Iran’s Environmental Protection Founding Mother

Morteza Afradian

Like other sorts of entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs are innovative and creative individuals who offer new activities through a new approach in order to affect their environment and to achieve both social values and a developed society. They also spare no efforts to apply changes that are necessary to improve people’s views on certain issues. Dr. Mahlagha Mallah, aged 93, graduated with a Ph.D. from Sorbonne in Sociology, as the founder and managing director of “Women’s Society against Environmental Pollution” has started her activities with the same approach. The idea of protection and preservation of the environment sparked her mind in 1973 which was followed by formation of Women Society against Environmental Pollution in 1995. Drafting such idea when there were very few people concerned about the environment demonstrates innovation and sensitivity of this Iranian lady towards the nature. Here we invite you to read the following attractive interview with Ms. Mallah made by Omid Ezzatpur.

Q. Why did you feel you need to serve the environment? In better words, did the society need your activities?

A. I was working as the head of library of Tehran University Psychological Institute when the idea of protecting the environment sparked my mind. I always sought for finding new sciences and books for delivering via my library. I was introduced with a book about Cybernetics, environment and its pollutions through one of my researches, so I bought it for the library. The book discussed about pollution in the United States and oceans, global warming and melting ice caps. It influenced me very deeply and persuaded me to read more about the environment. Thus, I decided to start study and research about this issue to find more information. In this way I found Dr. Ebtekar, a Professor working in the Technical Faculty of Tehran University, and discussed the issues with him. In answer to my numerous questions, he just said one sentence, “You came late for 25 years!” I gradually completed my studies within a 20-year period, from 1973 to 1993. At last I founded Women Society against Environmental Pollution in 1995.

In this society we intend to teach the culture of protecting environment to people who adore the nature.

Q. Are Iranian NGOs able to work in these fields?

A. Yes. But the government has to help them. NGOs play key roles in the society. They can share information with people and do what governments cannot. Many people, even the educated, do not exactly know what harms and dangers may threaten the environment. So we need people who are ready to share such valuable information with others.

Q. There is a myth about you that say “you have not thrown even a piece of garbage from your house since about 30 years ago” is it right?

A. The right answer is 50 years; I only throw wastepaper from my house.

Q. Then what you do with your garbage?

A. I lived in Shemiran, an orchard neighborhood in Northern Tehran, for many years. There were several orchards and gardens around our house in which our neighbors were used to keep and nurture animals like goats. So, our edible remnants such as fruits and foods were consumed by the animals and we made envelopes out of our wastepaper and then we sold them to the grocery. By the way we had dug a pit in our backyard in which other disposable wastes were stored to convert in dungs over time.

Q. Well, the time and condition is changed. Today most commodities such as bottles, cans, disposable tissues and most packed goods in nylons produce wastes automatically.

A. Unfortunately we face a disaster now and we seize any opportunity to fight against this calamity. I use the chance your magazine gave me to beg your readers to change their mindset and do not buy commodities that have containers and packs which cannot be recycled by the nature.

Q. Do you think that the recommendation is feasible in the current time?

A. Of course, it is. I used to work on the environment in 1977. I asked all embassies in Tehran to give me any kind of information about their country’s environment. Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and various other countries answered to this request. The information received from Sweden showed that this country is a polluted one, though one of my friends who have just returned from Sweden in 1994 said that it is very clean. I was surprised by this comment and I shared my previous studies with him. While approving my studies, he said that when Swedish people informed about the critical condition of their country, they began to change their lifestyle. For example, they stopped buying goods packed with nylon byproducts, so the producers were forced to replace them with more environment friendly stuff. They made packs out of corn wastes which are easily and only after a few days recycled by the environment. Another student who had come back from Sweden told me that they had succeeded to manufacture disposable plates out of potatoes which even are edible. Then, as you see, it is possible if people and authorities find how important it is.

Q. How do you practice these remarks?

A. my husband and I use the water which has been boiled and chilled in our fridge instead of mineral canned water in order to dispose one less bottle to the nature, we also use cloth napkins instead of Kleenex. We never buy materials packed with nylon byproducts. We use a cloth bag I prepared already for shopping. We pour wastes of tea and fruit peels etc. in a pit we have dug in our backyard in order to make dung for trees.

Q. Today most settlements are made as apartments and flats and there are no more backyards or gardens for making out of compost wastes. What are your recommendations for the families?

A. There are several ways for them too. I have many friends living in small flats, but they have learned how to make compost out of their wastes in their small balconies. They have prepared dustbins or large barrels with several orifices at their bottom. They are designed for making compost out of dried tea and fruit peels, as their latex is leaked from them and poured into another container and the waste will convert into dung gradually. It is important to want something, and then we will see that it will be possible.

Q. Doing this process in the balcony is not stinky?

A. No I don’t think so; anyway you can pour some sawdust to be sure there will not spread any stink.

Q. Despite many advertisements and information dissemination for the environment, we see people who do not care about the environment protection at all. Then, how did you get interested in this issue when environmental protection was not as bold as today?

A. I was working as the head of library of Tehran University Psychological Institute. Its books always should be prepared from the foreign countries. To find books with new subjects I used to observe catalogues prepared by foreign publication centers. In this way, I bought two books that were very interesting for me. One of them dealt with risks caused by the pollutant environment and measurements human beings perform against its race. Reading the book shocked me and persuaded me to work for protecting the environment and for making people familiar with the hazards caused by the pollutants. I started with myself and my family and then I established Women Society against Environmental Pollution.

Q. How many children do you have?

A. Four children.

Q. Are they members of your Society?

A. No, but they are careful about protecting the environment.

Q. Where you born?

A. Forests around Shahrud (giggling). I was born when my mother was forced to deliver me in a condition in which no doctor or hospital was available.

Q. Then you are originally environmentalist?

A. Forget about that (giggling).

Q. Please say what you think is necessary for people to know?

A. I just remind them the Almighty God’s orders in the Holy Qur’an on protecting the environment. Paying attention to cleaning and hygiene is one of conditions for being a true Muslim. The Almighty God says,” plants grow in a city where is clean”. So please respect the nature.