Be a Mumbai Earthling

We are all familiar and ardent fans of Mumbai Indians and other such commercial cricket outfits But if I ask people ldquoWill you bat for Mumbai Earthlingsrsquo they will give me a quizzical look Who are Mumbai Earthlings and what are they selling The reply is you me and all those who identify themselves as citizens of this great urban sprawl we call Mumbai We are Mumbai Earthlings and it should be our responsibility and passion to protect the ecological diversity of our megacity so that it improves our quality of life and teaches us to live in harmony with our wild neighbours mdash the birds bees bats beetles banyan trees toddy palms snakes or even the leopardsEarth Day was celebrated the world over on April 22 and NGOs corporates and educational organisations undertook action programmes rallies and workshops to engage citizens to protect their local environments forests and protected areas However most Mumbaikars were either too busy with their moneymaking businesses cricket matches or the latest Bollywood gossip sparing little to no time and concern for their cityrsquos environment After being so highly educated donrsquot you think that it is sad that we donrsquot realise that like Europeans and other first world citizens we too should actually work towards improving our cityrsquos environmentStart nature conservation today as your health is linked to your lsquowildrsquo neighbours such as birds bees and so onLetrsquos be positive and have faith that a few among our youth corporate houses and adults will follow the below simple earth friendlyideas1 Butterfly Gardening mdash Letrsquos create a beautiful garden on our window sill office porch and also attract some flying pollinators The overuse of synthetic pesticides and household insect repellents kill our pollinators and we need to restore that balance Plants such as curry leaves lemon grass Jamaican spike lemonlime balsams milkweed plants castors Crotolaria passion flower Poinsettia and Kalachoe will easily attract a huge diversity of butterflies both to feast and lay eggs and rear caterpillars2 Donrsquot burn leaves Instead undertake terrace farming Sometimes refusing to do the wrong thing can make a world of difference Burning leaves across the city releases tons of CO2 and causes smog and increases the island heat effect in the city Collect dry leaves and soak them in Amrit Pani made from cow urine jaggery molasses and cow dung and create a pile on a 2ftx3ftx15ft loose brick fencing It is a faster way to convert leaves to compost and grow herbs vegetables and fruits such as papaya guava jackfruit mango amla jamun or star fruit in it If you have a larger terrace then growing corn sunflower brinjal chillies tomatoes and other crops is possible too These terrace gardens help reduce your carbon footprint3 Create a cycle library Many offices housing colonies and schools have a circulating library Similarly you can create a pool of geared and nongeared cycles for staff and residents to borrow and use for weekend trips or local outings or just like the newage gym and meditation centres at the work place A short 45km ride during your break could not only be rejuvenating for your body but is also better than your smoking or excessive teacoffee breaks4 Start a nature or ecoclub Youth Ganesh or mahila mandals and kitty parties are commonplace but nature clubs are the need of the day Screen documentaries create ecofriendly Ganeshas or monitor sound and dust pollution using newage apps to transform yourself into an evolved citizen Set up bird nests bat boxes and feeding tables for local wildlife such as sparrows squirrels and even fruit bats Open up pavers and concrete around your buildingrsquos trees to prevent them from dyingRemember your health peaceofmind and wellbeing is linked to these wild neighbours So start nature conservation today And as everyday is Earth Day we are all Earthlings RightAnand Pendharkar is an ecologist who is the founder of SPROUTS an outdoors and ecotourism company and SPROUTS Environment Trust an NGO which works with youth and underprivileged groups and aims to provide a sustainable environment for all