US Sikhs vow to plant 100 forests

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 11

Members of the Sikh community pledged to support the plantation of Guru Nanak Sacred Forests in Punjab and other parts of India while participating in an event to celebrate EcoSikh’s 10th anniversary in Washington.

As per a press release issued today, over 250 participants pledged their support to combat climate change by planting forests in Punjab and other places in the world. Guests enthusiastically donated and pledged to fund the planting of 100 Guru Nanak Sacred Forests to help EcoSikh reach its target of planting 1 million trees to mark the Guru’s 550th birth anniversary. EcoSikh has planted 120 mini forests of 550 trees of native species in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Jammu and Chandigarh.

Shubendhu Sharma, the keynote speaker at the event, said, “The world is facing an environmental crisis and it is affecting the health of our children. Planting a forest is the best investment for our collective future.”

EcoSikh’s global president Rajwant Singh, said, “Climate change is the greatest threat facing the world and world religions have a great role to play in addressing the issue. We feel that planting a forest in our backyard, schools, colleges and gurdwaras can go a long way in purifying our surroundings and making a dent in carbon sequestering.”