Press release - May 11, 2007
NEW DELHI, India — While the city geared up to celebrate the hundred and fifty years of the Indian war of independence, students of K R Mangalam World School, New Delhi took a step to usher in a world free from climate change. Over fifty students gathered in a human art formation which read "Ban the bulb" in the school grounds early this morning. Immediately afterwards, the students took to the streets at locations like Palika Bazaar, Central Park and Lodhi Road asking people to sign petitions for a ban on the light bulb. K R Mangalam World School and local NGO Pravah have joined hands with Greenepeace for the million signatures petition drive against the light bulb.
Students of KR Mangalam School in New Delhi form a human art in the shape of 'Ban the bulb' on their school playground. They took a break from their regular schedule to join the Greenpeace 'Ban the bulb' petition drive.
Greenpeace along with Pravah is conducting a two day long
engagement program with senior students of K R Mangalam School to
build awareness about climate change and encourage students to act
now for a world secure from climate change. Yesterday, an
information session on global warming, its impacts and causes was
undertaken, followed by a creative session where the children
painted slogans on T-shirts and created posters capturing their
views on the issue. Sahil Nayar from Std Eleven, a participant said
"After having learnt about the impacts of climate change, I think
it needs to be treated as a priority issue! Clearly the future is
at stake, not only in respect to electricity and water. Banning the
light bulb in India will be an important step in that larger
direction ."
Gaurav, spokesperson for Pravah, the NGO which works on building
leadership amongst young people for social change said "After a two
week long life skills education program with K R Mangalam School,
the students identified global warming as the issue they would like
to work for. We believed that Greenpeace's "Ban the bulb" campaign
would excite them, as it provided a simple solution to a larger
problem that we all can work towards immediately".
Greenpeace Public Engagement Campaigner, Brikesh Singh said,
"Commitments like these from young, empowered Indians will take us
closer to the target of one million petitions against the light
bulb, which will be a critical tool to demand from the government
of India, the power ministry and the manufacturers an immediate
action to Ban the Bulb in India by 2010"
For further information, contact
Ruchira Talukdar- Greenpeace Communications
; +91-9900264127;
Jayashree Nandi- Greenpeace Communications
; + 91-9343868011