The Tesi Environmental Awareness Movement (TEAM), a non-profit, non-governmental organisation became a year old on World Environment Day as it celebrated its first anniversary on June 5 by launching three new publications in Tibetan: “Pesticides are Poison”, “A Basic Introduction to Environment and Environmental Issues” and “The Citizens Guide to the World Commission on Damson”. The organisation which was established for the express purpose of reviving ecological consciousness among Tibetan people also held various environmental activities among the students of the Tibetan Children’s Village Schools in Suja and Chuantra in Bir (Himachal Pradesh) by holding talks, drawing and essay contests on environmental issues, and a film screening.
In its first year of existence, the TEAM had brought out several publications and posters, namely, Environmental Toolkit, A Basic Understanding of the Impacts of Fertilisers and Pesticides, a Tibetan Translation of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The Tibetan language brochures included Do Not Burn Plastics, Energy Saving Tips, Say No to Styrofoam Cups, Water Saving Tips, His Holiness on Biodiversity Conservation, Say No to Endangered Species Products, Save Elephants: Stop Using Ivory Prayer Beads, Ridak Kyolu and My Pledge for a Better Earth.
Apart from producing these publications, the TEAM conducted several workshops, leadership training sessions, essay contests and funded seven environmental projects in various schools and colleges throughout India. It also successfully led several environmental campaigns during the Kalachakra 2006 at Amaravathi and Monlam Chenmo at Dharamsala. These were well received by both visiting and local Tibetans and the local Indian populace.
The NGO also focussed its energies on campaigning against the use of endangered species products by the Tibetan people. When the TEAM launched its campaign, it thought its hardest job would be to change the Tibetans’ perception on endangered species. Fortunately, the campaign gained momentum after His Holiness the Dalai Lama urged the Tibetan people to stop such consumption. He sent out this message strongly, explaining exactly why they should shun endangered animal products, particularly during the Kalachakra 2006. Since then, there has been a remarkable change in the mindset of a large number of Tibetans inside Tibet in this regard. Many of them actually brought out their old pelts and burned them in public. These pelts were collectively valued at over US$ one million.
Despite this very pleasant development, the passionate TEAM believes that there is no room for complacency. In order to sustain the campaign, the group has already chalked out four major projects for the immediate future. On the cards is the creation of a ‘Monastery Environmental Club’ through which monks and nuns will be encouraged to realize their ecological roots and mobilize them towards conservation and environmental education work. Necessary conditions will be created to promote environmental awareness among school children by providing activity-based educational materials to teachers and providing support to young environmental leaders in creation and sustenance of environmental clubs. Farmers in the Tibetan settlements will be encouraged to practice
organic farming by conducting environmental awareness drives and facilitating farmers to interact with their local agricultural extension officers and government representatives. The group will continue its work in curtailing Tibetans’ involvement in the trade of endangered species products, such as the skins of tigers, leopards and otters, and in ivory beads, through campaigns about the plight of these animals as well as the non-monetary values of biodiversity.
