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   Greetings to all you budding enviro-enthusiasts and academic professionals alike!! Since so many students and environmental professionals are part of this expanding network, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce one of the finest training institutes for environmental education in our country.      

   BVIEER was the brainchild of Dr Erach Bharucha, started way back in the early 90's. Gradually it has grown from being an institute founded in his house, to a recognized 'A' grade NAAC accredited institute in Katraj, Pune, as of today. BVIEER conducts post graduate training courses in E.V.S. as well as in Geo-Informatics. The institute has been involved in various projects sponsored by the state as well as central governments over the years, a recent one being a study on the current ecological status and identification of potentially sensitive areas in the Northern Western Ghat region (headed by Dr Madhav Gadgil) which dealt with the conservation of natural resources and biological heritage in this globally recognized hotspot of biodiversity. Students passing out from this institute have known to be well equipped with theoritical as well as practical knowledge through field visits to wildlife sanctuaries, industries, national & international seminars, workshops, etc. The institute also has an international collaboration with the University of Cologne, Germany. Getting a job post training, has never been an issue with the students here, as the faculty is well connected with the current industrial scenario.

   More information regarding the courses are given in the link below. I request all of you, especially the green teachers, to go through the BVIEER website and advice students who want to take up safeguarding the environment professionally, to consider this institute seriously as a stepping stone in their career. 

GEO-Enviroment Poster FEB2012.pdf

Website: http://ieer.bharatividyapeeth.edu

         

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Increasing economic activities, populations and the increasing impacts in terms of carbon emissions have started putting a negative impact on environment and ecology. In order to make a sustainable and healthy living conditions for us and our next generations, we at micro level level to have to take some measures for greening our surroundings.

At a micro level, we ourselves can take steps like planting trees, aware ourselves and our people around, change in our consumption pattern, innovate new technologies in order to develop a parallel resources pool and enhance our productivity and resources efficiency.

Carbon emission Reduction has been a challenge for the sustainable development of the world as a whole. According to the Kyoto protocol- UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) there is a binding target for 37 industrialised countries and European community for reducing the GHG (Green House Gas) emission an average of 5% over the 5 year period 2008-2012, taking base as 1995. The developing economies have been given flexibility in their carbon emission reductions.To offset the carbon and control pollution different trading schemes have been taken into considerations. Carbon Emission trading is a market based approach by providing economic incentives and cap limit for emissions. Firms need to hold the no. of permits also called carbon credits (1 carbon credit = 1 ton Co2)

The chart shows the Carbon emission (Co2) which is a result of burning fossil fuels such as gas, coal or oil.  The amount of Carbon emission shows primarily the industrial activities in the economy. There are various adverse effects caused to environment due to carbon emissions, including increased frequency of extreme weather events, variation in monsoons patterns, rise in surface temperature, rise in sea level and melting of glaciers along with other factors. It also affects agriculture and food production and result in increased incidence of vector borne diseases.
As per the chart BRIC nations’ carbon emissions per capita has been looked upon. This shows that
  • Russia, Brazil, China and India have accounted for carbon emissions around 11, 5, 2 and 1.5 metric tons per capita in 2010.
  •  There has been almost same and increasing trend in carbon emission followed by all countries over the period.
  • In 2001-02, Russia has a reduction in carbon emission i.e. 9.87 to 9.82 metric tons per capita but further shows an increasing trend. Russia has increased 10.31 MtCo2 per capita on an average over the period.
  • China also shows upswing in carbon emissions specifically in 2004-07 periods that indicates an industrial uprising in the economy. However it decreased its per capita emission in 2007-08 i.e. from 4.95 to 4.6 approx. Over the period, it has increased around 3.60 MtCo2 per capita on an average.
  •  Brazil and India show a parallel and constant increase in emission. Brazil however also shows steadily decrease in per capita emissions on an average in comparison to India as per the graph. Over the period, Brazil and India have increased 1.87 and 1.22 MTCo2 per capita carbon emissions.

Challenges always keep coming. Proper actions are needed. In addition to bring awareness; we will have to pursue with each and every aspects of environmental degradations at a grass roots level. 

With the right approach and well directed actions, we can certainly bring our dream for a cleaner and greener environment a reality !!
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CSR Reporting

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Corporate social responsibility refers to the various responsibilities in the process of making an organization a responsible corporate citizen of the society.

Within the business world, the main “responsibility” for corporations has historically been to make money and increase shareholder value. Gradually, in the last decade,
the movement and support for the environment, for local communities, for better working conditions, and for ethical practices has gathered momentum and taken hold.

These days, businesses have started measuring the performance and that is calculated on the basis of the tangible and intangible value additions which not only include the financial performance but also other non- financial performances. Proper reporting is done also known
as sustainability reporting, helps the organizations in the process of brand building, internal and external communication. The reporting benefits in maximum utilization of available resources, stakeholders satisfaction and sustainable development in real terms.

The different factors in measuring corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices include transparent trade practices and transactions based on ethical values,  following the legal compliances, respecting the communities, people and environment. Beyond making profit, companies are responsible for their negative impacts on the stakeholders and the planet. Different stakeholders are their employees, customers, business partners, investors, suppliers and the community. In order to satisfy the expectation of all the stakeholders, the companies should be more environmentally and socially responsible
business operations.

It is also described as “triple bottom line” approach for the impact measurement, which includes the corporation’s financial, social, and environmental performance in
conducting its business.

Thus it (CSR) is not about charity, but it belongs to the core business of a company and therefore should be an integral part of doing business. Companies are under increasing pressure from multilateral societies and governments are taking strict measures for corporate to take socially responsible conducts and actions.

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पानी की कहानी

पानी की कहानी 
पानी बहता है 
        यहाँ से वहा - इधेर से उधेर 
वहा से यहाँ - उधर से इधर 
  लकिन 
बहता है ऊपर से निचे ही 
बहना जरुरी भी ह उसके लिए 
अपने लिए भी , पर.........
पानी बहता है बदलो से जमी तक 
पहाड़ो से नालो  तक 
नालो से नदी तक 
न रुकता न थकता  बस बहता है 
नदी से बड़ी नदी 
बड़ी नदी से समुन्द्र तक 
जो नहीं बहता वो रुक जाता ह 
तालाबो में , पोखरों में और उन छोटे गड्डों में 
 पर फिर भी कोसिस करता है बहने की 
तालाबो से नहरों में , 
नहरों से  खेतो में 
खेतो से फसलो में 
फसलो से ...........
फसलो का पानी कुख जाता ह अनाजो में दानो में 
फिर भी कोसिस करता है , आपनो को बुलाने की 
जब जाता है मुह में
तो बुलाता है  पीछे रुके हुए , कही बिचड़े हुए आपने साथी पानी को 
की आजा आब चलते है , बहते है कही और 
गटक लिया जाता ह अन्दर 
अब तो शायद रुकेगा 
पर नहीं
फिर बह निकलता ह कही और 
मिलता ह आपने साथियो से 
बहता है नालियों से-  पर रुकता नहीं चाहूऔर 
चाहे गर्मी हो या हो सर्दी 
और हो बारिस का समय 
मेरा काम है  बहना, यही है मेरा गहना
                                  - गोपाल (उदैपुर से ) 
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Happy World Water Day friends....

Conserve our water resources as fresh water scarcity will be a big problem in future due to climate change. Imagine if all glaciers that fed our rivers got melt and go into the oceans......from where you will get fresh water for your drinking and daily needs. so conserve water at your household level, implement the rainwater harvesting technology in your houses, use rural ground water recharge technologies if you have land and most important completely stop the wastage of water in your kitchen and bathroom......After all water is the base of life....

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The Joint Forest Management Committees under the Rupnarayan Forest Development Agency at West Midnapore in the state of West Bengal have enabled the forest protection and preservation at the very grass root level with the co-operation of the local people and this approach has also been a boon in case of dealing with the regional problems like elephant depredation and extremist activities. It is due to this that the Rupnarayan Forest Development Agency like other Forest Development Agencies of the state has perhaps been the only structural group which has been able to function successfully in these terror stricken areas.

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DVD cover of the Documentary


Marching ahead with notions of development, sustainability and prosperity, there has been a reason for every villager to smile. From saving the forests to the gaining of livelihood opportunities and long term assets, as the new dawn approaches, there is an emergence of light also in the lives of the people, while when it comes to dusk, the villagers celebrate and rejoice, welcoming the dawn of the day ahead.

The documentary is presented by the Regional Centre, National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India, Jadavpur University, Kolkata and sponsored by the National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India.

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From the time we are born, we take up an aim...an ambition....a goal in life. These aims keep changing with age and situations. The higher we go up the ladder of life....the less chances prevail for those aims to come true...

I was thinking of some tool by which I could sensitize that 'child' in each one of us again....the child who was born to Mother Earth. If we were to take up an aim(lakhsya) to protect our Mother who gave birth to us and nurtured us to make us reach where we are today....i would call it a 'Green Lakhshya'...

And hence am using my thoughts, my feelings, and my passion to write articles for my blog: www.greenlakshya.wordpress.com

Even if one of you follow my 'lakshya'.......my aim for doing this would come true.

So please read and take up this 'lakhshya' of aiming green

Your comments and suggestions would take me a little closer to achieving 'my green lakhshya'

Thanks

Sreemoyee

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Last few days left to apply for Social Impact Assessment (SIA) training programme.

The objective of this programme is to build capacity and create awareness among regulators, developers, NGOs and academicians to understand SIA process—Reconnaissance and Baseline Survey, Land Acquisition Survey and Plan (LAP) and Preparation of the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP). The programme also aims at evaluating the SIA report along with the applicable legislations in India.

 

COURSE FEES: Rs 8,000 (For developers, environment consultants and regulators) 50% discounts for NGOs, academicians and students

Date: March 26-28, 2012

Venue: CSE, 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi – 62

Last Date for Applying: March 23, 2012,

Timing:10.00 am to 5.30 pm

Open for all: Government officials of Project Executing Departments, Developers, NGOs, CBOs, and Academicians, Students and Industries 

For registration: Kindly email at: swati@cseindia.orgarpit@cseindia.org

For details contact: Swati, Arpit
Industry & Environment Unit
Centre for Science and Environment
41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi-110062
Mobile: 9910496283, 9810564236

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World Forests Day 2012

HAPPY WORLD FOREST DAY friends.........
Plant more and more trees, protect our forests as they are the best sinks of carbon and help mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change......Go Green.

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Membrane Bio Reactor

Need information on MBR (Membrane Bio Reactor) being used for treatment of Textile Wastewater.
Some journals published along with information would help....

Thanks in Advance,

Gunaranjan 

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Of late, I have been thinking that one day goes by without a newspaper carrying an article or story related to environmental issues. If you live in India (like I do), such news is more often than not (very) depressing. After reading numerous such stories, I (almost) started questioning myself about whether anything "can go right" when it comes to environmental concerns. So, this morning, when I picked up the latest issue of Saudi Aramco World magazine and flipped through it, I was very pleasantly surprised to see something positive for a change . . . to read more, click here.

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For those who don't know him, Guru Das Agarwal — with his flowing white beard and piercing eyes — might appear like a rishi. For those who know him, he's nothing less. Probably it is an indication of the kind of esteem in which the 76-year-old former IIT Kanpur professor is held that when he decided to go on a fast-unto-death to protest against the hydel power projects being built on the upper reaches of the Ganga, support began pouring in.

 

READ

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/03/16/dying-for-the-ganges-a-scientist-turned-swami-risks-all/

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Hi,

I have heard of experiments in which certain species of earthworms have been used to degrade the human anatomical waste from sanitary napkins. Can someone tell me whether it is possible to use earthworms for degrading the human anatomical waste component of biomedical waste? If so, which  species of earthworm would be suitable for this? Of course, there are risks involved, but if it works out well, then it can become a solution to treat BMW (anatomical, pathological waste) at least on a small scale.

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Scopes of Agroforestry in India

Dear all,

              Eager to know the scopes of agroforestry in India...............its growth parameters and Government ventures to support various agroforestry schemes thro pilot projects, its prospects throughout the country........thorough knowhow will be very helpful.................Thanks

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