Welcome to the 2nd issue of the CEiBa Newsletter in the year 2022. This year is remarkable in many ways, the 50th anniversary of the historic UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm as well as the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), 2nd UN Ocean Conference, UN Climate Change Conference (COP 27), XV World Forestry Congress, 15th UN Conference on Desertification and the list is long. While the long list is glowing with the activities of world leaders, high-ranked people, and scientists, a stark contrasting revelation is at the corner. In 2021, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has published a report on how environmental issues are integrated in primary and secondary education policies and curricula across 46 UNESCO Member States. The result is indeed an eye-opener. Among the studied member states, less than half included climate change in their education policy and curricula, biodiversity is absent in almost 81% of the studied documents and environmental issues only have a superficial presence. It seems we are not committed enough to educate and make future generation aware about the crisis of mother earth. Despite all big illustrious meetings and wordy agendas, a sizable fraction of world population is still ignorant about the global environmental change, its impact in our life, and our pressing responsibility. This huge knowledge gap should be curtailed through our collective efforts. Starting from reforming the education policy and curricula development, learning module can be planned beyond the traditional school bound system incorporating popular formats of sports, theatre, movies, gaming items even comic strips. Global awareness should be considered as urgent otherwise sustainability will be always an unreachable target for us.
On a similar tone, our current issue opens the trove with the environmental message in movies. Citing examples from Hayao Miyazakki’s timeless classic ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ the author narrates that how an apparently simple story from the Japanese countryside depicts a vivid and lustrous human-nature relationship in day-to-day life. Small events like settling in a countryside home, exploring the new house and surroundings, a rainy day, venturing into the nearby forest, meeting their enigmatic forest neighbor portray how the lead characters (here two young sisters) enjoy their life amidst nature, learn to feel the mightiness of the ancient tree, and participating in the harvesting activities, and so on. I hope the article rejuvenates readers’ interest towards nature-centric films and uncover the implicit messages.
Continuing the discussion on net zero emission in the healthcare sector from our 1st issue, the second article tells us greenhouse gas emissions through anesthetics-related practices and inhaled therapy. The author described the harmful impacts of the chemicals currently in practice (Desflurane in anesthesia and Hydrofluorocarbon as a propellant in metered dose inhalers) and possible strategies to implement the alternative means with all probable consequences. Moreover, it has been emphasized that better control of the diseases promptly reduces the dependency on remedial measures which in a way lessens the healthcare footprint.
The wild food section presents Boehmeria, Dillenia, Phlogacanthus, and Zizania ranging from leafy vegetables to fungus-infected parts. There are recipes for boiled tender leaves, fried items from flower and inflorescence, curry preparation with the fruits as well as heavy demand for fungus-infected stems. These not-so-widespread local delicacies reflect people’s long-lived dependence on nature and culinary adaptations.
At the last, the snippet section brings out the story of the revival of the famous Muslin from Bangladesh, the prehistoric honey hunters and their immortal presence in the rock art, an innovative sound app for the bees, and a scented trail for biodiversity lovers. Hope you all love it and are willing to be a part.
Happy reading
