Two women are leading a greening initiative by literally starting at home. One mother became more aware about environmental concerns and the need for change through a school kindergarten project. Another counted her father as inspiration. He had planted over 20 lakh trees, said our Sunday mid-day report.

That urgency, rooted in motherhood, soon became the foundation for Nature Crusade. Nature Crusade`s first special project was the transformation of a neglected patch in Mumbai Central. Using the  Miyawaki technique — which involves planting native species close together so their roots compete for sunlight, not space — they created a self-sustaining forest that matures in just three years.

The journey has not been easy, but what this proves is that one can start small, at home or close to home and then become part of or lead a large initiative. Most people do want to do something for the environment, try to be part of change, advocating for a greener world. They simply think that one person or planting one tree does not make any difference. They are also intimidated by the terminology or the very concept of activism. What this shows is that one person, an ordinary person, can and does make a difference. We can practise change in our own, small ways. We can begin by planting a sapling in our housing society compound.