Environmentalist U S Moinuddin's Message towards a "Cleaner and Greener Earth" During the World Environment Day

 

BENGALURU: The World Environment Day is celebrated on the 5^th of June, every year. Led by the United Nations Environment  Programme(UNEP), it is the Largest global platform for environmental public outreach, engaging millions of people across more than 150 countries to take action in protecting our planet. It is supported by many governments, non-government organizations, Business establishments, artists, actors, musicians, corporates, students from schools and colleges, teachers, and people from different walks of life.

Every year World Environment Day is hosted by a different country with a theme in which official celebrations take place. For the year 2026, the republic of Azerbaijan hosted the global celebrations in its capital Baku and the theme for this year is “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For our Future.” The World Environment Day 2026 theme focuses on learning from nature and taking immediate action to protect the climate and future generations. The campaign reminds us that nature is not separate from human life. Forests, rivers, oceans, glaciers, soil, animals, plants and clean air are all essential for survival.

Azerbaijan has made significant strides in protecting its natural heritage, including expanding national parks and reserves. It was an important host for the event because it has been active in global climate discussions. It hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference commonly known as COP29 in 2024 and has worked on issues such as climate finance, renewable energy, biodiversity, agriculture, water and energy transition.

The Earth is already showing warning signs. Climate change is no longer a future risk; it is already affecting people and ecosystems, rising sea levels, heatwaves, melting glaciers, wildfires, extreme storms, air pollution, acid rains, plastic waste, biodiversity loss, and desertification.

 WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY CELEBRATED AT MAGNIFIQUE PUBLIC SCHOOL

 World Environment Day was celebrated at Magnifique Public School on Kanakapura Main Road with great enthusiasm. Environmentalist and the founder of the global environment movement One Tree By One Person U S Moinuddin took the students and teachers of the school on a Tree Walk, in the lush green environment friendly campus, the participants learnt the names, physical structure, life span, their height and width, and the uses of different varieties of trees in our environment.  Some of the trees, which the participants learnt to identify were rain tree, gul mohar, sausage tree, copper pod, Pongamia pinnata commonly known as honge, kadamba, bottle brush, neem, mahogany, teak wood, silver oak, Tabebuia rosea, cannonball tree, banyan tree and peepul tree and their significance in Indian culture.

U S Moinuddin said, “Trees can survive without humans, but humans cannot survive without trees. Hence, planting trees and protecting the existing trees is very important.  We need to respect nature, reckless cutting down of trees, polluting rivers, seas and lakes with sewage, smoke from factories and the increasing number of vehicles on the road, each day, will create long term damage to the environment.” He also said, “Every citizen should work towards a cleaner and greener city, cities such as Bengaluru are continuously facing garbage crisis. With the support of the government and the active participation of the citizens in keeping the surroundings clean and green, solutions are easy to find.”

The “tree walk” in the campus was followed by an environment quiz to the students, a mime with a message to protect the trees, and subsequently, saplings were planted in the campus.

As we observe 5^th June as world environment day, we must remember that protecting the environment is just not a one-day activity. It is a responsibility we carry every day, for our health, our communities, our cities and towns, for our future and the safety of our planet.