26 December,2017 08:37 AM IST | | The Guide Team
Bid goodbye to 2017 on an eco-friendly note at a festival that celebrates nature
When you vow to take the green route in your everyday life, it's a constant process of learning how to be in harmony with nature. If straws and plastic cups are things you have ditched, not buying toys made of plastic could be your next goal. If you already have a mini garden in your balcony, you could focus on growing plants that attract butterflies. Helping you evolve as an eco-crusader is the ninth edition of Earth Mela, a festival organised by Sprouts Environment Trust that works towards creating awareness and ownership of the environment and its resources amongst children and the youth.
"Festivals are often connected with religion. But when a festival has to do with nature, everyone can become a part of it. The idea behind Earth Mela is to help environmentalists develop necessary skills to serve their cause well," says Anand Pendharkar, wildlife biologist and founder-director of the trust. Open to all, the festival's theme is responsible tourism and one of the highlights is a talk by three Mumbai-based women cycle tourists, one of whom travelled solo from Panvel to Kanyakumari on her bicycle.
Participants can learn how to make bird feeders and clay animal figurines, as well as urban food and butterfly gardening, through an array of workshops. A bird walk at Bhandup Pumping Station on the eve of the festival will be followed by a nature trail around the venue in Goregaon, a school for underprivileged children.
ON: December 31, 9 pm onwards
AT: Rishi Valmiki Eco School, Goregaon West.
CALL: 7900152760
COST: Rs 400 onwards
Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go
