To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves. - Mahatma Gandhi
Life and civilization depend on our planet's soil. Soil is critical for the health of our planet. It not only maintains the carbon cycle which helps to regulate the climate but also stores and filters water, and aids to control floods and drought. Soil is also essential to promote the diverse and large biological community.
‘Save the Soil’ is a global movement, launched by the famous Indian Guru, Sadhguru, to address the soil crisis in the world. This movement is about bringing people together to keep the magic of soil alive.
Sadhguru has rightly said, “When we destroy the soil, we are destroying future life. As a generation, we have the responsibility to turn this around.”
At St. Columba’s School, we are making efforts to support this movement by spreading awareness among children to do their bit in joining hands to save soil. In the Junior wing, an initiative was taken in all the classes to encourage students to keep the soil clean and to spread awareness so that soil is once again enriched to support life on our planet.
This campaign was introduced to our students through class discussions and a few informative videos on “Save the Soil”.
The students of Class 1 were taken for a Nature Walk and encouraged to observe the small insects, trees, flowers, earthworms, etc., and feel grateful towards Mother Earth for how it nurtures life. In the classrooms, our little artists exhibited their creativity in designing beautiful posters and sticking small pictures to create their own masterpieces to support this movement.
The boys of Class 2 gathered information on the importance of soil. The children had a class discussion on the topic and they shared how soil supports life and nurtures plants and trees.
The children also explored and discussed the main reasons for soil erosion and pollution. They highlighted the fact that saving soil is necessary for the environment and to save life on Earth we must save soil. A Poster Making Activity conducted as a follow up helped students to express their ideas through art.
With the students of Class 3, the teachers conducted a session about the need for rich soil. The boys were inquisitive to know why the fruits are not so delicious and vegetables are not so fresh these days. They brainstormed and listed a few points to write a letter to the honourable Prime Minister to make a humble request so that we can save the mother of all the mothers- “Our Soil”. The students of Class 3 beautifully expressed their thoughts through this letter.
All the teachers integrated these different activities into their lessons. The children imbibed the value that we all need to work with and for nature and not against it. This campaign was integrated with SDGs and the 5 Ps thereby generating awareness and promoting the importance of little efforts to achieve great results among our students.
