March 12, 2023, Sunday

12 noon – 1 pm

• Mission LiFE, which means ‘Lifestyle for Environment’, has 75 actions under it. This concept was introduced by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at COP26 in Glasgow on 1st November 2021 as a mass movement for “mindful & deliberate utilization, instead of mindless and destructive consumption” to protect and preserve the environment. 
• It aims for individuals and communities to practice a lifestyle that is synchronous with nature. Those people who practice this are recognized as Pro Planet People.   
• It envisions a transition from throwaway culture to a circular economy. 
• Circular economy can generate around INR 14 lakh crore of additional cost savings by 2030.
• Changing individual and community behavior alone can have a significant impact on the environmental and climate crises.
• India is the first country to include LiFE in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as a key to combating climate change. It builds upon India’s environment-friendly culture and traditional practices.
• The average carbon footprint per person in India is 1.8 tonnes per year, as compared to the global average of 4.5 tonnes.
• Mission LiFE is designed with the objective to mobilise at least one billion Indians and other Global citizens to take individual and collective action for protecting and conserving the environment in the period 2022–28. 
• Within India, at least 80% of all villages and urban local bodies are aimed to become environment-friendly by 2028.
• Mission LiFE envisions 3 core shifts in our collective approach towards sustainability

• Change in Demand (Phase I): Nudging individuals across the world to practice simple yet effective environment -friendly actions in their daily lives.
• Change in Supply (Phase II): Changes in large-scale individual demand are expected to gradually nudge industries and markets to respond and tailor supply and procurement as per the revised demands.
• Change in Policy (Phase III): By influencing the demand and supply dynamics of India and the world, the long-term vision of Mission LiFE is to trigger shifts in large-scale industrial and Government policies that can support both sustainable consumption and production. 

• Since Mission LiFE has been launched in the 75th year of India’s independence, a list of 75 individual LiFE actions across 7 categories (saving energy, water, reduction of single use plastic, sustainable food systems, waste reductions, healthy lifestyle, e-waste reductions) has been identified. 
• Most actions are specific and measurable, easy to practice by individuals, communities and institutions, with minimal supply-side dependencies and they are non-disruptive to ongoing economic activity, and, in fact, promoting economic activity in the foreseeable future.
• These points are applicable to all. No one is out of purview of this campaign. It is first important to take up self-responsibility and then educate the people by telling them the long-term benefits. This is a challenge because we have to do this by 2028.
• We can move forward with some selected points if not all 75 points. They can serve as role model. All success stories should be publicised to see whether they are replicable, transformable or adaptable.
• All ULBs will be managing the waste in eco-friendly way so that the least waste is generated and least land area is consumed 
• We are going to get back some of our land, which is our vital resource. This means we are going to have the best life support system in the form of soil.
• We need to think on heavy lifting ideas or action points, which can be implemented easily. 
• There is a lifestyle water crisis where at one place people are not getting water to drink, while at other places, water is being wasted. Awareness is the key.
• Unless we become part of the schemes of the government, it will be very difficult. 
• Environment is not a separate subject; it has always been a part of lifestyle and it will be part of our activity always. 
• These points should be followed for our purpose, for our comfort and for our future generations. 
• We must support government policies. All these lifestyle standards and practices aim at the protection and conservation of the environment.
• The focus is on a better quality of life not only for today but also for future. So, we should adopt it, implement it and meet the target of 2028.
• Three words have come into vogue in the last few years: lifestyle, holistic approach and mindfulness. 
• But first we must know what a healthy lifestyle is.
• The healthier holistic lifestyle and the modern western lifestyle are contrasting. In the western lifestyle, the criteria are mainly consumption based. But in the holistic lifestyle, the criteria are mainly preservation based. This is a very big contrast and there can be no link between the two.
• Lifestyle is a bundle of habits, behavior, customs, social actions, responses in which individual family or group behaves that shape an individual.
• Lifestyle is a more psychological concept than a physical concept. It comes from the mind first and then is followed by other physical actions.
• Yoga is the basis of the fundamental lifestyle. The eight principles of yoga namely Yama (self-control); Niyama (self-discipline), Asanas (bodily postures); Pranayama (control of breath), Pratyahara (one pointed), Dhyana (contemplation) and Samadhi (self-realization) take care of both physical and mental health. 
• There are five yamas: Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmcharya and Aparigrapha.
• Aparigrah teaches us to not collect things that we do not need.
• There are five niyamas: Shaucha, Santosha, Tapas, Svadhyaya (to make oneself strong) and Ishvarapranidhana (believe in God).
• A list of 26 divine qualities has also been described.
• Lifestyle should be such that you live with nature and not go against it.
• The principles of yoga are the fundamentals of lifestyle. 

Participants

Dr Anil Kumar

Dr Dipankar Saha

Mr Rajeev Sharma

Mr Lovekesh Chandra

Dr S Sharma