Family Environmental History
August 13, 2025 By: Sunisha Rakesh
Student Name: Sunisha Rakesh
Course: HIST_ 3991
Student ID: T00609237
Date: 2025/08/13
Exercise 2: Family Environmental History
I grew up in a rural village in central Kerala, India. Kerala is known for its ever-flowing rivers and green hills and has been home to both my maternal and paternal families for many decades. Based on my grandfather’s folk tales, Kerala in the mid-20th century was primarily an agricultural region. The residents relied on nature for nearly all their livelihoods; the rivers provided water, the forests gave firewood, and the land offered adequate food for everyone. My grandfather specialized in cultivating rice and coconuts. He said that his connection to the land was beyond the income it generated. Land provided a special source of cultural and spiritual fulfillment to the community. It is safe to conclude from my grandfather’s description that life at this time was simple and closely linked to nature.
My grandfather also discussed the significant changes that occurred during his youth. A substantial transformation was the replacement of the old-fashioned system with the new landownership system. He explained how land reforms in the 1950s and 1960s enabled people like him to own farmland freely. Indeed, the communist movement during this era gave new dignity to families like mine and changed the status from labourers on people’s land to caretakers of their own.
Worth noting is that although nature during my grandparents’ time was rich, it does not mean it was free from external impacts. For example, many of the crops they grew, like rubber and cashew, originated from outside Kerala. He explained that these plants were introduced during colonial times. So, while the landscape looked natural, human impacts were already being felt. Nonetheless, the balance was more sustainable than what followed in the decades that followed.
My parents were born during the 1960s and 70s, a significant social and economic change during this time was a focus on education. Families did everything possible to provide their children with better lives through education. Unlike today, where there are millions of jobless graduates, my father says higher education qualifications during their time equated to a well-paying job. As Kerala residents increasingly invested in education, the region gained a reputation for high literacy and public health achievements. Yet, this progress also led to negative environmental changes. For instance, paved roads eliminated village paths. Traditional tiled homes gave way to concrete houses. Moreover, rivers started to become polluted as towns expanded, and many wastes were channelled into these water sources. My father also recounts how consumer goods became more accessible as more people began working in the Gulf countries and sending money back home.
After completing their college education, my father soon secured a job with a government agency, whereas my mother became a teacher. Their lifestyles had undergone significant changes from village life. With the incomes, they could own a refrigerator, a television, and later, smartphones. Today, every household in Kerala has at least two mobile phones. Although my parents lived in an urban setting, they still retained their attachment to the environment. My father and mother collected rainwater to irrigate the vegetables in the backyard. The world was changing, and the consequences of climate change were becoming frequent. The 2018 flooding disaster were felt throughout Kerala. Floods destroyed homes, crops, and roads. The weather-related catastrophes experienced today indicate that the environment is no longer predictable.
My environmental journey is very different. I now live in Canada, far from Kerala. The environment here is colder and less chaotic. I have also observed that green spaces are often designed for recreation, rather than survival. I remember back home, we used land to grow food and raise animals. Here, parks are for walking dogs and playing sports. Despite the differences, both places are experiencing increasing awareness of environmental issues. The residents of my current home sort their waste and cycle to work in a bid to keep the environment clean and reduce carbon emissions. Still, a friend in Kerala told me that they are learning to conserve the environment and participating in cleanup activities. I now hope to return to Kerala someday and join the community in its conservation efforts. I believe that the efforts of all generations are crucial in caring for the environment to ensure a balanced ecosystem.