GoanTimes May, 24 2019

10 Leisure
Friday, May 24, 2019 | www.goantimes.titosgoa.com | 12 Pages
EVERY DAY EARTH DAY
Each an every individual should take responsibility not to litter the beach and also make a choice to pick up
plastic and other garbage if noticed on the beach
Plastic and other pollutants litter the
beaches of Goa, presenting a serious
problem for the environment and for
people’s health. Our beaches also suffer
from periodic pollution via oil and tar
balls washing up on shore.
Many tourism industry forums are
reporting a downturn in tourism. Some
of the reason for this has to be increased
pollutants on the beaches of Goa,
including the burning of plastic waste.
All plastic is derived from fossil fuels.
The fossil fuel industry also impacts
global warming, leading to accelerated
climate change. This is a burning issue
for all, especially coastal communities
like Goa,with a predicted rise in sea
levels caused by global warming.
Earthday Everyday is one such
group of cocerned citizens and local
stakeholders that has come forward to
help tackle this menace to society.
The seed was planted one day in
early April this year when Swapnil
Naik of Gurubar & Ryan Volado of
Bunkd Hostels in Anjuna took it onto
themselves to clear up the oil and tar
bal messl that washes up on shore
every year. With the help of staff they
cleared up a small stretch of beach that
is in front of and near Gurubar..
This small act of awareness didn't
go unnoticed and they were contacted
by Banglanaatak dot com the India
liason for Earthday Network, a global
NGO that has started a massive global
campaign called The Great Global
Cleanup, who in turn invited them to
coordinate beach clean up campaign in
North Goa...
Since then the duo have managed to
bring together many other like minded
stakeholders and citizens together
under the Earthday Everyday banner
and so far have cleant up Anjuna,
Vagatore & Baga Beach and the
adjoining Creek area.
Swapnil Naik born on Anjuna
beach and owner of guru bar which
is located on the beach, sees the
difference in the attitude of tourist and
the change of quality of the coastline,
there is plastic everywhere, dead
ocean creatures wash up randomly
on the beach, it’s very disheartening,
because the tourism of goa is due
it’s nature, beaches and sea food and
as of today they are in a bad shape,
which is affecting us and our living
environment.
He also mentioned that the number
of foreign tourists are going down
gradually due to this state of the
beaches and the increase in Indian
tourists (which we are happy about)
have also increased the littering
behaviour !!
He says each an every individual
should take responsibility not to litter
the beach and also make a choice to
pick up plastic and other garbage
if noticed on the beach, he suggests
installations of dustbins ( dry and wet )
is important. Hence the drive to bring
awareness and eventually stop littering
this can bring our pretty clean beaches
back to life and hence we live in a clean
environment also will not lead to drop
in any form of tourism.
Ram Doultani of Carry your bottle a
a company that was created to create
awareness about the misuse of single
use plastic has this to say “It’s a
climate emergency. Even as we speak
about it here, people elsewhere are
waking up to the seriousness of the
issue, especially the young. There’s
the example of Greta Thunberg, the
Swedish teenager, who has made it her
mission to talk about climate change.
There’s the Extension Rebellion
movement, staging protests across the
globe - in the UK, France, Australia,
Sweden, New Zealand, Norway,The
Netherlands, Italy, Finland, to name
a few - staging die-ins in public places
to talk about the real possibility of the
human race becoming extinct due to
climate collapse.”
Yashaswini, who runs Be Yogabound
a yoga yoga studio in Vagator says:
“In yoga philosophy and practice we
are taught to keep our environment
clean. It’s a form of meditation, mental
hygiene. It’s called karma yoga, the
yoga of service.”
Ryan Volado of Bunkd Hostels has
this to say regarding the reason for
creating this group.
"Social responsibility is not just a
word to be thrown around lightly on
social media...
If you need to get something done you
have to do it yourself first and pay it
forward...
We need to recognise that this little
Blue Rock we call our Mother is facing
the worst crisis it had ever come
across. It's’s a systemic problem and
the whole system is unsustainable.
Apathy towards the crisis we face has
compounded the problem.
Along with individual initiatives, mass
direct action is the need of the hour if
we are going to save ourselves and the
planet.”
Like a great man said... "Be the change
you want to see in the world"
SIGHT SEEING
SPOTS IN GOA
RELIGIOUS PLACES: Basilica of Bom
Jesus Church at Old Goa, Immaculate
Conception Church Panjim, Mangueshi
Temple, ShantaDurga Temple,
Bodgeshwar Temple
FORTS: Aguada, Chapora, Reis Magos,
Corjuem, Tiracol, Cabo de Rama,
Alorna, Nanus, Rivona
BEACHES: Baga, Calangute, Candolim,
Sinquerim, Coco, Anjuna, Vagator,
Ashvem, Mandrem, Arambol, Morjim,
Miramar, Dona Paula, Bogmalo, Varca,
Benaulim, Colva , Rajbag, Palolem
BACKWATERS: Mayem Lake
WILDLIFE: Mhadei, Bondla, Cotigao,
Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary Ribandar
WATERFALLS: Dudhsagar,
Harvalem, Kuskem
SPRINGS: Kesarval, Pomburfa
MARKETS: Mapusa (Friday is
special), Panjim
SPICE PLANTATION TRIP:
Tropical Spice Plantation Ponda,
Sahakari Spice Plantation Ponda
Need Help?
Ambulance: 108
Police: 100
Fire Brigade : 101
GMC Hospital 0832-2458727, 2458049
District Hospital, Mapusa: 0832-2225540
Women Police : 1091
Senior Citizen Helpline: 1090
Child Helpline: 1098
Electricity Helpline: 1912
Railway: 139 , Airport : 0832-2540796