Say "NO" to Plastic Bags

Does this sight, disturb you? As you open the gate of your home to go out, you will probably step over used plastic bags, empty biscuit wrappers, or even empty pan masala pouches. All over the street, in the drains and on the pavements there are discarded plastic packets and bottles, making the whole place filthy.  Is it not? If yes, this message is a call for action.

The use of plastic seems to have grown to alarming proportions and seems to keep growing. There is a need to put an end to it, as it is a major threat for our environment. First let us try to find out why plastic is an environmental hazard.

• Polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polystyrene are the composition base in the manufacture of plastics and these materials are not bio-degradable in nature.
• Over 4 trillion plastic bags are manufactured each year, of which hardly,  1%  is recycled
• It takes 1000 years for polyethylene bags to break down.
• As polyethylene breaks down, toxic substances leach into the soil and enter the food chain.
• Plastic bags are carried by the wind into forests, ponds, rivers, and lakes
• More than 1 million birds and I lakh marine mammals perish each year by either eating plastic waste or becoming trapped in it. These animals suffer a painful death, the plastic wraps around their intestines or they choke to death.
• Plastic waste in India is about 4.5 million tons a year. The average human in India uses 3 kg of plastic per person per year.

Countries all over the world are slowly becoming aware of the threat plastic bags present to our world. Many have enacted laws aimed to decrease the use of plastic bags, while others have, or are, planning to impose taxes on the use of plastic bags.

A ban on plastic may be the right answer.  Take for example, a place like Ooty. Earlier, owing to tourist crowd there was enormous amount of plastic waste which was spoiling the beauty of this nice hill station. Today, they have a very strict ban on plastic and the results are clearly obvious. Ooty has stylish-looking newspaper bags in which your tea, chocolates and spices will be handed over. These forward-thinking, socially conscious corporations should be commended, but the reality is, we do not have to wait for such laws to be enforced. If each one of us make a commitment, and take responsibility for this pollution which threatens to overwhelm the city, we can make a change.

There is one simple action we can all take that will have an enormous impact on the health of our planet and its inhabitants. The next time you shop, don't forget to carry your own shopping bag. If everyone did this, one of the most lethal polluters created by man would be removed from circulation. Carry a shopping bag like we did in the old days or put a basket into the boot of your car into which you can fill a whole shopping cart. We can lessen our environmental footprint by minimizing our use of plastic shopping bags.  If we do so, our world will become a cleaner, safer place for all living things.

If each of us cut back on our consumption of plastic responsibly, there will be much less floating around the garbage dumps in the city. It might take a little planning and a little more time to say no to plastic bags, but by putting life ahead of inconvenience, each and everyone of us can make a difference to the health of our planet and to all of those living things that have no choice but to live or to die because of the decisions we make.

Let us take a vow to curtail the usage of plastic bags and make the city we live in, a better place.

  D. Senthil Kannan,

  Managing Trustee, PALMS, Tuticorin.

  Author of "Transformational Thoughts" - A Journey of learning 

  Email: senthilkannand@gmail.com

 

Are Changes Making Our Life, Better or Bitter

We are living in an exciting period of time, where we come across so many changes in our day to day life. We are experiencing things that people have never experienced before. For instance, three great inventions have drastically changed the way of life. Computer, Internet, and Mobile Phone. Well, with every invention coming in there is always a debate whether it is a boon or curse. But not withholding our opinions, inventions continue to happen. Medical research has advanced to such great high levels, that scientist are finding ways to modify your genetic patterns.

 

For thousands of years, humans have walked around in an environment that was different from the one we move around in today. I read a nice quote which said, “In those days, people did not have watches, but they had time. But today, everyone has watches but no one has the time.” It is an irony. Our ancestors spent their time in a world that was outdoor-oriented, where the family was the focus, where survival was tied to hands-on work, and where not much changed. Advances in technology and changes in their way of life occurred, but when they did, the change was slow and gradual. People had time to adapt.

 

Today, advances in technology are occurring at a rate that we have never experienced before. Within the time span of just one decade or less, an entire way of life can be shaped and altered. Just about when you seem to get familiar with a gadget, a new gadget comes. Look at the way the mobile phones have evolved. From the size of a brick to something that is invisible outside your palms.

 

In the beginning of the 1990s, the average household had only one telephone and no experience with computers. When something broke, it was possible to fix most items with your own hands. Now, just one decade later, people find it strange if you can't be reached at most hours and locations on your cell phone if you don't have e-mail and Internet access, and if your business doesn't have a web page. Since computers are now being incorporated into many items, when something breaks we can only get out the phone book to call the technical guy; we are no longer capable of fixing things with our own hands. These changes represent not only changes in our technology but also changes in the amount of control we feel over our own lives. It is exciting that our style of life changes so quickly, but at the same time, it also makes us feel somewhat lost and disoriented. Though there has been an increase in comfort and convenience, people are feeling less happy and less satisfied than they were a decade before.

To win the battle against unhappiness, we need to be alert to the patterns in how we approach our interactions, people, our environment, and our everyday activities. This alertness and awareness in life is the most reliable tool we can use in the pursuit of happiness.

 

D. Senthil Kannan,

Managing Trustee, PALMS, Tuticorin.

Author of "Transformational Thoughts" - A Journey of learning 

Email: senthilkannand@gmail.com

 

An Experiment on Trust

Sometime back, I visited Chennai to attend the Global Investors Meet 2015, which was held in a grand fashion.

 I took a cab from my hotel in Koyambedu to the Chennai Trade Centre at Nandambakkam. On reaching the destination, I found that the meter read Rs.150/-. Unfortunately, I did not have change in my wallet.  I had only 1000 Rupee notes. So I gave it to the driver and the driver said that he too did not have change. As there was a parking difficulty in the gate of the Venue and there were no shops nearby to go and get any change, we were in a fix. I told the cab driver, it was my mistake that I did not carry change with me and I also asked him, as I had to anyway return to the hotel room from the Venue, in the evening, can he come and pick me up from the Venue at 4.30pm. He readily obliged and at the same time was surprised.

 

Probably he must have never met a customer like me, who gives him Rs.1000/- and trusts him to come back. All that I had was his phone number and no other evidence. So even in case he did not come back, there was no way I could get back the balance money. I am sure, not many people would dare to do such stupid things. Am I right? Well, it was just a matter of Trust in a fellow human being.

 

Here is where something very interesting happened. The cab driver kept calling me once every 30 minutes, after 2pm and asked if the programme was over. I told him to relax, and take other rides and come only by 4.30pm. But he was in the Venue at 3.30pm. He called me and said that he is waiting for me in the parking lot and said he will wait and not to hurry.

 

So, after finishing the programme I came out at 5pm and he was happy to see me. I had to go to a few more places, where he took me and waited without any fuss, till reaching me back at my hotel room at 8,30pm. When we parted, he gave me the balance amount after the actual charges and I voluntarily gave him additional Rs.100, as I felt he had waited too long for me. He was delighted. He thanked me whole heartedly and asked me to call him whenever next I come to Chennai.

 

I realised how much of a positive impact, my trust had on him. Infact, he wanted to prove double worthy of my trust, by coming early.

 

In light of the above context, I would like to question, how many of us are open to the idea of trusting people. With so much of negative news on media, about crime and thefts we have lost our ability to trust people. We are rather afraid to trust people, because we don’t want to end up, as a laughing stock.

 

I am not saying that we will not be cheated if we trust. People who trust are prone to be cheated. But may be 1 in a 100, would be a cheat, then why should we look at all the other 99 with the same perception. Will we be happy if somebody doubts us? Don’t we feel hurt when somebody doesn’t trust us? Is it not the same with everyone?

 

We have always been taught to doubt people, rather than trust them. We assume that the world is full of cheats, and unless we are shrewd and careful enough, people will cheat us. My take on this is, “if a person is a cheat, no matter how much cautious you are he/ she will still cheat you and if the person is a good person, no matter how much careless you are, he/she will still not cheat you”.

 

I have had experiences in my life, where I have trusted people and have been cheated. In the process, I have also lost a lot money. But this has not stopped me from trusting people. I still continue to trust, because trusting is my nature and I see no better option.  People may think I am naïve or I haven’t learnt the lesson from my mistakes. But I don’t see trusting people, as a mistake. May be I should be more prudent before trusting, but I can never stop trusting.

 

Trusting People and Being Trustworthy is a character we form at our childhood days. Our childhood environment, shapes our belief of the world. So, I urge all parents to inculcate the value of trust in their children as a lifelong gift.

 

D. Senthil Kannan,

Managing Trustee, PALMS, Tuticorin.

Author of "Transformational Thoughts" - A Journey of learning 

Email: senthilkannand@gmail.com

 

Embrace Feedback, Ensure Growth

I don't watch much TV. However, there are a few programmes I like to watch. One such programme is the popular Airtel Super Singer on Vijay TV.

For those of you who are not aware of this programme, it is a Singing competition-based TV show, which goes through many rounds and levels with elimination at different levels. The programme stretches to almost a year and culminates to a grand finale, where one of the participants gets to win the prestigious “Airtel Super Singer” title and a big prize.

I like to watch the programme, not just because I am fond of listening to songs, but it is because I like the way the panel of judges give comment or feedback about the performance, to the participants. What we usually find in this programme is the feedback starts with a big dose of appreciation on the participant's strong areas. Then they gently touch upon the weak points. The new terminology to describe one's weak point is “Areas for improvement” which is a positive phrase, to use while giving feedback. Amazingly it works well, because it does not hurt a person's ego. The areas of improvement could be the voice pitch, squeakiness of the voice, breathe control, pronunciation or whatsoever. The work of the judges is to motivate the participants to perform better and at the same time, bring to their awareness their shortfalls. The feedback given is often very specific, laser clear and sharp. This type of specific feedback gives ample opportunity for the participant to improve on those areas. And the feedback again ends in a positive note. The best part is they give this feedback in a soft and caring tone, with a warm smile. What I have interestingly observed is that the participants who take this feedback seriously and work on it, often make it to the top 10. Also, it is truly amazing to see that some of the participants, who are not so good at the entry stage of the competition, eventually transform themselves into excellent singers, by making conscious effort to change or improve on the areas identified as areas of improvement.

I have been a member of learning organization called Toastmasters. Toastmasters,  is all about practising public speaking in front of a small group of audience, who are fellow members. At the end of the speech, one of the members evaluates the speech. Here too the typical sandwich technique feedback is adopted. So, what is this sandwich technique? Like a sandwich which has the spicing filling in between and two slices of bread, the feedback starts with positive comments, then talks about the areas of improvement and again closes with a positive comment. This type of feedback has really helped members of our club to become better speakers.

Feedback is not criticism. There is a big difference between plain negative criticism and well-intended genuine feedback. Therefore when someone gives you a feedback, never take it as criticism. Never take it personal. Take it on your performance. Feedback is a way of appraising your performance. Feedback is necessary for growth. Believe me, not many people take active interest in you to point out your mistakes. Be thankful to them, rather than condemning them. People, who try to defend themselves when feedback is given to them, lose the opportunity to learn and grow. When we tend to reject feedback or justify our point, even the people who are genuinely interested in our growth, may stop giving feedback, fearing not to hurt us.

So, next time when someone gives you a feedback, be open to hear. Ask them to be more specific, as to what they think could be improved. Find out what they felt was good and what they felt that you could have done better. This will give scope for you to improve upon yourself. Even if you are doing it well, you can see how you can better your best. Remember, perfection is always a moving target. Be willing to embrace feedback and growth will be willing to embrace you.

D. Senthil Kannan,

Managing Trustee, PALMS, Tuticorin.

Author of "Transformational Thoughts" - A Journey of learning 

Email: senthilkannand@gmail.com

The Missile Man of India

Former National President,  Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s death on 27^th July 2015. came as a shock to all of us. Within a few minutes we heard the news, we could see all social media such as Facebook and Whatsapp, flooding with condolences messages and memoirs of the great leader.

It is normal for such messages to be flowing when a great leader of this stature, passes away, but what impressed me most was that many of the sharings were of personal in nature.  Many had posted the photos they had taken with him; some had posted images of appreciation letters he has send to them and few had posted the autograph they had received from him. It was a true revelation to see that this 83-year-old man, has personally touched the lives of so many people in a positive way, right from young students to seasoned academicians.

Something notable about, Dr.Kalam is that he was a multifaceted person. He was a highly intelligent scientist, an honest president, a guest lecturer giving intellectual and inspiring talks to college students, a motivator to school students, a poet who penned a few masterpieces and a writer who has written a number of books and most importantly a dreamer who had a dream for India. Through all the above roles he played, he just seemed to have had a single-minded focus of making India, a superpower. All the efforts he has made, has been in this direction.

His book “Vision 2020”, is a road map for India. He has laid the manifesto for a future India.  This book can be looked up as a ready reckoner for the legislators, when making policy decisions and for the future citizens of this country to work on those lines to realise his dream of a strong India.

Through his many speeches to school children, he has sown the seeds of thoughts that has aspired then to become contributing citizen of a strong nation.

His contribution to the field of aeronautical science, space research, nuclear tests, has put India in the map of the world, as a strong country. This has really made other countries look up at India, as a fast emerging superpower.

Dr.Kalam’s life is spectacular. From being born in a poor family in a rural hamlet in the southern corner of India to reach the status of president, is not a normal fete. When we come to know of the different incidents that has happened in his life, through his interviews or reading his books, our respect and admiration for him grows, many fold It is a classic example of how hard work, determination and aspiration, can take someone to great heights in life.

Dr.Kalam was a man of values and principles. He is someone who has “walked his talk”.  He is a portrayal of simplicity, integrity and selfless service. He was a true visionary, who consciously stood clear out of all political parties and remained neutral throughout his entire career.

There are so many things we could learn from Dr.Kalam. The most significant of which, I think is his humility. In spite of all the greatness he has achieved, he was a very simple, down to earth person who connected so well with the common man, that he was always looked up as the “People’s President”

In one of his speeches to school students, he says that, though he has invented so many missiles, what he considers as his best invention, is the invention of the lightweight callipers, which he created using the composite material used in building missiles. By doing so he was able to reduce the weight of the callipers from 3 kgs to 300gms. This helped the disabled children, to walk with ease. This he says is what brought him the most joy in his life.

In addition to the many doctorates conferred upon him by many leading universities, he has won many of the prestigious Indian awards including the highest civilian award, “Bharath Ratna”. It sounded so apt when our honourable prime minister, Mr.Narendra Modi, tweeted that “Bharath has lost a Ratna”, on hearing the news of his demise. 

Dr.Kalam has written many quotes. The one that impressed me most was “Great dreams of great dreamers are always transcended”. I only pray and wish that, the great dream of making India a  superpower, by the great dreamer Dr.Kalam be transcended to the future generation. It is only by accepting responsibility to make his dream come true, can we pay a true tribute to this great leader.

D. Senthil Kannan,

Managing Trustee, PALMS, Tuticorin.

Author of "Transformational Thoughts" - A Journey of learning 

Email: senthilkannand@gmail.com

No Pain No Gain - Transformational Thoughts

 

No Pain No Gain     

All of us aspire to make it big in life, but very few really make it through. So, what is that stopping then from achieving it? Is there a mantra that can help us achieve our aspirations? Yes, luckily there is one! The mantra is, “NO PAIN, NO GAIN”.

The idea of pain, is something we all are averse of. No one wants to go through a painful process. We are always looking at choosing an easy way out. But we need to remember few things in life are not attained, unless we dare to go through the painful process.

We have all studied in school, the life cycle of a butterfly, where we got introduced to a wonderful terminology - Metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is the transformation process of how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. The metamorphosis is no doubt painful, but the end result is that a dirty crawling caterpillar becomes a colorful and beautiful butterfly that can fly, from flower to flower, adding beauty to the garden and being admired by all. For the butterfly, the resultant gain is worth the pain, it had to go through.

Similarly, when we believe that the resultant gain of a painful process is going to be of much higher value to us, there are higher chances for us to willingly accept and go through the pain. 

But what stops us from going through a painful grind. Is it because we are unable to get out of our comfort zone? Is it because, we find it difficult to overcome our temptations? Is it because, our aspirations are weak? Or is it we are not willing to pay the price? The reasons could be many. When we are fixed with such dilemma, the simple guideline we need to follow is:

“Short term pain, long term pleasure;

Short term pleasure, long term pain”

 We are easily carried away by a number of short term pleasures, as it instantly gratifies us. But if you closely look into it, most often the end result of indulging in such activities is pain. Short term pleasure activities like smoking, drinking, indulging in high-calorie foods, excessive sleeping, heartless gossiping, mindless TV watching may give us short term pleasure, but in the long run becomes detrimental to our health, our well being, our relationships and ultimately our growth.

On the other hand, we tend to avoid many things which instantly sound like pain but the end result of pursuing such activities leads to lasting happiness. Activities such as waking up early, doing physical exercise, being free of bad habits, cutting down on junk foods, to learn something new, to work few extra hours, to stick to a daily routine, to live a disciplined life. These may feel like pain at the face of it, but eventually helps us to be a healthy person, a highly performing individual and an achiever.

We advise our children, if you want to live a comfortable life in future, you should study well, now. You should not mindlessly watch TV, browse internet or gossip with friends. You should use this time to study. Now tell me, does it sound like pain or pleasure? Of course it sounds like pain. To study for long hours is not easy. But the rewards of pain are truly immense and there is a ripple of benefits down the line. The same applies to us well. If we want to achieve greatness and make a meaningful contribution to this world, we should be willing to forego some short-term pleasures. No big achievement has ever happened without a painful routine. Ask any sportsman and he would say how many hours of tireless effort he has put before he reached, where he is today. There is no easy way out. “Burning the midnight oil”, is a term we often hear of when we talk about people who strived relentlessly in making their dream come true.

Great academicians, Great musicians, Greats artists, Great scientists, Great sportsmen, all have one thing in common. To them, their dream was bigger than their life. They were willing to pay the price of time and effort, for the rewards they aspired in life.

If you aspire greatness, then follow this mantra of our predecessors who achieved greatness.

D. Senthil Kannan,

Managing Trustee, PALMS, Tuticorin.

Author of "Transformational Thoughts" - A Journey of learning 

Email: senthilkannand@gmail.com