Magna Carta Symbiocene, empowering the Anthropocene man to fight climate change.
The World Environment Day came and went, as always, silently. There were sporadic posts in the social media wishing every one a “happy environment day” (whatever it means), there were some rustling of the leaves (or whatever is left of them), some speeches given to audiences that were half asleep and then it was back to normal. In a country where life itself is no more than a continuous struggle for survival, who has the time (or the inclination) to think about the environment? Well, even if the survival of human race depends on it, why bother, isn’t it every man for himself?
There is hope yet, for some are not only taking the twin treats unleashed by global warming and climate change seriously, but are working towards addressing the core issues. Take Magna Carta Pens for example and their latest offering – the Symbiocene, which was unveiled alluringly on June 5th the World Environment Day and termed as the “Writing Instrument for the Next Epoch”!
Says Hiren Kanakhara, the man behind Magna Carta “the Symbiocene will be characterised by human integration into the environment as opposed to human exploitation of the environment as unleashed by Anthropocene Man. The new epoch will mark mankind’s evolution from plundering and pillaging the environment for selfish ends, our desperate, and if I may use the term “foolish” desire to play God; to the next level, where we figure out ways and means of living in harmony with nature, even as we continue to seek excellence relentlessly. It is to this ennobled man – one who will tax pollution, junk fossil fuels, lead a sustainable life, that we present the Symbiocene. May Charity begin at home, with the fountain pen!”
Hiren Kanakhara makes ample sense, if one were to consider the maths – an average college student uses up one use-and-throw pen every fifteen days. That is about 75 pens in the three years that he or she spends in college. Even considering an ultra-conservative ten grams per pen, it adds up to seven hundred and fifty grams of solid waste – polluting waste that is neither bio degradable nor eco-friendly – waste that ultimately ends up either in the landfill, or, in the bottom of our oceans. I am not adding the cost of energy used to manufacture these “killers”, for the energy mix is overwhelmingly fossil fuel led; nor am I considering the harmful effect of the toxic inks that remain in the bellies of the discarded pens, just to keep things simple. Add all the students in all the colleges in India (300,00,000 estimated) and the waste generated is 225,00,000 kilograms. I know there will be many who will be tempted to challenge the figures with inane arguments, but the fact will remain – use and throw pens are a huge pollutant, and by offering an alternative, Magna Carta is not only talking about an “Inconvenient Truth”, but is also providing a green way out!
The barrel of the Symbiocene is handcrafted, using sustainably procured wood that is aged and treated as per exacting Magna Carta standards. The cap, the filial and the Section Grip are made of metal following strict adherence to norms aimed at maximising user comfort, apart from being a tribute to the fragile, yet everlasting ecological balance. All material used in this pen are not only eco-friendly and bio degradable, but are also equal opportunity enablers, agents of empowerment.
The Symbiocene comes with a customised converter and has been crafted to accept cartridges of global standards to suit the varied needs of the users.
The nibs are manufactured in house by Magna Carta, are made of reinforced steel and come with iridium tips as per the global norm to give them the necessary strength as well as the desired softness. As for the duotone nibs, a customised plating is done to add just that much more to the visual appeal – they too are an example of Magna Carta’s unending quest for excellence, where high watermarks of achievements are met only to be raised further. The nibs come in varieties of EF, F, M, BB & Flex.
“The Symbiocene” says Hiren Kanakhara, “is the first offering from the Paryavaran (Environment) series of Fountain Pens from the House of Magna Carta – refurbishment of our belief that mankind can achieve a lot more by going with the grain as opposed to going against”.
“The ostentatious design and the careful juxtaposition of materials have been arrived at keeping in mind the needs of the one who does not hanker to be announced, for whom, the mention of the very name, a mere sight is enough. It is after all, not often that a fountain pen celebrates the dawn of a new era!”
Hiren Kanakhara is in fact going to the extent of terming the Symbiocene as “the new face of creation”. Impressive, is all we can say – the way the pen looks, feels and writes – but more so, for the thought that has gone into the making of it!
Technical Details:
Pen weight: 55 gms without converter
Pen Length: 145.00 mm
Un posted: 130.00 mm
Cap Posted: 170.00 mm
Cap Dia: 16.00 mm
Barrel Dia: 14.500 mm
Section grip diameter: 11.00 mm
For More Information visit: www.magnacartapen.com
Well done, I agree with “the Symbiocene as “the new face of creation”” , especially so given that I created the term in 2011. I have published on this concept in many places and have a new book out called Earth Emotions (Cornell University Press) where I elaborate further on the potential of the principles of the Symbiocene to revolutionise the way we live. See: https://theecologist.org/2019/feb/27/after-anthropocene
Good luck with the pen … it is mightier than the Anthropocene.
sir thank you for writing in. i am sure that the pen will also help highlight your path-breaking work and that the world will learn to live as one with the environment.