmental destruction.

PROTECT KARNATAKA COMMONS

Opposed by Samaj Parivartana Samudaya.

Filed a petition in SC contended that people’s access to government forest land is crucial for survival.

Afforestation affects right to live.

KAIGA CAMPAIGNOpposed by local groups, betel nut growers, fisher folks, journalists and writers

GANDHAMARDHAN BAUXITE MININGOpposed by local tribals

SAVE THE WESTERN GHATS MARCHOrganised by environmental groups in 1988.

March crossed states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala

SAVE WATER SAVE LIFE

Padyatra organised by the Natural Fishermen’s Forum.

Padyatra was to draw attention to the problems of water pollution & over exploitation of fisheries by trawlers

TEHRI DAM CAMPAIGNProtested by environmentalists & Tehri Bandh Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti

Other Campaigns

Chilka Bachao Andolan

GREEN CONSUMPTION

Green Consumption is a practice of using environmentally friendly products that do not cause risk to human health and do not threaten the function and diversity of natural “ecosystems”

Green Consumption is the most cost effective approach for implementing cleaner production efforts.

As a citizen of the earth, we need to “Think Globally, Act Locally”.

Sustainable Consumption is a collective responsibility.

Importance of Green Consumption

1. Responsibility of the industry to maintain environmental quality and comply with environmental regulations and standards - prevent wastes - prevent development of environmental harmful products.

2. Concept of cleaner production. Cleaner

production

Reduction of pollutants &

wastes

Prevention of development

of environment

harmful products

4. Cleaner production strategies rely on product life cycle

Upstream environmental impacts

wit raw material

selection & product

consumption

Impact from production

process

Effects related to product

distribution, consumption, recycling & disposal.

5. Consumption of products, energy & natural resources growing steadily .

6. Co-operation between consumers, communities & society. Considering impacts of use & consumption at Local, national and global level.

7. Issue of green consumption.

8. Barriers to green consumption.

9. Change in consumption pattern.

How to start Green Consumption?

The best way to begin a green consumption programme is to organize a group to collect, analyze, and distribute reliable information on the environmental impacts of products to all sectors of the society.

Product labeling

Information on unfriendly harmful products.

Roles of different sectors:I. Role of government: Examine policies for improving environmental

performance of industry and encourage the production & consumption of green products

II. Role of Industry and Business: Important factor in designing and manufacturing

Employment of green production technique through:

a) More efficient use of resource and energy.b) Production of cleaner products & technology.c) More efficient and competitive manufacturing.d) Improved recycling and recovery.e) Safer storage, shipping and handling of materials.

III.Role of NGO’s: Assist and work with government and industries to collect, analyze and compile information eco labeling programmes by NGOs

IV.Role of general public: Public should accept the green consumption concept by: a) Modifying their lifestyle and consuming

habits, for purchasing and consuming green

products.b) To save materials and energy uses and reducing

generation of wastes at home and workplace .

GREEN BUSINESS

“Solution to pollution is dilution”

Global pollution, resource depletion, loss of biological diversity, global climate change, etc. suggest that a change is essential.

For a better future of a business, its necessary to redesign the system and processes.

Eco-efficiency, clean production, pollution prevention, industrial ecology, natural capitalism, restorative technology, environmentally preferable products, designing the environment and the next industrial revolution shows the encouraging pathway to achieve environmental protection and social welfare.

Green business is a part of green consumption

It is a co-operative effort.

Certified green businesses,

Green logo,

Marketing of the logo to make customers aware of the product.

More awareness can lead to more purchasing power and thus motivating business to GO GREEN

The Green Business programme motivates business participation by:i. Develop a positive proactive relationshipii. Co-ordinating inspectionsiii. Businesses at a public ceremonyiv. Promoting the programme and logov. Unity in assissting businessesvi. In green Business, products are manufactured of

standard ISO 14000

Future of Green Business depends on the following aspects:

i. Be energy efficientii. Use renewable materialsiii. Be durable and reusable, non polluting material

throughout their life-cycleiv. Protect biological and social diversityv. Provide meaningful and sustainable livelihood.vi. Use minimum packaging made from reusable or

recyclable material.

21 GREEN TIPS1. Recycle newspaper2. Use energy efficient bulbs3. Use recyclable bottles4. Reuse jars5. Use cold water for laundries6. Make electronic shopping lists7. Use paper bags8. Use rechargeable batteries9. Recycle plastic10.Use bucket for bathing and Not Showers11.Use carpooling12.Use a bicycle13.Use public transport14.Minimize use of electricity15.Plant trees16.Use biodegradable bags for pet waste17.Turn off the tap when not in use18.Run a full load in washing machine