Participate (4)
Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth
Dear Teachers and Parents: Do read out this declaration to your children and sign and mail a copy of the letter to the Prime Minister given overleaf to him. Our children need to be involved in their own future…
This declaration was adopted by the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, in Bolivia. The Bolivian government has submitted it to the United Nations for Consideration.
Paraphrased version of Preamble and articles:
Preamble: We, the peoples and nations of Earth, considering that we are all part of Mother Earth, an indivisible, living community of interrelated and interdependent beings with a common destiny; gratefully acknowledging that Mother Earth is the source of life, nourishment and learning and proviedes everything we need to live well; recognizing that the capitalist system and other other forms of depradation have exploited and abused Earth, putting life at risk through crises like climate change; convinced that, to guarantee human rights, we need to recognize the rights of Mother Earth; conscious that it is urgent to take decisive and collective action; proclaim the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth and call on the General Assembly of the United Nations to adopt it as a common standard of achievement.
Article 1: Mother Earth is a living Being;
Mother Earth is a unique, indivisible, self-regulating community of interrelated beings that sustains, contains and reproduces all beings.
Mother Earth and all beings are entitled to all the inherent rights recognized in this Declaration without distinction of any kind – all beings have rights which are specific to their species and communities.
The rights of each being are limited by the rights of other beings and any conflicts must be resolved in a way that maintains the integrity, balance and health of Mother Earth.
Article 2 – Inherent Rights of Mother Earth
Mother Earth and all beings of which she is composed have the following inherent rights:
The right to life and to exist, the right to water, clean air and integral health and to regenerate its bio-capacity
The right to be respected, to maintain its identity and integrity as a distinct self-regulated being, and the right to not have its genetic structure modified.
The right to be free of contamination, pollution, toxic and radioactive waste.
The right to prompt restoration from violation of its rights
Each being has a right to a place and to play its role in Mother Earth and the right to well being and to live free from torture and cruel treatment by human beings
After bringing out the 8th issue of Eternal Bhoomi , we felt it was time to take a pause and re-look at what we want this magazine to be.
Article 3 – Obligations of human beings to Mother Earth
Every human being is responsible for respecting and living in harmony with Mother Earth. All humans, states and all public and private institutions must:
Act in accordance with the rights and obligations recognized in this Declaration, promote its full implementation and participate in its learning, interpretation and communication.
Ensure that the pursuit of human well being contributes to the well being of Mother Earth, now and in the future.
Establish and apply effective laws for the protection of the rights of Mother Earth and Respect, Protect, conserve ecological cycles, processes and balance of Moher Earth.
Guarantee that damages caused by human violations of the rights of Mother Earth are rectified.
Empower human beings and institutions to defend the rights of Mother Earth and all beings, amd establish precautionary and restrictive measures to prevent human activities from causing species extinction and the destruction of eco systems.
Guarantee peace and eliminate nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
Promote economic systems that are in harmony with Mother Earth and support practices of respect for Mother Earth in accordance with their own cultures traditions and customs.
Article 4 – Definitions
1. The term ‘being’ includes ecosystems, natural communities, species and all other natural entities which exist as part of Mother Earth.
2. Nothing in this Declaration restricts the recognition of other inherent rights of all beings or specified beings.
Letter to the Prime Minister of India
To Date
Dr. Manmohan Singh
Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
South Block, Raisina Hill, New Delhi – 110101
Sub: Stand up for the Rights of Mother Earth
Dear Sir
India today may be reveling in its nearly double digit growth but it is forgetting its ancient legacy of reverence for Mother Earth and the need to protect nature for future generations. On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of India’s National Poet, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, let us also be reminded of his innate wisdom and warning that “the greed of gain has no time or limit for its capaciousness. It’s one object is to produce and consume. It has pity neither for beautiful nature nor for living human beings. It is ruthlessly ready without a moment’s hesitation to crush beauty and life out of them, molding them into money.”
On World Environment Day in 1972, the United Nations Conference on Human Environment began in Stockholm. Smt. Indira Gandhi, our then Prime Minister, was the only Head of Government who travelled to Stockholm to participate in it. She addressed the gathering by quoting our ancient scripture, the Atharva Veda, and said “O pure Earth, May that we utilize your soil well, without causing you injury or harm or disturbing any vital element in you.” This is our civilization’s legacy – for which we have stood up and spoken on behalf of the Rights of Mother Earth and her people, and against apartheid of any kind. You are the custodian of this legacy as our Prime Minister.
We have given the world the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutubakum – the Earth family which represents the democracy of all life. Our indigenous traditions of reverence for the earth are still upheld by our tribal cultures and rural communities. The Indian constitution has also reflected this spirit by adopting the PESA act. Across India, tribals are adopting resolutions under PESA, declaring: “We pledge that the resources of our village do not belong to an individual, they belong to the community… From today we will refer to the earth that sustains us as Mother Earth. Our Mother Earth is not a tradeable commodity.”
In the wake of Rio+20, twenty years after the first Earth Summit held at Rio in 1992, we urge you to uphold our moral, political and spiritual heritage and support the Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth during the Earth Summit and be guided by its spirit in your action and policies as well.
We hope that our voices reach you and give you courage to represent our unique ecological civilization which has always stood for non-violence, peace and trusteeship of the Earth. We hope India will join the ranks of the people and nations who have the vision to endorse, support and champion the cause of the Rights of Mother Earth
For the Earth
Name:
Address:
Phone: Email:
(Add lists of names and addresses and send to our Prime Minister)
Patience pays. This Flameback decided to pose for me at sunset when I was all set to leave my perch. Shot in Gudalur, in a coffee estate.
The first lady of Hesaraghattalake. She doesn’t pose for photographers. She organizes a press conference, where 7 to 10 photographers stand around her and click away; not a feather ruffled!
Photographs by Suman Kumar
Are you into Nature Photography, writing or illustrations? Share them with others through Eternal Bhoomi...You do not need to be a professional - everyone likes to read or see what passionate wanderers have to say.
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Aim:
To encourage children, youth, teachers, NGOs, Corporates and others to share with the world the eco projects they have worked on. To be a platform and a space for people to network and share their thoughts, ideas and projects from across the globe.
Possibilities:
Your Eco project at your home, your backyard, roadside, school, college, organization – just about anywhere you and your group made a difference – can be entered as an eco-project for the portal.
Eco-Project Areas:
Energy resources, Green Architecture, Green Gadgets/Products, Upcycling /recycling, Gift Economy, water management, waste& pollution management, tree planting, afforestation, food and nutrition, organic/natural farming, organic gardening, advocacy, Public Interest litigation, Role-modeling and more…
How else can I contribute:
The Bhoomi Eco-Projects Campaign is a joint venture.
You can be part of it by:
> Sending in information about your / your group’s project
> Sending in information about others’ eco-projects
> Supporting the Web Portal with sponsorships (Rs. 1000 or more)
> Motivating your group/others to take up an eco-project
and list it in our Web Portal
Have you been involved in
a real-life eco-project?
As a student, in your school or college, as an NGO, homemaker, corporate organization or individual? Or wish to begin one?
Are you interested in sharing your experience and your work with the rest of the world? Perhaps inspire or be of help to others?
Would you like to network with others in your field of work ?
Be a part of the Million Eco-projects Web Portal
Connect, Learn, Share (From Anywhere on Earth)
by sending in information about your eco-project (just one page) for the Million Eco-projects Portal. This Portal will also be symbolic of thousands of eco-conscious people coming together…and through this portal we can visit zillions of eco-focussed websites, use innumerable links for videos and useful information… and most of all it will be created by all of us together. In short it will be a really fantastic resource!
Attend the Million Eco-projects UNCONFERENCE
Dates: 27th and 28th January 2012,
Venue: The Prakriya School Campus, Off Sarjapura Road, Bangalore - 560 035
This unusual event basically is an ‘unconference’ for young eco-heroes and for the young-at-heart teachers and others who want to work with the youth. The unconference will be full of ‘interaction stalls’ – simultaneous sessions, where you can share your project experiences and have plenty of opportunities to connect with people and ideas you find meaningful. And music, dance, art, fun – essential for an unconference will make it an unforgettable experience for you!
How to join in?
Email us at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
for a submission form
If not email, you can send us pigeon mail or simply send us a self addressed envelope to the address below:
Bhoomi Network
c/oPrakriya School Campus, Chikkanayakanahalli Road,
Off Doddakaneli,
Sarjapura Road
Bangalore- 560 035.
Be a Pioneering School
Written by Green Wisdom School Team and the Bhoomi Network Team
We live in times of shifting priorities and market driven compulsions, yet many of us who are educationists or teachers do get pulled towards tuning in with Nature, doing our bit to reduce carbon emissions or adopt a more ecologically wise way of living.
Over a period of time, as we read about climate change in the papers, roll our eyes at the news about pesticides in our veggies and digest perspectives from magazines like Eternal Bhoomi – this pull ‘to do something’ becomes a little stronger…
Several schools and colleges around the world and in India are making a conscious shift towards the need for ecological education and the responsibility (response + ability) of taking positive action to sensitize students towards various ecological crises at the community and the global levels. Recognizing that just theory or an academic grasp of such issues is not enough, many educational institutions have designed experiential learning programmes to be the change, rather than teach or preach change.
Now comes the challenge – the doubts, the questions. We share the answers that helped us along, although we are very sure that both your questions as well as answers may be different:
FAQs
There are so many things to do, and given the time constraints to complete the syllabi, so little time available to do something meaningful. How do we get started? Should we take on another burden?
Nature’s first lesson is cooperation, collaboration and networking. Do not take on the whole burden, just get the process started, make a beginning and when people see your sincere interest, they will join you when you invite them– ideas and plans will unfold, especially if the whole community is to gain and not just one power centre.
To begin with, rather than impose rules, start exposing the teachers and the children towards a specific environmental concern in your school. It can be as simple as telling the children the importance of saving water by making sure the taps are tightly closed or to just simply learn to report a leaking tap. There you go, you just started shifting gears.
Some places to learn from?
The Green Schools Programme (Down to Earth magazine), Programmes by TERI and Bhoomi Network and the Bhoomi Magazine are focused on eco-learning. Innumerable sources exist on the www. (see box on page 15 of this issue on eco-schools and ecological learning). If you have a more specific query, write in to us This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We will be glad to share our experience and help where we can.
How do we choose to do work that can have the maximum impact and learning value for the resources that we invest?
Do not start with notions of return on investment. The projects can be anything – rain water harvesting, becoming a zero waste school, holding an organic mela. The organic way of taking up projects is to make sure that the core group of people who are committed like the idea, and believe that it is a do-able.
Where do we find resources to help us along?
Everywhere! First decide on a project. Let’s say you want to do an organic mela. Learn all you can about the importance of Organic Foods. (Read the next two pages). Send out a circular asking parents if any of them are into organic foods or folk crafts etc. and would like to volunteer. Check out the city’s NGOs who can join in. Meet teachers and older students and see if the idea excites anyone. Attend other organic fairs in your area and get together a network of people interested in all things green.
And finally, how much does just one school’s work matter?
We will quote an African saying for you – “ Anyone who doubts the power of a small minority has never been to bed with a mosquito.”
You can organize a Bhoomi Utsav
- a festival for Earth
Any green idea actually needs to be a basket of green ideas…
Are you interested in or concerned about:
Organic Foods,Having Fun, Pesticides in Food
Eating delicious food,Climate Change, Community
Organic seeds,Millets,Growing your own veggies
Preserving folk traditions, great recipes
Voluntary Simplicity, Health foods
Genetic Engineering, Human Rights
Renewable Energy,Farmers’ suicides
Handloom clotharts & crafts
Degradation of Land
The best way to deal with all of them together is to organize a BhoomiUtsav – which can be an organic mela, a fun fair, a space for great food, meeting friends, meaningful learning and a farmers market all rolled into one. It is what may be called “solving by pattern” – addressing several issues together through one project – and having great fun too!
Gandhiji is perhaps the greatest eco-philosopher the world has seen till now. He researched, worked and wrote on several issues for ecologically wise living, at a time when the word ‘ecology’ had hardly come into common parlance. Hence Gandhi Jayanthi – October 2nd is an apt day for a BhoomiUtsav – but any other day will be good as well!
Bhoomi Network and Prakriya Green Wisdom School will be happy to share with you the what, when, where and how of organizing a BhoomiUtsav, including check lists and do’s and don’ts.
Write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or call up Bhoomi Network at 080 2284 1173
You can also spend time with the Bhoomi and Prakriya team at the Bhoomi Centre, stay at the
Bhoomi Campus for a few days and work hands-on to equip yourself for more green projects
Thinking it Through
This is precisely what one may not wish in a regular mela but a BhoomiUtsav is different – all things are connected, and those who wish to understand more need to be given food for thought…
What does organic food really mean? It is much more than food that is free of all chemicals – it is an opportunity to redefine the way we not only buy/sell food but our entire relationship, or lack thereof, with food.
This relationship goes beyond the health benefits of Organic into broader ideas such as local food (miles), growing some of your own food and directly relating with the farmer.
Perhaps an organic farmer in your area can join in to give a talk, or anyone who is passionate about organic food can be invited to share their knowledge and enthusiasm on the subject.
Organic Foods are tastier!
A Bhoomi Utsav is a place where NGOs and creative cooks can offer mouth-watering foods made with organic fresh veggies and whole grains, nuts and pulses and other wholesome ingredients. Every region of India has its own wonderful cuisine – and people who are keeping local traditions and recipes alive. Track them down and invite them in to set up stalls
Food is a relationship - not just what is on our plates. Conscious eating, conscious nutrition and conscious recycling are all important to live a wholesome, healthful life – and these need to be projected in a Bhoomi Utsav – through the foods that are available in stalls, through a talk session, posters and stalls for discussions.
Discussion Stalls
Have you toyed with the idea of doing your bit for Planet Earth? A BhoomiUtsav is a great place to meet eco-heroes who can support you. Every city today has people who can help you with installing LED lamps, getting on to a bicycle, recycling waste in your neighbourhood or simply eating more nutritious earth-friendly foods.
Discover the Magic of Millets…
Millets make tasty rotis, payasam, kitchdi, laddoos and more… Millets are also the food of the future. They are much more nutritious than rice and wheat and experts say they will become essential foods in the future to fight climate change – they need less water and can grow in tough conditions with no pesticides or chemical fertilisers, and hence do not degrade the land or pollute the waters. Find NGOs working with millets to put up stalls
Arts and Crafts
No shanty or village market or a city mela is complete without all those little hand made things that fill up our lives and houses – ranging from jewelry (try ear rings made from seeds) and jute bags to hand made soap and pottery. A Bhoomi Utsav is a place to have art and craft corners where children and adults can try their hand at painting, rangoli or other crafts – a good way to make friends with some crafts people you can try to involve. If you are lucky you may track down folk dancers or musicians to liven up the Utsav.
Farmers’ Market
The awareness, understanding and importance of Organic food has grown, but ‘Where do I buy Organic Food?’ is still a very common question. We do have super markets with an organic foods section, small specialty stores and even online delivery channels, but when only profit drives the food production
When you organise a festival of Earth, it is an opportunity to reach out beyond the mass production systems that rely on cheap oil and explore the idea of local communities of farmers and consumers in a symbiotic relationship.
This could be the most significant way we can make a dent in our carbon footprint.