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Inventorisation of Environmental Features in Greater Mumbai

Posted by shriya bhatia on March 14, 2012 at 1:33pm
Inventorisation of Environmental Features in Greater Mumbai

By MMR-Environment Improvement Society

Consultants: HCPDPM, Ahmedabad and Adarkar Associates, Mumbai

Project Brief:

The project is aimed at creating a database of envrionmental features along with a condition assessment of each of the features towards prioritising sites, preparation of action plan so as to direct efforts of concerned agencies towards protection and improvement of these features and inform planning processes.

The project scope includes;

  • Preparation of an inventory of environmental features (water courses, open spaces & water bodies, coastline features and large urban green areas) in Greater Mumbai. 
  • Undertaking a condition assessment of each of these features. 
  • Developing an action plan (identification of project, programmes and priorities) for improving these features.

The project is divided into five tasks as follows:

  1. Inventorisation of Water Courses of Rivers and Natural Drains (Completed)
  2. Inventorisation of Open Spaces and Water Bodies in the Island City (Ongoing)
  3. Inventorisation of Open Spaces & Water Bodies in the Western Suburbs (Ongoing)
  4. Inventorisation of Open Spaces & Water Bodies in the Eastern Suburbs (Ongoing)
  5. Inventorisation of Large Urban Greens and Coastline Features (Completed)
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GO GREEN - BECOME CCN FAMILY MEMBER AS CARBON TRADER

Posted by OSK REDDY on March 10, 2012 at 10:45pm

Sir,

 

Environmental degradation is growing into a grave concern in various parts of the world today. Countries especially in developing regions are suffering from problems emanating from a combination of factors including population growth, concentration of population in cities, industrialization and poverty, resulting in air pollution, water contamination, decline in sanitation, degradation of forests and soil, loss of biodiversity, marine pollution etc. 

 

Moreover pollutants released in countries around the world are spreading across boundaries and transcending generations to cause problems of a wide range, such as climate change and acid deposition. These problems are not only threatening human health & living but also undermining the foundation of development for future generations with the diminishment of environmental resources. 


In order to eliminate poverty and preserve the benefits of the environment for the future, actions must be taken to address environmental issues based on the concept of sustainable development. We team of experts drawn from various fields started a non government organisation in the year 1998 by name “Green Universe Environmental Services Society" renowned as the “GUESS”.

 

We are one of the leading civil societies in India committed towards sustainable development initiatives. For the past decade we are fighting against various environmental degradation issues and initiating change through reinvention & innovation. Our objective is to make our planet free from happening series of disasters due to man made mistakes in the name of development & technological advancement.


 Today climate change is great concern to the society. Global warming effects are too severe resulting in frequent natural disasters like uncertain rain fall, drought, cyclones, tsunamis, earth quakes, depletion of ground water, seasonal changes, climate shift, soil fertility degradation, increase in temperature etc.


Countries like India 70% of the population depend on agriculture and allied sectors. changing climatic conditions are transforming most of the agricultural fields & farm lands in to deserts. The farmers and rural masses are losing livelihoods and migrating to urban areas which causing lot of pressure.


India is going to face severe food crisis in near future due to high level growth rate of population and climate shift. World population touched 7000 Million and by 2050 expected world population would be around 14000 Million. Situation is alarming. 
At this juncture feeding 1500 Million population would be a hectic task.

 

Considering the above facts it is the time to react and to take up various sustainable pro environment & adaptive measures through climate resilient farming activities.
The forest cover is being reduced year after year. Let us join hands and take up sustainable income & employment generating massive plantation activity. We have wonderful such project plans on hand to implement. 


It is not about how much wealth we have created for our children but clean water, pure oxygen & disaster free world make the difference. “Let us arise, awake and stop not till the green globe is achieved.”   www.guessfoundation.org

 

Thank You

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Environmental Awareness - An ideal pathway to sustainable education

Posted by bluejaye32 on March 9, 2012 at 2:25am

India continues to be rich in biodiversity. With better nutrition and health care, the life expectancy has gone up by almost 3 times since post independence. But the environment in India faces several challenges today. With poverty, low literacy levels and an ever-increasing population, the development and environmental challenges are enormous. While the population increase puts pressure on resources, the pressure of 'development' is perhaps even greater and the younger generation of our country will face an uphill task to tackle the same.

Thus environmental educators face stiff challenges, mainly the one about bringing awareness of the need that the country needs to develop in less wasteful ways in the current paradigm, apart from the obvious ones of environmental management & conservation. There are considerable initiatives in this field in India today. One such notable institute that has taken up the challenge of putting Environment Education on the agenda of education decision makers, is Bharati Vidyapeeth's Institute of Environmental Education & Research (BVIEER), Pune. 

With the objectives of strengthening environment education in the formal school system, a World Bank aided study was undertaken by the Indian government since 1999. Apart from Maharashtra, seven other states namely, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa, Punjab and Uttaranchal, were selected for the pilot implementation of this project. The project was designed in 2 phases. In the first phase, a critical content analysis was undertaken in order to find out the status of environmental content in the textbooks currently being used in the schools. On the basis of the findings, the second phase of pilot implementation was designed, to ensure that environmental education is covered through infusion in existing subjects and not as a separate subject. The eight states were selected for the project on the basis of their geographical spread, existing environmental content in textbooks and willingness of the state to participate in the exercise. Eight hundred schools in these states (100 schools in each state) were selected for the initiative.

Under this study, BVIEER did a two-year content analysis of more than 1,800 textbooks from all over the country, studying their handling of environmental subjects. Textbooks in General Science, Geography and Languages were analysed to assess the environment education inputs. The BVIEER content analysis identified 99 environmental concepts including Natural Resources, Biodiversity, Pollution, People and Environment, Energy etc. Each concept was assessed for accuracy, relevance to the text, appropriateness to the age-group, consistency, bias etc. Once the matrix was complete it was easy to identify the lacunae or 'gaps' in the curriculum.

While most of the Geography textbooks did discuss the importance of the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere in detail, and focused on the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion etc, it was found that there is little effort to interlink environmental concepts and real life experiences. This meant that most students learned the subject by rote and did not identify or believe in the cause of environmental protection. There was a serious absence of locale-specific information and several gaps in the appreciation of ecosystems, their structure, functions, uses, degradation and conservation. There was hardly any information on sustainable lifestyles and what individuals can and should do for environmental preservation as a part of personal day-to-day activity.

Several simple environmental topics such as the variety of plant and animal species in the world, in India and in each state, did not find appropriate representation in the curriculum. Very often, information provided was outdated. For instance, DDT in most books is mentioned as a common pesticide, even though commercial production and use of DDT is banned in India. Comprehension and the will to teach these topics seemed dismal amongst most teachers. Most put this down due to lack of time, lack of environmentally relevant educational material, lack of institutional and parental support and a host of varied explanations.

The BVIEER team subsequently suggested changes in the textbooks. Dr Erach Bharucha, director of BVIEER stated and I quote, "Based on the analysis we made of the textbooks, the textbooks of standards 6, 7 and 8 have been redrafted in eight states of the country." In Maharashtra, BVIEER actually sat with the textbook writers to bring about changes in the curriculum.

For the pilot implementation of Phase II, textbooks of science, social sciences and languages at middle school level (standards VI to VIII) were targeted. The concerned textbooks in these states have been modified to strengthen the infusion of environmental concepts and have been introduced in the selected project schools in the eight states. The project also involved orientation for all the major stakeholders. This was done through workshops for the Educational Administrators, concerned officials of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Textbook Bureaus and state education departments, besides school principals and parents of students. At the same time, workshops were also conducted for textbook writers and illustrators, where experts from the field of environment education provided inputs and helped the writers revise the existing textbooks.

Model textbooks have thus been created by each state for standards 6, 7 and 8. The 'good' lessons that need to be replicated across states were retained and the poor or incorrect concepts and identified gaps that need to be addressed in future textbooks were corrected. At a larger level, there is increased interaction between textbook writers, NGOs and government bureaus. The end result -- more than 100 schools in the state of Maharashtra, and 700 more around India, now have a syllabus that aims to improve children's understanding and knowledge of the environment.

Dr Erach Bharucha, a surgeon by profession, an ace photographer and a conservationist by heart, was aptly chosen for the Green Teacher's Award in the Vasundhara Film Festival held this year.

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To educate and enlighten

Posted by Mahazareen Dastur on March 8, 2012 at 6:30am

“The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.”

― C. S. Lewis


With the introduction of Environmental Studies in the Indian educational syllabus since the early 2000s, many of us have started appreciating the need for environmental education for children in particular. However, many of us are not aware of the good work being done by some organizations in this field for the past many years. One such stellar Non-governmental Organization (NGO) is Paryavaran Dakshata Manch. Started in July 1999, Paryavaran Dakshata Manch, the founders of this NGO recognized the need for continued environmental awareness raising and education much before the Supreme Court needed to step in to make the subject mandatory for school children.


The brainchild of a group of friends in Thane (a north-eastern suburb of Mumbai), the efforts of Paryavaran Dakshata Manch has been educating school children about conservation, biodiversity, and preserving and protecting natural resources such as forests and creeks for many years now. Simple exercises like educating children and citizens about the use of paper flags instead of plastic ones ahead of the Republic and Independence Days strikes a chord with them. Another popular festival with an eco-friendly twist is Rakshabandhan. Paryavaran Dakshata Manch encourages children to celebrate Rakshabandhan by tying rakhiaround their favourite tree. They then take a vow to take care of the tree and protect it, and further the cause of conservation.


The organization’s efforts are particularly notable due to the fact that it caters to a variety of students, including those whose medium of school instruction is Marathi. Since 2003, the NGO has been publishing the Aapale Paryavaran magazine, which is the only Marathi magazine devoted entirely to environmental issues. In a world where information on environmental issues is undoubtedly easy to find online, we forget that it is primarily available in English. Updating this material and presenting it to students in Marathi is of prime importance. Other noteworthy activities conducted by the NGO throughout the year include nature trails and camps, and the annual Nisarg Mela, a workshop-based event. Last year, close to 1,200 students from about 40 schools participated in the Mela, thus attesting to its popularity. Most recently, the organization introduced a scholarship programme called Nisarg to encourage students to conduct research on environmental issues. Under this flagship scheme, five groups of deserving students who have completed the tenth grade (SSC) are given a sum of Rs. 10,000/-. The research proposals are evaluated by a panel of judges and thereafter, the chosen groups receive guidance from experts on the basic principles of research methodology. Projects are to be completed within six months. Paryavaran Dakshata Manch hopes such efforts engender a spirit of inquiry and problem-solving within the younger generation.


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Above: School students posing with a rakhi tied to “their tree” on the occasion of Rakshabandhan. By doing so, they promise to nurture the tree.


 

Paryavaran Dakshata Manch does not concentrate on school-going students alone. Last Diwali, it hosted two stalls, one each at National College (Bandra) and IBM Business Centre (Malad). The stall at IBM was a product stall where volunteers showcased friendly material like vermicompost, the “Magicbucket” specially designed by them to make vermicompost, paper bags, and artefacts made from wooden waste material by Pragati Prathisthan an NGO working in the Adivasi belt of Jawahar (Thane district). The stall at National College was geared towards raising awareness about environmental issues during the college’s Diwali Mela. In 2010, the NGO also conducted Nandanvan Sunder Gharghuti Baug, a competition of home gardens in Thane and Dombivli.


So how does this make Paryavaran Dakshata Manch different from the other NGOs working in the environmental education arena? For one thing, aside from a full-time small and dedicated staff, a large number of volunteers continue to find time to devote towards environmental issues. Professor Vidyadhar Walawalkar, one of the co-founders of Paryavaran Dakshata Manch,is particularly thankful for all the support the organization has received from various quarters, including its wonderful employees and staff, and the volunteers who help run its initiatives. Aside from donations from well-wishers, all its activities are funded through profits made by their common biomedical waste management consultancy located at Thane. Professor Walawalkar, who is also a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at Thane’s VPM Polytechnic, puts particular importance on the concept of “social entrepreneurship”. A social entrepreneur recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve social change. While a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a social entrepreneur focuses on creating social capital, particularly to further social and environmental goals. Typically, in such ventures, the management and employees are brought together by a common goal, and themselves become the shareholders at the organization. As a result, there is a greater stake at ensuring goals are met and that the organization continues to prosper.


If only we had more such organizations, we could change the face of India.

 

This article was contributed by Mahazareen Dastur. Based in Mumbai, she has been associated with environmental issues for over a decade now.

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HYDROGEN UTILILIZATION

Posted by Rajesh K Desai on March 7, 2012 at 4:34am
HydrogenWhat is Hydrogen?Hydrogen is the simplest element known to exist. An atom of hydrogen has one proton and one electron. Hydrogen has the highest energy content of any common fuel by weight, but the lowest energy content by volume. It is the lightest element and a gas at normal temperature and pressure.Hydrogen is also the most abundant gas in the universe, and the source of all the energy we receive from the sun. The sun is basically a giant ball of hydrogen and helium gases. In a process called fusion, four hydrogen atoms combine to form one helium atom, releasing energy as radiation.This radiant energy is our most abundant energy source. It gives us light and heat and makes plants grow. It causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall. It is stored as chemical energy in fossil fuels. Most of the energy we use originally came from the sun.Hydrogen as a gas (H2), however, doesn’t exist naturally on Earth. It is found only in compound form. Combined with oxygen, it is water (H2O). Combined with carbon, it forms organic compounds such as methane (CH4), coal, and petroleum. It is found in all growing things—biomass. Hydrogen is also one of the most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust.Most of the energy we use today comes from fossil fuels. Only seven percent comes from renewable energy sources. Usually renewable sources are cleaner, and can be replenished in a short period of time. We won’t run out of hydrogen either.Every day we use more fuel, principally coal, to produce electricity. Electricity is a secondary source of energy. Secondary sources of energy —energy carriers—are used to store, move, and deliver energy in easily usable form. We convert energy to electricity because it is easier for us to transport and use. Try splitting an atom, building a dam, or burning coal to run your television. Energy carriers make life easier.Hydrogen is one of the most promising energy carriers for the future. It is a high efficiency, low polluting fuel that can be used for transportation, heating, and power generation in places where it is difficult to use electricity. Since hydrogen gas is not found on Earth, it must be manufactured. There are several ways to do this.How is Hydrogen Made?Industry produces the hydrogen it needs by a process called steam reforming. High-temperature steam separates hydrogen from the carbon atoms in methane (CH4). The hydrogen produced by this method isn’t used as a fuel, but for industrial processes. This is the most cost-effective way to produce hydrogen today, but it uses fossil fuels both in the manufacturing process and as the heat source.Another way to make hydrogen is by electrolysis—splitting water into its basic elements—hydrogen and oxygen. Electrolysis involves passing an electric current through water to separate the atoms (2H2O + electricity = 2H2 + O2). Hydrogen collects at the cathode and oxygen at the anode.Hydrogen produced by electrolysis is extremely pure, and electricity from renewable sources can power the process, but it is very expensive at this time. Today, hydrogen from electrolysis is ten times more costly than natural gas and three times more costly than gasoline per Btu.On the other hand, water is abundant and renewable, and technological advances in renewable electricity could make electrolysis a more attractive way to produce hydrogen in the future.There are also several experimental methods of producing hydrogen. Photoelectrolysis uses sunlight to split water molecules into its components. A semiconductor absorbs the energy from the sun and acts as an electrode to separate the water molecules.In biomass gasification, wood chips and agricultural wastes are super-heated until they turn into hydrogen and other gases. Biomass can also be used to provide the heat.Scientists have also discovered that some algae and bacteria produce hydrogen under certain conditions, using sunlight as their energy source. Experiments are underway to find ways to induce these microbes to produce hydrogen efficiently.Nearly every region of the country (and the world) has one or more resources that can be used to produce hydrogen. It can be produced at large central facilities or at small distributed facilities for local use. One of its main advantages is its flexibility.Hydrogen Uses :The U.S. hydrogen industry currently produces about nine million metric tons of hydrogen a year. Most of this hydrogen is used for industrial applications such as refining, treating metals, and food processing.At the present time, hydrogen’s main use as a fuel is in the NASA space program. Liquid hydrogen is the fuel that has propelled the space shuttle and other rockets since the 1970s. Hydrogen fuel cells power the shuttle’s electrical systems, producing pure water, which is used by the crew as drinking water.In the future, however, hydrogen will join electricity as an important energy carrier, since it can be made safely from renewable energy sources and is virtually non-polluting. It will also be used as a fuel for zero-emissions vehicles, to heat homes and offices, to produce electricity, and to fuel aircraft. Cost is the major obstacle.The first widespread use of hydrogen will probably be as an additive to transportation fuels. Hydrogen can be combined with gasoline, ethanol, methanol, and natural gas to increase performance and reduce pollution. Adding just five percent hydrogen to gasoline can reduce nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions by 30 to 40 percent in today’s engines. An engine converted to burn pure hydrogen produces only water and minor amounts of NOX as exhaust.A few hydrogen-powered vehicles are on the road today, but it will be awhile before you can walk into your local car dealer and drive away in one. Today about 58 hydrogen fuel stations are operating in 20 states, but not all are open to the public.Can you imagine how huge the task would be to quickly change the gasoline-powered transportation system we have today? (Just think of the thousands of filling stations across the country and the production and distribution systems that serve them.) Change will come slowly to this industry, but hydrogen is a versatile fuel; it can be used in many ways.The space shuttle uses hydrogen fuel cells (batteries) to run its computer systems. The fuel cells basically reverse electrolysis— hydrogen and oxygen are combined to produce electricity. Hydrogen fuel cells are very efficient and produce only water as a by-product, but they are expensive to build.With technological advances, small fuel cells could someday power electric vehicles and larger fuel cells could provide electricity in remote areas. Because of the cost, hydrogen will not produce electricity on a wide scale in the near future. It may, though, be added to natural gas to reduce emissions from existing power plants.As the production of electricity from renewables increases, so will the need for energy storage and transportation. Many of these sources— especially solar and wind—are located far from population centers and produce electricity only part of the time. Hydrogen may be the perfect carrier for this energy. It can store the energy and distribute it to wherever it is needed. It is estimated that transmitting electricity long distances is four times more expensive than shipping hydrogen by pipeline.Future of Hydrogen :Before hydrogen can make a significant contribution to the U.S. energy picture, many new systems must be designed and built. There must be large production and storage facilities and a distribution system. And consumers must have the technology to use it.The use of hydrogen raises concerns about safety. Hydrogen is a volatile gas with high energy content. Early skeptics had similar concerns about natural gas and gasoline—even about electricity. People were afraid to let their children too near the first light bulbs. As hydrogen technologies develop, safety issues will be addressed. Hydrogen can be produced, stored, and used as safely as other fuels.SOURCE:Water and Wastewater Newsletter.
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for Organic Certification.

Posted by Amresh Jha on March 5, 2012 at 11:30pm

Dear Members

Greetings.....

wish you all a very happy and colorful Holy. 

We are looking for an agency for Orchard's Organic Certification in more than 1000 acre areas in Maharastra (Biderbha area). If any one working with this issue or you have any reputed name/agencies than plz contact me with details immediately on my personnel email-id amreshjha@rocketmail.com.

Thanking you in advance.

regards

Amresh Jha

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There's more to cell phones than ewaste

Posted by Mahazareen Dastur on February 27, 2012 at 10:50pm

One usually reads environmentally depressing news about cell phones - the ewaste they generate, the prospect of dangerous radiation they (probably) emit, and the low recycling rates for rare earth metals needed for their manufacture. So, it was a wonderful change to read something positive about cell phones for once.

How the cell phone revolution can raise millions out of poverty, promote clean energy, and help fix the climate by George Black is a great piece of journalism.

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I highly recommend you read the story and share it with your colleagues and friends. It's a bit long-ish, but worth your time. I never thought cell phones could be useful in combating climate change, but homegrown (read "Indian") research proves that it can!

Mahazareen is an environmental researcher-cum-writer based in Mumbai. This blogpost originally appeared on http://mahazareendastur.blogspot.in/.

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GUIDE FOR M.Phil AND Ph.D

Posted by Dr K. Harish Kumar on February 21, 2012 at 11:00pm

Dear All,

I am Assistant  Professor in Government first grade college,I am guiding many students for Degree and PG students.

Those who really want to do there M.Phil and Ph.D degree contact me

Email:  harish_envit@rediffmail.com

          harishenvit@gmail.com

Regards,

Harish Kumar.K

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India Water Portal is looking for editors, based in East and North-east India - Apply by 15 March 2012

Posted by India Water Portal on February 21, 2012 at 3:19am

The India Water Portal is an open, inclusive web-based platform for sharing water management knowledge amongst practitioners and the general public. The Portal effort has grown significantly since its launch in 2007, and we are now looking for more people to join and help us expand our work.

Title of the position

Editor - India Water Portal.

Nature of position

The position is on a part-time, consultancy basis, working from home. You must be able to put in at least 25 hours of work every week (100 hours a month). Work timings within the day are flexible.

After a 3-month induction period, your appointment will be confirmed for one year, and can be extended.

Location

You must be based in any of the following States of the country:

Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, Chattisgarh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura.

Day to day coordination of the work, will be through phone and email. You must be able to make at least two 7-day visits in a year to Bangalore (travel, lodging costs will be reimbursed), for half-yearly review and planning meetings.

Start date

April 2012

Experience

You must have a minimum of 10 years of field, research, documentation, program, community or related experience in working with water and environment-related initiatives in India, in any sector - Government, Development (Non-profit) or Industry.

Academic qualifications

Post-graduates in Development / Environment / Water / Engineering / Social Sciences and related disciplines maybe preferred. If you have the relevant work experience however, academic qualifications will not matter.

Desired skills

  • Excellent English writing / communication skills. Ability to read and write in Hindi is desirable.
  • Be comfortable with using basic Office software and various Internet-based tools.
  • Have good computer and high-speed (broad-band) internet access at your home.

Work description

You will be responsible for the various content, communications and community tasks of the Portal. The work will involve:

  • Sourcing and processing content onto the India Water Portal. This will involve extensive reading, summarising and writing stand firsts, editing, cataloguing and organising of suitable content for the website.
  • Doing secondary internet and field-based research for developing new original content. This will involve identifying and sourcing relevant content from the internet and offline sources, based on key water-related themes, events, organisations etc.
  • Working with water sector practitioners, experts, agencies, individuals for sourcing and developing original content related to water, participating in local water events, answering user queries and comments.
  • Managing outreach and user participation on the site.

Compensation

Pay will be based on actual hours of work put in. The rate of pay will be Rs. 170 / hour (Rupees one hundred and seventy only), and will vary depending on your capacity, skills and related experience. TDS will be deducted.

Work-related expenses such as computer use, electricity, internet etc will not be reimbursed.


Deadline for receiving applications

Please upload your application here: http://www.indiawaterportal.org/work-with-us, on or before 15 March 2012. Selection will be based on a telephonic interview. You maybe called for a personal interview at Arghyam, if necessary.

Only short-listed applicants will be informed.

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It's not always about what you say; it's also about how you say it

Posted by Mahazareen Dastur on February 20, 2012 at 5:30am
This blogpost is dedicated to a different breed of communicators (i.e. aside from those who write) on environmental issues.  I refer mostly to imagery and the people who created it.

In my search for information for an article or report, I have come across some really nice examples, which have inspired me to think, and indeed, even feel privileged to be connected to all matters environmental. I hope these examples will also inspire you in equally vibrant (if not more) ways. So, here goes (I am not listing these examples in any particular order):

#1: This was a great example of why "throwing away" is such a misnomer. Ironically, this poster was part of an ad campaign run by Shell (no paragon of virtue in environmental matters). It shows smokestacks "spewing out" flowers instead of gases.

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Above: Don't Throw Anything Away; there is No Away
(Courtesy(?): Shell)

My first point though is the fact that "there is no away". My second point here is that, unfortunately, a lot of feel-good campaigns (like this one) can be enviro-propaganda-cum-greenwash. The small print in the poster says that Shell uses its "waste carbon dioxide to grow flowers" and "waste sulphur to make super-strong concrete," which was strongly contested by complainants Friends of the Earth. So always think about what you see and try to gauge its real message before jumping to conclusions.

#2: This is a photograph taken by Chris Jordan. The photographer traveled to Midway Island, near the site of the pivotal World War II naval battle, to document the death of baby albatrosses on the island's nature reserve (if it can happen in a nature reserve, are there any safe places left?!).

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Above:  The parent birds are attracted to the colorful plastic trash in the water from the Pacific Trash Gyre, and feed it to their babies, with disastrous consequences. Jordan has said that the images show the actual contents in the birds' stomach, and has not been "moved, placed, manipulated, arranged, or altered in any way".

Moral of the story: reduce your use of plastic and recycle it as far as possible!

#3. This entry is really a photographic essay by Kalyan Varma, an award-winning wildlife photographer and film-maker from Bangalore. He currently freelances with the BBC Natural History and National Geographic Channel (India), and also works with grassroots NGO's to highlight environmental issues in India. I became a fan as soon as I saw it! To put in his words, "In the race to make every inch of our land 'productive' we have scarred the landscape forever. We dig, mine, scrape, plant, bore and drill the land. This essays shows some of these landscapes from the air." And what's more, these images are all earmarked under the Creative Commons License!

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Above: Landscrapes by Kalyan Varma. In this image, we see pits readied for planting trees. Dry thorn-scrub habitats without too many trees are natural too. However, the government does not realize that open forests like these are critical wildlife habitats and not waste land, and usually plant non-native species with commercial value.
(Courtesy: kalyanvarma.net)

#4: This image highlights the issue of organic food shams. Ironically, a lot of organic food produced in India makes it way to markets abroad, which can pay better prices for it. While there is a very small market for organic food in the country, it is miles behind that in countries such as the EU. However, notwithstanding its widespread availability, they have to grapple with other problems.
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Above: Why in the world is this chicken painting its (uh) toe claws? In the UK, low cost retailers have been known to bank on the good reputation of organic food to try and attract customers to their stores, in which they market other lower quality produce. With an estimated market of GBP 600 million, is it any wonder?
(Courtesy: www.greens-efa.org)

#5. I will end this post with another "Indian" image, but I am sure it resonates with equal verve in other communities being deprived of their land and water. It is from a documentary called "Drowned Out". It charts the story of an Adivasi (indigenous) family whose home was due to be flooded by the rising waters of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, India.

The documentary follows the villagers of Jalsindhi (a village in Madhya Pradesh on the banks of the Narmada River about 10 miles upstream from the Sardar Sarovar project) and narrates their battle against the dam. The government provides them no viable alternatives: move to a slum in the city, accept the government's offer of unusable land a hundred miles away, or a small sum of money in compensation for their river-side land. The film documents hunger strikes, rallies, and a six-year long Supreme Court case, and finally follows the villagers as the dam fills and the river starts to rise.
drowned+out.jpg
Above: An Indian family chooses to stay at home and drown rather than make way for the Narmada Dam. I found this image particularly moving.
(Courtesy: Worldchanging.com)
Please feel free to share any images with an environmental bent, which have inspired (or even revolted) you. After all, it's not just about what you say; it's also about how you say (or rather, show) it.
This blogpost originally appeared on http://mahazareendastur.blogspot.in/.
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Stories on Indian industries environmental status

Posted by Sanjeev Kumar Kanchan on February 17, 2012 at 5:07am

Industrialization keeping environment on margin can not be the right answer. The scene with developing countries is noway acceptable. Funding agency must have to keep tab on the industries ensuring the environmental sustainability practices and improvement....

Check-out the stories on industrial environment in India at: 

http://sanjeev-k-kanchan.blogspot.in/

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Am I eligible to work as a teaching faculty for my qualification?

Posted by Nomita Bhagavath Narayanan on February 15, 2012 at 1:52pm

Dear Friends and Well-wishers!

Greetings to you!

I have the following qualifications: 

1) B.Sc Microbiology (2004)

2) M.Sc Environmental Sciences (2006)

3) M.Tech Environmental Engg (2010)

I have worked as a Science Educator for 2 years and as a Researcher for 5 months. I have also completed the IRCA Approved Training Course for EMS as per ISO 14001:2004. 

My question is this: Am I eligible to apply as a faculty of Environmental Studies in any of the Science and Engineering colleges? My preferred job location is Pune. I checked out the following website for AICTE norms http://www.aicte-india.org/downloads/final_approval_process_241210.pdf

Page 106 gives the Faculty Cadre and Qualifications (Degree & Post Graduate) as per the AICTE norms. Please note that the qualifications for applying to the post of Assistant Professor in Engineering/Technology is BE / B Tech and ME / M Tech in relevant subject with First Class or equivalent either in BE / B Tech or ME / M Tech. Does this mean that I am eligible? The reason for my confusion is that my applications for a Lecturer's position in the AICTE-approved colleges are rejected on the grounds that I am not eligible as I don't have BE/BTech. 

I have always wanted to have a career in teaching. I would like the 2 years that I have invested in teaching be fruitful and augment my career. Kindly help me to clarify my present situation.

Thank you so much!

Warm regards,

Nomita 

09766517707

nomita.b@gmail.com

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National Seminar on Energy,Environment and Sustainability

Posted by Sudhakar K on February 15, 2012 at 2:52am

National Seminar

on

 Energy,Environment and Sustainability
http://www.manit.ac.in/manitbhopal/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=494&Itemid=228                                                   

(http://www.manit.ac.in/)

Dear Sir/Madam,

 It is our pleasure to inform you that we are organizing a National Seminar titled, “Energy,Environment and Sustainability” on March 1 & 2, 2012 at Department of Energy, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.

The objective of the seminar is to encourage the people towards promoting Energy ,Environment and sustainable courses in their academic institution. Participation in this course is open to all faculty members and research scholars of the academic institutions and Universities. A nominal registration fee of Rs 500 will be charged for participation in the seminar

 Following are the topics for the seminar
     Role of Sustainable Energy
    Green Building
    Energy & Environmental Policy
    Sustainability and Life Cycle Analysis
    Model Curriculum for UG, PG courses in Energy and Environment
    Manpower needs in Energy Sector

  Please circulate this information in your institute and department, and also among research students (All courses/full-time or part-time) of your department for their active participation.

 For more detail please see the attached information brochure, and Institute website: http://www.manit.ac.in/ for regular updates. You can also mail to the following email id ( nsees2012@gmail.com) for more information.

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Waste Water

Posted by Rajesh K Desai on February 15, 2012 at 1:22am
How much time is required to develop bacteria on initial stage of treatment e.g. for 500 m3 holding tank.If plant disturbed & all of the bacteria died, which action should taken immidiately to treat waste water & normalize the disturbed plant.
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My Book entitled "Geo-Environmental study & Ground Water Quality Assessment"

Posted by Beenu Raj on February 14, 2012 at 8:30am

bookcover%20page%20%283%29.pdf

This book is valuable source for study of water quality assessment in semi arid region, analysis, preservation and recommendation of improving the groundwater quality because groundwater is vital natural resource for the reliable and economic provision of portable water supply in both the urban and rural environment. Book is available on this links:   http://biblio.co.uk/9783845433868/used or http://www.alibris.com/search/books/author/Raj,%20Beenu or http://www.kriso.ee/cgi-bin/shop/searchbooks.html?mv_tmp_session=1&database=&author=New%20Scientist&mv_form_charset=&printfly=1

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External Agency for Environmental Due Diligence Study

Posted by NISHAD NARAYANAN on February 14, 2012 at 1:30am

Expression of Interest (EoI) for Appointment of External Agency for carrying out
Environmental Due Diligence Study for completed projects


The Government of India has applied for financing from the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) towards the cost of Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project
(KSUDP). It is intended to apply a portion of the funds to eligible payments under the
contract for which this Expression of Interest is issued.
The Government of Kerala is implementing the Kerala Sustainable Urban
Development Project in 5 towns viz. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Thrissur, Kochi and
Kozhikode with the financial assistance of Asian Development Bank. The project is
being implemented by respective Municipal Corporations under the overall guidance
of Project Management Unit (PMU). KSUDP now proposes to undertake a due-diligence of the EMP implementation of completed / substantially completed Projects by an external agency / institution.
For this, the KSUDP, which is the funding agency for this project, requires services of
a reputed agency/ ins fortitution carrying out the due-diligence of the EMP
implementation.
KSUDP now invites eligible agencies/institutions to indicate their interest in
providing the services. A consulting agency will be selected in accordance with the
procedures set out, in the ADB’s: Guidelines on the use of consultants by ADB and its
Borrowers” dated April 2010. Agencies with strong background of environmental due
diligence study can submit their Expression of interest to the following address. Only
short listed agencies will be contacted for Request for proposal. The interested
agency must provide the following information:
1. Financial turnover for the last 3 Financial Years;
2. Established presence in the state;
3. Availability of professionally qualified staff required for the study; and
4. Projects of similar nature carried out in the past.
2
Interested agencies may submit 'Expression of Interest' in a sealed envelope clearly superscripted as “Selection of Consultants for Environmental Due Diligence Study” within 15 days form the date of publishing of this EoI to:
Project Director
Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project
5th Floor, Transtowers, Vazhuthacaud
Thiruvananthapuram-14
The Project Director, KSUDP reserves the right to reject all or any of the EoI
without assigning any reason thereof.

More details are available in the link:

http://ksudp.org/ksudp_tender/tender_management/data_show.php?table_id=3&&slno=480

ksudp14-02-20121329200595.pdf

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