Pens in memory of Gandhi but not for the Gandhians

Usually I write on environment only, but few things just make me think aloud.


Albert Einstein, the renowned scientist once said about Gandhiji that - Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this had walked the earth in flesh and blood. If alive today, Gandhi ji would not have believed there is pen named after him, which no TRUE Gandhian can ever buy! The Pen does not suit their pocket and Gandhian values.


The world famous pens manufactures Mont Blanc, is bringing out two sets of premium pens in memory of Mahatma Gandhi. One series - the Mahatma Gandhi Limited Edition-241 series — will commemorate the Mahatma's 241-km march during the Salt Satyagraha. The other series - the Mahatma Gandhi Limited Edition-3000 - will commemorate all those who followed him. Set of premium pens cost Rs 11.3 lakh, an amount, which Gandhi ji wouldn’t have spent on his personal belongings in his entire life.

Gandhi ji use to write on both sides of paper to avoid wastage and used a normal pen but what ever he wrote was written with conviction and truth.He stood for everything that was non-elitist and now there is pen, which only elites can buy and probably use. Hope they will, at least , ONLY use the pen to sign deals based on Gandhian values.

Obama - From US to Copenhagen

As we are merely three and a quarter years away to fulfill Kyoto Protocol , policy makers are gearing up for another international treaty. World leaders and policy makers are meeting again in Copenhagen to sign another treaty in December on climate change. From 7 December 2009, environment ministers and officials will gather in Copenhagen for the COP15 UN climate conference to thrash out a successor to the Kyoto protocol. (The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions .These amount to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.)

I had written in my earlier post too- Copenhagen or Kyoto Protocol, no treaty or deadline based agreement can be made possible without mutual participation and ‘Genuine WILL’ based on trust and common interest, which in the case of climate change is indeed common. A balance between national interest of each country and climate change is something, which is crucial. Though President Obama in his speech today, emphasised on the positive steps taken in the last eight months, under his administration, the American reluctance to accept any agreement that would require legally binding and internationally enforceable targets for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions could doom the Copenhagen session.

Paying poor countries for protecting forests is again something I am not able to comprehend. In fact, more I read and understand world practices (in both rich and poor world) more I am confused. And often I am reminded of my father, who says- at times solutions are more dangerous than the problems. But that does not mean we have to sit and watch the world move towards point of no return (if we have not reached there already). Hope something good will emerge from Copenhagen conference.


Anyway,what I liked, as always, in Obama’s speech today on Climate change is: his skill to include efforts at individual level. “Each of us should do what we can and when we can”, this simple line meant a lot to me both as a listener and as an environmental communicator. I have been following his speeches, specially related to environment, which started right from his very first presidential speech. He was the first president to mention climate change and need to change our lifestyles at individual levels.

Hope he actually makes -'Yes We Can' possible.

Here is the text of Obama's speech:

Good morning. I want to thank the Secretary-General for organizing this summit, and all the leaders who are participating. That so many of us are here today is a recognition that the threat from climate change is serious, it is urgent, and it is growing. Our generation's response to this challenge will be judged by history, for if we fail to meet it -- boldly, swiftly, and together -- we risk consigning future generations to an irreversible catastrophe.
No nation, however large or small, wealthy or poor, can escape the impact of climate change. Rising sea levels threaten every coastline. More powerful storms and floods threaten every continent. More frequent drought and crop failures breed hunger and conflict in places where hunger and conflict already thrive. On shrinking islands, families are already being forced to flee their homes as climate refugees.
The security and stability of each nation and all peoples -- our prosperity, our health, our safety -- are in jeopardy. And the time we have to reverse this tide is running out.
And yet, we can reverse it. John F. Kennedy once observed that "Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man." It is true that for too many years, mankind has been slow to respond to or even recognize the magnitude of the climate threat. It is true of my own country as well. We recognize that. But this is a new day. It is a new era. And I am proud to say that the United States has done more to promote clean energy and reduce carbon pollution in the last eight months than at any other time in our history.
We're making our government's largest ever investment in renewable energy -- an investment aimed at doubling the generating capacity from wind and other renewable resources in three years. Across America, entrepreneurs are constructing wind turbines and solar panels and batteries for hybrid cars with the help of loan guarantees and tax credits -- projects that are creating new jobs and new industries. We're investing billions to cut energy waste in our homes, buildings, and appliances -- helping American families save money on energy bills in the process. We've proposed the very first national policy aimed at both increasing fuel economy and reducing greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks -- a standard that will also save consumers money and our nation oil. We're moving forward with our nation's first offshore wind energy projects. We're investing billions to capture carbon pollution so that we can clean up our coal plants. Just this week, we announced that for the first time ever, we'll begin tracking how much greenhouse gas pollution is being emitted throughout the country. Later this week, I will work with my colleagues at the G20 to phase out fossil fuel subsidies so that we can better address our climate challenge. And already, we know that the recent drop in overall U.S. emissions is due in part to steps that promote greater efficiency and greater use of renewable energy.
Most importantly, the House of Representatives passed an energy and climate bill in June that would finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy for American businesses and dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One committee has already acted on this bill in the Senate and I look forward to engaging with others as we move forward.


Because no one nation can meet this challenge alone, the United States has also engaged more allies and partners in finding a solution than ever before. In April, we convened the first of what have now been six meetings of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate here in the United States. In Trinidad, I proposed an Energy and Climate Partnership for the Americas. We've worked through the World Bank to promote renewable energy projects and technologies in the developing world. And we have put climate at the top of our diplomatic agenda when it comes to our relationships with countries from China to Brazil; India to Mexico; Africa to Europe.
Taken together, these steps represent an historic recognition on behalf of the American people and their government. We understand the gravity of the climate threat.
We are determined to act. And we will meet our responsibility to future generations.
But though many of our nations have taken bold actions and share in this determination, we did not come here today to celebrate progress. We came because there is so much more progress to be made. We came because there is so much more work to be done.
It is work that will not be easy. As we head towards Copenhagen, there should be no illusions that the hardest part of our journey is in front of us. We seek sweeping but necessary change in the midst of a global recession, where every nation's most immediate priority is reviving their economy and putting their people back to work. And so all of us will face doubts and difficulties in our own capitals as we try to reach a lasting solution to the climate challenge.
But difficulty is no excuse for complacency. Unease is no excuse for inaction. And we must not allow the perfect to become the enemy of progress. Each of us must do what we can when we can to grow our economies without endangering our planet -- and we must all do it together. We must seize the opportunity to make Copenhagen a significant step forward in the global fight against climate change.
We also cannot allow the old divisions that have characterized the climate debate for so many years to block our progress. Yes, the developed nations that caused much of the damage to our climate over the last century still have a responsibility to lead. And we will continue to do so by investing in renewable energy, promoting greater efficiency, and slashing our emissions to reach the targets we set for 2020 and our long-term goal for 2050.
But those rapidly-growing developing nations that will produce nearly all the growth in global carbon emissions in the decades ahead must do their part as well. Some of these nations have already made great strides with the development and deployment of clean energy. Still, they will need to commit to strong measures at home and agree to stand behind those commitments just as the developed nations must stand behind their own. We cannot meet this challenge unless all the largest emitters of greenhouse gas pollution act together.

There is no other way.
We must also energize our efforts to put other developing nations -- especially the poorest and most vulnerable on a path to sustainable growth. These nations do not have the same resources to combat climate change as countries like the United States or China do, but they have the most immediate stake in a solution. For these are the nations that are already living with the unfolding effects of a warming planet -- famine and drought; disappearing coastal villages and the conflict that arises from scarce resources. Their future is no longer a choice between a growing economy and a cleaner planet, because their survival depends on both. It will do little good to alleviate poverty if you can no longer harvest your crops or find drinkable water.

That is why we have a responsibility to provide the financial and technical assistance needed to help these nations adapt to the impacts of climate change and pursue low-carbon development.
What we are seeking, after all, is not simply an agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions. We seek an agreement that will allow all nations to grow and raise living standards without endangering the planet. By developing and disseminating clean technology and sharing our know-how, we can help developing nation’s leap-frog dirty energy technologies and reduce dangerous emissions.

As we meet here today, the good news is that after too many years of inaction and denial, there is finally widespread recognition of the urgency of the challenge before us. We know what needs to be done. We know that our planet's future depends on a global commitment to permanently reduce greenhouse gas pollution. We know that if we put the right rules and incentives in place, we will unleash the creative power of our best scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to build a better world. And so many nations have already taken the first steps on the journey towards that goal.

But the journey is long. The journey is hard. And we don't have much time left to make it. It is a journey that will require each of us to persevere through setback, and fight for every inch of progress, even when it comes in fits and starts. So let us begin. For if we are flexible and pragmatic; if we can resolve to work tirelessly in common effort, then we will achieve our common purpose: a world that is safer, cleaner, and healthier than the one we found; and a future that is worthy of our children. Thank you.



And what I would say- God bless the world for the future generations.

Trees for treaties

I have been heartened by the recent G8 meeting in which the world's industrialised powers agreed on an objective ceiling of 2C temperature rise. Soon a new U.N. climate agreement is due to be signed in Copenhagen. But can we achieve such objectives without mutual consensus between all countries? The objective cannot be achieved without mutual consensus between rich and poor countries. Presently, developing countries feel that rich countries have already enjoyed two centuries of industrialisation, but they disagree with developing nations on how much of the burden they should carry under a new treaty.

There is, however, consensus on role of forests in tackling emission issues. We all know that forests and tree planting can help mitigate the effects of global warming by increasing carbon storage and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. More and more Northern and Southern governments, bilateral development agencies, multilateral development banks and big conservation NGOs are arguing that “countries” should be compensated for protecting the “carbon reservoirs” in standing forests. Some governments even propose that there should be economic incentives for developing countries to protect forests .Such incentives should come from a specialised international fund created from public money from donor countries. On the other hand, terms like “carbon finance” and “carbon forestry” are applying new definitions and discussions to the situation. Such practices are dismissed by few due to the notion that the value of forests can be reduced to the monetary value by the defaulters. For the native people the non-monetary cultural and spiritual values of their forest are of utmost importance and must be respected.

International community can help by developing faith and communicating with local communities, partnership between policy makers and grassroots communities, cooperation between developing and developed nations and awareness about larger loss in case of loss of forests can make all the difference to the existing situation for achieve larger goals. More trees for new treaties are indeed crucial.

We Act Nature Reacts-Simple

Newton's laws of motion –to every action there is always opposed an equal reaction –is actually so well applicable on all laws of nature. It was naive of us all to challenge the nature. Today world’s biggest challenge is to deal with nature’s challenge. Every year increased numbers of cyclones, hurricanes, new flues are threatening us the way we threatened the way nature works, with our reckless actions. In spite of advance medical technology, we are often caught unprepared for health threats. Latest Swine flue is just one of the examples.

In 1962, author of Silent Spring Rachel Carson forecast that persistent pesticides would silence the world’s birds –and perhaps make the world unliveable for humankind as well. Today, in spite of the fact that we are able to set out cloned human genes in clusters on a glass slide to test suspect poisons and the genes of similar, representative groups are being studied to see what slight changes in their so-called "susceptibility" genes make them more – or less – susceptible to cigarette smoke, industrial chemicals, pesticides and sunlight, we are still prone to the predictions of Rachel Carson.

Fabric Softeners: Not soft on your Health

Soft towels, fluffy fleeces and synthetic fabrics don’t cling. What’s not to like? Well, try skin irritation, increased flammability and environmental pollution, for starters. It seems the average bottle of fabric softener has a dark side.

Around the world affluent consumers spend millions in a year to keep their fabrics soft but the problem is that fabric softeners are not soft on the health and the environment. It can be harmful to both the people who use them and the marine life that ends up swimming in them.

Most fabric softeners are emulsions of water and cationic surfactants, which can cause skin irritation. Consumers never know which surfactant is used because manufacturers are not required to list this on the pack. Because the mechanics of fabric softening don’t vary from brand to brand, manufacturers have turned to perfume to distinguish their products from one another- indeed, many believe fragrance is a key factor in increasing sales. These products are often marketed as luxury items, in much the same way as health and beauty products, which customers are encouraged to purchase in a range of scents to suit all moods.

Manufacturers are not obliged to write harmful chemicals list on the products neither there is a law, which can make them write but, no one can stop you from finding out what you are paying for. You just need to keep our eyes open to what is good for our health and the environment.

Be aware for your own health

Rich in poor Environment: Where does it lead us?

Till few years ago the health of an economy was determined by per capita income or per capita consumption. Today we have a new definition added for determining well being of a society. It is called per capita energy consumption. Energy consumption is directly proportional to the growth of the economy. The more energy consumed the better is the economic growth but- what about Environment? Energy is one of the most important economic drivers as also a source of enviornmetal disaster if we are not careful about its use. Some of the energy sources we now consume come from burning petroleum that is derived from crude oil. Other major energy sources include coal, natural gas and uranium. Unfortunately, using these materials leads to numerous environmental problems. In addition, none of these energy sources is renewable.


Rich and poor, developed, developing and under-developed countries alike need to apply energy-efficient technologies to cut future greenhouse gas emissions and to meet the energy needs of the developing world.

Gradually non-renewable energy sources will become scarcer and costlier. Crude oil, which is still the world’s most important energy carrier covers approximately one-third of the global demand for energy. The steady growth in transport services leads to a continuous increase in the demand for oil. Studies reveal that the number of cars will double internationally over the next three decades –leading to a phenomenal increase in the demand of crude oil unless a vehicle propulsion revolution takes place soon.

Also carbon dioxide emissions from the use of fossil fuels will continue to build up in the atmosphere, accelerating global warming. According to World Development Indicator 2009, without government initiatives on energy or climate change, global temperatures may rise as much as 6°C by the end of the century. This outcome of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Trend Scenario can be compared with a 3°C rise under a Policy Scenario in which greenhouse gasses are stabilized at 550 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide equivalent and a 2°C rise under a Policy Scenario in which concentrations are stabilized at 450 ppm. The consequences of the Trend Scenario go well beyond what the international community regards as acceptable.

World is already experiencing the impact of rising average global temperature on physical and biological systems, and the situation is worsening day by day. The 13 warmest years since 1880 have occurred in the last 16 years. There is a risk of reaching unpredictable tipping points, such as a rise in Arctic temperatures precipitating a massive release of methane from permafrost zones. Thawing permafrost could also threaten oil and gas extraction infrastructure and pipeline. If this contentious prediction comes true, the crisis may leave the world on a higher carbon dioxide emission path.

Such complex situations where demand cannot be curbed at the cost of development (and in some cases survival), alternate green energy becomes the only solution.

Time to take Action.

The future lies in green and clean energy. At policy level, the governments, international agencies, civil societies and corporate houses are engaged in a concerted effort to explore and harness energy from unconventional source in
view of shortage of non-renewable sources of energy. At business level , companies are trying to develop energy-efficient transformers so that electricity is not wasted to a great measure during transmission. At individual level we need to understand the importance of energy in our lives and stop taking it for granted. We have to minimize the use of oil, gas, electricity, or any other fuel. We cannot afford to waste any available energy. It is also important to spread awareness about limited availability of energy resources. Simple things like joining a car pool, switching off car engines at raffic lights, and minimizing the use of gas and oil in everyday activities will help a long way in crisis-readiness.

Worldwide effort is being made and more innovations are in the offering. For a change, the entrepreneurs all over the world are getting attracted towards tremendous opportunity in green energy sector. With such a massive cash booster for this sector, global market is definitely steered towards a low carbon economy. And this provides a great relief to the common people reeling under the perpetual trepidation of energy shortage and eventual end.

Eco-Friendly Fabrics

The use of synthetics for clothing is contributing to the rapid depletion of the world's forests. Petroleum-based products are detrimental to the environment on many levels. Fortunately there are alternatives. Eco-conscious fabrics exist and we need to be aware of them, so that we're able to make choices that allow us to lessen our impact on the environment. Here are few ECO friendly Fabrics as alternatives for people who want to make a move towards eco freindly dressing.

Bamboo

Bamboo fabric is a natural textile made from the pulp of the bamboo grass. It has been growing in popularity because it has many unique properties and is more sustainable than most textile fibres. Bamboo fabric is light and strong, has excellent wicking properties, and is to some extent antibacterial. The use of bamboo fibre for clothing was a 20th century development. Bamboo fibre resembles cotton in its unspun form, a puffball of light, airy fibres. Many companies use extensive bleaching processes to turn bamboo fibre white, although companies producing organic bamboo fabric leave the bamboo fibre unbleached. To make bamboo fibre, bamboo is heavily pulped until it separates into thin component threads of fibre, which can be spun and dyed for weaving into cloth.

In textile form, bamboo retains many of the properties it has as a plant. Bamboo is highly water absorbent, able to take up three times its weight in water. In bamboo fabric, this translates to an excellent wicking ability that will pull moisture away from the skin so that it can evaporate. For this reason, clothing made of bamboo fibre is often worn next to the skin.

Bamboo also has many antibacterial qualities, which bamboo fabric is apparently able to retain, even through multiple washings. This helps to reduce bacteria that thrive on clothing and cause unpleasant odors. It can also kill odor causing bacteria that live on human skin, making the wearer and his or her clothing smell sweeter. In addition, bamboo fabric has insulating properties and will keep the wearer cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Bamboo fabric has something in it called “Bamboo Kun” which means it’s naturally an antibiotic - even after 50 washes! Another cool fact about Bamboo is that it has got mild UV blocking protection.

Bamboo fabric is very soft and can be worn directly next to the skin. Many people who experience allergic reactions to other natural fibres, such as wool or hemp, do not complain of this issue with bamboo. The fibre without chemical treatment does not have sharp spurs to irritate the skin.

On the pulp trend, to create bamboo fibre, a process of hydrolysis-alkalization and multi-phase bleaching refines bamboo pulp from the plant, which is then processed into fibre. Bamboo fibre works for both you and the environment. As the fastest growing plant in the world, bamboo reaches its maximum height within a few months and maturity within less than a handful of years. The pesticide and fertilizer-free growing process is entirely natural –without human assistance –and bamboo spreads rapidly across large areas, which is argued to improve soil quality in degraded and eroded land areas. The point is, don't feel badly for any chopped-down bamboo shoots –there is plenty where that came from.

Hemp

By far, the crop with the most potential for eco-friendly textile use is hemp. The ecological footprint of hemp is considerably smaller than that of most other plants considered for their fibres. Hemp plants grow very quickly and densely which makes it difficult for weeds to take hold, eliminating the need for herbicides and artificial fertilizers. It requires no irrigation as it thrives on the amount of water in the average rainfall, and it is highly pest-resistant.

Hemp has naturally long fibres which makes it suitable for spinning with a minimum of processing. The hemp fibres are also long-lasting; in fact, historically hemp has been used for making naval ropes that were used in and around water because they resist rot. If it held up to those conditions, imagine how well it will wear as a pair of jeans, or a shirt?

Hemp fabrics come in a variety of weights and textures. You can purchase fabric or clothing, woven or knit; buy yarn, rope, belts and a wide range of products made of this versatile plant.


Organic Cotton

Organic cotton is much more environment-friendly than the traditional variety as it uses no pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides during the growing cycle. There are many growers of this crop, and the number is steadily increasing. Usually manufacturers using this plant to make textiles follow up the process by using natural dyes to further reduce the amount of chemicals dumped into our ecosystem.

Did you know?
That growing cotton uses 22.5 percent of all the insecticides used globally?


Even more promising is new cotton that is grown in the tradition of the Aztecs –colored cotton. Sally Fox, a biologist, spent ten years perfecting colored cotton with long enough fibres to be spun into thread. She managed to get it to grow naturally in shades of green and brown. It has the added benefit of not fading (in color) and in fact, it gets more vibrant with the first few washings.

Soy Silk

Soy fabric is created from leftovers in soybean and tofu production, and has all the great benefits of moisture wicking. Soy silk is made from the by-products of the tofu-making process. The liquefied proteins are extruded into fibres which are then spun, and used like any other fibre (woven, knitted, etc.).

You can purchase soy silk yarn and test it out for yourself. The high protein content makes it receptive to natural dyes, so you can create your own colors.

Corn Fibre

Corn fabric, being sold as “Sorona” is touted as the new nylon. It is a fabric that uses much less energy to create than traditional fabrics and is a renewable resource. It is created by extracting the starch and then sugars from corn, and processing them to make a fibre, which can be spun into a yarn or woven into fabric.


Seaweed

The newest eco lovechild is a fabric called SeaCell, a mixture of seaweed and wood pulp. The word on the street is that when you wear Seacell, your body actually absorbs some of the delicious goodness found in seaweed like calcium, magnesium, and vitamin E.


Coconut
Coconut fabrics offer a natural solution incorporated into the yarns and fibers which provides enhanced performance without adding steps and costs for additional finishes. By using natural ingredients incorporated into yarns and fibers, there are no harsh chemicals or topical treatments to irritate the skin.

The coconut carbon woven into the fibre increases the ability of the fabric to draw moisture from the skin. The carbon particles are irregularly shaped so that the moisture accumulates in small hollows on the carbon’s surface, which then unloads the moisture by evaporation. This process ensures that the wearer stays dry and cool. Tests have been conducted in which the characteristics of fabrics made of coconut fibers and other fabrics were compared. These revealed that using coconut fiber based clothes increased moisture absorption by 50%, compared to ordinary Polyester, and was 45% better than the fabric that until now has been considered best in the world. Like bamboo fabric, it gives protection against UV rays.

The coconut shell carbon woven into the fibre increases the fabric’s performance in protecting the wearer from ultraviolet rays by absorbing the rays rather than letting them reflect onto the skin. It is also able to protect the skin from damage caused by the sun’s rays. It also minimises body odor: Since the surface of the coconut carbon is uneven, then it also absorbs various odor molecules into the small hollows, and minimises bad smells. The fabric retains them there until the carbon replenishes itself when washed.

Mold:
A smooth ,water absorbent fiber,Model is made by spining reonstituted cellulose from beech tree.Because of its silky finish the material is often used in intimates and other clothing worn close to the skin.

Yak:
Similar to cashmere in its physical properties, this luxury fiber comes from Yak, a large long halved bovine indigenous to the Himalayan Mountains. This incredibly sustainable fiber doesn’t itch like some knits and can even be washed at home. So you do not have to send your special clothes made of this fiber for expensive dry cleaning.

Health concerns: Plastics are there in our stomach too!

How safe is to use plastics in packaged food, food containers and the products which come in contact with our skin, is debatable. Chemicals known as "phthalates" (pronounced thal-ates) make plastics flexible. In use since the 1930s, phthalates can be found today in a wide variety of products, ranging cosmetics, toys and detergents to solvents, lubricants and vinyl flooring, and even in the food packaging. This is of particular concern because Phthalates have in recent months come under considerable scrutiny.

There is a huge amount of data confirming the migration of plastic monomers and additives in all steps of food processing. “Unfortunately, phthalates are highly mobile and can leach or separate from plastics and other products, eventually making their way into the food we eat, the liquids we drink, and the air we breathe” says Dr Meshgan Al Awar, PhD in Chemistry from Cardiff (UK). Some researchers have pointed to potential links between phthalates and abdominal obesity, among other concerns.

Phthalates can also be found in certain medical devices including intravenous bags, blood bags and different kinds of tubing. In fact, recent studies of indoor air and household dust have revealed surprisingly high levels of these chemicals.
Industry sources often claim that plastics used in food packaging are absolutely safe for human health. However, Paul Goettlich in his research article-‘ Get Plastic out Of Your Diet’, writes, “I find a critical disparity between the level of science employed by the regulations and the current scientific knowledge regarding the levels at which plastics migrate to food and the effects they can have. In particular, I am more concerned with extremely low concentrations. There is also a conflict of interest in allowing the manufacturer to submit its own testing to the approving agencies as proof of anything.” He further adds, “We invite the fox into the henhouse and are surprised when there’s nothing left but eggshells and feathers”.
How can you know whether a product contains phthalates?

Manufacturers are not obligated to list phthalates in the ingredients lists Some manufacturers may list the chemicals on their packaging. Phthalates commonly used in products include:
• DBP (dibutyl phthalate).
• DINP (diisononyl phthalate).
• DEP (diethyl phthalate).
• DEHP (di 2-ethylhexl phthalate).
• DMP (dimethyl phthalate).
• BBP (benzyl butyl phthalate).
• DNOP (di-n-octyl phthalate).
• DIDP (Diisodecyl phthalate).




Plastics are definitely flowing in our blood streams. According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics last year, University of Washington tested the urine of 163 infants and found that all the babies had at least one type of phthalate in their system while 81 per cent had at least seven different types. Among children who had recently had their hair shampooed or had lotion applied to their body, levels of phthalates were higher, the study said. The study cautioned, however, that the products themselves were not tested for phthalates. Researchers also noted that there was no proof the chemicals found in the babies' urine were harmful.

What you can do?

By using even the least offensive plastic one only prolongs and increases the toxic load on the Earth and in our bodies. Stephanie Barger, executive director of Earth Resource Foundation in Costa Mesa, California says,”We are extracting and destroying the Earth to use a plastic bag for 10 minutes." To avoid further degradation of the environment with plastic, we just have to stop using plastic the way we do it right now. Each one of us can make an effort to reduce the amount of plastics we use by disposing of our own trash responsibly, by not buying stuff with excessive packaging, by not buying stuff that we don't really need and by assisting in clean up efforts with local organizations that can recycle plastics.

Buzz about the Bees

Honeybees are social insects with a marked division of labour. A colony generally contains one breeding female, or "queen"; 2000 males, or "drones"; and a large population of sterile female “worker” bees. The population of a healthy hive in mid-summer can average between 40,000 and 80,000 bees. The workers cooperate to find food and use a pattern of "dancing" to communicate with each other.
Honeybees live in colonies that are often maintained, fed, and transported by beekeepers. Centuries of selective breeding by human beings have created honeybees that produce far more honey than the colony needs. Beekeepers harvest the honey. Beekeepers provide a place for the colony to live and to store honey in. The modern beehive is made up of a series of square or rectangular boxes without tops or bottoms placed one on top of another. Inside the boxes, frames are hung in parallel, in which bees build up the wax honeycomb in which they both raise brood and store honey. Modern hives enable beekeepers to transport bees, moving from field to field as the crop needs pollination.

Queen

The queen is the largest bee in the colony. Queens are developed from larvae selected by worker bees to become sexually mature. The queen develops more fully than sexually immature workers because she is given royal jelly, a secretion from glands on the heads of young workers, for an extended time. She develops in a specially constructed queen cell, which is larger than the cells of normal brood comb, and is oriented vertically instead of horizontally. In each hive or colony, there is only one adult queen, who is the mother of the worker bees of the hive, although there are exceptions on occasion.

Although the name might imply it, a queen has no control over the hive. Her sole function is to serve as the reproducer. She is indeed an "egg laying machine." A good queen of quality stock, well reared with good nutrition and well mated, can lay up to 3,000 eggs per day during the spring build-up and live for two or more years. She lays her own weight in eggs every couple of hours and is continuously surrounded by young worker attendants, who meet all her needs, such as feeding and cleaning.
Drones

The male bees, called “drones”, are characterized by eyes that are twice the size of those of worker bees and queens, and a body size greater than that of worker bees, though usually smaller than the queen bee. Their abdomen is stouter than the abdomen of workers or queen. Although heavy bodied, drones have to be able to fly fast enough to catch up with the queen in flight. Drones are stingless. Their main function in the hive is to be ready to fertilize a receptive queen. The life expectancy of a drone is about 90 days.


Worker Bees

A worker bee is a non-reproducing female, which performs certain tasks in support of a beehive. Worker bees undergo a well-defined progression of capabilities. In the summer, 98% of the bees in a hive are worker bees. In the winter, besides the queen, all bees are worker bees. Workers feed the queen and larvae, guard the hive entrance and help to keep the hive cool by fanning their wings. Worker bees also collect nectar to make honey. In addition, worker bees produce wax comb.

Why Honeybees are Important?

Bees play a central role in our food supply. Crops from nuts to vegetables and as diverse as alfalfa, apple, cantaloupe, cranberry, pumpkin, and sunflower all require pollinating by honeybees. For fruit and nut crops, pollination can be a farmer’s only real chance to increase yield. The extent of pollination determines the maximum number of fruits. Post-pollination inputs, whether growth regulators, pesticides, water, or fertilizer, are actually designed to prevent losses and preserve quality rather than increase yield.

As pollination is so important, farmers cannot depend on feral honeybees that happen to nest near crop fields. That is why farmers invite migratory beekeepers, who move millions of beehives to fields each year just as crops flower. The pollination of our crops is the greatest honeybee contribution. Without their services, many of our crops would not produce fruit or set seed. Although other insects perform this service, honeybees are by far the most numerous and important pollinators. Their large perennial colonies can be moved to wherever they are needed and they can communicate direction and distance from the hive to nectar sources. Honeybees also practice flower fidelity, which makes them very efficient pollinators. Flower fidelity is the habit of concentrating on one specific species of flower when gathering and transferring pollen even though the insect is attracted to a large variety of flowers.

Crops that need the Bees
Apple; blackberry; blueberry; cantaloupe; cherry; clover; cucumber; fruit trees; peach; pear; persimmon; plum; pumpkin; raspberry; squash; and watermelon must be pollinated by bees to produce food yields. Crops that will produce higher yields if visited by bees include: strawberry; soybean; pepper; okra; lima beans; grape and eggplant.

But the bees’ importance goes far beyond agriculture. They also pollinate flowering plant species, ensuring that we have blooms in our gardens. Of course, there are honey and beeswax as well. Honeybees are also excellent at finding the most abundant and sweetest source of nectar near the colony. Scouts communicate information about the source to their brood with what is called “dance language”. Even in the darkness of the hive, the direction in which a bee is dancing can be easily followed by other worker bees and the odour of the nectar that the dancer provides gives the followers a clue as to what kind of flower the dancer has found.

Communicating by Dance
Honeybee dancing, perhaps the most intriguing aspect of their biology, is also one of the most fascinating behaviour in animal life. Performed by a worker bee that has returned to the honeycomb with pollen or nectar, the dances, in essence, constitute a language that “tells” other workers where the food is. By signalling both distance and direction with particular movements, the worker bee uses the dance language to recruit and direct other workers in gathering pollen and nectar.

Furious Bees: Reel not the real image of Bees

Bees are most harmless insects. But media has projected their false image. Bees are shown as aggressive insects in most of the films, comics, and cartoons although they are working tirelessly to offer the sweetest thing to the world: Honey.
All honeybees defend their nest by stinging, and their behaviour ranges from mild to intense. But they sting in greater numbers only on provocation. It is this defensive behaviour that Hollywood has raised to mythic proportions. The average person can survive 1,000 to 1,500 stings (about 10 to 15 stings per pound of body weight), especially if they get medical attention. Fortunately, such massive stinging is rare.

The Vanishing Act

Honeybees are mysteriously vanishing across the countries, putting billion dollars worth of fruits, nuts and vegetables at risk. Apples, cucumbers, broccoli or onions, pumpkins, squash, carrots, blueberries, avocados, almonds, cherries and many other crops cannot grow without honeybees. Baffling disappearance of these hard-working pollinators could put crops at risk –not to mention put a damper on your diet.
In recent years, there has been a drastic and mysterious die-off of honeybee colonies. Beekeepers sounded the alarm about disappearing bees in 2006. Seemingly healthy bees were simply abandoning their hives en masse, never to return. Researchers are calling the mass disappearance –Colony Collapse Disorder, and they estimate that nearly one-third of all honeybee colonies in the US have vanished.
Why are the bees leaving?

Scientists studying the disorder believe that a combination of factors could be making bees sick, including pesticide exposure, invasive parasitic mites, an inadequate food supply and a new virus that targets bees' immune systems. More research is essential to determine the exact cause of the bees' distress.

Bee Friendly, Bee Safe

Protecting honeybees is crucial. You can also help keep bees healthy by making your yard and garden colourful, diverse and pesticide free.

Here are some tips on how you can Bee Safe
•Bee Native: Use local and native plants in your yard and garden. These plants thrive easily and are well suited for local bee populations, providing pollen and nectar for bees to eat.
•Bee Diverse: sow lots of different kinds of plants in your yard. Plant diversity ensures that your garden attracts many different varieties of bees and gives them a range of flowering plants to choose from throughout the year. Make sure your yard plants vary in:
oColour: Bees have good vision and are attracted to several different colours of flowers.
oShape: Different species of bees are better suited for different shapes of flowers. Give your bees some variety!
oFlowering times: Having a sequence of plant species that flower throughout the year helps sustain the food supply and attract different species of bees.
•Bee Open to Pollen: Pollen is bee food. Genetically engineered pollen-free plants trick bees into thinking they will find food, and then leave them hungry. (Don't worry; flower pollen isn't a big contributor to most people's allergies.)
•Bee Pesticide Wary: There are many natural methods to control pests in your garden. Researchers believe that pesticides are a contributing factor to Colony Collapse Disorder. Moreover, some insecticides are harmful to bees and wipe out flowers that provide bees with food. If you must, use targeted pesticides and spray at night –when bees are not active.
•Bee a Hive Builder: Building your own beehive is easy and fun. Creating a wood nest is a good place to start –wood-nesting bees do not sting! Simply take a non-pressure treated block of wood and drill holes that are 3/32 inch to 5/16 inch in diameter and about 5 inches deep and wait for the bees to arrive.

Spread the sweet message…Honey!

It is high time that the people across the world should initiate serious and concerted efforts to save the honeybees. Honeybees are important not only from the perspective of wildlife diversity but also essential for our dietary and olfactory needs. Colony Collapse Disorder leading to large-scale disappearance of the honeybees can adversely affect fruit and flower production if it remains unattended.

Earth Hour 2009

Here’s a letter from Ms. Elisea Gozun, EarthDay Network Philippines Chair and former DENR Secretary:

Dear Friends and Partners in protecting the Environment:

On March 31, 2007, millions of residences and businesses in Sydney turned off their lights for one hour as a symbolic gesture of their effort to address climate change. Now known as the EARTH HOUR, this single action sent a powerful message to the country and to the world to take action on GLOBAL WARMING.
Like we did last year, we are once again seeking your support to make this a global event where people all over the world unite to turn off the lights for one hour at 8:30pm on March 28, 2009 in your city or in parts of your city.
Climate change, as we now know, is the most significant threat to life on Earth. One way to address the current rate of greenhouse gas emissions is to get each and every global citizen to reduce their carbon footprint by making small adjustments in the way they live. To achieve individual change, we need to demonstrate how simple and how easy these actions can be.
The Earth Day Network Philippines would like to invite your city to join millions around the world in celebrating Earth Hour. Let us join nations around the world as they literally “turn off their lights” for Earth Hour. This event will create awareness on climate change and be a symbol of the fact that people of the world working together can make a difference in the fight against global warming. A voluntary black out covering a part of or the entire city will be most welcome.
To support this campaign, please log on to http://www.earthhour.org to individually register, study the website and see how your city can help. Do let us know also (email to earthdaynetwork@gmail.com) so that we can keep track of the local governments, groups, businesses in the country that are supporting this campaign. Also please document (including photos) your activities so we can post this on our website and share it with the world.
Thank you for joining us in this effort to save Mother Earth!
Sincerely,
Elisea “Bebet” G. Gozun
Chair, EDNP
So check your watches, and get ready for Earth Hour 2009!

The Ugly Side of Cosmetics-Animal Testing

Retrospect

As early as 10,000 BC, men and women used scented oils and ointments to clean and soften their skin and mask body odour. Dyes and paints were used to beautify skin, body and hair. They put colour on their lips and cheeks, stained their nails with henna, and lined their eyes and eyebrows heavily with kohl. If that was so in 10,000 BC, it is still the same. Now there are companies engaged in fulfilling people's desire to look good. We still take pride in our appearance. Indeed, people have been working hard at looking their best for centuries. That is why cosmetics have such a long history.But there are some cruel facts about the cosmetic Industry. Cosmetics have been used for, as long as there have been people to use them and now it will remain till the time there are animals to test on.

Animal Testing

Every year, cosmetics companies kill millions of animals to test their products. These companies claim that they test on animals to establish the safety of their products and ingredients for consumers. In the Draize test, caustic substances are placed in the eyes of conscious rabbits to evaluate damage to sensitive eye tissues. This is extremely painful for the rabbits, who often scream when the substances are applied and sometimes break their necks or backs trying to escape the restraints. Lethal Dosage (LD) tests are used to determine the amount of a substance that will kill a predetermined ratio of animals. For example, in the LD50 test, subjects are forced to ingest poisonous substances (through stomach tubes, vapour spray inhalers or injection) until half of them die. Common reactions to LD tests include convulsions, vomiting, paralysis and bleeding from the eyes, nose, mouth or rectum.


There are thirteen main types of testing performed in the cosmetics industry, which potentially involve the use of animals. Animals are routinely cut open, poisoned, and forced to live in barren steel cages for years. Poor animals are also killed in order to produce new cosmetics or toiletries. Half the animals used in the testing die a few weeks afterwards. In late 80's and early 90's, Ethical Treatment of Animals' campaign was started against product testing on animals, which had immediate reaction from the stakeholders. But it is still in practice in a major way. Due to such campaigns and subsequent public anger against bloody, violent, and deadly business of animal experimentation, some companies prefer to hide behind the cloak of "deniability" and hire contract laboratories to get the job done. But the fact remains that the animals are being tortured and killed.


An indicative list of different experiments conducted on animals for cosmetic production

Skin Penetration

Used to determine the extent to which cosmetic ingredients might penetrate the skin (which is important in determining whether they may enter the bloodstream and be carried to parts of the body causing toxic effects). There is up to a five-fold difference in skin absorption rates between different animal species and humans.
Skin IrritancyRabbits and guinea pigs are usually used for skin irritancy testing, with product being applied to shaved - and occasionally abraded - skin areas. Redness, ulcers, rashes or swelling may occur. The species used lack the varied human repertoire of responses, partly due to a difference in the distribution of fine blood vessels. Their skin reacts to a limited degree and does not distinguish between very mild and moderate irritation. Comparative tests have shown considerable variability in irritancy response between the different species. For example, with an anti-dandruff shampoo, irritancy ranged from severe in rabbits to almost non-irritant in baboons.

Eye irritancy
In the Draize eye test, substances are dropped into the eyes of albino rabbits. The animals are often immobilised for this test, for example, by the use of stocks. Although it has been in use for over four decades, the predictions of the Draize test do not correlate well with human experience. For example, when 281 cases of accidental splashing of household products into people's eyes were compared with Draize rabbit eye test predictions for the same products, there were differences between human and rabbit responses of up to 250-fold. The Draize test grossly exaggerates irritant effects, and accurately predicts human responses less than 50% of the time.

Skin Sensitisation
Guinea pigs are used in these tests which measure the likelihood of a substance causing allergy with repeated application. There are about 15 different tests, most of which require 20-40 animals. The methods vary greatly in choice of dose and frequency of application, the solutions used for injecting, the way readings are taken and in interpretation –making comparison between the animal tests themselves difficult. Because exaggerated doses are often used, the tests over-estimate sensitisation. On the other hand, the tests sometimes fail to detect substances which have subsequently proved to be human sensitizers.

Photo-toxicity & Photo-sensitisation
These are skin reactions to chemicals brought on by exposure to the light. Guinea pigs, minipigs, hairless mice, rats and rabbits are generally used in tests for photo-toxicity, but the skin responses often seem quantitatively and qualitatively quite different from the comparable responses in human skin. These animal tests have not been validated to international standards.

So, next time you buy any cosmetic item, don't believe the slogans and ad jingles guaranteeing you –"A Beautiful you". Don't believe the well-paid model when she tells you how a particular product changed her life. Instead you check if it says: not tested on animals. Try to match your attentiveness for the ingredients with your expectations from the product. You can watch ingredients like - salicylic acid, polyoxyethylene, ceteareth-20, triclosan, peg-100 stearate, salicylic acid, triethanolamine, dibutyl phthalate or DBP. And if there is any scope, do not forget to recycle the jar.

Let there be a beautiful world with beautiful people. Amen!

Sparrow Story: A Japanese Fairy Tale

An old man came across a wounded sparrow and brought her home. His wife had a very bad temper. She had never borne him any children, and would not take the trouble to adopt a son. So for a little pet, he kept a tiny sparrow, and fed it with great care. The old dame, not satisfied with scolding her husband, hated the sparrow.
One day when the old man was out she cut the sparrow’s tongue. Wounded again she fled away.
When the old man came back and found his pet gone, he made a great ado. He asked his wife, and she told him what she had done and why. The sorrowful old man grieved sorely for his pet, and after looking in every place and calling it by name, gave it up as lost.
Old man went everywhere to look for her. He travelled through mountains and reached the kingdom of sparrows. He found a nice little house with a bamboo garden, tiny waterfall, stepping stone, and everything complete. The bird gave him warm welcome. Sparrow brought in slices of sugar-jelly, rock-candy, sweet potato custard, and a bowl of hot starch sprinkled with sugar, and a pair of chopsticks on a tray.
"Please take up and help yourself. The refreshments are very poor, but I hope you will excuse our plainness," said the Sparrow. The delighted old man, wondering in himself at such a polite family of sparrows, ate heartily, and drank several cups of tea. Finally, on being pressed he remained all night.
For several days the old man enjoyed himself at the sparrow's home. On the fifth day the old man said he must go home. Then the sparrow brought out two baskets made of plaited rattan, such as are used in travelling and carried on men's shoulders. Placing them before their guest, the sparrow said, "Please accept a parting gift." One basket was very heavy, and the other very light. The old man, not being greedy, said he would take the lighter one. So with many thanks and bows and good-byes, he set off homewards.
He reached his hut safely, but instead of a kind welcome the old hag began to scold him for being away so long. He begged her to be quiet, and told of his visit to the sparrows, opened the basket, while the scowling old woman held her tongue, out of sheer curiosity.
Oh, what a splendid sight! There were gold and silver coin, and gems, and coral, and crystal, and amber, and the never-failing bag of money, and the invisible coat and hat, and rolls of books, and all manner of precious things.
At the sight of so much wealth, the old hag's scowl changed to a smile of greedy joy. "I'll go right off and get a present from the sparrows," said she.
So binding on her straw sandals, and tucking up her skirts, and adjusting her girdle, tying the bow in front, she seized her staff and set off on the road. Arriving at the sparrow's house she began to flatter Mr. Sparrow by soft speeches. Of course the polite sparrow invited her into his house. The sparrow then brought out and set before her two baskets, one heavy and the other light. Taking the heavier one without so much as saying "thank you," she carried it back with her. Then she opened it, expecting all kinds of riches.
She took off the lid, when a horrible cuttlefish rushed at her, and a horned oni snapped his tusks at her, a skeleton poked his bony fingers in her face, and finally a long, hairy serpent, with a big head and lolling tongue, sprang out and coiled around her, cracking her bones, and squeezing out her breath, till she died.
Morale of the story: (our interpretation) –Sparrows remember kindness, but aren’t immune to getting even when situation calls for it. In today’s world they just disappear. We have deprived our children of the sight and sound of these lovely creatures

Interview with Ms. Miss Earth 2008

Earth 2008 Karla Paula Henry was born in Philippines in 1986. She graduated in Tourism from University of Cebu in 2005. Before joining the fray in the beauty pageant, she was working with Marco Polo Plaza Hotel. I spoke to Ms Karla Paula Henry on her concerns regarding global warming and climatic change. Excerpts from the conversation:
Q: Planet earth is reeling under a number of environmental issues. What would you consider as the three most important issues that should be tackled on a priority?

-The biggest issue right now that our planet is facing is climate change. Years before, former Vice-President of the USA, Al Gore came up with "The Inconvenient Truth". A lot of movements have been done to send this message across. It has many sub-issues that should be addressed immediately by all the people in the world regardless of nation, gender, age or even social status. We are in the same planet and breathe the same air and drink the same water.
Here in the Philippines, a tropic country blessed with so many resources especially marine biodiversity, we will be badly hit if the current trends continue. Our corals are endangered to be bleached and when the temperature rises or falls, it will spell death to many species. Many areas will be inundated with even just a 1 meter rise in sea level. A lot of people will be displaced and will lose their homes and livelihood. Even the cultural minorities will be affected by this. Sadly, many of our tourist spots are our pristine beaches and marine parks. Our forest covers also declined through the years. That is why we continue to embark on tree planting activities focusing on doing it properly; planting only the right species for the selected area and making sure their growth are guarded and monitored. And I know we are not alone facing these problems. Through the pageant, I talked with other candidates and we shared our different issues. I wasn't surprised when I found out that we were sharing the same problems. It became a very good avenue for us to share and exchange ideas to solve them.
Q: How do you see your own role as Miss Earth in resolving the environmental problems?

A-We, as Miss Earth beauty queens are not the only women wearing crowns and living luxurious lives. As Miss Earth, I am an ambassador of the environment and I have the very big responsibility of properly educating people about the things they don't know yet and correct their not so eco-friendly habits. We are true to our cause which is pushing forward different environmental issues. We consider our status as our strength and use this position to draw attention not to ourselves but on the problems we are trying to find solutions for. Currently, we are having awareness and education campaigns all over the world to tell the people that yes we do have environmental issues that need to be addressed and that we can all do something in our own ways to counteract all the effects of climate change. And I believe that nothing else makes a bigger impact that being a living example yourself. Upon learning these issues, I made it a priority that I myself practice everything that I preach.


For rest of the interview-Read : Society & Environment( A Zayed Prize Publication)