An infinity of dandelions mock human folly..

Dandelion seeds ready to takeoff

Summer is coming to an end and in every bit of free earth along the road sides and open lands one can see an infinity of dandelions standing ready to ensure its race continues to eternity. The open spaces look like endless fields of fluffy puff balls. Every seed is perfectly crafted with its very own parachute to be carried as far away as the wind will take it.

Yet, next spring and summer humans in all neighborhoods will toil in vain as they wage a war against the dandelions trying to rid their lawns and backyards of them. If we have witnessed even once this field of dandelion puff balls and have an inkling of the might of the wind, we would stop this foolish activity once and for all!!

Probably we are so closed within our narrow walls that we haven't stepped outside and looked around to see the things happening around us. When will we learn that.. "Mother nature always has the last laugh.."?

Still bleeding ..

Spring is slowing getting here and the earth is warming up under the bright sun. I was walking along the nature trail lined with trees. Some of the branches were chopped last fall because they arched into the walking path.

Every cut is still bleeding..

I noticed that the chopped ends were very wet and the tree had stains all around the cut. I looked closer and saw that tree sap was gushing out from every single cut. I realized that the tree had not yet recovered from last years cuts. The wounds are still raw and bleeding profusely ..

The last mango tree, the last solace ..

On my recent trip, the mango tree still stood, laden with small green mangoes from every single stem. I didn't expect to see it this time. This tree which once stood in a lush orchard of mango and coconut trees is the last one still standing. As the city grows eating up every bit of free earth, the concrete jungle is closing in fast on this tree.

Sitting in the balcony of my parents apartment in the high rise building opposite this plot of land, I have watched all those who have sought the solace of this tree.

An old man who slept on the bench in the afternoon, poor mothers from the area who tied their saree to a low branch of the tree and rocked thier babies to sleep, the stray dogs that curled up under the bench, the construction workers who gathered there for a brief respite from the toil. The young school boys who plucked and ate the tart mangoes. The squirrels that ran up and down the tree and the pigeons and crows who called the tree home. 

This tree will be sorely missed! Nobody can save it from its doomed fate.....it is only a matter of time ..

Pristine to polluted: Our daily choices matter ..

My father was digging up a new larger patch for a vegetable garden in our backyard in my native village Mundur, Kerala. We dug a few feet below the soil and to my utter dismay, we unearthed several plastic items, plastic bag, bottles, lids and toys. We looked for a new spot and the same story there too. The plastic was choking the earth everywhere!

 

Straw broom or plastic broom

We were digging up what my relatives have been burying for the last several decades. Most of the state of Kerala is densely populated. Every house hold is responsible for disposing off their own garbage as there are no dumping grounds or landfills unless you dumped in someone else's backyard. Each house had a septic tank that took care of toilet wastes. All other household items like wooden furniture, steel/iron or aluminum utensils were buried in the backyard and it slowly decomposed over time. Garbage disposal was a non-issue until the introduction of plastics in rural India a few decades ago.

Garbage disposal is now a nightmare in rural areas. People are left with only two choices, to bury them or burn them. In Kerala, we have run out of space for burying and people have started burning plastic in their backyard. We all know the great dangers of burning plastic which includes cancer and several respiratory diseases. The once pristine air is now polluted with dangerous chemicals created when plastic burns. 

We have to wake up and evaluate our everyday choices. We have to return to the "old" ways of living or the day is not too far before we choke in our own filth! 

Friends of Rouge River Headwaters Park and Trails

2014 Fall Community Cleanup-drive

 

Thanks to all the kids and adults who participated in this event. 

Date                 : Monday, 27th October 2014  (weather permitting) 
Time                : 3-4.30pm
Starting point : ****
Area                 : Rouge River Headwaters trails
                           We will walk to the Headwaters park and then walk along the trails. 
Contact Info   : ****
What to bring: One garbage bag per family, reusable water bottles, snack (optional)
What to wear : Please dress appropriately for the weather. Also bring a small plastic bag to wrap around your hand to pick up the litter.
Note                : Adults, kids, seniors ...all are welcome to join!

I have sought the calm and peace of the lake, streams and the myriad trails along the Rouge River Headwaters area since I moved into this region in 2008. My children have played here countless times since they were born. They now ride their bikes and scooters along the trails. I hope they and all the people in our area can continue to enjoy this natural haven.

Year after year, I see more litter and more pollution along side the trails, streams and parks.

I hope we can form a small group of friends who work together to protect and preserve this natural habitat. The clean-up drive will educate us all of the importance of not polluting the place we call home. This will teach kids social responsibility and connect them to the land where they were born.

We can all do our bit to make the world a better place and develop an appreciation and love for the natural world.