Environment First

Going Green: Some hard questions

2011-06-05T11:37:00.000-07:00

Going green is an in-thing. People do it for different reasons and at different levels. Its a feel good factor for few and others take it as a part of their responsibility. For some it’s a passion and others see a great business opportunity in it. For whatever reasons, over the last decade -it’s the most heard, used, abused, underestimated and far less understood term..

Being environment friendly is a life style and not an activity. It’s about EVERYDAY and not just on Earth day or on Environment day thing. But without being too cynical, and also accepting the fact that dedicated days are the invention of activity obsessed generation, we should not forget that activities on one particular day or one off events, or a superficial approach can not undo the harms . Tribulations by- our reckless life style, lack of long term policies at the state level, and the significance of dollar sign in the present commercial world. Our present day environmental crises need more consistent and honest approach as a solution. There are also questions investigated by environmental ethics. Some of them are specific questions faced by individuals in particular circumstances, while others are more global questions regarding certain practices by larger groups and communities and also its accountability by the developing nations verses developed nations.

If we look at it from a broader horizon, do we need to be environment friendly because we have no other way out? We all know that a sustainable environment is essential to human well-being and its future, but is that the solitary reason for us to take care of it? Or do as a superior and intelligent creatures of the planet we own it to our planet more than other spices? On the contrary, spices with less intelligence or even no intelligence (as per our parameters) have harmed planet earth far less than we the intelligent ones. Interestingly, Dr Jean-Christophe Vié, who works at IUCN headquarters in Switzerland and has his PhD in ecology, writes – “There is no doubt that nature can survive without humans - and has done so, for the most part, since time began. But humans need nature”. We indeed do need nature but sadly going by what we are doing to mother earth, nature does not need us. Is it what intelligence got us –a not so welcomed status on this very earth? So what do we do?

One can always make a start. Small little steps at individual level can not be undermined. We need to understand term GREEN more than it is understood by most of us. Popular green tips, green habits, suggestions to feel good about green, need to be understood and adopted in totality.

Minding ones own ecological footprint is not as easy as it sounds. Even those who may consider themselves to be concerned about the environment would be gobsmacked if they look at the ecological footprints they leave. Just to add few examples : If using energy saving bulbs make you an environmental friendly person, how you dispose it can make you otherwise. Post usage, if one does not dispose off energy saving bulb properly it can harm environment more than it actually helped. Similarly, one cannot donate money to the organisations working for ecology, animals, bio- diversity and yet turn every inch of his or her house to a concrete, or contribute in any which way in the practices that harm bio diversity. It could be usage of leather, watching circus, buying products with palm oil, which contributes in the destruction of rainforests and hence disturbs ecology. Dr Christophe explains it simply yet clearly- “Everything you buy, I mean if you buy tropical wood, if you have a big car and you want to use bio-fuels, this is produced in a place where you have monkeys, where you have apes. The same will cell-phones. I mean a special mineral comes from a place where gorillas live so you have an impact directly by, what you buy you have a direct impact on primate population”.

Learning green is about adopting a philosophy .First you understand it, then you get convinced and then follow. Environment is for us to keep. We need oceans, forests and other spices more than they need us. Setting policies for realistic goals, building public opinion on environmental issues, and adopting a lifestyle where Reduce is better than Reuse, Reuse is better than Recycle and Recycle is better than sending things to landfills can help us take regular little steps towards bigger goals.

Merry-go-round of Mothers’ milk

2011-04-16T00:49:00.001-07:00

Today, children are being born in a pre-packaged world. Everything is available in packages including the baby food. In some cases, child is exposed to artificial food in the very first week. Gone are the days of wet nurses, but the formula milk is there to help mothers who either could not breastfeed their babies or choose not to do so. In Europe and America during the early 19th century, practice of feeding babies mixtures based on animal milk rose in popularity. And it also initiated the debate on its health and environmental concerns.

As paediatricians became increasingly concerned about the quality of such foods, medical recommendations such as Thomas Morgan Rotch's "percentage method" (published in 1890) began to be distributed, and gained widespread popularity by 1907.These complex formulas recommended that parents mix cow's milk, water, cream, and sugar or honey in specific ratios to achieve the nutritional balance believed to approximate human milk reformulated in such a way as to accommodate the believed digestive capability of the infant.(source: Wikipedia).This also reinforced that the human milk is best suited for the human babies . Not to miss the planet they are born into!

Formula milk has its impact on child’s health and on earth’s environment. Other than exceptions, when mothers can not feed their children due to health reasons, formula milk has helped nobody. In any case, the percentage of women who physically can't breastfeed is VERY small. It has been promoted to all mothers since late 19th century. An advertisement for artificial infant milk, by Nestle, appeared in the ladies’ home journal was way back in 1895.

We (read market) have always been cleaver to come up with options, which have helped the consumers less than their producers. Our desire to look for solutions has, mostly, given us new set of problems to solve. Formula milk came as solution to wet nursing and gave us unhealthy children. It has been recognised since the advent of manufactured infant milks that infants fed on such products suffer more illness. They are denied the benefits of auto immunisation of mother’s milk. It also introduced children to the world of rubber and plastics through feeding bottles. Contamination of formula milk (Even in developed countries with refrigeration, clean water and sterilising equipment),impact of packaging involved and its impact on environment……..the list of disadvantages is long. To tackle the situation new solutions are being worked out.

Scientists are trying to come up with a substitute for formula milk, as it’s now widely considered a less healthy substitute to breast milk. According to the Telegraph, scientists have recently introduced 300 GMO cows that produce milk genetically similar to breast milk.

When the world is still debating the impacts of genetically modified food (both for animals and humans), health concern associated with the use of breast like milk from these GM cows is not clear so far. Going by our past experiences with such experiments, it wouldn’t be too presumptuous to say that the emerging solution/s to this self generated problem can again lead us to a new level of troubles. Wouldn't it make more sense just to breast feed in the first place in stead of going Marry-go –round with mothers’ milk?

To see a world in a grain of sand

And a heaven in a wild flower,

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand

And eternity in an hour.

- - William Blake, “Auguries of Innocence,” c. 1803

Pens in memory of Gandhi but not for the Gandhians

2009-10-01T01:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-05-14T05:41:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-11T21:34:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-05-10T20:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-13T05:30:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-01T21:23:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-14T06:39:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

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)

Dubai resort The Atlantis expensive launch party was expensive for the environment too.

2008-11-21T13:33:00.000-08:00

From Hollywood celebrities to billionaire business moguls all attended the opening of Dubai's latest luxury resort- The Atlantis, on Thursday night. More than 2,000 guests attended the event on the man-made Palm Jumeirah Island in the Persian Gulf. Stars like Robert De Niro, Janet Jackson, Denzel Washington and Lindsay Lohan were among them, while the British contingent included the Duchess of York, Sir Richard Branson, Dame Shirley Bassey, retail boss Sir Philip Green, television presenter Trinny Woodall and the singer Lily Allen. The £15 million extravaganza was the most expensive - launch party in history.

I was appalled by three statements:

Statement 1: Sol Kerzner, the South African billionaire hotelier and casino tycoon said "We built something that's quite extraordinary. We've got to tell the world about it. (World definitely listens in an expensive manner….I guess)
Statement 2: Colin Cowie, the party planner said: "People say, 'How do you have a party like this in these economic times?' But the funds were allocated a year ago, and you have to dream big to get a big result
Statement 3: This is yet another proud moment for us at Nakheel and in Dubai, where our friends from the world over join us to celebrate the launch of this extraordinary resort on this iconic island.This partnership between Nakheel and Kerzner is testimony to our belief in Dubai having become one of the world's top destinations.

It’s a matter of concern that at this juncture of economic recession,when the whole world is struggling with the Food and Environmental Crisis, such events are talking place in this part of the world. Groups like Nakheel who claim to be environment friendly, need to answer for the gigantic energy consumption during the event. In one night (rather few hours), enormous energy was consumed. There were Fireworks, lining 520km of the Palm, with ten times the size of fireworks used during Olympics earlier this year. It pains me to hear announcements made with pride that: it was visible from the outer space!

Such shallow display of wealth can invite extreme reactions by the have nots' .In a region with socio-political and economical unrest, this is the last thing which people would ask for. Its high time we change the defination of luxury, grandness and entertainment or else ...... we will for sure- reach the point of no return. Much earlier than we anticipate.

By the way Media Coverage was -
News 1(Top headline) Stars, fireworks dazzle at Atlantis launch

News at the bottom of the page: Children dying in Haiti, victims of food crisis. The 5-year-old teetered on broomstick legs — he weighed less than 20 pounds, even after days of drinking enriched milk. Nearby, a 4-year-old girl hung from a strap attached to a scale, her wide eyes lifeless, her emaciated arms dangling weakly.

May good sense prevail…..Amen!

Beautiful Body, Mind and Environment

2008-11-21T02:59:00.000-08:00

Ms Earth 2008
Miss Philippines: Karla Henry has won the Miss Earth 2008 beauty pageant.
About Ms Earth Foundation

To institutionalize the environmental mission of the MISS EARTH Beauty Pageant, Carousel Productions, Inc established the MISS EARTH FOUNDATION in 2004 to work with the local and international groups and non-governmental organizations that are actively involved in worthwhile environmental causes.

Foundation:

* Increases the level of awareness on the current environmental issues and takes action through power of broadcasting and other media campaigns locally, nationally and globally.

* Organizes campaigns and promotes projects for MISS EARTH winners.

* Reaches out to the masses and encourages them to be responsible in caring and preserving the environment locally, nationally and globally (such as organizing forums and symposiums).

* Builds strong community ties in community projects.* Teaches the value of appreciation towards nature and quality of life.

***************

Beautiful Body, Mind and Environment: Keep it toxic free

Pimples and Pollution ?Is there any connection?Find out-

Do you have pimples, or blackheads, or acne? If you do, chances are, you come in close contact with air pollution! Yes, that’s right, air pollution. So, before dying for acne treatments, make sure to do something for -the Environment First.
* Check if your car pollutes the air
* Quit smoking.

Now that you know, try your best to Live Green, and well, tell others to live green as well.

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How the Environment Affects Your Skin

Sun:
The rays of the sun have more potential to change the look of your skin than any other environmental factor. Sunburn or a tan indicates your skin has been damaged, and sun damage causes your skin to age before it's time. Ultraviolet light from the sun breaks downcollagenandelastin, the building blocks of your skin, causing wrinkling and sagging. The sun's rays also make skin rough and can over stimulate pigment cells, causing brown spots.

Self protection: Protect your skin- use Sunscreen.
Environment Protection: Know more about Ozone layer and Save Ozone Layer.

Learn what destroys it and how can you contribute to protect?

Stay beautiful in a beautiful Environment!

I spoke to Charles Munn about Ecotourism

2008-11-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

Charles Munn has spent over 20 years in pioneering conservation-oriented ecotourism in South America. He has successfully led the teams that created 12 million acres (five million hectares, or a Costa Rica's worth) of protected areas in Manu, Tambopata, and Vilcabamba in Peru and Madidi in Bolivia. In 2000, Munn established Tropical Nature, a U.S.-based non-profit organization that conserves tropical rain forest through the planning and implementation of model ecotourism projects. Currently Tropical Nature works in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Gabon. During 26 years of field work in Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. In 1994, TIME chose Munn as one of 100 young leaders for the planet, one of only three environmentalists.

I communicated with Charles through email. He was in the middle of Jungle in Brazil but was kind enough to reply and I blessed the new media for conecting us. I asked him :( part of interview)

What triggered the establishment of Tropical Nature?

At the age of nine, I became fanatical about birds and nature while growing up in a tall forest near Washington, DC. By the age of 11, I was showing birds to everyone through my tripod-mounted spotting scope. At that time, I decided that if people could see animals up close and appreciate their colours and interesting behaviour, they would learn to love nature and therefore would stop cutting forests, stop killing wildlife, and have fewer children. This simplistic belief stayed with me and became more highly elaborated, resulting in my creation in 2000 of Tropical Nature to try to add create a force to push back against the destruc tion of tropical rainforests in the Amazon and Pantanal.

What is the vision and mission of Tropical Nature?
Tropical Nature was born with the goal of testing and developing new models for making intact rainforests more interesting, more fun, and, above all, more economically-relevant. Since that point, we have tested, developed, and now expanded our work to the point where the Tropical Nature conservation system is the largest and most ambitious rainforest lodge network in the world. We are still very small as businesses or nonprofits go, but our achievements are outsized for the amount of capital we have invested, and we now have perfected economic models that have real legs for making rainforests worth more standing and showcased than devastated. Our work now holds special promise to help slow the rate of carbon release in that we can and do help prevent the invasion and burning of enormous biological reserves in the Amazon and Pantanal.

What do you think should be done to promote eco-tourism?
First, ecotourism should not only do no harm to nature, but it should actively protect nature. A lot of lodges or tour operators around the world label themselves under "ecotourism" when in fact many or most have little or nothing "eco" about them. The best thing that could happen to promote ecotourism would be for all "ecotourism" operators to look carefully at the high level of wildlife viewings and services offered in East and southern Africa, and then to reflect on what most lodges in Latin American rainforest show you in terms of real, non-pet wildlife at photo distance with good background and good light. Probably one can learn a lot from the way we have been engaged with eco-touris

Does Mars Have Life?

2008-11-09T08:15:00.000-08:00

While working on an exclusive issue on water,I came across this interesting interview on http://www.pbs.org/ I thought I must post it on my blog. I have no other association with the interview and its solely NOVA's content. Worth reading and extremly interesting.

Does Mars Have Life?An Interview with Chris McKay

When it comes to the question of whether Mars ever had life—or just possibly still has it—Christopher McKay knows whereof he speaks. A planetary scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, McKay has traveled as far as the Siberian arctic and the Antarctic Dry Valleys to study how life makes do in Mars-like environments, and he is actively involved in planning for future Mars missions, including those that would settle humans on the red planet. While McKay thinks the chances that life still exists on Mars are vanishingly remote, he is optimistic that the planet once hosted living things, and he says that, if asked, he would willingly go help search for their remains. Why such great expectations? Read on.
The necessary ingredients

NOVA: Why do we think Mars might have had life?
McKay: Well, it's not because of anything that's there today. It's a dry, frozen desert. But there's evidence recorded on its surface that Mars at one time had water, lots of it. There were rivers, lakes, maybe even an ocean. Mars had water early in its history, possibly at the same time Earth first had life. It's that comparison—water on Earth, water on Mars, life on Earth, what happened on Mars? That's the question.

NOVA: What else about Mars would support the notion that life might once have been there or might even still be there?
McKay: Mars is not that far from Earth. It's one of the terrestrial planets, along with Earth and Venus. It formed from roughly the same materials as Earth. We know that it has carbon, water, nitrogen. Right now Mars has everything needed for life except one thing—liquid water. But we see evidence that it had liquid water in the past.
In fact, there's a distinct parallel between early Mars and early Earth. Every environment that would have been on the early Earth could also have been on Mars. So wherever life made its initial evolution on Earth, that same environment should have existed on Mars as well.

NOVA: Also the atmosphere?
McKay: Right. The only way to understand that Mars had liquid water in its past is to suppose that it had a much thicker atmosphere, presumably one made of carbon dioxide. Long ago Mars lost its atmosphere. Where did it go? We think that most of it is tied up now in rocks. It's been turned into carbonate. It's been mineralized.
That thicker atmosphere is needed to stabilize the water, but it would also have made Mars warmer, and it would have provided the material that life needs. Life could have taken up the carbon dioxide from that atmosphere. The atmosphere would have protected life from cosmic rays and other radiation sources, and it could have provided weather and all the sorts of things we have here on Earth.

NOVA: All the conditions necessary for life.
McKay: Exactly. When we look at life on Earth, we see that life needs a series of things. It clearly needs energy, it needs carbon, it needs a few other elements. The most important requirement for life is liquid water; we think that's the defining requirement for life in our solar system [see Life's Little Essential]. There's plenty of energy, there's plenty of carbon, there are plenty of other elements on all the planets in our solar system. What's rare and, as far as we know, only occurs now on Earth and early in Mars' history, is liquid water on the surface.

NOVA: Why is carbon so important?
McKay: That's a good question, and we don't have a fundamental answer to it except that we see that all life we observe uses carbon. Carbon has some very good properties for life in terms of its ability to make molecules that link together and make polymers. Maybe other molecules could do this, too; people have speculated on silicon, for instance, which is in many ways similar to carbon. It's hard to know if carbon is really the essential ingredient for life, or just the ingredient that we happen to use here on Earth.

NOVA: Was there oxygen on the early Mars?
McKay: Well, when we look at the Earth, we see that through most of its history life was very small—microscopic. It's only with the rise of oxygen that we see the development of large animals and ultimately intelligence. Based on that observation, we think that early Mars probably was only microscopic as well in terms of life. But it's possible that oxygen rose more rapidly there. It's a smaller planet, and it lacks the sort of tectonic recycling that early on prevented the buildup of oxygen on Earth. Mars could have become oxygen-rich much faster than the Earth.
“I’m optimistic that Mars had life.”

And that could have led to large creatures on Mars much faster than on our planet. This is speculation, of course, but it's possible that evolution on Mars went faster than evolution did on Earth. So we have to be careful when we use the Earth as the model for Mars, because the planets are different.

Chances for life

NOVA: Are you saying Mars could have had complex life?
McKay: It's possible that Mars, being smaller than the Earth, evolved more rapidly than the Earth in terms of oxygen, and that if life started on Mars, it could have reached the level of complex life faster than Earth. I've done calculations that suggest it could have reached a level of complex life a thousand times faster than our planet. Instead of taking two billion years for the increase of oxygen and complexity of life, on Mars this could have happened in a few million years. So on Mars we'll look for microscopic life, but we should keep our eye open for something more interesting, more complex. It might be there. It's worth looking for.

NOVA: Some scientists believe life never developed on Mars. Why do they say that?
McKay: Well, right now we have no scientific data that tells us that life did or did not develop on Mars. My intuition tells me that what life needs is water, and we see a planet that had water, so I'm optimistic that Mars had life. Other people may think that it's more difficult to start life and think that just because Mars had water, it's not necessarily probable that it had life. We really don't know. We don't know how life started on Earth. We don't know if it would have started on another planet. We don't understand the details of planetary evolution well enough. The only way to advance our knowledge is to go look on Mars.

NOVA: I've heard "Yes, Mars had water, but not long enough for life to have existed."
McKay: We don't know how long Mars had water, but we also don't know how long it takes for life to evolve. Some people argue that life can start very quickly, a million years or less; some people argue that it takes billions of years. We don't know.
The one bit of evidence that we might bring to bear on this is the record of life on Earth. It appears that life started quickly here. Life seems to be present soon after the formation of the Earth billions of years ago. If that's true, then you might argue that life starts quickly. But it's hard to reach that conclusion based on only one example. If you move to California and win the lottery the first day, that doesn't mean it's easy to win the lottery.
Life may have started on Earth very quickly but purely by accident. It may be a very rare, difficult event. On the other hand, life may be easy to start under Earth-like conditions on any planet. These are questions that we'll never answer staying here on Earth. We've got to go look at another example. We've got to go see if it happened on Mars.
If we go to Mars and we find evidence for life there, a separate origin of life, I think it's clearly telling us that life starts readily on any Earth-like planet. If we go to Mars and find that it had water, it had a thicker atmosphere, it had everything needed for life, and it never developed life, then I think that would make us a little pessimistic in our predictions about life on other planets.
Planet postmortem

NOVA: Why did Mars die?

McKay: Well, suppose you were on Mars three to four billion years ago, and you were walking around on this very nice world with a thick atmosphere and water, and everything was just fine. Well, gradually things would start getting worse and worse and worse. What's happening, you'll notice, is that the atmosphere is getting thinner.
Meanwhile, your friends on Earth would be finding that their planet was just fine, that there was recycling due to plate tectonics, that the Earth was maintaining its atmosphere. So the two planets start off the same, one goes down, and the other maintains itself. That's the fundamental difference between the history of Mars and of Earth.

NOVA: What happens when you lose your atmosphere?
McKay: Well, the main problem of living without an atmosphere is that there's no greenhouse effect. It's very cold. Everything freezes. And the pressure is so low that water goes directly from solid to vapor without forming a liquid. So this is a double whammy from the point of view of life—temperature and pressure too low for liquid water.

NOVA: Plus lots of nasty ultraviolet radiation.
McKay: Yes. There is both UV and cosmic radiation coming through the thin atmosphere and hitting the surface. But those are not really powerful detriments to life. Ultraviolet light and cosmic radiation are bad for humans, of course; we would have higher incidents of cancer and so on. But many organisms on Earth have learned to cope with UV radiation—microorganisms in particular. And organisms that live in the subsurface have no worries about that sort of radiation.
“It’s possible that there are still places on Mars today where life is a going thing.”

I don't think that the radiation itself would prevent life on Mars if the atmosphere was thicker and if liquid water could be present. Life can figure out a solution for everything else, but liquid water seems to be the one thing that life can't work around.
Weighing the evidence

NOVA: Are there any recent findings to support the possibility of past life?
McKay: The most interesting recent results from Mars all focus on water. From the Odyssey spacecraft we now have direct evidence that Mars has massive ice in the polar regions, in the permafrost there. Also, there is clear evidence of ancient rivers and channels being carved by water. The more we learn about Mars, the more we're convinced that it was a water planet.

NOVA: Is there evidence that liquid water might still exist there?
McKay: There is some evidence that suggests there is still some activity that could be related to the presence of liquid water, or the melting of snow, or the melting of ice in recent times. That evidence is very interesting, but it's still controversial.

NOVA: Might the Mars Exploration Rover scientists find signs of ancient life, say, in Gusev Crater?
McKay: We're pretty sure Gusev Crater was full of water. It was really a crater lake. The idea is that maybe if there was life in that lake and it died and settled to the bottom, it's preserved in the sediments as fossils. We might find fossils right there on Mars, and that would be interesting.
What I'd like to do next is then go down into the ancient terrain near the south polar region in the permafrost there and drill and try to find not a fossil but an actual dead martian organism frozen in the ground, a corpse, something we could do an autopsy on.

NOVA: Any possibility there could be life still extant?
McKay: My guess would be that if Mars had life in its early history that it has all died out, but we're not sure. It's possible that there are still places on Mars today where life is a going thing, say, near the polar regions, where there are possibilities for water from the melting of ice or more likely deep underground, where geothermal heat from the interior of the planet may be enough to keep the water liquid. Those are the possibilities for life today. I'm not optimistic.

NOVA: You mentioned geothermal heat, but earlier you said Mars has lost its heat.
McKay: The geothermal heat on Mars is much lower than that on the Earth, but it's still there. If you were to drill down a kilometer or two below the surface, it would become warm enough that the ice would melt.

NOVA: Could microbes from Mars' early history that are frozen into the subsurface potentially still be viable?
McKay: Well, imagine in the permafrosts on Mars a bug frozen into the ground, waiting for things to warm up. How long might it survive? We think the answer might be hundreds of millions of years. Unfortunately, on Mars they may have been waiting for several billion. So even for these guys it may have been too long a wait. But we're not sure of that. We should be prepared for the possibility that we'll go to Mars, we'll dig up bugs, and they'll still be viable.

Costs of exploration

NOVA: Given your hopes for the polar regions, it must have been extremely disappointing when the Mars Polar Lander vanished in 1999.
McKay: Indeed. It was going to land down near the south polar cap, down in that ice-rich material that may hold the organic or even biological record of life on Mars. So needless to say, we were very disappointed when it crashed, not just for the loss of the mission and the loss of the time and effort that went into it, but for the loss of the opportunity to advance our scientific understanding of Mars in that way.
“I think sending humans to Mars is a possible task.”

But that's just the way it is when you explore planets. They're far away, and it's hard to make sure things are working without someone there to fix them. On average, only one out of three of the missions that we Earthlings have sent to Mars have succeeded. The odds are not good, but that's just the cost of doing this kind of exploration. It's like the major leagues. If you're batting 300, that's pretty good. We're batting 300.
NOVA: Why is it so difficult to get a mission, go to the planet, and dig up this stuff?
McKay: It's difficult to go to Mars. It's a long way away. If you send a robot and something goes wrong, there's no one there to fix it. If you send humans, you've got to make sure they have enough food and water and air to make it there and back. It's a challenging prospect.

NOVA: We've sent people to the moon. What's so hard about sending them to Mars?
McKay: Well, imagine you were going to send a well-trained scientific team to search for life on Mars. It would take them at least six months to get there, and on the way you'd have to make sure that their bones and muscles didn't get weaker in the microgravity of space. Once they got there, of course, anytime they went outside they'd have to wear a spacesuit. Pressure, oxygen, food, water—everything would have to be provided for their entire trip.
Nonetheless, I think sending humans to Mars is a possible task. We know how to do it. We have the technology. If we wanted, we could set up a research station on Mars and do the scientific exploration that would answer these questions. But I think it's still some time in the future before we do that.

NOVA: If there was a mission tomorrow, would you want to be on it?
McKay: If there was a mission going tomorrow to Mars and they were looking for somebody to go out in the field and dig for fossils, I would volunteer. Why not? As long as they promised to bring me back after a few years!

DISASTROUS DESERT TORTOISE TRANSLOCATION SUSPENDED

2008-10-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

Fort Irwin officials (Fort Irwin & the National Training Center is a world class training center for America's Soldiers, known for its excellent desert training, vast recreational opportunities, and history) on 10th of October,2008, suspended their disastrous desert tortoise translocation program, in response to a lawsuit brought by the Center for Biological Diversity and Desert Survivors. The flawed translocation project, undertaken to remove tortoises from an area where the fort intends to expand its training areas, has so far sustained huge losses. More than 90 relocated and resident tortoises have perished, primarily killed by predators, and more losses are expected due to healthy tortoises being introduced into diseased populations — against the recommendations of epidemiologists.

The first phase of the translocation was begun in March 2008, when about 770 tortoises were moved from Fort Irwin to areas south of the installation that already had desert tortoise populations. Almost immediately, coyotes began killing both relocated and resident desert tortoises.

“We predicted that the translocation of tortoises from Fort Irwin’s expansion would be disastrous, and unfortunately, we were proven right.” said Ileene Anderson, a biologist with the Center for Biological Diversity. “The loss of so many tortoises is certainly not helping this threatened population. The Army must minimize the death rate. If relocation really is necessary, it needs to be done much more carefully.”

The translocation effort and other threats are pushing the tortoise closer to extinction. In 2001 Congress authorized Fort Irwin to expand into some of the best desert tortoise habitat remaining in the western Mojave desert. As partial mitigation, the Army agreed to move a majority of the tortoises from the expansion area into other public lands it had purchased south of the post. But the new lands provide much lower-quality habitat, and have pockets of diseased tortoises and coyotes that are starving from lack of prey due to drought. Desert tortoise translocation has never been attempted on such a large scale as the Fort Irwin project. Even “successful” small-scale projects have had a more than 20 percent mortality rate.

Having survived tens of thousands of years in California’s deserts, desert tortoise numbers have declined precipitously in recent years. The crash of populations is due to numerous factors, including disease, crushing by vehicles, military and suburban development, habitat degradation, and predation by dogs and ravens. Because of its dwindling numbers, the desert tortoise — California’s official state reptile — is now protected under both federal and California endangered species acts.

Population genetics studies recently have identified that the desert tortoise in the western Mojave desert, including the Fort Irwin tortoises, is distinctly different from its relatives to the north, east and south. This finding sheds new light on why increased conservation and translocation success is more important than ever for the Fort Irwin effort.

“This whole debacle needs to be significantly rethought,” Anderson said. “If translocation really needs to be done, the number of tortoises that will be moved should be reduced, and only healthy tortoises should be moved into healthy populations. Also, protection from predators is needed — and that should not include killing predators. And the relocation area should be made into a tortoise preserve, where there is a minimal number of roads, no off-road vehicles, no dumping, no mining, and strict enforcement of those restrictions.”

15 Beauty Products that do not come in plastic packaging.....

2008-10-13T04:25:00.000-07:00

Unique Gifts of Nature

Honey: This sweet, sticky substance is made by Honeybees from various types of flower nectar. It is used in cosmetics for its emollient properties as well as for colouring and flavouring.

Almonds: This nut is used mainly for its emollient and slight bleaching properties. When ground into a meal, it is used for exfoliation in beauty preparations.

Orange: This fruit is loaded with Vitamin C and has astringent properties making it good for oily skins.

Lemon: This fruit provides a cooling, refreshing and uplifting feeling as well as having bleaching, exfoliating and anti-viral properties.

Banana: This fruit is rich in Potassium and has wonderful emollient properties when used as hair or skin treatments.

Peach: Some of the properties of this fruit are: Antitumor, Laxative, and Sedative. It's perfect for fresh use because of its lovely scent.

Strawberry: This fruit is loaded with Vitamin C and has great antioxidant capacity.

Kiwi: This fruit is high in vitamin C and has enzymatic and detergency properties making it helpful for skin and hair preparations.

Avocado: Rich in vitamins A, D, E, potassium, sulphur and chlorine, this fruit is used in facial and hair packs.

Apple: A fruit that contains Calcium, Iron and Vitamin A. It has a unique antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

Marigold: This flower is widely used in hair and skincare formulations for its softening and healing properties.

Rosemary: This delightfully refreshing scented herb has antibacterial and antifungal properties and is used extensively in hair care products for its tonic properties.

Rose: Beyond this flower’s heavenly scent lies its properties: antidepressant, astringent, cleansing, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, as well as aphrodisiac.

Chamomile: Long known for its calming, sedating effects, it makes a beautiful hair rinse for blond hair as well as has calming anti-inflammatory effects for sensitive skin. It can be drunk as a tea to relieve stress and anxiety:

Thyme: This herb is used for its toning, refreshing and disinfectant properties.

environment-first

2008-09-09T04:51:00.001-07:00

THIRST

From: jbrenman, 2 months ago

THIRST

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: design crisis)

This is an educational presentation exploring humanity's water use and the emerging worldwide water shortage. It is designed to act as a stand-alone presentation. Enjoy!

SlideShare Link

Environmental Watchdog Honored With $250,000 Heinz Award for the Environment

2008-09-09T00:53:00.000-07:00

The founder and director of the Kentucky Resources Council, dubbed the “watchdog of the environment” in the Bluegrass state, has been selected to receive the 14th annual Heinz Award for the Environment, among the largest individual achievement prizes in the world.

Thomas J. FitzGerald, 53, of Louisville, Ky., an influential voice in improving the environmental landscape within his home state and across the nation, is among five distinguished Americans selected to receive one of the $250,000 awards, presented by the Heinz Family Foundation.

“For more than three decades, Tom FitzGerald has raised a thoughtful and courageous voice on behalf of many communities, families and individuals whose environmental health would have otherwise been at risk,” said Teresa Heinz, chairman of the Heinz Family Foundation. “He has been a ubiquitous and persistent leader in advocating for the fair and equitable application of environmental laws and has generously and tirelessly shouldered the causes of those without the resources or expertise to fend for themselves. It is fair to say that Mr. FitzGerald is singularly responsible for the health and well-being of countless individuals – in Kentucky and throughout the United States – thanks in large measure to his vigilant commitment to seeing that environmental protections are enforced and the welfare of our citizens regarded as sacrosanct. We are indeed honored to recognize him with the 14th annual Heinz Award for the Environment.”

Mr. FitzGerald has dedicated his career to helping citizens and organizations within Kentucky and across the country secure full and fair implementation of policies intended to safeguard their health, safety and quality of life. He is an authority on the enforcement of the national Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977, the federal law designed to protect against the adverse environmental and societal effects of surface coal mining operations, as well as other regulatory issues affecting the environment. After earning his law degree, Mr. FitzGerald worked as a law clerk and environmental specialist for the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund, and in 1984, reshaped the Kentucky Resources Council, providing free legal assistance on environmental matters, pursuing environmental advocacy and making the name “Fitz” synonymous with environmental protection in Kentucky. Having worked to secure passage of a national mining law from 1972 forward, he was very active in the development of regulations under the 1977 law and in working with a handful of attorneys in the nation’s capital to defend those regulations against decades of industry lawsuits in the District of Columbia Circuit.
To preserve lands from the environmental consequences of mining, Mr. FitzGerald regularly leverages a generally ignored provision of SMCRA to persuade regulatory officials to declare areas of local or regional importance unsuitable for coal mining operations, a strategy that has proven more effective than litigation. It was a tactic that helped to save Black Mountain, Kentucky’s highest peak, as well as protected the watersheds that provide the drinking water for the cities of Middlesboro and Pineville, Ky., and the view shed of the Pine Mountain Settlement School, from mining.

Mr. FitzGerald’s influence extends well beyond issues related to coal. Working always on a pro bono basis and most often alone, he has helped draft ordinances to protect communities from sewage sludge disposal and factory hog farms as well as negotiated state statutes providing environmental protections related to brownfield redevelopment, the siting of new power plants, solid and hazardous waste management, renewable energy and energy efficiency. He has been a fixture in the halls of Kentucky’s General Assembly since 1978 and has lobbied to defeat scores of bills that would have lowered environmental quality and polluter accountability, including bills designed to strip local governments of their home-rule ability to regulate environmental problems, bills that would have prevented Kentucky’s environmental regulations from being more stringent than the minimum standards set by federal rules, and a bill that would have undercut Louisville’s Strategic Toxic Air Reduction Program. Additionally, Mr. FitzGerald continues to carry a caseload of individual cases where communities or individuals are threatened by air, land or water pollution, taking only those cases that the private bar would not take or which the citizen could not afford to bring.

Looking toward the future, Mr. FitzGerald has developed plans for an environmental leadership training program designed to cultivate the next generation of environmental watchdogs and create teams of volunteers, drawn largely from retired state environmental employees, to assist citizens and communities impacted by pollution. He also has been an adjunct professor of energy and environmental law at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law since 1986.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to have been nominated and selected as the 14th recipient of the Heinz Award in the area of the environment,” Mr. FitzGerald said. “I have been blessed many times over by family, by those whom KRC has represented, and by mentors who helped shape my unflagging belief that we each, working in good faith and with humility, can advance justice in all of its facets – environmental, economic, moral, generational. Kentucky, with 98 percent of our electricity generated by fossil fuels and an economy built on coal extraction and low-cost power, is ‘ground zero’ for climate change.

Presented in five categories, the other Heinz Award recipients are:
Arts and Humanities: Ann Hamilton, 52, visual artist and educator, from Columbus, Ohio
Human Condition: Brenda Krause Eheart, Ph.D., 64, founder of Generations of Hope and Hope Meadows, from Champaign, Ill.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN CHANGING CONSUMERS' LIVES AND BUYING HABITS

2008-09-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

In a consumer survey taken in advance of Earth Day (April 22) by BuzzBack Market Research, 72 percent of those asked said they used energy efficient light bulbs and 57 percent said they purchased recycled products. But much work still needs to be done to change attitudes among consumers as less than 10 percent say they buy products only from “green” companies.

BuzzBack conducted a survey among 1,141 people in the US and United Kingdom to learn how they are changing their lives to be more “green” or environmentally conscious. About half of those surveyed agree completely/somewhat "that the environment is the most important issue, and are willing to make sacrifices such as convenience, comfort or cost savings in order to support the environment."

When it comes to using products to improve the environment, US consumers say they do the following more often than not:

72% use energy efficient light bulbs
70% turn down the thermostat
71% recycle paper
68% turn off electric appliances rather than leave them on stand-by
67% take more showers than baths to conserve water
57% recycle glass
57% purchase recycled products
55% purchase recycled paper
51% purchase refill products
38% use less household chemicals
36% walk short distances rather than drive
31% buy organic fruit or vegetables
20% take fewer flights
15% buy organic meat
6% only buy products from companies they consider Green
4% use a hybrid car
About three-quarters in both the US and UK are ‘extremely/slightly’ worried about global warming. More UK consumers are ‘slightly’ worried, and nearly two-thirds of these have made changes to things they do or buy as a result. In the US, among those worried about global warming, only half have made changes to what they do or buy.

BuzzBack Market Research, a New York City Internet consumer research and marketing firm, developed the study when several clients asked about sustainability and issues related to environmental consumerism.

Earth's Newsdesk Launches -- A Fierce New Voice for the Earth

2008-09-08T05:29:00.000-07:00

September 8, 2008By Earth's Newsdesk, a project of Ecological Internet (EI)

A new type of environmental news service launchesthis week, as "Earth's Newsdesk" will report upon ecologicalscience, policy and advocacy from the Earth's perspective.Ecological Internet will begin regularly providing biocentricmedia releases and feature articles for publication elsewhere.This continues a long list of firsts from EI and itspredecessors, including the web's first blog and environmentalsearch engine.
The free service will build upon Ecological Internet'sconstant tracking of environmental science, policy andadvocacy -- and years of deep green analysis and action -- andwill report upon major threats and opportunities facingforests, climate, water and oceans. It will focus uponenvironmental sustainability and the needs of the biosphere,and her ability to continue maintaining a habitable Earth forall life.
"The emphasis will be upon fully and truthfully knowing themagnitude of global ecological crises, and reporting uponambitious yet attainable ecological sustainability solutions,"explains Ecological Internet's President, Dr. Glen Barry.
"There is something deeply wrong when foundation-fedenvironmental groups tell us logging ancient forests protectsthem, and governments fail miserably to promote adequateclimate policies. 'Earth's Newsdesk' will be a fierce,independent voice for ecological sufficiency. No government ororganization's greenwash will be safe from criticism."
This new news service, along with the soon to launch "NewEarth Rising" e-zine, will substantially increase EcologicalInternet's original content offerings. EI continues to recruitessayists and guest bloggers. These writings will complimentEcological Internet's unmatched environmental search, newstracking, deep ecological analysis and action alerts.

RELEASE:http://www.ecoearth.info/blog/2008/09/release_earths_newsdesk_launch.asp

About Dr Glen Barry:

Dr. Glen Barry is a leading global spokesperson on globalforest and climate policy. Ecological Internet provides theweb's leading environment, climate and forest web portals athttp://www.ecoearth.info/, http://www.climateark.org/ andhttp://forests.org/. Dr. Barry frequently conducts interviewson the latest global environmental policy developments and canbe reached at: glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org (noteconfirmation email response required) and +1 (920) 776-1075.

And ever since I can’t stop admiring him

2008-09-06T02:34:00.001-07:00

It was destined for me to come to UAE. Otherwise, why would I have asked my husband to consider the offer he had already rejected? To cut the rest of the story short, he joined his job in UAE in January 2006, and I came to UAE in the same year in May. Just for a visit.I was actually on two months leave from my work (OneWorld South Asia).It was a good job, and I loved the kind of work I was doing there. But then....... I could not go back. I decided to stay back for my son Kabir, my husband and myself. I decided: it was better to stay together than just feel happy about the job waiting back in India.

Initial two years were very depressing with no job, no friends and a bad health. Finally after many rejections and frustrations,I now feel very much as a part and parcel of this side of the Globe. Since I had to live here, I started gathering information about the region, history of Emirates, important people etc.

Once I was travelling in a lift, I had to go to the 10th floor. An old man (an Emirati) boarded the lift on the first floor. He looked at the picture of Sheikh Zayed on the magazine (facing his side) and murmured something in Arabic and concluded –Peace be upon him. I could not understand the rest of the sentence spoken in Arabic, but I could guess- it was for sure, something positive. Later, I got a chance to do a cover story on the most respected man of the region and father of the Nation : Late Sheikh Zayed.

In the process, I got more fascinated by him and ever since...I can't stop admiring him.

Fraction of the story is attached below-

Sheikh Zayed- A Pioneer from Middle East: A leader of world stratum
Green Vision of a man from the Dessert

-Seema Sangra

In the history of the Emirates, there was a Sheikh, who ruled Abu Dhabi for the longest period; from 1855 to 1909- His name was Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan. In 1918, he was blessed with a grandson who would change the region in more than one way. Sheikh Zayed was born in Al Nahyan clan to change the face of the region. He became the father of the nation, which he created from seven Trucial States, now called United Arab Emirates.

Son of the Dessert

At the time Sheikh Zayed was born, the emirate was poor and undeveloped dessert, with an economy based primarily on fishing and pearl diving along the coast and offshore and on simple agriculture in certain areas near oasis .Part of the population was nomadic, ranging across a wide area of south-eastern Arabia in search of pasture.

Principles of Islam

He started taking his religious education at the age of eight. Even as a member of the ruling family he led a simple life. Principles of Islam learnt early in his life, remained the foundation of his beliefs and principles throughout his life. He was a firm and dedicated opponent of people who tried to pervert the message of Islam and distorted Islam’s image by justifying doctrine of narrow-mindedness and terrorism. He was a true Muslim and understood and practiced Islam.

The Great Environmentalist: A Green Vision of a man from the Dessert

Sheikh Zayed was an environmentalist long before it became fashionable to be one. Of all the commendable qualities of this multi-faceted leader, it is perhaps as an environmentalist that he will be remembered by most. He was a son of the dessert but had a green dream, which he fulfilled with in his lifespan and passed it to the next generation of rulers. Preservation and enhancement of the environment was his passion. For five decades, Sheikh Zayed advocated and adopted the concept of what is known today as “Sustainable Development”. In one often-quoted statement, Sheikh Zayed said -“We cherish our environment because it is an integral part of our country, our history and our heritage. On land and in the sea, our forefathers lived and survived in this environment. They were able to do so only because they recognized the need to conserve it, to take from it only what they needed to live and to preserve it for succeeding generations”.

As a ruler of Al Ain, the key task for Sheikh Zayed was to stimulate the local economy, which was largely based on agriculture. To do this, he ensured that the ancient subterranean water channels or falajes (aflaj) were cleaned out, and personally financed the construction of a new one, taking part in the strenuous labour that was involved. He commenced the laying out of a visionary city plan, and, in a foretaste of the massive a forestation programme of today, he also ordered the planting of ornamental trees that, now grown to maturity, have made Al Ain one of the greenest cities in Arabia. Sheikh Zayed was responsible for the "green belt" of vast tracts of previously barren, arid land. Under all ambitious localised forestation programme more than 150 million trees were planted during his rule.

Sheikh Zayed was born into a world where the inter-relationship of Man and Nature was a crucial part of life itself. The time-honoured traditions of nomadism and of the skills they involved of living off a harsh and demanding land were still the key to survival for many of the people of Abu Dhabi. His knowledge of the environment around him led him to recognise the dangers posed by a non-sustainable exploitation of resources. He drew that insight from his knowledge of the traditional heritage of the people of the Emirates, and was interested not just in ensuring the conservation of wildlife, but also in learning about it. Sheikh Zayed developed an understanding of the relationship between man and his environment and, in particular, the need to ensure that sustainable use was made of natural resources. He learned, too, about the coastal fishing communities, and the age-old offshore pearling industry, which had begun as long ago as 5000BC, and involved diving without artificial aids to the seabed to harvest the pearls that were to be found there in profusion.

On the island of Sir Bani Yas, he encouraged the captive breeding of rare indigenous species including the Arabian Oryx and gazelle. In the early 1960s, aware that the Arabian Oryx was on the verge of extinction in Oman, he arranged, just in time, for the capture of two breeding pairs for the nucleus of a captive-breeding programme. Today, 40 years later, there are well over 2,000 Arabian oryx in captivity in the UAE, many on the island of Sir Bani Yas, which he turned into a private nature reserve.

In the late 1960s, when he became Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed created the Association for Animal Welfare, a group of rangers who patrolled - and still patrol - the deserts to ensure that there was no uncontrolled hunting of wildlife. He also pursued his interest in falconry and conservation, not just as a participant, but as the source of numerous initiatives that have come, over the years, to have a far-reaching effect. Thus the 1st World Conference on Falconry and Conservation, held in Abu Dhabi at the end of 1976, for the first time, brought falconers from North America, Europe and the Far East together with falconers from Arabia, acting as the launch pad for a strategy devised by Sheikh Zayed to bring falconers into the mainstream of emerging conservation efforts. It was at this time that captive-bred falcons from Europe first began to appear in Arabia, launching a trend that today sees most UAE falconers choosing captive-bred birds by preference.

A few years later, on Sheikh Zayed's instructions, the country's first Hunting Law was promulgated, providing protection to virtually all of the UAE's wildlife.

Besides issuing of legislation and the establishing of new governmental structures, Sheikh Zayed also showed in his own private actions that his personal commitment to conservation was deep-rooted, an essential component of the way he looked upon the world around him. He encouraged research into the ecology of falcons while he was amongst the first to discern the threats to wild falcon populations and set in motion a wide variety of captive-breeding programmes for species related to falconry. He also launched the Zayed Falcon Release Programme, which has now seen well over 1000 birds released back into the wild. Today, many of the initiatives on the environment and wildlife conservation made by Sheikh Zayed are enshrined in legislation.

In a segment of his biography published a quarter of a century ago, Sheikh Zayed recalled the moment in his youth when he recognised that the over-exploitation of natural resources could, and would, lead to the extinction of species. He mentions: "One day I set out on a hunting expedition in open country. My game was a large herd of gazelles spread over a wide area. I followed them and began shooting. Three hours later, I stopped to count my bag, and found I had shot fourteen gazelle. I pondered over this a long time. I realised that hunting with a gun was no more than an outright attack on animals, and a cause of their rapid extinction. I changed my mind, and decided to restrict myself to falconry only". The Zayed Archives of Falconry, the only institution in the world, was established exclusively to collect and preserve the history of world falconry.

A man who executed MDGs much before they were conceived internationally

If we look at his work: Eradication of poverty, Environment, Education, Empowerment of women, Public health, Partnership, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he executed most of the MDGs (applicable in the region, during his time), well before they were even conceived at international level!

An Enduring memory in people’s heart

After Sheikh Zayed’s death, Dr. James J. Zogby (a founder and president of the Arab American Institute (AAI), a Washington, D.C.-based organization which serves as the political and policy research arm of the Arab American community), interviewed couple of American dignitaries .

He writes: If a man can be known by his friends, then the tributes paid to Sheikh Zayed by this extraordinary collection of US public figures stood as a remarkable testimony to his greatness. What struck me, even more than what they said, was the intensity of their feelings about the man, and the common themes, each, in separate interviews, used in describing Sheikh Zayed's life and work.To a man, they spoke of their admiration for his extraordinary success in building his nation and leading it into the 21st Century. They spoke, as well, of his wisdom, a quality frequently mentioned in discussions of Sheikh Zayed. Each noted how Sheikh Zayed, while a friend and steady ally, never hesitated either to provide wise counsel or to criticise US policies that tested the friendship. They also noted his timely and generous assistance in meeting humanitarian challenges worldwide”.

He also writes :When critics ask "Have Arabs done good with their wealth?" or "Can Islam coexist with modernity?" one need only look to the UAE to see that the answer to both questions is definitively "yes".

Today, the whole world realises the great contrast UAE is able to create in the region full of conflict and mistrust. It has emerged as a nation- where a strong sense of identity is not a hindrance in respecting the faith and customs of people from more than 200 nationalities, living in the UAE. A nation built on vision of a man who was indeed a Pioneer from the Middle East and a leader of world stratum.
A Country becomes a Nation…… when its lead by a visionary.

I salute -Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan :People’s Man and World’s Leader!

(Mercy Be upon Him)

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Health Beat

2008-09-06T00:04:00.000-07:00

Junk food causes fatty liver

According to a recent study, junk has been linked to Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NFLD). Initially, fatty liver can be benign, however, when the fat storage in the body exceeds the maximum limit, the body starts throwing fatty acids into the liver. If left untreated, NFLD can result in fibrosis of liver and in the extreme cases, it can lead to cirrhosis. So eating junk food is as worse as drinking alcohol.

Bio-solids and human health

Bio-solids are ubiquitous with contaminants potentially harmful to human beings, livestock, wildlife, crops, soil and groundwater. Poorly tested or regulated, bio-solids may contain thousands of toxic chemicals that may have adverse impact. The problem is further compounded as guidelines for spreading bio-solids on farmland are outdated and inadequate in most of the countries of the world.

Chlorinated Tris back in children’s life

Chlorinated Tris —a flame retardant that was taken out of children’s pyjamas more than 30 years ago after it was found to cause cancer is now being used with increasing regularity in furniture, paint —even baby carriers and bassinets —and manufacturers are under no obligation to let the public know about it. As a user, one can not find out what kinds of paints or cushions contain chlorinated Tris by looking at labels either.
Arlene Blum, a scientist from the University of California-Berkeley whose work led to the chemicals being taken out of children's sleepwear in the 1970s, said she was astonished to learn that Chlorinated Tris is back in such widespread use in other consumer products, particularly couches and places where children play.
Breastfeeding boosts children’s immunity

Breastfed babies are not only protected against a huge range of infections, they also enjoy lifelong benefits, from higher intelligence to a lower risk of obesity and diabetes. Breast milk is the ultimate functional food. Besides providing babies with the essential nutrients they need to grow and develop, it also contains hundreds of active components that do everything from targeting dangerous pathogens and boosting the development of a baby's gut to preventing allergic reactions and increasing appetite. What's more, the composition of breast milk changes over time to match babies' needs - levels of natural painkillers called beta-endorphins are highest right after birth,

Asthma during early pregnancy may cause birth defects

Asthma flare-ups early in pregnancy may raise the risk of birth defects, a new study suggests. In a study of 3,477 asthmatic women who gave birth, at least once between 1990 and 2000, Canadian researchers found that those who had had symptom flare-ups in the first trimester, were 48 percent more likely to have a baby with a congenital malformation Overall, 13 percent of the babies born to women with asthma attacks had at least one malformation, such as a birth defect of the heart, facial structures, spine or digestive system. That compared with 9 percent of infants whose mothers had well-controlled asthma in early pregnancy. The findings have been published in the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology. This study highlights the need for women to take suitable medication to avoid exacerbations.

Green Tips

2008-09-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

A lot of water and energy are used while cleaning clothes. However, we can save both by practising a few eco-friendly laundry tips:

· Only do full loads of laundry, use as little water as possible.

· Before doing the laundry, inspect the clothes because they may not be that dirty. Some items just need to be re-pressed and placed on hangers.

· Up to 90 per cent of the energy used for washing clothes goes to heating the water. A warm wash and cold rinse will work just as well as a hot water wash and a warm rinse on nearly all clothes.

· Hang up clothes immediately after you've worn them, give them a day off between wearings, and air them out before returning them to the closet. Use a clothes brush occasionally to remove surface dust. Thus you can comfortably skip washing the clothes a couple of times.

· Hang clothing outside to dry or inside in a dry, warm room and save energy.

· If you must use a machine to dry your clothes, clean your dryer’s lint trap after every load to keep the air circulating efficiently. Lint build-up is also a fire hazard.

· Use lemon juice to the rinse cycle and hang your clothes outside in the sun which will bleach clothes naturally and will also save energy.

· Treat spills quickly to prevent staining. And do not iron stained garments; heat sets the stains.

· The best way to save water and energy on washing clothes is to possess a small wardrobe. You may begin by donating your older garments that you would not use in future and buy less in future.

Its been two years

2008-09-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

Its been two years since we lost the great Crocodile Hunter. It was this fateful day when the ever smiling Steve Irwin left a vacuum in the world of animal lovers. The one who said:

"I consider myself a wildlife warrior. My mission is to save the world's endangered species.”

Steve Irwin was born on 22 February 1962 in Essendon, Victoria, Australia. His father Bob Irwin was a wildlife expert and his mother Lyn was a wildlife rehabilitator. He moved with his parents as a child to Queensland in 1970. In Queensland, Bob and Lyn Irwin started the small Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park, where Steve grew up around crocodiles and other reptiles.
Irwin’s love towards wild life started early as he became involved with the park in a number of ways, including taking part in daily animal feeding, as well as care and maintenance activities. He wrestled his first crocodile; again under his father's supervision when we was barely nine years old. His fascination towards reptiles got him an unusual Birthday present- a 12-foot (4 m) scrub python!

He graduated from Caloundra State High School in 1979 and soon moved to Northern Queensland, where he became a crocodile trapper, removing crocodiles from populated areas where they were considered a danger.

Life changed further for Steve in 1991 when he met his soul mate Terri Raines. The two married in June 1992. The footage, of their crocodile-trapping honeymoon became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter, which was debuted on Australian TV screens in 1996, and later in North American television. The Crocodile Hunter became successful in the United States, UK and over 137 countries, reaching 500 million people. Steve was beloved by millions of fans and animal lovers around the world. He also got a nick name as “Crocodile Hunter”. In 1998, he again presented a series –The Ten Deadliest Snakes in the World produced and directed by Mark Strickson.

Other than a cameo role in the Eddie Murphy film Dr Dolittle 2, self portrayal in –The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, Video Wiggly Safari, which was set in Irwin's Australia Zoo, he also gave his voice for the 2006 animated film Happy Feet, as an elephant seal named Trev. He was also involved in several media campaigns, promoted Australian tourism and appeared on campaign posters. He donated all the fee received from media campaign to the wildlife fund. He was a passionate conservationist and believed in promoting environmentalism by sharing his excitement about the natural world rather than preaching to people. He was concerned with conservation of endangered animals and land clearing leading to loss of habitat.

In 2001, Irwin was awarded the Centenary Medal for his "service” to global conservation and to Australian tourism He was also nominated in 2004 for Australian of the Year. In May 2007, the Rwandan Government announced that it would name a baby gorilla after Steve Irwin as a tribute to his work in wildlife conservation. The Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research Centre in Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary was named by the Kerala government after late Steve Irwin.

He knew the dangers involved in his profession, but his love towards animals was unconditional. He loved the wildlife from core of his heart and always felt that they are harmless. In a way, he went to extent of pardoning the stingray in advance, who killed the great Crocodile Hunter. He wrote –“If I ever get bitten, stomped, chewed, lacerated, trampled, kicked, gouged, stung, or peed on - it's my fault, never the animal’s!”. Steve was killed during a filming expedition on the Great Barrier Reef in 2006. It was a rare accident in which Steve swam over a stingray and was stung by its barb in his chest.

He was indeed larger than life personality. When the world lost Steve Irwin, this is how Discovery Communication’s Founder and Chairman, John Hendricks described him and said, "Steve was a larger than life force. He brought joy and learning about the natural world to millions and millions of people across the globe”.

Plan of Action

2008-09-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

Global food crisis has assumed a tongue in cheek significance. While the USA blames the developing world for the present food crisis, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) pins the blame on America. Empirical evidences suggest that the consumption of cereals is growing far more rapidly in America than in any other developing country. The issue has been further complicated with increased use of corn for producing fuel. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) informs that about 30 million tones of corn was used in America to produce bio-fuels last year.

Concerns of developing countries are equally important. Developed countries provide agriculture subsidies to their farmers and oppose the same benefit for the farmers of poorer nations in WTO negotiations on agriculture subsidies. Farmers complain that they are not getting return on their investment and labour and that farming has become an unattractive avocation. They blame that the governments are taking agricultural land for industrial purpose and leave them to join the bandwagon of landless labouerers. The governments take the plea that industrial growth is required to remain competitive in a global economy.

So the global food crisis has actually resulted in an attention-grabbing orchestra of blame-game. As a result, the central issues emanating from the global food crisis have been diffused. Although people holding leadership positions acknowledge the presence of a crisis, they are more likely to issue statements blaming some other party rather than having a serious look at the problem itself and explore possible solutions. Such a scenario has led to a sense of helplessness at all levels.

To understand people’s perspective on the global food crisis and find out what can be done to mitigate the impact of food insecurity and food inflation. I will invite all the readers to take on from where our great leaders in various countries have failed and develop a plan of action, which can be both realistic and feasible. Do Comment....

Factoid

2008-09-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

Studies suggest that those who have worked for 10 or more years as a hair stylist could have a risk of bladder cancer five times that of the general population.

Nail polish and nail polish removers are essentially mixtures of toxic chemicals. Many of the solvents and substances used in nail varnishes such as toluene, acetone, formaldehyde, and especially phthalates, if present, are reproductive toxicants and hazardous and have been found to cause health problems in workers, including occupational asthma.

Children in particular tend to be more sensitive to fragrances, and can develop allergic reactions easily.

Studies in the US “found that about 70% of college women say they feel worse about their own looks after reading women’s magazines”.

Women can use up to 20 different products as part of their daily routine.

It has been estimated that as much as 50% of the cost of a bottle of perfume can be accounted for by packaging and advertising.

In the middle ages, cosmetics usage was restricted to use within the upper classes.

In the 1800s, make-up was used primarily by prostitutes

Queen Victoria publicly declared makeup improper, vulgar, and acceptable only for use by actors.

Hitler told women that face painting was for clowns and not for the women of the Master Race.

By the middle of the 20th century, cosmetics were in widespread use in nearly all societies around the world.
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Global Food Crisis: A Reality check

2008-09-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

It is a ‘voiceless famine to voice less people’ in the poor nations, but when it comes to hunger even a newly born child cries loudly. People around the world are agitating because they are HUNGRY …..anyone listening?

“Unless there is a major change in policy, 600 million people worldwide will regularly go hungry by 2015. But it is the poorest in the world who face the disheartening future –800 million people did not have enough to eat on a daily basis even before the recent huge rise in prices.” –International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

Governments across the world –particularly in the countries across North Africa, from Mauritania to Egypt, and most of the countries in Asia –are looking nervously at rising food prices and wondering about the political impact if things do not ease soon.

So when it comes to food situation, where do we stand today? What is the real situation? How have we reached this situation? These are the few questions we need to ask to understand the present scenario. Food insecurity is not just about a lack of food, but includes poor nutritional quality of available food and constant worry about getting food in the future. Food shortage and soaring food prices have direct relation to each other.
Soaring food prices in the world

In deed, the world is experiencing a dramatic increase in food prices. During the first three months of 2008, international nominal prices of all major food commodities reached their highest levels in nearly 50 years while prices in real terms were the highest in nearly 30 years. Although the food market situation differs from country to country and future evolution remains highly uncertain, best projections suggest that food prices are likely to remain high in the next few years and high prices are expected to affect markets in most of the developing countries. Interestingly, the current price increase has enveloped almost all major food crop commodities.

The World Bank now believes that around 33 countries are in danger of being destabilised by food price inflation. A BBC report ‘The cost of food: Facts and figures’, divulges significant price rise in a single year –March 2007-March 2008. According to the report, corn price has gone 31% up, Rice 74%, Soya 84%, and wheat 130%.

Rising food prices are causing severe hardship and suffering across the globe. For many of the 800 million people who are already affected by chronic hunger, higher food prices can be devastating. Already their ranks are being swelled by many other millions of poor people who now find themselves unable to buy the food that their families need for a healthy life. It is not surprising that this is provoking social unrest across the developing world.

In recent months media has covered stories on the plight of hungry millions from around the world. There are reports of poor lining up in Pakistan, most days of the week, to get a chance to grab the free (some times leftover) food that is distributed by a few restaurants. Many women hid their faces, ashamed and embarrassed that their misfortune is being witnessed by others. This scenario has emerged as prices in Karachi's markets have jumped to their highest level in 30 years. In Ethiopian town of Shashamene, women walk for several hours with young sick severely malnourished children slung on their backs, to the treatment centre when the simple cure to their disease is adequate food, which they cannot afford. Thus, millions of children are at risk.

Besides seeking alms and benevolence of the rich, the poor people have also reacted to the phenomenal increase in the food prices through political actions such as protest march. Recently, tens of thousands of people in Mexico marched in protest against price rises for tortillas. People were angry and there were fights. About 40m Mexicans, who live on $5 (AED18.25) a day or less have Tortillas as a staple diet and when the price of tortillas rises, it is a big news, which effects 40 millions the most . Many hold American corn farmers responsible for diverting their crops away to produce bio-fuels.

Nearly two dozen people were injured in Bangladesh capital Dhaka, as police opened fire in air and used batons and tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters who turned violent while demanding a wage hike to meet the steep food prices. It is a ‘silent famine’ in the all the poor nations as grains get converted to biofuel and other food products in the chain also rise in price. Recently in Egypt and Philippines, similar riots have taken place. In United States common middleclass households are seeing their weekly grocery bill rising by 40 to 50% over the last two years.

Yemen has been affected significantly where the price of a 50-kg sack of wheat has increased from 3300 in the end of 2007 to over 7200 in 2008. Yemen's imports of wheat have doubled since 2004, while the percentage of domestic production of grains is providing the local market with around 8 % of the total market demand of grains. The Yemeni consumers with their grain demands, thereby making Yemen more vulnerable to the shocks of the international markets and the increasing costs of grains, which have resulted in considerable economic hardships for the people of Yemen.

Even India and China are facing food shortages and the common people are using credit cards to fulfil their food requirements. With food accounting for a third of China's consumer price basket and even more in other countries, the situation is a time bomb for the region. Global food prices have risen, stretching many families beyond breaking point. While food prices have increased significantly in past few years, there has not been any commensurate increase in people's incomes. African governments are watching anxiously. Food riots have been reported in recently in several countries. At least 40 people were killed in protests in Cameroon. There have also been violent demonstrations in Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Senegal and Burkina Faso, where a nationwide strike against any food price increases started. In Afghanistan, a country which produced over 90 per cent of its own food can now fulfil only two-thirds of the domestic requirements. Around two million tonnes of grain will have to be imported.

Most of the countries have similar story to tell. Poor have no choice, and they are forced to rely on the charity of others, because of the crippling effect of rising food prices. Poor spend 50 to 80 per cent of their meagre income on food.

So what is the alternative?

Shall we focus on development of agriculture sector with a positive mindset whereby the farmers get their due in terms of remuneration and return on investment commensurate to their labour and input value? Can we make agriculture a lucrative avocation? Can we really stop the migration of rural labour into cities and towns? Can there be an equitable distribution of food? These are a few very simple questions that must be considered by all the stakeholders including the nation states in order to diffuse the global food crisis.

Did you know that?

2008-09-01T05:49:00.000-07:00

862 million people across the world are hungry, up from 852 million a year ago.

• Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds.

• In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food.

• Hunger manifests itself in many ways other than starvation and famine. Most poor people who
battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which
result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness.

• Countries in which a large portion of the population battles hunger daily are usually poor and
often lack the social safety nets. When a family that lives in a poor country cannot grow enough
food or earn enough money to buy food, there is nowhere to turn for help.

Who’s the fairest of us all?

2008-09-01T04:29:00.000-07:00

I am a believer that beauty starts inside out. What we eat and how we think keeps us beautiful. As they say: happiness is a state of mind, and so is the beauty. Happiness reflects in our actions and also on our looks. A smiling face always looks beautiful. Make-up can be a lifesaver on certain occasions. There is nothing actually wrong in makeup. Ignorance and over-indulgence of cosmetics is a concern though.

It's been used from centuries, but never had it had such dangerous ingredients in it, which we rub on our fragile skin these days. Unless one has degree in chemistry, one wouldn't notice the presence of notorious chemicals in a well packaged product, bombarded by advertisements with super models in it. So whom should we blame?

Shall we blame our uncontrollable, ever growing desire to look good? Or is it the cosmetic industry, which is not supplying all natural cosmetics for the huge demand? So who puts all that junk on our bathroom shelf? I guess we only do that.Are we becoming unfailingly insecure consumers? Are we insecure about our looks? What if the mirror on the wall might not choose me as "the fairest of all"? Social scientists offer various reasons to explain this insecurity. Due to beauty image created by the media and to some extent our society, some women go to extent of receiving multiple injections – some approved some off-label, and others wholly unapproved.

It's the time that we are fair to our own self and to the nature, which is God's gift to us like our bodies. Let us be fair to our bodies and be happy with our looks. Let the inner beauty outshine the perceived perception that we follow all the time. It's high time we stop treating ourselves as a product, which can be continuously upgraded and modified in accordance with new interests and greater resources. After all, cosmetics are about feeling and looking good. Tell yourself - you are fair of the all.

Raising Children on Toxic Feed?

2008-08-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

Toxic chemicals make their way into our bodies in three ways: Mouth (ingestion), the lungs (inhalation), and/or Skin (dermatological absorption). When chemicals enter through one of these paths, they are carried around in the blood stream to different parts of the body. From the blood stream, chemicals can be stored in tissues, like fat and bone. Or, they can go through the liver and end up being excreted. Food is an important source through which toxins enter our body.

A Pinch of toxins in our children’s food or is it more?

Children need protection all the time. Their systems are smaller and more delicate than those of the adults. Impact of toxins is much more dangerous to children because the effects are more profound during critical stages of development and growth that occur during pregnancy, infancy and early childhood.

The list of terrible things we mindlessly ingest in the name of nourishment is long. But just what are these dietary culprits comprised of? What makes them so toxic? And, most importantly, what are they doing to us and to our children? Following mentioned foods have become part of our regular diet. It is high time that we pay attention towards the type of food and also the ingredients of the food on our children’s plate.

Processed food is made from real food that has been put through devitalizing chemical processes and is infused with chemicals and preservatives.

Junk foods contain very little real food. They are made of devitalized processed food, hydrogenated fats, chemicals, and preservatives, and include anything made with refined white flour.

Fake foods are made primarily of chemicals, and often contain gums and sugar fillers.

Energy Foods/Drinks These non-foods have one thing in common; it costs your body a great deal more to digest, absorb, and eliminate them than they offer in nutritional value – an extremely poor return on your investment that leaves your body sluggish and at a low level.

Processed foods Today, nearly six thousand additives and chemicals are used by food companies to process our food. Many of them can have a devastating effect on our health. Unfortunately, the good intentions that characterized the processed food industry during the early days have now de-evolved to finding ways to manipulate buyers, regardless of the detrimental effects on the health of human beings and more specifically children. Today, many additives and preservatives serve as harmful toxic chemicals which are as problematic as the decay they are supposed to prevent.

The highest amount of above mentioned food is often consumed by children, says Dr Madan Mohan, senior child specialist with NMC, Sharjah. He further emphasises that high level of food preservatives and colouring agents have long term health hazards. Most frequently seen health problems are asthma, skin allergies, poor sleep habits, fidgeting, hyper action, compulsive aggression, frustration, clumsiness and some serious long term impacts.

Some of the commonly used ingredients in food items targeted at children are listed below. We must check the ingredients label whenever we pick products from the shelf particularly for our children, says Dr kazmi, a Dubai based child specialist.

Artificial Food Colours Since industrialization, we have seen enormous growth in the food industry as well as the chemical industry. One such outcome is that we now have synthetic dyes that are being used instead of natural food colours derived from colourful foods. Synthetic dyes are very convenient and cost-effective, even if it is not as safe. Research shows that one particular dye FD & C Red No 2, which is used extensively in drinks, meats, cough syrup and candies, is harmful so much so that its use has led to birth defects and cancer in laboratory animals. It has now been banned in the food and cosmetic industry. There are still other dyes in the market today that are harmful.

Tartrazine, usually labelled FD & C yellow # 5 is one such dye that is still being used despite having negative effects on children. It can also be listed as E102. Some of the negative reactions that have been linked to this dye are "asthma, certain rashes, hyperactivity (particularly in children) and migraines." The long list of food items and beverages in which colour is altered includes butter, margarine, the skins of oranges and potatoes, popcorn, maraschino cherries, hot dogs, jellies, jellybeans, carbonated beverages, and canned strawberries and peas. Even the chicken feed on large-scale egg farms is coloured so that chickens will lay golden-yolked eggs similar to those laid by free-range chickens.

Flavourings: The most common food additive, flavourings – of which there are over 2000 in use – may be natural or artificial, usually comprise of a large number of chemicals. Artificial flavours are linked to allergic and behavioural reactions, yet these ingredients are not required to be listed in detail as they're generally recognized as safe. MSG (monosodium glutamate) is another popular flavour enhancer. Found to cause damage in laboratory mice, it has been banned for use in baby foods, although, it is still used in numerous other items. It causes common allergic and behavioural reactions including headaches, dizziness, chest pains, depression, and mood swings, and is also a possible neurotoxin.

Refining Refining destroys and devitalizes most of the nutrient values of food. Refined flour has had the brown husk of the grain stripped away, leaving the white, refined starch found in white bread, white rice, pasta, cookies, and numerous other junk foods. Without the fibrous husk, refined starches are broken down quickly into sugar and absorbed immediately into the bloodstream, causing glucose levels to rise, and increasing the risk of obesity. In contrast, whole grains – such as whole grain bread and cereals, brown rice, and barley – retain the bran surrounding the starch, so that they are absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream than refined starches. This slows sugar absorption from the intestine, and reduces the risk of obesity.

Bleaching Part of the process wheat undergoes to become the white flour in popular baked goods involves bleaching. Various chemical bleaching agents are used including oxide of nitrogen, chlorine, chloride, nitrosyl, and benzoyl peroxide mixed with a variety of chemical salts for bleaching the edible items..

Who buys the junk?

Children play an important role in the consumer market by influencing their parents’ purchases. Children’s advertisements make use of formats and
tools specifically designed to appeal to children. Animation, pace and fantasy are common in food advertisements, as are premium offers (free gifts) and statements about product quality.

Multinational and domestic food companies, which promote energy-dense and low-nutrient foods and drink use highly effective marketing techniques to encourage regular consumption, repeat purchases and brand loyalty – especially amongst children. So powerful is the marketing impact of link-ups with children’s television characters and movies that some advertisements for such food chains do not mention the food at all. They show only the toy available in the latest collecting offer.

Advertising firms know that if they convince the children, all they need do is sit back and watch the children convince the parents.

Artificial Sweeteners Replacing sugar with another sweetener is not a good idea at all. Take a closer look at the chemical make-up of such products and you may not think it so sweet after all. Artificial sweeteners are usually composed of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and methanol! High levels of Phenylalanine and Tyrosine (both amino acids). in the brain can negatively affect the synthesis of neurotransmitters and bodily functions that are controlled by the autonomic nervous system (blood pressure). The third ingredient is methanol or wood alcohol, which breaks down into formaldehyde, which is regarded as a very toxic substance. Artificial sweeteners release glucose in the body causing low-blood sugar. Children with low-blood sugar can experience headaches, blurred vision, lethargy, memory failure, rapid heartbeat, perspiration, tremors, and giddiness. Obviously, this causes a severe decrease in learning ability.

Preservatives Preservatives such as BHA, BHT and EDTA are used in small quantities in grain products like cereal, soup bases, and other food items containing oil to prevent rancidity. These are potentially toxic to the liver and kidneys, and they have been known to cause allergic reactions and neurotoxin effects. Children can be especially sensitive to preservatives which may cause behavioural changes and hyperactivity. Interestingly, BHT is prohibited as a food additive in the UK.

Food packaging PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is a known carcinogen, and it is often used as plastic food wrap. Many grocery stores seal meats and other foods in PVC wrap; a particularly dangerous practice for warm or fatty foods, both of which help release the PVC into the food.

Some seafood is dangerously high in mercury and other toxins, and industrial chemicals are found in many foods and their packaging

While the emerging food scenario is alarming, the parents need to educate themselves on such a critical issue. It is always wise to check the ingredients, packaging and warning while buying any edible items especially for the children. Coloured drinks, colour-coated candies, gummy and chewy candies, and many coloured cereals should be avoided as far as possible.