After the recent uproar against the deforestation at Aarey Colony, people have realised anew the importance of environmental education. Even though the situation hasn’t been resolved yet, it’s safe to say that if there had been a complete lack of dialogue surrounding the issue, the damage would have already been done. It’s thus a relief to see people speak up against the government’s decision, but the question still remains: we are already facing a real possibility of a climate crisis, so why is this even a debate?

Besides the excuse of development, the only other plausible explanation is the inability of the law-makers to gauge the extent of the destruction. Thus, education, especially amongst the youth, is important. With that in mind, Naturalist Foundation, an NGO that works for environmental conservation and education in India, has decided to organise Green City Trails in Mumbai on a weekly basis, starting this Sunday — an attempt to spread awareness about the green spaces in our city so as to inculcate values of respect and gratitude for nature.