Of Mangoes and Monsoons

In honor of Blog Action Day, this is a post by former Kadod Teaching Fellow Melissa Ivins, currently pursuing her Masters in Environmental Management at Yale University. Below are her reflections on climate change and her experience working in rural India!

Two of the staples of India, mangoes and monsoons, have been on the fritz lately. The past year unseasonable winter weather stunted the mango harvest, meaning great loses for farmers who depend on domestic and foreign sales of the King of Fruit for part of their income. Since then even more farmers’ livelihoods have been compromised by irregularities in the monsoon, which came a month later than usual in Gujarat this year.


All over India people have found themselves working to adapt to more frequent droughts or floods, (no small feat when you are already catering to a weather pattern as extreme as the monsoon). Granted, one flood here, and a small drought there is not so unusual for India. After all, in a country of its size, you are almost guaranteed that someone somewhere is experiencing problematic weather at any given time. However, the frequency of these events is increasing, and that is what really has people worried. It’s not just happening in India, either. Around the globe, what people once referred to as “100 year floods” (so called because they occurred about once every 100 years) are becoming known as “15 year floods” and traditionally “20 year floods” are looking more like “2-5 year floods”. The results are ruined crops, damaged personal property, and sometimes even loss of life.


More and more people are talking about climate change and the rising levels of greenhouse gases as the driving force behind the unusual weather, from farmers and teachers at the Kadod bazaar to researchers and policy makers at the World Bank. (Click here to read the World Bank's report on climate change impacts on drought- and flood- affected areas in India.) When it comes to something as complex as weather patterns, it is difficult to draw direct links of cause and effect to explain the changes we are seeing. While it is impossible to say with 100% certainty that, “Yes, climate change diminished the mango crops and delayed the monsoon,” we do know that our environment is changing more rapidly now and in the last few decades than it has previously changed in centuries. This can be measured by the rapid increases in global temperature, greenhouse gas levels, and species extinction rates. More and more evidence suggests that all of these attributes are linked, and rather than wait until we are absolutely certain that climate change is affecting our weather patterns, ways of life, and fellow species, we need to act now to reduce greenhouse gas levels and preserve natural ecosystems. Whether or not you believe climate change delayed the monsoon, there are many small things you can do that not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also simply keep the planet a little cleaner and help save resources for future generations. Humans have more power than any other species to change their environment, and when you think of this power in terms of climate change it may seem disturbing and frightening, but the good news is that this means we really can change our environment for the better.


So what can we do for our environment?


Some of the best recommendations I can take straight from Kadod and they all boil down to the simple phrase, “Reduce and reuse.”


-Use durable, reusable bottles and Tupperware instead of one-time use items. This not only saves trash from going into landfill and prevents littering, it also saves energy. The energy that isn't being used to make a new disposable item, the energy that isn't be used to transport the "used" item to the landfill or recycling center, and the energy that isn't be used to recycle it into a new disposable item.


-Turn off lights and water when you’re not using them. In Kadod, people are especially aware of these resources because their limitations are felt. If you let water run when you are not using it in Kadod, it means there won’t be any water running later in the day when you really do need it. Not everyone has such strong reminders to conserve their resources, but this is not an excuse to waste them.


-Carpool. Have you seen how many people can “carpool” in a single vehicle in Kadod? I rarely saw anyone traveling in a car or rickshaw by themselves. (Disclaimer: While I admire the zeal of Kadod residents for sharing rides, I strongly recommend limiting the number of passengers to the number of seat belts in the vehicle when carpooling!)


-Ride your bike. Many people bypassed cars and rickshaws completely, transporting themselves via “cycle” only. (Extra bonus: You get to ring a bell and shout at people to get out of your way, “Side!”)


-Eat more vegan and vegetarian foods. A more plant-based diet is healthier for your body and for the planet. Be creative about how to incorporate these foods into your lifestyle without feeling like you are depriving yourself. Every little change you make helps, so try eating vegetarian for “Meatless Mondays” or going "vegan before dinnertime". You can help the planet and your heart while still satisfying your carnivorous cravings.


These are just a few small, simple things anyone can do to help our environment. What are some other things we can do to help? What is your favorite way of helping the environment?