Going beyond just planting a tree once in a long while

I think we need to go beyond just planting a tree once in a long while. The urgency to take action demands that we widen the scope of our action.

Here are two ideas.

One of the ways, we can contribute towards the environment is by reducing our 'carbon foot print' as an individual, family and/or business. For example one of the things I have resolved to do as part of reducing my own carbon foot print, is to not change my 10 year old car. My cousin (a car enthusiast) says, it's still good for another 200,000kms. I'd be doing this besides using my feet, the bicyle and my motorcycle more often. May be I should also eat a little less.

A second one would be to adpot a 'green spot', ensuring that this place remains clean and green. My personal preference would be to adopt the Law college hill (Tekddi) and University of Pune Campus as my 'green spots'. Over the years I have returned again and again to this place with my family and friends and it has always been a pleasure. These places have a wide variety of trees (and I have often spotted many different types of birds there). These places are wonderful getaways within the city and are beautiful anytime of the year. I especially love the mornings there, and the evenings during early monsoon. I'm happy picking up the litter, planting trees and taking care of them...whatever it takes to preserve and nurture the place.

Better quality of life for more

India needs investment in infrastructure, not private (as in homes) but public(shared) infrastructure - like education, health, power, connectivity, travel & transportation, public utilities (water, garbage recycling, playgrounds, parks, spiritual destinations...)
India (and indeed the world at large) needs to move to a new model of economic growth - one that is driven by spreading the access to better quality of life for more people than by the one that focuses on higher levels of private consumption.
Much growth in private consumption in India over the last two decades has only ended up worsening the quality of lives for most. Making them poorer and more deprived.