“We should look forward to a smart country.”
Anil Chitrakar uses little stories from the past and numbers to show the grave impacts our civilization has on the environment. Today there are over 7 billion people living in the world, but the number itself does not mean anything. The earth’s been around for 4 billion years and humans for about 200,000 years. A population of 7 billion means 1 out of every 2 humans born on earth is alive today. While we as a country have moved away from Kingship, each consumer is a king and that would amount to 7 billion kings worldwide. If all consumers were to purchase and throw, it would become a serious problem. Chitrakar stresses on how each one of us can get engaged and make a difference.
He tells the story of a King who had once the desire to make a milk pond. It was announced that all the citizens would have to donate a bucket of milk so that the pond could be made. The next morning when the king went to see his pond, he finds only water and no milk. Each of the citizens had poured water in the wee hours of the morning believing that they were the only ones doing so. Chitrakar draws the conclusion that it is a waste to ask people for such ridiculous ideas.
Chitrakar quotes Napoleon, ‘the best time to plant a tree would have been 20 years ago, but the second best time is today’ to urge the generation to work for the environment in the present moment.
He relates the clock tower with strong policy making citing the example of Singapore when the city was able to ban plastic bags in a day and relates Nepali society to the democratization of time where everyone walks according to their own time. He adds that we must all take responsibility to solve Nepal’s problem which can be achieved only through discipline.
Chitrakar goes on to focus on the power of distribution for the sustainability of an idea. He explains how plastic bags were removed from Bhatbhateni that has over 6.5 million transactions in a year, making it an ideal place for distribution. Likewise, finding people to produce the product is also equally necessary like women who have been abused or trafficked who produce cloth bags to be distributed in supermarkets. Many things have to come together to make an idea successful, he adds.
We must work smart, Chitrakar says. If we were to find a smart solution we can build a smart community and that would in return build a smart Nepal. He urges us not to become lavish consumers like the King of England who was once described by Gandhi as the man who was wearing enough for both of them.
Chitrakar quotes Napoleon, ‘the best time to plant a tree would have been 20 years ago, but the second best time is today’ to urge the generation to work for the environment in the present moment.
Anil Chitrakar is a social entrepreneur who has been trying to change the environmental and social scenario in Nepal. He is the chairperson of Himalayan Climate Initiative (HCI). Chitrakar is an Ashoka Fellow and recipient of the Rolex Award.
