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Jun 4, 2025

World Environment Day 2025: Uniting to Beat Pollution

Our planet is our shared home, a place where we all live, grow, and dream. It gives us air to breathe, water to drink, and land to build our lives on. But it’s facing tough challenges—pollution, disappearing forests, and changing climates. Every year, on June 5th, World Environment Day reminds us to step up and care for our Earth. Did you know that over 8 billion metric tons of plastic have been produced since the 1950s? This year, let’s unite to tackle one of the biggest environmental threats—plastic pollution—and draw inspiration from those already leading the charge to create a cleaner, greener future.

The 2025 Theme: Beat Plastic Pollution

The 2025 World Environment Day theme, "Beat Plastic Pollution," puts the spotlight on a crisis choking our oceans, landfills, and ecosystems. Every year, around 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally, with less than 10% recycled. Single-use plastics, like bags and bottles, make up 40% of this waste, harming wildlife and breaking down into microplastics that infiltrate our food and water. The United Nations warns that by 2050, our oceans could have more plastic than fish if we don’t act. This highlights the need to rethink our relationship with plastic, embrace sustainable alternatives, and take bold steps to reduce waste.

Earth’s Allies: Dera Sacha Sauda’s Millions of volunteers in Action

Across the globe, millions of volunteers from Dera Sacha Sauda, guided by the visionary leadership of His Holiness Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan, are stepping up as true guardians of the Earth. With over 70 million followers, this socio-spiritual organization has transformed environmental care into a way of life. Their daily efforts—planting trees, cleaning cities, and promoting sustainable practices—show that small actions, when multiplied by millions, can create a ripple effect of change. Here are some of the transformative environment initiatives run by the organization:

Nature Campaign: Planting Trees, Growing Hope

Imagine a world where every celebration—birthdays, anniversaries, or even moments of grief—adds a tree to the Earth. Dera Sacha Sauda’s Nature Campaign has made this a reality, planting an incredible 51,918,665 trees from 2007 to 2022. Their record-breaking efforts, including Guinness World Records in 2009 and 2011 for the most trees planted simultaneously, have turned barren lands into thriving ecosystems. Each sapling is nurtured like a child, with over 70% blooming into healthy trees. This campaign doesn’t just fight plastic pollution by reducing carbon print—it creates a legacy of green hope for future generations.

Bye-Bye Ethene Campaign: Saying No to Plastic, stitching a plastic-free tomorrow

Plastic bags are suffocating our planet. In line with this year’s World Environment Day theme, it’s high time we take a stand against plastic pollution and save the Earth from drowning in mountains of non-biodegradable waste. Dera Sacha Sauda’s Bye-Bye Ethene campaign is fighting back this issue with creativity and purpose. Volunteers have swapped single-use plastics for eco-friendly cloth, cotton and jute bags, reducing waste in environment worldwide. They also transform plastic waste into plant pots, bird feeders, and home decor, proving that innovation can give new life to old materials. By inspiring millions to ditch plastic, this initiative aims at creating a future where our Earth can breathe freely.

Mega Cleanliness Campaigns: Keeping Communities Clean and Healthy

A clean street means healthier people and a happier planet. Dera Sacha Sauda’s Mega Cleanliness Campaigns, led by Guruji himself, bring volunteers to cities far and wide to pick up trash, including plastics, cutting disease risks by up to 80%. In Delhi, their first campaign lowered dengue cases, earning praise from doctors. Apart from this, about 35 mega cleanliness campaigns have been conducted by the volunteers so far in different cities and states of India. These efforts show that cleaning up isn’t just about looking nice—it’s about caring for our shared home and reducing waste.

Care for Air: Breathing made Easier with Smart Choices

Clean air is a gift we all need. The Care for Air initiative promotes using pollution-free vehicles, like electric cars or fuel-efficient vehicles, and keeping them well-maintained to cut emissions. Volunteers also encourage walking or cycling, reducing the waste and pollution tied to fuel production. This campaign helps clear the skies and shows how our travel choices can protect the planet as well as our own health.

Pollution-Free Environment Initiative: Turning Waste into manure

Burning crop residue releases millions of tons of harmful gases, but Dera Sacha Sauda’s Pollution-Free Environment initiative offers a better way. It urges farmers to transform agricultural waste into organic manure, cutting air pollution and enriching soil. In India, crop burning contributes 150 million tons of carbon dioxide annually—this campaign reduces that impact while boosting fertility. It’s a brilliant reminder that what we discard can become a gift to the Earth, nurturing life instead of harming it.

Scientific Farming and Kisan Mela: Harvesting a Green Revolution

Farming can nourish both people and the Earth. The Scientific Farming initiative teaches farmers organic techniques, like drip irrigation and chemical-free cultivation, to boost yields while protecting soil and water. Events like the Kisan Mela in Sirsa, Haryana, bring thousands together to learn sustainable practices, reducing harmful chemicals loaded fertilizers usage, and fostering a green revolution that heals the land.

Water is Life Campaign: Cherishing Every Drop

Water is life, yet 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water. The Water is Life campaign promotes rainwater harvesting, pond construction, and drip irrigation to save every precious drop. Volunteers build systems to collect and purify water, reducing reliance on plastic-intensive solutions. This initiative is a powerful call to protect our planet’s lifeline- the water, ensuring communities thrive without wasting a single drop.

Save Energy Initiative: Small Steps can make a Big Impact

Every light turned off helps our Earth. The Save Energy initiative encourages using energy-efficient appliances and saving water and electricity. By cutting energy use, we can reduce the demand for resource-intensive infrastructure, including components made from plastic, metals, and concrete — helping lower our overall environmental footprint and saving natural resources.

Cycle Initiative: Pedaling for a Cleaner World

Cars clog our air with emissions, but the Cycle initiative encourages walking and cycling to clear the skies. Volunteers lead by example, cutting pollution and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels — a major driver of carbon emissions. This joyful movement promotes health and sustainability, reminding us that every pedal forward is a step toward a cleaner Earth.

Together we Shape the Future; Act Now for Our Only Home

World Environment Day 2025 is a chance to act, not just celebrate. Beating pollution means choosing reusable items, saving water, or sharing the message with a friend. The efforts of Dera Sacha Sauda’s volunteers under the inspirational guidance of Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan prove that when we care and act together, we can make a real difference. Whether it’s picking up trash, planting a tree, or using a cloth bag, every choice matters. We all live on this one planet, our Earth, and it’s up to us to keep it healthy.

Let’s start today, take one step forward, and build a future where our planet thrives for our future generations.