CHENNAI: Since the first Earth Day observed in the United States in 1970, the awareness and action being taken by individuals to save the planet has increased manifold. The movement has now grown worldwide, and April 22 is observed as World Earth Day in many countries. Chennai too sees its share of beach clean ups and environmental awareness drives throughout the year, in which students, corporates and the general public take part. But these one-day events are hardly enough to make an impact on residents of the city to continue the work on a daily basis and make it part of their lifestyle to maintain the city.Abdul Ghani, environmental activist says that it has reached a point where people don’t feel that they are polluting the environment when they throw garbage on the roads. “The Cooum was once a source of water and transport for our city. Now it has been reduced to a sewage line. The apathy has to change,” he says.The world over, Earth Day is a time to look back on the past year and evaluate how the condition has improved in terms of pollution levels and carbon footprints.“We don’t even have the concept of carbon footprint in India,” says Abdul, adding that it was this lack of awareness that puts mounting pressure on the Earth’s resources.
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