BLUE SKIES MEANS HEALTH

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CLEAN AIR FOR BLUE SKIES

Ashok Silwal

Blue like the seas and the skies
And maybe the sky before the sea..
Immediate connection in our collective memory
Even if it is not always true today….

More than other colors probably
Blue is full of shades:
There is the light blue of Shiva’s skin
Like the sky in the day,
There is the dark blue of some uniforms
Like the sky in the night,
And countless nuances
From the semi-precious stone of lapis-lazuli
In Ancient Egypt,
To the ‘electric’ blue of the contemporary fashion ..
Turquoise, Royal, Navy and Cobalt,
Baby,Tiffany, Denim and Sapphire,
Persian and Midnight ….

But, for all of us, the blue of the skies
Is the bright and sharp blue of a cloudless sky
Wherever we are….

It means transparence,
Cool expansiveness and openness,
Freedom and inspiration..
It is together the soothing introspective color
Of wisdom,
And the mystery and boundless infinity
Of the Universe and God.

Precisely for these reasons
We cannot allow tiny invisible particles
And dense industrial fumes
To obscure our blue sky.

Decisions have to be made by countries and governments,
With strict rules for industries and not only.
It is a global problem ..
But in our own small way, at home,
Little gestures will help to paint our skies blue again.

And it is not just an aesthetic question clearly.
Yes… blue is beautiful, gorgeous, wonderful,
Enviable and desirable glances sometimes…
But mostly BLUE SKIES MEANS HEALTH.

In the context of Covid-19
This awareness is suddenly more important than ever.
‘HEALTHY AIR, HEALTHY PLANET’
That is the goal of
United Nations Environment Programs:
Operating against pollution,
Restoring ecosystems,
Respecting the rhythm of Nature,
Safeguarding our environment,
Making sustainable development grow….

So our skies will return to BLUE,
We will admire them from our windows and roof terraces,
In the countryside and in the mountains,
And we will like to fly into
With the kites…..

…

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