Year-long ‘Nature School’ to herald a carbon-neutral future

Initiative of Paravur block panchayat in 52 educational institutions

A carbon-neutral feast and a painting festival involving more than 14,400 students from schools under the Paravur block panchayat are heralding a carbon-neutral future that will cover the entire spectrum of human activities from schooling to agriculture. The painting festival on Friday and the carbon-neutral lunch on Saturday were meant as massive billboards to announce an initiative by the Paravur block panchayat to establish a year-long ‘Prakriti School’ or ‘Nature School’ in all 52 educational institutions within its limits, including government, aided and private schools.

The Nature School programme was being undertaken with support and technical advice from the Agriculture department and the Kottuvally grama panchayat Krishi Bhavan, said sources in the department on Sunday. Agriculture Minister P. Prasad will inaugurate the Nature School programme later this month. The inauguration was slated for Sunday, but was put off owing to the COVID lockdown.

The basic concept behind Nature School is to inculcate in students an awareness about the central role nature plays in daily lives and the need to reduce carbon emissions. The activities will include natural farming, planting of trees and mangroves, reviving traditional crops, familiarising students with traditional food and cooking, and creating awareness about local remedies and art forms.

Though the official inauguration has been postponed, Nature School activities have been launched with the preparation of a 2.5-acre demonstration farm close to the office of the Paravur block panchayat. It will be a carbon-neutral field where energy consumption, carbon emissions, and soil quality will be closely monitored. It would act as a case study and a demonstration on the basics of carbon neutrality for students, said the sources.

The carbon-neutral lunch was organised jointly by the students of Chavara Darshan CMI Public School, Koonammavu, and Kottuvally grama panchyat Krishi Bhavan. The fare comprised mostly uncooked fruits and vegetables, sprouts, tender coconuts, and dried fruits. The carbon neutral kitchen was the result of the joint efforts of students led by Moozhikkulam Sala director T. R. Premkumar.

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