World Environment Day Observed

Theme: One World, One Environment.
Venue: RWUS Training Hall.

A hundred and twenty locals from in and around Churachandpur responded to the invitations sent by RWUS on the observation of the World Environment Day on 5th June 2015. Apart from this, a few special invitees were requested to speak on various environment related topics.
The day started with a keynote address from Mr Samuel Shakum, Program Manager, RWUS. He stressed that RWUS recognizes the fact that women play a bigger and more influencing role in the society’s attitude towards the environment. So, it has made it women-oriented and this has been one of the most important projects taken up by the organization. He also related to the audience that humans are the caretakers of God’s creations, our missions as Christians to take care of the environment. Half of the laws given in the Pentateuch were environment related. So, RWUS aims at this awareness. He concluded by quoting from the Bible, “The Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it”.

Four special invitees were invited; Ms Joycy Inbuon, Mr Simon Hrangchal, Mr Dennis Lallienzuol Hrangchal. They were each aptly presented with a tree sapling in occasion.

Mr Simon Hrangchal, Secretary, Relief and Development Dept., EAC spoke next on the topic Environment and Natural Resources. He foremost emphasized that the audience today were more important than the speakers, as they were the ones who would be the doers. He said that in earlier times, our ancestors respected the environment and they worship and revere it but in the future, we might have to go to the extent of buying oxygen.

In world talks and conferences, the issue of the need to reduce carbon emission of every country came foremost. However, under- developed and developing countries refused to cooperate saying that developed countries were trying to hinder their development. In the same way, in this corner of the world we may feel that we are not doing much to deteriorate the environment but we must all realize the need for accountable responsibility. We can only start developing this attitude if we feel that the environment is ours.

With the topic “Biblical perspective on Environment”, Ms Joycy Inbuon, Women Coordinator, Reformed Presbyterian Church stressed on how humans are the caretakers of all of God’s creations. That includes all of the things, living and non-living on earth. She quoted from Genesis 2:15, Deuteronomy 20:19, Psalm 104 and Rom 8:18 in support of this. We need to recognize that it is not only the RWUS’s responsibility but our individual responsibility to take care of and protect the environment. And that is our Christian duty.

The programme continued with Mr Dennis Hrangchal, Social Activist on Climate Change Adaptation. He firstly emphasized on how we need to consider everyday as World Environment Day. It would produce a great change if we could be as green, every other day of the year, as today. Climate change is a negative change and with every change comes consequences. The world is suffering of these consequences. To counter climate change, we must know that we need to change ourselves. We must take care that everything we do should be eco-friendly. The Swach Bharat campaign is a good example of this. Also, to adapt to climate change, we must have proper forest management, waste management, water management, disaster management, promotion of cottage industries and capacity development. He concluded by saying that that we own one world and one environment. We all share it, so each of our actions affects the other. We are never too old or too young to change.

What made the day special was the introduction of the concept of “Adopting a tree” taken up by Ms Lalnunnem. This idea stresses on the adoption of tree saplings by an individual as how he would adopt a child. The tree sapling was to be nourished and cared for judiciously.
Ms Lalnunnem stated that when God created the earth, He was satisfied with what He saw because everything was perfect i.e. there was ecological balance. However, humans who are the caretakers of this earth, have made it like an orphan. We do not share responsibility of this world like we are supposed to and we need to each individually realize this. The audience were urged to take pledges to do what they can to help the environment in any way they can.

Under this programme to “adopt” a tree, RWUS distributed around 200 tree saplings to individuals on this day.

The day ended with a vote of thanks by Ms Hrilrohnem, Chairperson, RWUS and a blessing by Ms Vanlalkung.