June 5th is just around the corner — it’s that time of the year when you hear the word ‘environment’ often. The World Environment Day (WED) is here again.
While the environment activists and citizens are ready to commemorate the environment day by planting saplings, cleaning the neighbourhood and by organising awareness programmes, let’s be aware that this year’s environment day is dedicated to the vulnerable wildlife population.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has designated WED 2016 as a fight against illegal trade in wildlife. Therefore, the 2016 WED theme is “Go Wild for Life – Zero tolerance for the illegal wildlife trade.” Every year one country hosts the the WED celebrations and this year the Day is celebrated in Angola.
The booming illegal trade in wildlife products worldover has pushed the United Nations dedicate the Environment Day to protect the wildlife. Unfortunately, the same week on which the wildlife themed WED is celebrated, 40 dead tiger cubs were found in a freezer at the infamous Temple Tiger in Thailand.
Wildlife crime in India
India is no exception when it comes to wildlife trafficking. The country has reported numerous instances of poaching of one horned rhinoceros, elephants, tigers and other animals.
Karnataka houses a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna and has a forest area of 38,270 km constituting 20.19 % of the total geographical area of the State. The dense forests of Karnataka which come under various national park ranges such as Anshi, Bandipur, Bannerghatta, Kuduremukh and Nagarahole are the abode of elephants, leopards, tigers. Elephants were being killed rampantly at one time, but
According to the information made available by Ministry of Environment and Forest in 2013, Karnataka, which has a tiger population between 280 and 320, lost 15 tigers due to poaching between 2008 and 2013. Karnataka reported highest number of tiger poaching during that period.
On this environment day, never mind if you are unable to work for the cause of wildlife. You can do your bit towards the environment by planting saplings, creating awareness or by living an eco-friendly life throughout.
Various organisations and citizen groups have laid out plans to celebrate environment day. If you wish to be a part of any of those programmes, below is the list of environment day celebration events to be held in Bengaluru over the weekend.
Event: Karnataka State Environment Awards conferring ceremony and exhibition
Organiser: Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment. KSPCB
Date: June 5th
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Venue: Kanteerava Indoor Stadium
Event: Tree planting drive and painting competition for children
Organiser: I Change Indira Nagar
Date: June 4th
Time: 9 am
Venue: CMG Road Park
Event: Day long eco-workshops and sessions
Organiser: VR Green
Date: June 4th and 5th
Time: 12 pm to 9 pm
Venue: Garden City @ VR Bengaluru Atrium
Join in the fun: https://www.facebook.com/events/277985405870863/
Register for Eco-sessions here: https://goo.gl/bYK13q
Event: Cycle ride to support go green
Organiser: GoGreen, KSPCB, Open Street, DULT
Date: June 5th
Time: 8 am to 10 am
Venue: Quality Ground, Jayanagar 4th T Block
Event: Vruksha – Poster design competition and plastic waste structure creation
Organiser: Department of Horticulture
Date: June 5th
Time: 8 am to 1 pm
Venue: MHS, Lalbagh
*Age group: 8 to 14 years
Event: Nature walk, tree planting, demo on composting and much more
Organiser: Residents and members of Richmond and Langford Town Welfare Association
Date: June 5th
Time: 8 am to 12 pm
Venue: Richmond Park
Event: To connect, communicate and commemorate to save the environment
Organiser: Essence
Date: June 5th
Time: 12pm
Venue: VR Bengaluru, Whitefield
Event: Plantation drive
Organiser: Yuva Srishti
Date: June 5th
Time: 9 am to 12pm
Venue: Bangalore Dairy
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On the occasion of Environment Day, the WED Community has given 5 quick steps for you to chalk out programmes for the day. Here is how you can make it fruitful:
- Build a team: Ask family, friends, community, colleagues, environment groups and local government bodies if they can collaborate with you to organise an event.
- Get informed: Find out what else is happening for WED at the international, national, regional and local levels.
- Support the theme: Figure out interesting ways to link your activity to this year’s official theme of illegal trading of wildlife.
- Make a plan: Draw up a plan of action with a timetable for getting things done in time for June 5th. Make sure you have got permission if you are organising a public event.
- Celebrate WED: Get visibility of your activities and attract others to join you by registering on your website.