.png)
LEAPathon: Embracing Trees
It was the 2nd of December, the city stirred in the lazy afternoon. Cars pumped noxious fumes in the air and factories continued to spread their waste around.
But it was National Pollution Prevention Day. And although we were unable to do much about the factories or cars, a group of around 100 volunteers gathered to plant trees for a greener and cleaner future.
The tree plantation drive began with the LEAPathon, a virtual walkathon conducted by LEAP and Last Ripple earlier in October, to raise funds for the tree plantation. We had participants across Bangalore participating with great gusto for this noble cause, and raised a total of almost Rs. 20000.
But our task was far from over.
In collaboration with Last Ripple, we chose December 2nd to be the day of our tree plantation, keeping in mind the significance of the National Pollution Prevention Day. There was another reason for the tree plantation – to honour those we had lost in the COVID-19 pandemic. The oxygen crisis faced by our country had affected millions of lives, and we wanted to honour their losses by planting trees, the givers of oxygen, in their memory.
The tree plantation itself was an immense success. With over 60 trees planted and 100+ active volunteers, we made sure our project had the impact we intended.
Apart from LEAP and Last Ripple, we also had volunteers joining us from RR Institutions, PISM and BIMS universities. The tree and sapling species that were planted consisted of a blend of fruiting and flowering varieties like neem, mango, Ashoka, Hibiscus and many more.
We also had the honour of hosting Vijay Nishanth, Bangalore’s “Tree Doctor”. He is an urban conservationist and animal activist, with years of experience in protecting trees and conducting plantations. Besides consulting with government bodies and resident welfare associations, he co-founded the online tree-mapping start-up Vruksha.
With every pit dug, saplings planted, and trees cared for, there was a difference in the atmosphere. Because every step created a ripple. But let’s not stop there, don’t just take a step. Take a LEAP.
For more footage and information, visit our Instagram page: