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With a huff & puff and hardly able to breath, I, the Mother Earth, am penning this letter to humans, especially to Industries. Every year, on 5th June, you all celebrate "World Environment Day". I am glad that humans do indeed remember me at least on this occasion and celebrate the day, with politicians, industrialists, nature lovers, governments all talking about my glory and worry how fast you are depleting me. And from 6th June, humanity (at least, most!) go back to the task of plundering me at will!!

Please do Google and find out, what is earth overshoot day. Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity's demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. And as per www.overshootday.org, in 2020, this day falls on 22nd August. This means whatever, human beings consumes from 23rd August, it is being drawn from next year, which means you are leaving less for your own next generation!!

In this letter, I am not going to talk everything about this big issue. There is neither space, nor may be this is not the forum. But I would like to touch upon what at least Industries can do to "postpone" the inevitable. I am afraid, I am not going to use the word, "prevent", since I am yet to see concerted effort from every human being on earth to save me and in turn save yourself.

1. Disposal of used oil and coolants: Used oils, coolant etc to be handed over to the authorized recycling agencies or disposers only. They can cause irreversible damage to me if disposed of in irresponsible manner.

For information, Russia has declared state of emergency this week, when Diesel spilled into a pristine river.

2. Use less of plastic, especially non reusable plastics: Plastic is a boon to you, do not use indiscriminately. Limit the use and always attempt to use reusable plastic. Remember, plastic takes about 1000 years to decompose and merge into me. Try using alternatives.

3. Conserve energy: You know that energy bill is one of the biggest expenses for your organization. So, it is not only good for me but also profitable for you to conserve energy! Install energy saving devices. Make your operations Lean, become efficient and instead of working three shifts, work for two.

4. Produce energy from renewable sources: Producing your own solar energy is no more expensive. Consider using your roof top, for installing solar panels.

5. Manufacture energy efficient products: Make your products as energy efficient as possible. Go for highest energy "rating" (star). It is the manufacturer responsibility to teach and train the customer.

6. Encourage mass transport / bicycles: If you are using several vehicles to transport your employees, consider mass transport, where feasible. Encourage use of Bicycles. Remember, your luxury is eating away your next generation's resources!

7. Packing materials: Since this is totally non value adding cost, other than protecting it during transport, wear your thinking cap and analyse how you can eliminate, reduce or recycle your packing materials.

8. Teach your customers: on how to reduce, reuse and recycle your product. You too practice this 3R philosophy. It may save your species. Yes, it is your social responsibility! If you want your customer to be greedy, it can give only short term benefits.

9. Do not waste food: Put a clamp on waste of food in your premises. As per FAO, 30% of food items produced goes as a waste without getting consumed! Just imagine the waste of natural resources, time, effort and money. And also the waste occurred in supply chain in terms of Energy utilized!

10. Conserve water: Thankfully in this aspect, you are already realizing the mistakes you have been committing all these years and some actions can be seen from your side. Each drop matters. Recycle water in your organization.

Go for rain water harvesting and ground water recharging, not because your Government wants it, but because you realized the importance of water. Become zero discharge organization. Stop or reduce using ground water, bought out or in house.

Do you know the ground water you consume could be 1000 to 30,000 years old, as determined by carbon dating? Refer www.waterencyclopedia.com. Remember, you are drawing from history and damaging the future!!

11. Keep air pollution under check: It is quite sad to see, you human beings are creating air pollution even though you need oxygen (not carbon monoxide) just to live every next moment. Cannot comprehend why? Can anybody be that ignorant to cut the own branch he is sitting on? But you are doing it.

There are technologies available to identify, monitor, measure and control air pollution from your generators, process equipment, chimneys etc. For heaven sake, use available technology to eliminate air pollution.

12. STP and ETP: Treat your effluents and sewage as per the regulatory norms of your state. I have created your neighbourhood lakes, ponds and rivers for your livelihood and not for irresponsibly dumping your effluents and sewage into that ! Please remember, this action alone has made many of water bodies unsuitable for you.

13. Paperless organization: The technology so advanced, you do not need thousands of files and millions of papers to run your organization. Except for some limited statutory related areas, go for paperless organization

14. Stop using plastic bottles: Do you know that around 250 grams of plastic is consumed by each one of you every year and about 25 grams remains inside you? Do not think the plastic bottle you casually threw away is going anywhere else, it is coming back to you!

15. Avoid using synthetic materials as uniforms to your employees (and to your kids too) : Micro plastics coming out these synthetic materials are linked to an array of negative health outcomes including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammation, auto-immune conditions, neurodegenerative diseases, and stroke. (Read more in www.amberoot.com). You still want to continue using it, harming me and yourself?!

16. Go for "green" certificate: Make your building and process green. Go for "Green" certification. (Ex: LEED). Encourage your vendors to follow environment norms and regulations and go green

17. Energy audit: Make a habit of conducting energy audits in your organization as routine manner. Not just audits but take action on audit points.

18. Use natural pesticides : If your organization has a garden, even a small one, make a point to use only "Green" or natural manures and pesticides

19. Reduce glass facades: It is fashionable now to go for glass facade for building in spite of knowing that glass generates a high level of solar radiation that in turn traps heat and raises the temperature. It creates a green house effect, thus leading to higher air conditioning and soaring power bills. Birds also lose direction due to glass. But who cares anyway? This attitude of short sightedness is more dangerous to you than to me. Do research on vertical gardening as an alternate.

20. Air conditioning: Avoid / reduce air conditioning. But the problem is, in many buildings, there is no provision to open the windows. They are sealed!! Open up and think how to bring natural draft of air on non summer days. If you HAVE to use air conditioning, set temperature to 25 degree centigrade. It is healthy too.

21. Plant trees: Instead of ornamental and useless trees (such as decorative palm trees), plant fruit trees or other trees which gives fruits, shade or is of some use. As somebody said the best time to plant a tree was 15 years back, and next best time is NOW.

22. Dispose used electronic items safely: Collect used and scrap electronic items, "button cells", certain batteries and dispose of, as per respective government norms. Most of electronic items contain harmful chemicals such as Mercury, which can be extremely harmful to you, if disposed irresponsibly.

Please remember, if you continue to be greedy and violently misuse me, the final loser is going to be you! I have seen enough number of mass extinctions in millions of years of my existence and sadly occupants of my surface forget that earth will always survive and will do better with every mass extinction.

And do you humans think that, you are the ONLY species that must live using my resources? And you also think, by eliminating all other species, you will live happily ever after?!! I must reprimand you by saying that it is such a foolish thought.

Remember, you are dependent on trees, other insects, animals and other species for your survival. Even if a bee species (or other small insects which pollinates and produces your food and fruits) is wiped out, you also would be wiped out in few months. It is interconnected earth.

But have you, my children, human beings, realized this?!! Please remember, a few of you may go and live in Moon, Mars etc. But can you all, 7.6 billion population, move to other planets, once I am messed up? Take care, my dear children.

Signed - Mother Earth