Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest -Vandana Shiva

Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest                                                                                       -Vandana Shiva

Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest 

Summary:

            In this informative essay, Vandana Shiva tells us how she learnt about environmentalism from the uneducated women of Garhwal, Himalaya. Her father was a forest conservator and her mother was a farmer. She learnt a lot about ecology from the Himalayan forests. Her involvement began with `Chipko'. In the 1970s. peasant women from her region had come out to save trees. All women declared that they would hug the trees and the loggers would have to kill them before killing the trees.

Vandana Shiva decided to become a volunteer for the Chipko Movement and went for pada yatras documenting the deforestation and the work of the forest activities and created awareness about Chipko Movement, Bachni Devi, a village woman led resistance against her own husband who had obtained a contract to cut trees. The women told the officials that they had Come to teach them forestry.                                                                                                  From Chipko, she learnt about bio-diversity and she described the importance of bio-diversity in her book, 'Monoculture of the Mind'. She started saving seeds and started Navadanya Farm in 1994 in the Doon Valley. They conserve and grow 630 varieties of rice, 150 varieties of wheat and hundreds of other species and got more yield which became a solution to the problem of food and nutrition crisis. Then she started seed banks across India and instructed and pleaded the farmers to make transition from fossil fuel and chemical based monocultures to bio-diverse ecological systems nourished by the sun and the soil.

                   The United Nations General Assembly organized a conference on harmony with Nature as part of Earth Day Celebration. It is significant to note that Ecuador has recognized the rights of nature in its constitution. The discussion was about the ways to transform systems based on domination of people over nature, men over women and rich over poor into new systems based on partnership. The importance of reconnecting with Nature is stressed all human beings are an inseparable part of nature and if we do any harm to nature it is harming ourselves. Cormac Cullinan says that we need to overcome the wider and deeper apartheid-an-eco--apartheid based on the illusion of separateness of humans from nature in our minds and lives.

           Today it is the need of hour to stop thinking that our living Earth is transformed into dead matter. One should look at nature as a living nurturing mother. We need to move away from the paradigm of nature as dead matter. We should take a shift from anthropocentrism to ecocentrism. We should recognise, protect and respect the rights of other species.

                       Tagore in his essay ‘Tapovan' speaks of the forest as the source of regeneration and the source of India's best ideas. The peace of the forest has helped the intellectual evolution of man. He speaks of unity in diversity and the forest as a source of knowledge and freedom. The forest teaches us union and compassion.

                     We have to enjoy the gifts of nature without exploitation and accumulation. We should find enjoyment through renunciation and certainly not through greed of possession. If at all we want the joy of living, we need to put an end to consumerism and accumulation. Thus Vandana Shiva says that the forests teach us the values of diversity, freedom and co-existence.

Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest 

Comprehension I:

1. Trace the childhood experiences that shaped the author's interest.

Ans: Vandana's father was a forest conservator and her mother was a farmer. They lived in the forests of Himalayas. So it was from the Himalayan forests and ecosystems that shaped the author's interest in ecology.

2. How does the scarcity of water, fodder and fuel affect women?

Ans: They have to walk for longer distances to collect water and firewood. It has become a big burden. The scarcity of water, fodder and fuel arise because of a cutting trees, or large scale deforestation.

3. What features of the `Chipko' movement does the author highlight?

Ans: Vandana Shiva mentions one of the dramatic Chipko actions which took place in the Himalayan village of Adwani in 1977. A woman by name Bachani Devi led resistance against her own husband. The women held up lighted lanterns and told the officials "We have come to teach you forestry".

4. The real value of forest for women was

a) Timber from dead trees,

b) Source of basic need.

c) Springs and streams.

Ans: (c) springs and streams.

5. List the activities that she undertook after her involvement with ‘Chipko’ movement.

Ans: As a volunteer for the Chipko Movement, she spent every vacation doing pad yatras documenting deforestation and the work of the forest activists spread the message of `Chipko Movement'.

6. The conservation of bio-diversity in the agriculture leads to

a) increase in quantity of food production

b) developing variety of food grains

c) more quality food and higher nutrition.

Ans: (c) more quality food and higher nutrition.

7. Why is it important to change the fossil fuel and chemical based monoculture?

Ans: Navadanya Farm was started in 1994 and there took place conservation and growing 630 varieties of rice, 150 varieties of wheat and other grains. Here the people practice and promote a bio-diversity intensive form of farming which yielded more crops. There came seed banks. So the farmers were asked to go for transition from fossil fuel and chemical based monocultures to bio-diverse ecological systems nourished by the sun and the soil.

8. What prompted the UN to initiate a discussion on the rights of Mother Earth?

Ans: We should understand the rights of nature on the global stage. The UN was inspired by the constitution of Ecuador and organized a conference on harmony with Nature and a part of Earth Day Celebration. It was decided to maintain eco-friendly attitude towards Nature.

9. The conference organized by UN General Assembly aimed at transforming domination of

a) people over nature

b) men over women

e) rich over poor

d) all the above.

Ans: (d) all the above.

10. What, according to the author, is eco-apartheid? Why is it important to end this?

Ans: Man is today separated from Nature. Living Earth is looked as dead matter. So man disregards nature. The separation of people with nature is eco-apartheid. We need to overcome it and to live with nature in harmony.

11. What event in human history marked the beginning of separation of humans from nature?

Ans: Vandana Shiva refers to the event "Industrial Revolution".

12. How do the views of Carolyn Merchant differ from that of Francis Bacon?

Ans: Looking at Nature as nurturing mother would lead to capitalism because one does not readily sky a mother, dig into her entrails for gold or mutilate her body. This is the opinion of carolyn Merchant. But Francis Bacon is of the opinion that science and inventions have the power of conquer and subdue nature and to shake her to her foundations.

13. What ideas of Tagore inspired the author to start the Earth University.

Ans: Tagore says that the peace of the forest has helped the intellectual evolution of man and the forest is a unity in its diversity. The forest teaches us union and compassion. These ideas inspired the author to start the Earth University.

14. In what ways are Unity and diversity related each other ?

Ans: Unity in diversity is the basis of ecological sustainability and democracy. Diversity without unity becomes the source of conflict and contest. Unity without diversity becomes the ground for external control.

Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest 

Comprehension II:

1. How did the women led by Bachni Devi put up resistance to felling of trees? Do you think it was effective?

Ans: When there was large scale deforestation, peasant women had come out in defense of the forests. Women knew the real value of forests. Vandana Shiva and other women spread the message of Chipko. A dramatic action took place in the Himalayan village of Adwani in 1977. A woman by name Bachni Devi led resistance against her own husband who had obtained a contract to cut trees. When the officials arrived at the forest, the women held up lighted lanterns and told them that they had come there to teach forestry. But the officials retorted calling the women foolish and asked how they could prevent tree feeling by those who know the value of the forest. Again the women sang back in chorus about the importance of the forest.

2. Why is It important to promote bio-diversity intensive farming? How did the author achieve it?

Ans: It is important because it is beyond monoculture. Vandana Shiva started saving seeds from farmer's fields. She started "Navadanya Farm" and conserved and grew a lot of varieties, of rice, wheat and other grains. The farmers practice and promote a bio-diversity intensive form of farming. It produced more food and nutrition per acre. It helped the people to come out of food and nutrition crisis.

3. "Rights of Nature" means

a) the right of people to use nature.

b) the duty of human beings to conserve nature.

c) preserving nature for self protection.

Ans: (b) the duty of human beings to conserve

4. What does the idea of the Earth University convey? How is it different from other universities?

Ans: According to Vandana Shiva, Earth is our mother and not just a raw material to be exploited; we need to live in harmony with nature. The Earth University teaches Earth Democracy. It is the freedom for all species to evolve within the web of life and the human beings must protect and respect the rights of other species. It should move from anthropocentrism to ecocentrism. Here in this University course like "the A-Z of Organic Farming, and Agro-Ecology, and Gandhi and Globalization" run here. The Earth University calls for eco-friendly attitude towards nature.

Comprehension III:

  

1.   "Tagore saw unity with nature as the highest stage of human evolution." Do you think consumerism and

accumulation of wealth comes in the way of realizing Tagore's vision of human evolution?

Ans: Consumerism and accumulation of wealth always comes in the way of realizing our perfect vision of our evolution. In this composition Vandana Shiva says that the forests teach us the values of diversity, freedom and co-existence. Tagore says that the culture of the forest is the true Indian culture. He started Shantiniketan as a forest school. He wants inspiration from nature and to create an Indian Cultural renaissance. The peace of the forest has helped the intellectual evolution of man. The forest is a unity in its diversity. For Tagore, the forest is the source of knowledge, freedom, beauty, joy aesthetics, harmony and perfection. We should enjoy the gifts of nature without exploitation and accumulation. We should find enjoyment through renunciation and not through greed of possession. But today man is exploiting nature and looking at it as a dead matter. He has become materialistic. He is running after accumulation of money and consumerism. For this he is alienated from nature. We should learn the lesson of renunciation and not greed of possession.

2.   "The conservation of bio-diversity is the answer to the food and nutrition crises.” Discuss.

Ans: Vandana Shiva says that diversity of life forms and the need to accept diversity as the principle of life. From Chipko movement she learned about diversity and bio-diversity living economics. She brings to light our failure to understand bio-diversity book “Monocultures of the Mind”. She started "Navadanya  Farm " and conserved and grew 630 varieties of rice, 150 varieties of wheat and hundreds of other species. The people practice and promote a bio-diversity intensive form of farming that produces more food and nutrition per acre. So  the conservation of bio-diversity a solution to the problem of food and nutrition crisis. This is widely used now. There are more seed banks and to go for bio-diverse ecological systems nourished by the sun and the soil.

3.   "Conservation of diversity is crucial for the sustenance of both nature and human society.” Discuss.

Ans: In this composition we come to know that forests teach us the value of diversity, freedom and co-existence. If we do not understand these things, the very sustenance of both nature and human society are at stake. We have received best ideas because of man's communion with nature that is trees, rivers and lakes  away from the crowds. The unifying  principle of life in diversity has become the Principle of Indian Civilization. For ecological sustainability  and democracy Unity in diversity is needed and it is crucial even in human society. “United we stand; Divided we fall.” The source of conflict and contest is diversity without unity. The  forest teaches us union and compassion. The principle of equity is in the forest which is very important for the survival of nature and human society. Let us not run away from Nature. Let us live together with Nature and be Perfect creatures For the future.

4.   In the light of this essay how does one synthesize the wisdom of the past with the modern knowledge systems?

Ans: Rabindranath Tagore quotes from the ancient texts written in the forest, "know all that moves in this, moving world as enveloped by God; and find enjoyment through renunciation, not through greed of possession.”

    It is really the wisdom of the past, present and future. People in the past understand this and lived a happy and peaceful life. They worshipped every element in Nature. They lived in communion with Nature. They never thought the Earth is a separate entity. It is a part of their life. The people in the past never even dreamt of consumerism and accumulation. They knew the real joy of living. We know that it is the wisdom of the past. Today we think that Nature is a separate entity and we move away from Nature and if at all we look at it, we look with greed. We have become greedy instead of needy. In the name of progress, we have compromised our culture. The modern knowledge system never aims at looking Nature as one part of our life.

Everything I Need To Know I Learned In The Forest 

Vocabulary

A prefix is a word or syllable added to a word, to add or to change the meaning of that word.

1. Look up a dictionary and find suitable prefixes for the following words:

Ans: Words given                                                 Prefixes

responsible                                                            - irresponsible

human                                                                     - inhuman

practical                                                                  - impractical

natural                                                                    - unnatural

active                                                                       - inactive

material                                                                  - immaterial

civilized                                                                   - uncivilized

perfect                                                                 - imperfect.

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