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By Vijigeesha Veluri, Dha3R NGO

Two years ago, on a breezy evening, two friends and I were enjoying a cup of Irani chai at a tiny roadside kiosk. Alongside, we ordered Osmania biscuits — because, honestly, chai just feels incomplete without them. We dipped the biscuits, sipped the tea, laughed about life, and eventually finished our cups.

As habit would have it, I looked for a dustbin, crumpled my paper cup, and tossed it in. Then, I waited for my friends to do the same… only to watch them casually drop theirs on the ground.

These were dear friends, so I could gently nudge them — “Hey, pick them up, put them in the bin.” A few harmless smirks followed, and life moved on.

But driving home, I kept thinking:

• • Had I just acted like I was on some moral high ground?

• • Was I virtue signalling?

• • And more importantly, when did I become this person who actually noticed and cared?

That answer took me back to 2022 — the year I joined DHA3R, an environmental NGO founded by a couple of fellow members of the LB Nagar Runners in Hyderabad.

The Subtle Shift

It began with small acts — lake clean-ups, plogging sessions, seminars, and endless conversations about the environment. Topics ranged from eco-friendly packaging to the frustrating inaction of authorities on pollution.

Over time, those conversations started to shape me.
What I had learnt in school and college as “theory” began to take root in everyday practice. I started thinking differently, and more importantly, behaving differently.

I began carrying chocolate wrappers until I found a bin. I refused separate plastic bags for each vegetable. I kept reusable bags in my commute bag for quick purchases. These weren’t grand gestures — they were acts of mindfulness repeated until they became second nature.

From Knowing to Doing

We all “know” about climate change, sea-level rise, and pollution. Yet, for many, environmental care still feels like a hobby for the “artsy” or the “free-time” crowd. Reducing, reusing, and recycling often get dismissed as craft projects, not necessities.

But the truth is stark — our cities flood, our summers scorch, our coastlines recede. Privilege shields some of us with air-conditioners and bottled water, while others simply endure.

And this isn’t survival of the fittest anymore. It’s survival of the richest.

A Realistic View

Let’s be honest: we can’t “save the planet” in the Hollywood sense. Earth will outlast us. What we can do is save ourselves — and that means safeguarding the resources we all depend on.

That requires collective action.

• • Every drop matters in making an ocean.

• • Every small act matters in protecting our shared future.

We may not always be able to save a lake or a forest, but we can stop ourselves from adding to the damage. And that, my friends, is what good civic sense is all about — the courage to act.

My Takeaway from DHA3R

DHA3R taught me that awareness is not enough. Action is where real change begins. And action is contagious — when people see you care, they start caring too.

I’m grateful for this journey and for being part of a community that not only talks about environmental issues but lives by its principles. We still have a long way to go. But if each of us becomes a small-scale environmental hero, together, we can make a big difference.

So here’s my invitation — join us. Let’s not just think green, let’s live it.