Mumbai, Jun 4 (IANS): Actress Shama Sikander planted a tree a day ahead of World Environment Day, which falls on June 5.

Shama, who has often spoken on issues pertaining to environment and balance, feels this is the right time to pay attention to our surroundings.

"The essence of this day can be felt currently in an unfortunate way. The current pandemic is a great representation of the imbalance that humans have created in the environment. Plants have enriched and protected the environment in so many ways. I decided to plant a tree in order to contribute to the wellness of environment in a humble, small way," she told IANS.

The actress pointed out that that a contribution to the environment right now will help generations to come.

"People who are happy and live a longer life are so often seen as more connected to nature and this is backed by research in the major blue zones of the earth. Let's all plant trees and take care of them. They actually take care of generations. Let's follow the protocols and get vaccinated whenever the opportunity arises. This is a war against the virus and we have to defeat it at any cost because we can," said Shama.