“There is a magic machine that sucks carbon out of the air, costs very little, and builds itself. It’s called a tree.”
In a short film, published on Youtube in 2019, youth climate change activist Greta Thunberg and George Monbiot, a writer for the Guardian, talked about how we need to use nature as a solution to climate change. This is merely one example, of how the youth of today is moved by the effects of pollution of the earth, and how eager they are to contribute to saving it from the ongoing crisis.
We, the members of the Rotaract Club of the University of Colombo wanted to express our concerns towards the environment and diminish the unfavorable effects of climate change. Our aim was to strive to uplift the quality of our living environment through an active plantation, proper maintenance, and preservation of trees.
We joined with Rotaract Eclub of No Borders(RID 5110) for a Tree Planting Project ‘Only One’ on 13th of October 2020.
The main process of the project was to plant a tree and do a comprehensive follow-up of its growth. Our fellow Rotaract member Janani Chathurya kick-started the project by planting a tree in her home garden at Mahailuppallama, Sri Lanka. Then as an extension to the initial phase, we planted trees in cities all over the island, such as Negombo, Colombo, Diyathalawa, and Galle to name a few. As the final phase of the project, an awareness campaign a flyer series was carried out which compiled focusing on interesting facts about houseplants, taking care of houseplants, and space-saving ways of house plant interiors. These flyers helped us to share ideas of less costly house plant interiors with the general public and to educate on houseplants and maintenance through easy and effective plantation hacks.
Rotaract Club of University of South Carolina (RID 7770 ), Rotaract club of Monte Carmelo (RID 4770), Rotaract Club of Fajara (RID 9101), Rotaract Club of South Saint Lucia (RID 7030), Rotaract Club Fernando de la Mora(RID 4845), Rotaract club of Guayaquil Occidente (RID 4400), Rotaract club of Brazzaville (RID 9150), Rotaract Club of Embu (RID 9212), Rotaract Club of AIHT (RID 3232), Rotaract club of Port au Prince Champ de Mars, (RID 7020), Rotaract Club of Joinville (RID 4652), Rotaract club of Falmouth(RID 7020) also joined hands with us on the project ‘only one’.
At the end of the day, not only did we do our fair share on tree plantation but also formed new alliances and fellowship among International Rotaract Clubs in working towards green revolution.
By Rtr. Nivi Gunewardhena.
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