3-Rs need of the hour, say Ecosavers

Reported by Sandeep Pattnaik
Bhubaneswar, Apr 22 :

Impact of ecological footprint on the environment can be mitigated through Reduction, Reuse and Recycle [3R] of wastes, that in turn can fight the risk of environmental hazards, revealed experts on the World Earth Day being observed here by the ECOSAVERS Youth Network, Bhubaneswar , an initiative of people’s Cultural Centre (PECUC) and SOS village, Khandagiri on Tuesday here.

A World Health Organisation [WHO] study reveals that, more than five million children, aged 0-14 years old, die annually from illnesses and other conditions caused by the environment. Nearly 60% of acute respiratory infections worldwide are related to environmental conditions and cause the death of more than 1.6 million annually.

Similarly, 800,000 children per year die of Malaria. Climate change will increase the burden of diarrheal disease in low income countries by between 2-5% by 2020. Estimates suggest the population at risk could double from 1.5 billion today to 3.5 billion by 2080 due to climate changes.

Initiatives by today’s youth like planting more trees, reduce waste, use recycled products, go organic, conserve electricity, picking up the wastes from streets, parks and other places, reuse of shopping bag etc will help in checking environmental pollution, experts said on the World Earth Day.

“India’s net gross trash accounts for 76% in industrial centre and most of wastes are not being recycled. We all must try to reduce our ecological footprint for well being of our mother earth,” according to a paper presented by Ms Sushree shailani Suman, a student on the occasion.”

Neglecting to our mother earth is leading to Ozone layer Depletion, Green House Effect, Global Warming and many other environmental disorders, according to some experts.

These are the life ending dangers on the earth forever which can be lessens through the small steps such as new trees plantation, preventing deforestation, limiting the vehicles’ use to reduce air pollution, enhancing energy conservation by reducing unnecessary use of electricity, use of fluorescent light bulb, avoid using plastic bags etc.

More than 80 young children participated in the programme.