Sripriya Satish
“The earth, the air, the land, and the water are not an inheritance from our forefathers but a loan from our children. So we have to hand over to them at least as it was handed over to us,” Mahatma Gandhi.
The other day, when I was browsing through our apartment WhatsApp chat, a particular conversation was intriguing. A community member raised an issue as to why she was not allowed to pluck flowers or, for that matter, even leaves for offering to God. She lamented that the flowers were one of the Almighty’s beautiful creations, and instead of allowing them to dry and fall on the ground, why not use them as an offering to Him? While the flowers were available in plenty, which will serve for the purpose of beautifying the premises, why not pluck only a negligible quantity of them for personal use? This was her question!
Well! As I retrospect this conversation, one major question arose. That was whether to pluck or not to pluck flowers. This led me to do extensive research on this subject. As I did, I came to know several eye-opening facts.
Though plucking flowers gives emotional satisfaction and has many religious and cultural significance associated with it, this activity can also cause major ecological problems, which can be listed below.
Flowers are the major source of food for the bees, butterflies, and other pollinating agents. So plucking them can cause a major setback in their population, which can in turn cause a major ecological setback. Here are some alarming statistics. According to a 2019 report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), 40% of pollinators are in danger of extinction due to a lack of habitat arising out of plucking of flowers, which has caused their habitat to be snatched away from them.
Secondly, the flowering plant's reproductive health can show a major decline, which can be a major source of concern. A study conducted in 2018 showed that excessive harvesting of flowers has led to reduced reproductive ability in 60% of plant species in the Western Ghats, which is a biodiversity hotspot.
Certain South Indian states of India have shown a 20% to 30% reduction in the lifespan of flowering plants.
A study conducted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has stated that one in every five flowering species is at the risk of extinction.
Now the question arises as to how the emotional and cultural factors associated with plucking flowers can be satisfied. India is a land where every ceremony is associated with flower decoration.
Well! One solution can be to support the local farmers and florists who practice sustainable farming methods without causing imbalance in nature. Instead of plucking flowers from the apartment premises and causing harm to the environment, is it not wise to buy flowers from these local retailers who, in turn, support the farmers engaged in sustainable farming?
As Osho rightly quoted, "A flower is an expression of the love of the earth. We should not be so ungrateful as to destroy it."
Is it not our duty to let the generations to come to take delight in the same floral species that we are enjoying right now instead of being the cause for their extinction? Point to ponder!