Spring 2020 colour trends

Stay home, stay safe

I just read yet another article about the lock

down being unnecessary in the Guardian and I decided to write this post. Yes coronavirus is a middle class phenomenon, not because it discriminates between victims but because those who caught it were exposed to it from travelling or being in contact with foreigners. However, if we are to contain it in India where a huge population lives in close proximity, a lock down is important so it does not skip around indiscriminately between the classes. Yes there should definitely have been better planning by the government to accommodate the marginalized who are worst hit, of course there is liability on the part of the government for massive mismanagement but this is the time to simply and quietly do what you can or suggest practical solutions.

I am deeply thankful that the virus has been contained and the situation in India is not as bad as other countries where there is no lock down.

That said, we should use this time to reflect. Why can you see Burj Khalifa from up north; why is there better air quality, and why have temperatures come down? We have always put humans above nature in our agenda and this is payback. Whether it is a question of eating animals that could have been avoided or relentlessly pushing back forests and wetlands, there has been no containment of our greed and we have often justified our actions by giving weightage to unemployment issues.

I think we need to ask ourselves some hard questions about our development agenda and also the services that need to be put in place by the government in times of disaster and to prevent massive health problems of this nature. We might be facing the whole cycle again in December. These questions should really be asked of ourselves- do we need to fuel over consumption of goods and services or do we need to practice the old principles of 'make do, mend or do without' that our forbears were forced to embrace? Do we need to stop focusing on cities and spread our infrastructure and public service efforts to rural areas? Should we go local with a vengeance?

This is a great time to push ourselves to come up with innovative ways to replace our consumption patterns with more environment friendly ones and reduce our carbon footprints. Knee jerk reactions will really not work anymore and be aware this is actually a spiritual practice irrespective of our religious beliefs or non-belief. Let us give thanks for small things, appreciate those who are risking their lives in the service of humanity and think up ways to apply Schumacher's principles of 'small is beautiful' and Gandhiji's idea- ' there is enough for man's need but not his greed'🙏.