Isaac Harold Gomes –
Kalimpong (WB): World Environment Day was celebrated all over the world on On 5th June. The theme for 2023 is: “Ecosystem Restoration.”
The day serves as a reminder that the onus of saving the environment and nature is not just limited to environmentalists and global leaders. It is the responsibility of all inhabitants of the earth which Pope Francis has explained with great fervour in his May 2015 Encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ (Praise be to You). In this Encyclical, the Pope also added a subtitle “On Care for our Common Home” to warn the world leaders to take notice and do everything possible to arrest environmental degradation in the name of development, thus bringing about global warming which is also termed climate crisis.
At a time when extreme temperatures, abnormal storms and cyclones, and natural calamities remind us every day about the irreparable damage to Mother Earth, World Environment Day, provides hope and an opportunity for all of us to do our bit for the protection of the environment and earth’s wellbeing.
To all those, who prefer to stay ignorant about the evident effects of global warming and pollution, World Environment Day is a sharp reminder that protection of earth and its wellbeing is of utmost importance as it is directly connected with our being alive and healthy.
Pope John Paul II said, “The Earth will not continue to offer its harvest, except with faithful stewardship. We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it for use by future generations.”
World Environment Day on 5th June embraces the seven salient points of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si. These are:
1. Response to the cry of the earth
2. Response to the cry of the poor
3. Ecological Economics
4. Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyle
5. Ecological Education
6. Ecological Spirituality
7. Community Resilience and Empowerment.
In keeping with the Pope’s above concerns and top priorities, Sisters of St Joseph’s of Cluny, Kalimpong made a special request to Frederick Rai Sir (a noted environmentalist, specialist in medicinal plants and retired teacher of Biology & Mathematics of Kagay Government Higher Secondary School, Maria Busty, Kalimpong) to conduct a workshop on Environment and its care and in particular give lessons on some medicinal plants which can cure common ailments in hilly villages where doctors are not readily available.
When the Cluny sisters, to be precise Sr Rachel, immediate past Provincial of the Cluny Congregation made this request to Frederick Sir, I was on holiday in that village with my family. Frederick Sir invited us to witness his programme and we gladly agreed.
At 10.15 am on 5th June, a group of 30 very enthusiastic students (Classes 4 and 5) from Maria Primary School arrived with Sr Rachel and her colleague, at Frederick Sir’s spacious garden house surrounded by numerous medicinal and other plants. Frederick Sir began his session with prayer invoking God’s blessings to protect the earth and its inhabitants.
After that he asked students the significance of the day. They all promptly replied “Today 5th June is World Environment Day.” After that he asked some students to spell “Environment”. He said many make a mistake in spelling the word and he was quite right. However most of the students spelt the word correctly. Then he asked students what the elements or the four important parts of the earth are. The students replied that they were soil, air, water and sunlight. Then he explained the four layers of the atmosphere namely Troposphere (lowest layer of atmosphere where the earth has most air 8-14 kilometres height), Stratosphere (2nd layer of atmosphere of the earth), Ionosphere and Ozonosphere.
Frederick Sir made the session an interactive one to keep students’ interest alive. He put them questions on living and non-living beings and said the Environment consists of both. He also explained that nature, God and spirituality were interconnected and that the earth was like our mother who cares for us and sustains us by providing all the natural elements (air, water, soil and sunlight). He also highlighted that 75% of the earth is water. It was noticed Most of the students knew this.
In the next one-hour session, Frederick Sir took students around his garden of medicinal plants. He showed them several plants for example, Pudina (mint) which is a cure for high blood pressure (besides other benefits), Janbosa (yellowish white jamun), Rangpur Lime, Phyllanthus fraternus (to cure jaundice, diabetes, sores, swelling, skin ulcers, etc); Stevia Rebaundiana (sweetleaf – natural sweetener and sugar substitute); Centella Asiatica (Ghortaprey in Nepali, Indian Pennywort or Brahmi in North India – good for brains and memory power); and several other medicinal plants like Marigold (immediate cure for cuts and bruises).
At the end of the 2-hour session, Frederick Sir presented each student with a medicinal plant sapling to plant them in their homes. Sr Rachel and her colleague were also gifted with some medicinal plants. She showed particular interest in the natural sweetener plant.
The session ended with a sumptuous lunch for all on the sprawling lawn of Frederick Sir who specifically addressed at least three core concerns of Pope Francis to ensure protection of our Ecology namely Ecological Education, Ecological Spirituality and Community Resilience and Empowerment.
Great Isaac. Worth reading.
Wonderful reality in the form of story telling and factual photography. The hilly people of Darjeeling and Kalimpong must make full use of Frederick Sir’s expertise.