As pollution rises and natural resources diminish, The Art of Living community, guided by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s vision, has dedicated itself to impactful environmental projects. By bringing together diverse partners, they drive substantial change through collaborative plantation efforts.
“We need to protect the environment – this is our first and foremost duty as citizens of this world. If we take care of the environment, it will take care of us and bring us health, prosperity and happiness,’’Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Protecting Our Fragile Ecosystem
The delicate interplay between humans and nature depends heavily on water and forests. Yet, we’re witnessing a 32% drop in global forest cover, coupled with worsening urban pollution that’s taking a toll on our water sources. In response, The Art of Living has been leading a global tree-planting effort for the past twenty years. The focus has been on restoring dried-up water bodies, reducing CO2 levels, improving soil health to help regenerate forests, and fighting desertification.
Mission Green Earth: Cultivating a Greener Future
To tackle the environmental crisis head-on, The Art of Living rolled out ‘Mission Green Earth,’ a large-scale tree-planting initiative. Partnering with the United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), this project has successfully seen 9,12,00,000+ trees planted worldwide.
Some of the standout efforts include planting over 70,000 trees in Ladakh, contributing more than 7,00,000 trees for river restoration projects, and placing over 100,000 trees around water recharge areas. These afforestation initiatives target regions where tree numbers are dwindling, transforming fading forests into thriving green spaces. The project also extends to barren and semi-arid lands, focusing on planting medicinal, fruit-bearing trees, and other hardy species suited to local conditions.
A 90% survival rate for these trees is a result of thoughtful practices: using drip irrigation, digging deep trenches to protect forest areas, and daily monitoring of vulnerable sites to prevent any setbacks.
Mission Green Earth stands as a powerful example of how collective effort can make a real impact on global warming, showing that every tree planted brings us closer to a healthier planet.
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