Children unite to protect environment

An enthusiastic painter Sadhana Khandare (12) wiped the sweat off her brow as she added colour to her drawing of a globe sitting on top of a tree. When she was done, her painting depicted a man cutting the tree down, bringing the earth down with it.

An enthusiastic painter Sadhana Khandare (12) wiped the sweat off her brow as she added colour to her drawing of a globe sitting on top of a tree. When she was done, her painting depicted a man cutting the tree down, bringing the earth down with it.

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This was one of many such entries submitted by children at the Acorn Eco fair held at the Maharashtra Nature Park in Mahim on Sunday.

The fair was organised by Acorn Foundation India, a non-profit organisation working for water and waste management as well as the empowerment of slum-dwellers in urban areas. More than 300 students from schools across Mumbai participated.

“The idea was to bring children from different financial backgrounds together and make them understand their joint role in conserving the environment,” said Vinod Shetty (49), director of Acorn Foundation.

The fair consisted of nature walks, adventure sports, a drawing competition, a music and dance session, photography exhibitions and film screenings based on eco- friendly themes. Emphasis was laid on the role of rag pickers in society.

“Rag pickers sift through the waste that the city generates each day. They expose themselves to diseases to procure items for recycling and receive no recognition or social security for it,” said Parasher Baruah (31) director of Waste, a film on rag pickers screened at the fair.

The fair marked the end of the Water to Earth campaign that began on March 22.