Climate Action

Are Trees Just One Big Joke?

In case you really haven’t been paying attention this summer, you have probably heard about India’s record 460 million tree planting. Across the state of Telangana, over 800,000 students, families, lawmakers and government officials volunteered to plant saplings along states roads, highways, railroads, and forest lands.

Earth Day Network India worked to encourage government officials to make the tree planting commitment a reality throughout the process. Now they’ve launched a comic strip contest to continue to get youth involved in environmental issues and education across the country.
Sudeep Ghimire, South Asia Youth Environment Conclave Vanlahruaia of Bualpui

Students (and even teachers) are sending in their homemade comic strips. Throwing pencils outside so they can grow into trees and planting trees instead of throwing birthday parties are just some of the themes Earth Day Network India has received. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are a danger to the ozone layer, also make an appearance. Allowing youth to be engaged and to think creatively about the environment can spark solutions to some of our greatest problems.

Nikhilesh Mukherjee of Salt Lake, Kolkata Isha Qureshi, member of Avani Environmental Club of Janki Devi Memorial College

If you’re in India, you can submit a comic of any environmental theme at [email protected] and even pledge to plant your very own tree, adding to the almost 500 million tree commitments! Pledge here.

Keep checking the Earth Day Network- India Facebook page to get a look at the best entries.