Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much

As a single human being, we are nothing but an infinitesimal speck, a dot in the big expanding universe. Yet, we are born of it, we belong to it, we affect it and it affects us, we are tied into it so tightly and we cannot exist without it.

We fit into the aeons and cycles of nature, too big to fathom, too complex to comprehend but amazing to observe. 

There's an old Japanese saying - " Ichi wa Zen, Zen wa Ichi'. 

It means - "One is All,  All is one."

All the living beings in the universe are one, the same atoms that make us up, make up everything else and when we perish, we become a part of it all.  Simple, isn't it?

Then why is this so hard for us humans to understand? 

 In the rat race for so called 'development' we have destroyed what is essential. 

Here's a small example of what we are capable of 

A bit shocking , isn't it?   This might as well be the future we are leaving behind for our children !

Its time to stop and think. Contemplate, realize and make a change. 

We maybe only specks, but a huge number of us , together, can make a significant difference. We have the power, don't let indifference stop you. There's no going back for us. 

This is it, do or die time. But don't lose hope!

We as CTC-ians believe we have the power, the will and perseverance to start reversing our damage.

We are constantly striving to spread awareness about the hazards of plastic, the need for source segregation and home composting. 7 years ofChennai Coastal Cleanup stands as a testament to that.

This year, 5800 volunteers collected 59 tonnes of garbage in Chennai and 12 other cities as part of the 7th edition of Chennai Coastal Cleanup. In Chennai 4500 volunteers from 140 organisations segregated 38 tonnes and recycled 56% reducing impact on the environment.

And not only in Chennai, we did a nation wide clean-sweep as well ! In 12 other cities 1300 volunteers from 10 NGOs joined forces with CCC to collect 21 tonnes from beaches, rivers and lakes.

The volunteers are still tirelessly working to segregate every bit of plastic so we recycle as much as possible !

Awe-inspiring, right?  A little sample of what we can do when we put our hearts to it 

 

Now its your time to start inspiring, your time to start giving back to Mother Nature. And impart this wisdom to our future, our children. 

CTC's efforts doesn't stop with just clean ups. Over the course of past few months, we involved coastal and inner city communities in our green initiatives. 

We are now working towards turning Nochikuppam into a zero-waste community. And many more will follow in its footsteps. 

For individuals, we have the R3 - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle challenge - the upgraded version of the No PlasticChallenge coming out soon ! 

Home composting has kicked off in a big way in many houses. 

So.. what are you still waiting for? Jump on board ! The CTC ship is sailing towards a greener future, and you can be a part of it ! 

[written by Apoorva]