When we say the word HOME, the first thing that comes to our mind is ‘safe’, ‘secure’, ‘happiness’, ‘belongingness’ and all such nice words. Yes it is true; such nice and positive words are always connected with HOME. We all feel secure & safe at our homes, happy when your loved ones are around you. There is a feeling of belongingness. For all of us, the World is a big home with over billion people and a million species of natural habitats. The WORLD is a home for us, but spare your 2 minutes and think on this question – ‘how safe are we in this big home?’ The chances are very high, but when we take examples of tsunamis, hurricanes, floods and other such natural calamities that have taken place so far, it certainly sends a chill down our spine. Although it might have not taken nearby us, but still there is, and will be a hanging sword down our neck, reminding us about the number of lives lost, number of HOMES destroyed, number of families separated due to these natural calamities.

Have we ever thought in this term, that each and every individual is connected to an ecological system which was created millions and millions of years ago?  Mother Nature had gifted us with precious treasures such as water, forest, air, land which we have exploited by polluting it, cutting it down & overusing it. And the consequences of this are devastating & some, beyond our thoughts and knowledge. Humans are mere puppets in front of nature. How much ever be there a technological advancement or extend of knowledge, few things are beyond our control. We might take n number of precautions & prepare ourselves for the foreseen natural calamities. But what about those which are beyond human knowledge? Have we ever thought on that? What if tomorrow we run out of water? What if tomorrow due to deforestation the soil becomes unusable? What will we do? Do we have answers to these questions? No we don’t.

All these queries, questions came in my mind after watching the Home video by PPR group. The movie which is for 90 minutes is from over fifty countries, all shot from an aerial perspective. The movie shows us a view most of us have never seen. The aim of this movie is to provide a stepping-stone to further the call to action to take care of our HOME. The movie is about the evolution of the Earth, nature, agriculture, humans, and the crises of habitat destruction, energy depletion, climate disruption, degradation of the environment, health, economic disparity, and more.

Some of the facts provided by the movie:

·         20% of the world’s population consumes 80% of its resources.

-          GEO4, UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme) 2007

·         World military expenditure is 12 times higher than aid to development.

-          SIPRI Yearbook, 2008 (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute)

·         5,000 persons a day die because of unhealthy water. A billion people do not have access to drinkable water.

-          UNDP, 2006 (United Nations Development Programme)

·         40 % of cultivable land has deteriorated.

-          UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme), ISRIC World Soil Information

·         One mammal in 4, one bird in 8, and one amphibian in 3, is threatened with extinction.

-          IUCN, 2008 (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

·         Species are becoming extinct at a rate that is 1,000 times higher than the natural rhythm.

-          IUCN, 2008 (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

·         The average temperatures in the last 15 years have been the highest ever recorded.

-          NASA GISS data

·         The ice field has lost 40 % of its thickness in 40 years.

-          NSIDC, National Snow and Ice Data Center, 2004

·         Arctic could become ice-free in summer by 2030 if the current trend of global warming continues.

-          National Geographic

Shocking, but the truth!! These are some of the known facts to the human beings. People tend to laugh when we say end of the world is near. But with the current rate of global warming, that day is not far away when we all will be wiped out by a huge wave & everything will be under water.

The movie has passed on a strong message – it says “Do not think over what we’ve lost, instead cherish what we currently have”. Everyone, from richest to the poorest can make contribution by using the inexhaustible resources such as culture, education, research and innovation. I completely agree with this. Thousands of NGO’s have proved that solidarity between people is stronger than the selfishness amongst the nations.  As an individual we need to take necessary steps in contributing towards environmental restoration. The governments have acted to protect nearly 2% of the world’s territorial waters. It’s not much, but it is 2 times of what it was 10 years ago. Many countries, including India, have passed certain norms which are mandatory in promoting greener technology and sustaining the environment. A trend has been observed within the companies off lately who have shifted their business functions in an eco friendly way.  

I would like to specifically highlight the contribution of a friend of mine – Rati Bhattacharya who is working as an Environmental Project Manager with Tata Consultancy Services, Powai – Mumbai since past 6 years. In a small Q&A session, Rati explained how the companies have started adopting an eco friendly way of doing business

Q. What are your roles & responsibilities as an Environmental Project manager?

A. I work in the sustainability space. So, managing projects for corporate and industrial sectors on sustainability things range from supply chain to compliance management to energy to water to greener products. Profile includes solutions on how to make sustainability and green a part of 'Business as Usual'

Q. How much of today's MNC's are taking such measures to shift their BAU’s towards a greener way?

A. Well I would say 80% of companies. Some of the examples are – HUL, M&S is doing the same with cotton supply chain, Walmart & Starbucks is doing a lot on responsible sourcing, Coco Cola is doing a lot on waste recycling

Q. Are there any specific compliances or rules set by the Government to ensure that businesses are adopting a greener way of doing their business?

A. There is one part of sustainability which is environmental compliance - which 100% have to abide to - otherwise they get penalties or go out of business.

Q. What sort of approach do you have while promoting eco friendly ways of doing business to MNC’s?

A. I believe that sustainability is the driver for industries otherwise sustainability will always be ignored. 50 - 60% companies approach sustainability as it makes money for them - like saving energy, water, recycling waste. However, there are almost 20% companies who do things beyond their scope - extending to supply chain and product sustainability. Sometimes we have to show the corporate the big picture and make them think about the environment.

Well, that says it all Rati. We all owe Rati a huge round of applause and big thank you for the work she is doing. And, this is all out of passion. It is because of Rati and people like her, that we can breathe a sigh of relief. She is doing her part of promoting sustainable environment & ensuring eco friendly measures to save our planet, to secure our HOMES, and to ensure that there are enough of nature’s gifts for future generations to come. It is time for each and every individual to step up and contribute something towards our home. A single breath we breathe is because of our Mother Nature, it is now time for us to repay her back & fulfill duties of being sons & daughters of her.