Green initiative, excellent effort

We have been honing our skills in practice games and at nets, and while that might appear routine business, what is certainly not routine is the green initiative RCB has undertaken. RCB has been in the forefront of this campaign, and it is really nice that with an eye on the environment, the franchise is showing its commitment to the cause by opting for green jerseys in the match against the Kochi Tuskers on Sunday.

RCB has always been associated with red, and to deviate from that path and embrace green, even if only for one game, shows that RCB isn’t merely paying lip-service towards environmental concerns.

I must add that RCB has also pledged its support and commitment to the environment throughout the year and not just during the IPL, though I am sure everyone will agree with me that the IPL provides such a great platform to espouse such causes.

I personally feel it is important to use platforms such as these to spread messages and create awareness because the IPL has the potential and the reach to impact millions around the globe.

This initiative also gels well with what I am doing in my personal capacity with wildlife and the Kumble Foundation. I would like to think of this green initiative as a recognition of the tireless efforts of unselfish soldiers who are championing the cause of maintaining the environmental balance and of protection of wildlife. They are the key stakeholders in protecting our natural resources and forests, and this is our small, little way of saying a big ‘Thank you’ to them.

When you reflect on it, it doesn’t take too much to ensure that we remain environment-friendly. It doesn’t cost money; all it requires is the thought, the intent and the coming together of like-minded people to get the message across.

Hence the significance of the IPL as a powerful platform. Cricket is a great vehicle to share messages and create awareness. The bandwidth of the IPL encompasses both the grandfather and the grandson; womenfolk too watch the tournament keenly. In that sense, it is important to reach out to the young kids, make direct contact with them and make them aware at an early age that it is important to protect our environment.

As much as we need to go green in cities, it’s all the more important to keep our forests and our wildlife intact. It’s in the forests that all rivers take birth, and the green cover is where we get our rains from. Also, there is so little wildlife left that if we don’t protect it, what is left will also alarmingly dip in this world of globalisation and urbanisation. I am really glad the RCB has taken the first, and so far only step in the IPL, in this regard. I wish the others also take a leaf and associate themselves in similar endeavours, because it is our responsibility to reach out to the common man and let him participate in such initiatives.

Speaking of wildlife, the Bengal Tiger is back in the IPL. It will be interesting to see how Sourav Ganguly performs for his new team, the Pune Warriors, though we at RCB will be focussing all our attention on our next encounter, against Kings XI at home on Friday.

Hawkeye Communications