‘How green was my Valley then, and the Valley of them that have gone.’ This line is from a 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn, born of his conversations with local mining families in Gilfach Goch, South Wales. It was made into an Oscar award winning film that chronicles the loss of a way of life due to coal mining and its effects on the family.
The story is universal and true even today… the devastation of livelihoods and dependency on the vagaries of exploitative jobs… the destruction of ecology and the degradation of the quality of life… the complicity of the authorities and irresponsible illegalities by the raiders of the earth…
But most pertinent is the insulated indifference of those at distances, who love the green valley but will do nothing to keep it so. We lament that the valley is green no more but refuse to stand in solidarity with those who endure in traditional livelihoods. We take up cudgels for the mining dependents (who deserve concern) but we ignore those affected (uprooted) by the quarrying.
Eventually we must quit the whine song about a green valley gone. We must involve and support ways to keep it green or revive it. We must ponder over our contribution and choices now! The valley was green then because someone kept it or made it that way. We must maintain what we can and restore what we failed to maintain.
The green then was born of efforts of those who involved in sustainable livelihoods and others who recognised and supported them. The quality of life came from those who believed in collecting fruit that fell off trees, instead of felling trees to pluck the fruit. The green then was nurtured by a responsible and responsive approach. Now it requires similar actions to ensure that the valley remains green for the future.
Green then was our valley catering to real need
Green now it can be if we halt our hurried greed!
~ Pravin Sabnis
The story is universal and true even today… the devastation of livelihoods and dependency on the vagaries of exploitative jobs… the destruction of ecology and the degradation of the quality of life… the complicity of the authorities and irresponsible illegalities by the raiders of the earth…
But most pertinent is the insulated indifference of those at distances, who love the green valley but will do nothing to keep it so. We lament that the valley is green no more but refuse to stand in solidarity with those who endure in traditional livelihoods. We take up cudgels for the mining dependents (who deserve concern) but we ignore those affected (uprooted) by the quarrying.
Eventually we must quit the whine song about a green valley gone. We must involve and support ways to keep it green or revive it. We must ponder over our contribution and choices now! The valley was green then because someone kept it or made it that way. We must maintain what we can and restore what we failed to maintain.
The green then was born of efforts of those who involved in sustainable livelihoods and others who recognised and supported them. The quality of life came from those who believed in collecting fruit that fell off trees, instead of felling trees to pluck the fruit. The green then was nurtured by a responsible and responsive approach. Now it requires similar actions to ensure that the valley remains green for the future.
Green then was our valley catering to real need
Green now it can be if we halt our hurried greed!
~ Pravin Sabnis
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