To celebrate World Environment Day (WED) 2022 by all of us in India with the focus on “Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature”, we have to pledge to plant at least five trees which are necessary and sufficient for addressing many of the ills prevailing in the Indian economy. It is worth remembering that the United Nations General Assembly established World Environment Day on the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. Two years later, in 1974 the first WED was held with the theme “Only One Earth”.

To achieve atmanirbharta in Swarnim Bharat of 2047, we have to search for solutions in tree plantation as rightly justified by Dr E.F. Schumacher in the book ‘Small is beautiful (1973) in the chapter ‘ The Problem of Unemployment of India’ page 205 trees for almost all human needs. He opined that India surpassed the world with a variety of trees. To cover the whole large area of India with trees, he quoted Buddha who included in his teachings the obligation of everyone to plant one tree at least every five years. This will provide plenty of food and materials, plenty of water, plenty of shade and a dust-free environment even needed today. This calls for an ideology to be practised by every able-bodied Indian to plant and establish a tree every year, five years running will give 2000 million established trees. Dr E.F. Schumacher says “ anyone can work it out on the back of an envelope that the economic value of such an enterprise, intelligently conducted, would be greater than anything that has ever been promised by any of India’s five-year plans” ( sadly no five year plans now in India). He further argues “it could be done without a penny of foreign aid; there is no problem of savings and investment. It would produce foodstuffs, fibres, building material, shade, water, almost anything that man really needs”. The policy implication is that adopt needo-trees for Atmanirbharta in Swarnim Bharat as a strategy of Make in India without FDI which falls in the domain of needonomics (economics of needs) with no greed.

For maintaining the natural balance, we as human beings get oxygen and breathe in carbon-di-oxide from the atmosphere. Trees provide the environment with beautiful and colourful flowers, delicious and sweet fruits, and healthy herbs. Trees even provide human beings with food, air, water, and shelter. Trees provide many benefits to our health and well-being. They need our help since trees die daily from pollution, deforestation and insect infestation.

To enhance the life span by 7 years, one has to plant and maintain 10 trees around the home as a hedge which provides not only oxygen ( one tree produces700 kg oxygen annually) but filters polluted air, reduces noise pollution by 50 per cent and reduces temperature by 4 degrees in summer under the tree.

To save trees, we have to avoid products made of wood, use less paper, buy recycled paper products, go for cloth products over paper when possible, and motivate ourselves to do more for trees. The really helpful things cannot be done by the Centre and State Governments. We, as Indians have to do it ourselves by asking how we can get all the work done that needs to be done for Atmanirbharta in Swarnim Bharat in 2047. Be enthusiastic for needoeducation of needonomics with needo-trees!

Enjoy reading 206 blogs by the writer (Founder Needonomics School of Thought and has been Vice-Chancellor in different public and private universities of India) on Speakingtree of Times of India. www.speakingtree.in

Advertisement  | KRCFoundation