What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on? If you can not tolerate the planet it is on? Grade the ground first. – Henry David Thoreau
All of us have been working from home for more than a year now. We have saved a lot of energy and fuel. But that isn’t enough to put an end to global warming. We should be relentless in our efforts to regreen our pale blue dot. Let us take a look at FULL’s contribution to our local communities in 2021.
Miniature Urban Forests with Thuvakkam
FULL has worked in collaboration with Thuvakkam to plant 10,000 square feet of forest cover at the Tamil Nadu Housing Board in Sholinganallur. A total of 2500 trees were planted. This programme named Chennaiyil Vanam uses the ‘Miyawaki’ method of afforestation. Invented by Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist, this method involves planting a minimum of 20-50 different native plant species in a dense cluster. This creates a multi-layered forest that can sustain itself after 2-3 years.
These forests require minimum intervention and care. For the first two years, the forest is deweeded, mulched and watered on a regular basis. Thuvakkam and its team of volunteers take care of these maintenance activities.
Supporting Farmers with SankalpTaru
FULL has also collaborated with SankalpTaru on their Rural Livelihood Support Plantation Program in Tamil Nadu. Two farmers from the Sirugudi Village in Dindigul district were chosen for this project. A total of 3125 fruit bearing trees of guava and coconut species were planted on the lands of these farmers. These trees are not just a source of greenery, but also an alternate source of income to the farmers. These species are also native to the land and capable of adapting to the changing climatic conditions.
The project doesn’t end with the plantations. SankalpTaru and FULL also provide post-plantation care for two years. We regularly maintain the saplings and teach the farmers how to care for the trees. This includes adequate watering, weeding and mulching. An average lifespan of a fruit bearing tree is 23 years. In these 23 years, the trees will produce 11,982,044 kg oxygen, sequester 6,251,501 kg carbon dioxide, and increase the groundwater levels up to 21 feet in the planted area.
Small Steps Matter Too
What can we do as individuals to make our planet more tolerable? Plant a tree. Or perhaps cut down the amount of plastic you use. It can be something as simple as walking to a nearby grocery store instead of taking your car. And remembering to take your grocery bag with you.
If you want to know more about leading a sustainable lifestyle, here is a video from Saranya Kannan, our Product Manager for AdaptiveU.
We all play a part in saving our planet. Change begins from within, no matter how small. Take your first step towards a better tomorrow!