KARACHI: Was it hunger for competition or responsibility to a cause that brought all those people to Defence Housing Authority’s Creek Club on Sunday afternoon? Whatever the answer to this question, World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan’s (WWF-Pakistan) ‘Run and Ride for Nature’ marathon, held in collaboration with the DHA, did raise much awareness of conservation and reducing carbon footprints on earth.

The lively event including a two-kilometre run and 6km bicycle race, held in connection with Earth Day-2016 was aimed at enhancing our obligation towards nature conservation and was attended by over 1,000 people, including women and children.

It was a hot day to be running or cycling in the sun but Arif Belgaumi of Critical Mass Karachi thought nothing of it. “We do this all the time, so the heat doesn’t really bother us,” he said. “The beautiful thing about Karachi is that its evenings are cool. We also bicycle between Asr and Maghrib in Ramazan and that is for several kilometres. This is only 6km, from Creek Club to Golf Club and back, so won’t be so difficult.”

Eight-year-old Hana Faisal, one of the younger children participating in the event, had brought along her cute pink Barbie bike and couldn’t wait to get to the track. She was there with her mother, Dr Asima Faisal, who also rides with Critical Mass, Karachi. “I have already done 25km this morning with our group, which will now serve as my warm-up,” she said laughing.

The jogging or running was only 2km, from Creek Club to Marina Club, and they went before the cyclists. DHA’s vigilance teams, including medics, accompanied the contestants on their run or ride. The DHA Club’s gym coach, Asim Javed, riding alongside said that they would be keeping an eye out for anyone who might get tired and may want to leave the race. “We have points midway for proving water to the contestants but still we are here to lend any kind of support if the need arises,” he said.

But it looked as nature was on everyone’s side just like they had come to take its side. For as soon as the first race was announced the sun vanished and a cool breeze started blowing under a cloud cover.

“We already held a plantation drive on Earth Day, which fell on April 22, but we wanted to do something for the weekend as well,” said Hammad Naqi Khan, director general of the WWF-Pakistan. “The activity was planned with a dual purpose — to raise awareness about how to keep Earth healthy and how to keep oneself healthy. Everyone wants to be healthy and to achieve that you need to have a healthy environment. We keep our houses clean but what about our surroundings?” he added.

“It is high time every individual across the globe starts thinking about how to protect the planet from multiple threats. The Earth’s resources should be consumed responsibly and in a sustainable way, especially with the growing population so that humans can live in harmony with nature,” said the director-general while stressing on the need for planting more trees, which not only enhance the beauty of Earth but serve as carbon sinks and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change such as heatwaves.

The winners of the races, later, also took part in a symbolic tree plantation activity. WWF-Pakistan’s Senior Director-Biodiversity, Rab Nawaz, said that Pakistan is facing rapid deforestation. “It is facing decline in various native species of trees due to threats such as encroachment, urbanisation, etc.,” he said while urging people to actively participate in environment-friendly activities such as cycling, carpooling, using less paper and planting trees.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2016