In order to create awareness about the dangers of the burning of plastic, one old man from Kerala – who makes home both in Canada and Kerala – planned to run 1030 kms, beginning at the Southern tip of India, through the length of Kerala from the very south to its very north, and into the state of Karnataka, reaching the Sree Mookambika Temple in Kollur. He had planned to run a half-marathon a day, for forty-five days in November and December. But he averaged over 25 kms each day and finished the run in forty days, on December 29, 2008. Thus was born Ecorun India!
He is happy to be alive, for although most drivers gave him a wide berth, hundreds did not. And private buses speeding to pick up passengers left him only inches and sometimes not even that. On close calls he used to jump in to the ditches or bushes or whatever was by the road. Still, one vehicle grazed him and threw him into the ditch. This makes us ask: Are our minds so numb to nature that an old man has risk his own life to inform us of our wantonness?
In the interest of a green Earth, India cannot postpone longer the implementation of an ecologically friendly waste management policy. How is this to be achieved?
Recycling is science. Dr. Thomas who did the run says that the state government should proceed by appointing a task force made up of chemists, chemical engineers, and successful entrepreneurs and then acting on their recommendation. He believes that a task force report can be completed in six months and recycling started in two years. He hopes to see regional recycling factories and household collection of used plastic. The recycling will produce thousands of new jobs.
Ecorun India will continue to place, without let, the environmental issues constantly before the governments. It is the hope of Ecorun India to organize runs every year to promote an ecological, social, or societal cause. A travelogue of his experiences is expected to come out in 2015. The gallery link has images from the 2008 Event.
Ecorun India acknowledges the help and cooperation of Kerala Tourism and the Reva Electric Car Company in making the event a success.