Keep my food safe

The government has now said it will take a decision on the issue of commercial cultivation of controversial Bt brinjal only after holding a series of consultations with scientists, farmers, consumer groups and NGOs early next year.

The Environment Ministry has also sought public opinion in the matter till the end of the year.

Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said he proposes to have consultations with scientists, agricultural experts, farmers' organisation, consumer groups and NGOs in January and February.

"The decision will be made only after the consultation process is completed and all stakeholders are satisfied that they have been heard to their satisfaction," he said, a day after the government's biotech regulator gave nod for the commercialisation of the Genetically Modified vegetable whose suitability for human consumption has sparked a raging debate.

Except two, all the members of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), after going through the recommendations of two expert panels set up to access the data on the transgenic vegetable, had approved its environmental release.

Sources said P M Bhargava and Ramesh Soni, members of GEAC, disapproved of its release. However, the government has reserved its decision amid dissenting voices from various quarters including civil society groups, NGOs and food experts.

Bt brinjal is a transgenic vegetable which carries a gene called "Bt" from a bacterium which releases toxin to kill fruit and shoot borer insects.

However, GM food is claimed to be more pest-resistant and high-yielding.

If approved, Bt brinjal will be the first GM food in the country being developed by Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company, (Mahyco) a subsidiary of the US multinational Monsanto.

"The GEAC has given an independent decision in the matter. I will take a final call in the matter after the process of consultation is complete and all stakeholders are satisfied," Ramesh said.

The Environment Ministry has sought public opinion in the matter till the end of the year.

The NGOs and a section of experts have strongly condemned GEAC's decision alleging the approval for Bt brinjal was given without taking in account the scientists' opinion.

"The government should not clear any genetically modified food crop till the time we have strict provisions for labelling. Bt brinjal will be one of the few crops which are used for human consumption directly and not processed into bread," prominent NGO Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said.

"Clearance of such a crop requires the authorities to practise extreme caution. Currently, in India there is no labelling regime for GM foods which will give consumers a choice to make a decision whether they want to consume GM food or not.

"Till this time this is done, regulators should not clear edible GM crops," said Sunita Narain, Director of CSE.

She said labelling of GM foods requires "a strengthened laboratory and regulatory framework."

Condemning the approval of Bt brinjal by GEAC, Coalition for a GM-Free India said "it is a shame that regulators in this country have put the interests of corporations over the interests of ordinary citizens."

"We are yet to see the expert committee report. But prima facie, it appears that the committee has not responded to all the issues raised about the safety of Bt brinjal adequately.

"More importantly, it appears that no satisfactory answers have been yet preferred about the very need for this Bt brinjal when safer, sustainable and affordable alternatives exist," the members of the coalition said in a statement here.

Climate Change - you and me!

In October 2007, Al Gore accepted his Nobel Prize with the words: "I can't understand why there aren't rings of young people blocking bulldozers and preventing them from constructing coal-fired power plants."

Sometime on 11th October 2007, six Greenpeace activists -- one of them six weeks pregnant at the time -- entered a highly-secure coal-power plant and defaced one of its chimneys. Retribution was swift.For their crime of confronting the dirtiest fuel known to humankind, they were arrested and sent to jail. Nearly two years later, the incredulous charges against them are yet to be dropped. Their case, unreported by the media, drags on in court.

This is their story.

In these two years, instead of shutting down coal-power plants, our government has been building more of them.

The unfair part is, the people building these coal-power plants won't be around when climate catastrophe finally hits us. They won't be running from refugee camp to refugee camp. They won't be escaping hunger and drought and famine and disease, but your child will.

It's for your child's sake, and for the sake of all children, that ordinary citizens like you and me must go beyond empty talk, and take direct action against climate change.

Why direct action? Because patient petitioning through the "proper channels" isn't working. Our Prime Minister has ignored over 50,000 people like you who have asked him for a Renewable Energy Law. He talked of climate change in his Independence Day speech, but has shown no sign that he intends to match his words with deeds.

It was to make climate change his No.1 priority that six of them went to jail. This is their story. I hope when you read it, you too will be inspired to act, and succeed where they failed.

Sacred Cow

A really neat article. Talks about the subtle aspects of the amazing thought process of our ancestors and why vegetarianism is important. Vegetarianism is the answer for the food-security of future generations.

Especially coming from a westerner, this article is so much more welcome :)
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By Robin Winter

The world over, the term "sacred cow" has come to mean any stubborn loyalty to a long-standing institution which impedes natural progress. The term originates in India, where the cow is said to be literally worshiped, while thousands of humans suffer from undernourishment. The common, popular view of India in the West is that of an underdeveloped nation steeped in superstition. Overpopulated, overcrowded, undereducated, and bereft of most modern amenities, India is seen to be a backward nation in many respects by "progressive" Western civilization. "If only India would abandon her religious superstitions and kill and eat the cow!" Over several decades many attempts have been made by the "compassionate" West to alleviate unfortunate India's burden of poor logic, and to replace her superstitions with rational thinking.

Much of the religious West finds common ground with the rationalists, with whom they otherwise are usually at odds, on the issue of India's "sacred cow." Indeed, worshiping God is one thing, but to worship the cow while at the same time dying of starvation is a theological outlook much in need of reevaluation. Man is said to have dominion over the animals, but it would appear that the Indians have it backwards.

Popular opinion is not always the most informed opinion; in fact, this is usually the case. The many attempts to wean India from the nipple of her outdated pastoral culture have all failed. After 200 years of foreign occupation by the British, and after many subsequent but less overt imperialistic attempts, we find that although India has changed, the sacred cow remains as sacred as ever. In all but two Indianstates, cow slaughter is strictly prohibited. If legislation were passed today to change that ruling, there would be rioting all over India. In spite of considerable exposure to Western ideas, one late Indian statesman said, when asked what he thought of Western civilization, "I think it is a good idea. When will they begin?"An unbiased look at perhaps the longest-standing culture of the world, its roots and philosophy, may help us to see things a little more as they are even about our own way of life. Sometimes we have to stand back to get the full picture. It is a natural tendency to consider one's own way the best, but such bull-headedness may cause us to miss seeing our own shortcomings. An honest look at the headlines of our home town newspaper may inspire us to question exactly what it is we are so eager to propound.

Perhaps the most appalling aspect of the Western technological influence on India is found in the country's few "modern" cities. Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, and other cities can be most frustrating to the average Westerner. Crude attempts at modernization can be worse than none at all. Although India's technology lacks the polish and sophistication of the West, its employment in crude fashion nonetheless brings all of the adverse effects of a sophisticated form of the same amenities.Real India is rural India. Village life accounts for the bulk of India's population of 700 million, and best illustrates the nation's ancient culture. The simplicity of India is often mistaken for ignorance, and her peacefulness mistaken for complacency. The serenity of Indian village life is overlooked or mislabeled by those who in the name of progress may really only be operating under the axiom of "misery loves company."

Perhaps the people of India live as they do for a good reason: much of what goes along with Western "progress" themental anguish which causes us to do the most bizarre things that make many cities living hellsis relatively absent in India's rural lifestyle.It is particularly difficult for Westerners to appreciate India's worship of the cow. After all, we live in the land of the hamburger. The "American" restaurant abroad is McDonald's. "Ole McDonald had a farm /Did it ever grow!" Western economists often contend that beef alone can solve India's food problems and lay a foundation for a lucrative export trade. This has caused cow worship and cow protection to come under attack for centuries. Cow protection has been called a "lunatic obstacle" to sensible farm management.

India's cow is called the zebu, and an investigation of the controversy surrounding her brings us to the heart of village life in India. The average landholder in India farms approximately one acre. This is nowhere near enough land to warrant the purchase of a tractor. Even if the size of the land plots were increased to make the purchase of machinery cost-effective, the unique weather, a five-season year including the monsoon, would quickly render the tractor useless. After the monsoons, the soil is too soft for planting and must be quickly and efficiently prepared before the soon-to-follow intense heat brings an end to the very short growing season. The loss of even one day will considerably affect the overall yield. The zebu bullocks are ideal in this connection for they can easily plow the soft earth without overly compacting the soil as would heavy machinery.

Farming in India is a family affair, and the labor-intensive approach to cultivation involves everyone. This helps to sustain the family unit, which is sometimes considered to be the wealth of a nation. Thestaples of the diet are grains: wheat and rice. Most of India is vegetarian. While the bull plows the field, helping to provide the grains, the cow supplies milk from which many dairy products are produced. Day to day, year after year, the cow and bull are the center of rural Indian life.

According to Frances Moore Lappe in her best-seller, Diet for a Small Planet, "For every sixteen pounds of grain and soy fed to beef cattle in the United States, we only get one pound back in meat on ourplates. The other fifteen pounds are inaccessible to us, either used by the animal to produce energy or to make some part of its own body that we do not eat (like hair or bones), or excreted. Milk productionis more efficient, with less than one pound of grain fed for every pint of milk produced. (This is partly because we don't have to grow a new cow every time we milk one.)" If India, with its already strainedresources, were to allocate so much more acreage for the production of beef, it would be disastrous. Advocates of modernization maintain that with the application of the latest farming techniques, the yield per acre would gradually increase, thus making it possible for beef to be introduced over a period of time. Such advocates contend that with the introduction of beef into the Indian diet, the population's health would increase, thus furthering productivity. However, it is interesting to note that although India is far from being free of disease, its principal health problems are a result of urban overcrowding and inadequate sanitation and medical facilities. Whereas high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, and cancer constitute the greatest health threats in the West, the Indian people are practically free from these afflictions. So the "fact" that India's health would increase with the introduction of beef into the diet is not likely to overcome the "superstition" of the people's religious beliefs which prohibit them from eating meat.

The religious "superstitions" of India are based on the Vedas, which constitute the most voluminous body of literature in the world. The Vedas and their corollaries deal elaborately with theism, describingmany gradations of the theistic idea. The idea that one should not eat meat, although central to Hindu philosophy, is only a secondary theme. To a large extent it amounts only to common sense and sensitivity. It is from this basis of sensitivity, an indicator of healthy consciousness, that higher spiritual principles can be appreciated. Actually, the Vedas agree with the West's contention that man has dominion over the animals; however, the West's way of dealing with its dependents is revolting to Indians. After all, we have dominion over our children and ofttimes elders as well, but would we be justified in slaughtering them for food? We become incensed if someone even abuses our dog!

The Vedas do not teach that the cow is superior to the human form of life and therefore worshipable. Rather, the she gives so much practical help to human society that she should be protected. Her assistance frees mankind from much of the struggle of life, thereby providing us with more time for spiritual pursuits. Although modern technology may be said to do the same, the fact is that it actuallycomplicates man's life more and more and distracts him from more simple living and high spiritual thinking. We may become so mechanistic that we can fool ourselves into believing that cows or pets have no feelings.For India, the cow represents the sacred principle of motherhood. She symbolizes charity and generosity because of the way she distributes her milk, which is essential for the nourishment of the young.

India's critics have pointed out that although Indian village life may be simple, it is a marginal existence; it is a life of little surplus. If a farmer's cow turns barren, he has lost his only chance of replacing the work team. And if she goes dry, the family loses its milk and butter. However the situation is not as bad as the technologically advanced may think. In village life, people are more interdependent. Helping one's neighbor is also considered sacred. Sharing is commonplace. All of the father's male friends are affectionately referred to by the sons and daughters as "uncle", while all of the village women are seen as mother. Often the responsibility of caring for and nursing the young is shared by several mothers.

Perhaps the heaviest criticism of the pastoral culture of India is directed at the insistence of the farmers on protecting even sick and aged cows. Westerners find this to be the height of absurdity. At least they could be killed and eaten or sold. But no. Animal hospitals or nursing homes called goshallas, provided by government agencies or wealthy individuals in search of piety, offer shelter for old and infirm cows. This is thought to be a luxury that India cannot really afford, as these "useless" cows are seen to be but competitors for the already limited croplands and precious foodstuffs. The fact is, however, that India actually spends a great deal less on their aging cattle than Americans spend on their cats and dogs. And India's cattle population is six times that of the American pet population.

The Indian farmer sees his cattle like members of the family. Since the farmers depend on the cattle for their own livelihood, it makes perfect sense both economically and emotionally to see to their well-being. In between harvests, the cattle are bathed and spruced up much like the average American polishes his automobile. Twice during the year, special festivals are held in honor of the cows. These rituals are similar to the American idea of Thanksgiving. Although in principle the same, there is a basic difference in the details of how we treat the turkey and how the more "primitive" Indians treat their cows.

India cares for over 200 million zebus. This accounts for one-fifth of the world's cattle population. Critics say that if India does not eat her cows, the cows will eat India. Exasperated critics feel that even the cow is underfed. However, in more recent years, India's critics have come to agree that she is essential to India's economy. Cattle are India's greatest natural resource. They eat only grass --which grows everywhere-- and generates more power than all of India's generating plants. They also produce fuel, fertilizer, and nutrition in abundance. India runs on bullock power. Some 15 million bullock carts move approximately 15 billion tons of goods across the nation. Newer studies in energetics have shown that bullocks do two-thirds of the work on the average farm. Electricity and fossil fuels account for only 10%. Bullocks not only pull heavy loads, but also grind the sugarcane and turn the linseed oil presses. Converting from bullocks to machinery would cost an estimated $30 billion plus maintenance and replacement costs.

The biggest energy contribution from cows and bulls is their dung. India's cattle produce 800 million tons of manure every year. The Vedas explain that dung from cows is different from all other forms ofexcrement. Indian culture insists that if one comes in contact with the stool of any other animal, they must immediately take a bath. Even after passing stool oneself, bathing is necessary. But the cow's dung, far from being contaminating, instead possesses antiseptic qualities. This has been verified by modern science. Not only is it free from bacteria, but it also does a good job of killing them. Believe it ornot, it is every bit as good an antiseptic as Lysol or Mr. Clean.Most of the dung is used for fertilizer at no cost to the farmer or to the world's fossil fuel reserves. The remainder is used for fuel. It is odorless and burns without scorching, giving a slow, even heat. Ahousewife can count on leaving her pots unattended all day or return any time to a preheated griddle for short-order cooking. To replace dung with coal would cost India $1.5 billion per year.

Dung is also used for both heating and cooling. Packed on the outside walls of a house, in winter it keeps in the heat, and in summer produces a cooling effect. Also, unlike the stool of humans, it keepsflies away , and when burned, its smoke acts as a repellent for mosquitoes.

When technocrats were unable to come up with a workable alternative, they came up with a new argument for modernization. They suggested that the cattle culture be maintained, but that it should be done in a more efficient manner. Several ambitious programs were initiated using pedigree bulls and artificial insemination. But the new hybrids were not cheap nor were they able to keep up the pace with the zebus. The intense heat of India retired many of them well before old age. Although they produced more milk, this also created more problems, because there was no efficient system for distributing the surplus of milk throughout India's widespread population.

India's system of distribution is highly decentralized. Although the solution seemed simple, modernization again met its shortcomings. With bottling plants, pasteurization, and other sophisticated Western methods of distribution, it was thought that all of India could have fresh, pure milk. Behind the automats set up for the distribution of powdered milk, milk, and cream was the expectation that in time, people would begin to appreciate the abundant rewards bestowed by these new modern deities of technology, and worship of cows would gradually disappear. But in the end it was modernization that failed to prove its value.

Pasteurization proved to be a waste of time and money for Indians, who generally drink their milk hot, and thus boil it before drinking. With the absence of modern highways and the cost of milking machines and other necessities of factory dairy farming, it was seen to be impractical to impose the Western dairy system on India; the cost of refrigeration alone would make the price of milk too expensive for 95% of India's population.

Eventually, after repeated attempts to modernize India's approach to farming and in particular its attitude toward its beloved zebus it became clear that these technological upgrades were not very wellthought out.. They were not to replace a system that had endured for thousands of years; a system not only economically wise, but one that was part of a spiritually rich heritage. On the contrary, it may well be time to export the spiritual heritage of India to the West, where technology continues to threaten the tangible progress of humanity in its search for the deeper meaning of life.

Source:- http://www.archaeologyonline.net/artifacts/sacred-cow.htm

Renewable Energy Law

The monsoon is finally here. But while you waited, there were riots in New Delhi over water scarcity, and a nation of 1.3 billion prepared to deal with massive droughts, crop failure and starvation deaths.

This is what climate change looks like. It's the greatest threat facing humankind today, greater even than terrorism. Lord King admits it. Chris Patten admits it. Even L K Advani admits it.

Now, there are two ways to deal with such a threat. One way is to say "bring it on" (as Bush did). Another way is to look at the root causes and sort them out.

One of the root causes for climate change is coal. But instead of addressing that root cause and tackling it, our government is actually planning to have more of it. More coal-power plants. More CO2. More global warming. More climate change.

But all's not lost in the battle against climate change. You can stop it.

You can stop it by demanding a Renewable Energy Law now. A law that makes sure that India meets a significant part of its present and future energy needs from renewable sources. You know, stuff like the sun and the wind. There's a big opportunity in all of this: money, jobs, that kind of thing.

It sounds simple enough, but it isn't. Because Prime Minister Manmohan Singh believes that ordinary Indian citizens like you don't care where their energy comes from. He's wrong. And with one finger, you can tell him exactly what you think.

In the past one week, over 12,000 people have joined the fight against climate change, and demanded a Renewable Energy Law. That's a big number, but not big enough to worry our Prime Minister.

He needs to know that millions of people just like you have had enough of climate change. Go on, be a Green Idol. Raise a little finger. Click a link. Stop climate change.

What is Genetic Modification (GM) or Genetic Engineering?

The process of taking a gene from one organism and inserting it into the genome of another unrelated organism to give it certain new traits is called GM. Genes can be found in the nucleus of every cell in all living organisms and are the very building blocks of life. They decide the characteristics, structure, growth and behaviour of all organisms, including us. They play the critical role of passing on genetic information from one generation to the other. If you are tired of people telling you how you resemble your parents, you can blame genes for that. In the 1970s, some clever scientists figured out that they could transfer genes of one species into the genome of another and that got them excited. What if we were to insert spider genes into the genome of goats? May be the goat milk would contain spider web protein? What if we were to insert cow genes into the genome of pigs? May be they would develop cowhides? And that’s how the whole genetic experiment began.

'The ability to introduce alien genes into a genome is an impressive technological manipulation but we remain too ignorant of how the genome works to anticipate all of the consequences, subtle or obvious, immediate or long-term, of those manipulations'.
David Suzuki, Geneticist, Author of more than 30 books, Awarded UNESCO prize for science

What can go wrong?
GM scientists would normally say ‘It is just like taking a page out of one book and putting it into another'. One can only wish it were that simple. The process of producing a GM crop can cause significant changes in the natural functioning of the plant's genome (gene sequence). Let's take the same analogy to see what can go wrong with a GM experiment?

The inserted page (gene) may turn out to be multiple identical pages, partial pages, or small pieces of text. Sections of the insert may be misspelled, deleted, inverted, or scrambled. Next to the inserts, the story may become indecipherable, with random letters, new text, and pages missing. There will now be typos throughout, sometimes hundreds or thousands of them. Letters may be switched, words scrambled, and sentences deleted, repeated or reversed. Passages from one part of the book, even whole chapters (chromosomes) may be relocated or repeated elsewhere, and bits of text from entirely different books can show up from time to time. Many of the characters in the story may now act differently. Some minor roles might become permanent, leads demoted and some may have switched roles from hero to villain or vice versa.

Quite simply, one may start with Rama and end with Ravan. Many things may happen to the plant's genome (gene sequence) that can not only cause problems for the plant and its environment, but also to those who consume it.

How can GM affect you?
When a foreign gene is inserted in to the cell of an organism, it can disrupt the genome (gene sequence) in ways one can't predict. These unintended side-effects of genetic modification can be harmful to those who consume it, to those who grow it and also to the environment. When GM food was tested on rats by independent scientists, the results were alarming. They had stunted growth, impaired immune systems, potentially precancerous cell growth in the intestines, inflamed kidneys and lung tissue, less developed brain, enlarged livers, pancreases and intestines and higher blood sugar. Even their offspring were affected, showing that there are even inter-generational effects with GM crops/foods.

The regulation for such harmful food is surprisingly lax. In US, for example, safety is the company's responsibility and their reports on studies are often not made available for public scrutiny. The food doesn't even carry a label, so the consumer has no knowledge or choice about GM. GM food is all set to be launched in India very soon and in all likelihood these foods may not carry a label. In any case, when the food is not packaged as it is mostly in India, labeling is not possible.

Check out the statements made by scientists the world over at : http://ngin.tripod.com/foodstatements.htm and http://www.btinternet.com/~nlpwessex/Documents/gmoquote.htm.

It is imperative to note that "Potentially, it could breed new animal and plant diseases, new sources of cancer, novel epidemics." Are we ready for this ?

Global Warming is killing 315,000 people annually

According to a new study, global warming is killing 315,000 people annually and creating $125B USD in damages. This impact is almost entirely shouldered by developing nations. (Source: j2fi). Meanwhile the 50 poorest nations only contribute 1 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. The report says this situation -- and the death toll -- will only get worse, if action
is not taken. (Source: Global Envision) <http://dynamic1.dailytech.com/www/delivery/ck.php?n=cb7063c>. According to a new Global Humanitarian Forum (GHF) report, global
warming may be one of the deadliest threats to man yet.

Many question whether man is causing global warming <http://www.dailytech.com/New+Climate+Study+Indicates+Hottest+Decade+in+1300+Years/article12831.htm> , whether it is really occurring, and exactly how bad it really is. While the jury maybe out on the first question, recent studies have indicated that the world is indeed warming, either due to natural or
anthropogenic (human-induced) factors. Many put the blame on greenhouse gases <http://www.dailytech.com/Data+Places+Blame+on+Humans+for+Polar+W\
arming/article13340.htm> .

That debate aside, a recent study by the Global Humanitarian Forum (GHF) sought to answer the third question, looking at the impact of global warming on mankind <http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLS1002309> .
What it claims is shocking -- it blames global warming for 315,000 deaths a year since 2003. The deaths are resulting from hunger, sickness and weather disasters attributed to climate changes. Further, based on current predicted temperature rises, it expects this death toll to reach half a million yearly by 2030.

The study also found that climate change impacts the lives of 325 million people worldwide, and that by 2030 it will likely impact 10 percent of the world's population (670 million, based on
current figures). It also placed the financial losses due to global warming at $125B USD per year, and expects this figure to rise to $340B USD annually by 2030.

Kofi Annan, former U.N. secretary-general and GHF president states, "Climate change is the greatest emerging humanitarian challenge of our time, causing suffering to hundreds of millions
of people worldwide. The first hit and worst affected are the world's poorest groups, and yet they have done least to cause the problem."

The report also found that nine tenths of the human and economic losses from global warming are borne by developing nations. Meanwhile, the 50 poorest countries only contribute 1 percent of emissions. He says 500 million people, living in poverty worldwide, are particularly vulnerable, as they live in locations extremely vulnerable to droughts, floods, storms, sea-level rise and creeping deserts caused by climate changes. Mr. Annan urges world leaders to adopt a binding and effective successor to the Kyoto Protocol at a planned December U.N. meeting
<http://www.dailytech.com/UN+IPCC+Shun+Meat+to+Stop+Climate+Chang\
e/article12903.htm> in Copenhagen.

Mr. Annan states, "Copenhagen needs to be the most ambitious international agreement ever negotiated. The alternative is mass starvation, mass migration and mass sickness."

He says even the worst-case U.N. reports fall short of the true impact climate change may have. With new evidence he cites pointing to faster than previously predicted warming, he says the
time for inaction is past. He says funds to combat climate change will have to rise from the current level of $400M USD annually to an estimated $32B USD annually.

Barbara Stocking, chief executive of Oxfam in Britain and a GHF board member, chimes in stating, "Funding from rich countries to help the poor and vulnerable adapt to climate change is not even 1 percent of what is needed. This glaring injustice must be addressed at Copenhagen in December."
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Read and ACT
Ever seen a greenhouse? They are the sheds with roofs and sometimes even walls made of glass and other transparent material. This lets a huge amount of solar heat in and warms the
air which is trapped inside by the roof and the walls, keeping the temperature inside the greenhouse much warmer than outside. In cold climates this helps certain species of plants that prefer a more tropical environment to thrive. The sun’s rays enter the Earth’s atmosphere and bring life and heat to the planet. However a huge amount of this radiation is reflected back by the planet. It’s a very delicate balance, because too much heat reflected would mean an ice age and too little would mean we would be a burnt toast! Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide, Methane and Water vapour are called greenhouse gases. These gases form a layer in the atmosphere and prevent the reflected radiation from leaving the Earth. Just like a greenhouse, this will make the temperature on the surface become steadily hotter. This effect is called Global Warming. 1998
and 2005 have been the hottest years in recorded history!

According to a study completed by researchers and scientists at MIT there has been a 100% increase in the intensity and duration of severe storms such as hurricanes and tornadoes since the 1970s. The study found that this is most likely due to the increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The temperature of the Earth in the last 100 years has risen by 0.6 deg C and is
steadily rising, and according to scientists will rise further by 1.1 deg C to 6.4 deg C this century! This may seem like insignificant figures, but if the global temperature falls by just 4 deg C, we will experience an ice age, Canada will be under a mile of ice! A 6.4 deg C rise in temperature could well signal the end of life as we know it! Global Warming is insidious. It’s not like an earthquake or a tornado or a volcano. It’s a slow, steady march towards doom. And because
it’s slow, we tend to ignore the threat. We just turn on the air conditioner and complain about the weather and more or less go on with our lives as if nothing major is really happening. This attitude is not going to help us for long. Fortunately more and more people are becoming aware of global warming and are slowly accepting it as a serious problem, serious enough that they are willing to change their lifestyles. The top three causes of global warming are:
1. Power generation
2. The Meat industry
3. Transportation
I would love to add another cause there, it’s the United States of America. They have 4% of the global population and contribute to 25% of the greenhouse gas emissions. More than India, China and Japan put together!

Can an individual really make a difference to this very alarming problem? The answer is a
resounding Yes! After all, it’s just individuals who form the society. Each person makes life style choices every day. When each person starts to choose a greener more responsible way of living, then it’s still not too late to arrest planet meltdown.

Use less electricity. This is a no brainer. Turn off lights, fans, air conditioners, heater, etc.

Remember to turn off the switch in the wall.

Heating and Air conditioning are the two biggest power consumers. In cold weather, wear more clothes and insulate your house so you don’t need so much heating. Use a Solar geyser for heating bath water. In hot weather, keep the use of air conditioning to minimal and set the ac at 24 deg C or more.

Use energy saving devices, such as LED lights for lighting.

Don’t leave your computer on stand by or with a screen saver. According to the Clean Air-Cool Planet Website, one computer left on all day results in the emission of 1,500 pounds of carbon dioxide in a year. It would take 100 to 500 trees to absorb that amount of extra carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. Multiply this by the number of computers on the planet and the results will be pretty phenomenal. You will see that small actions, done with consistency and commitment will add up to a very big savings in the long run.

We all need to go places. But we can do it in healthy, responsible ways. Walk, run, bicycle, skate your way to places that are near. This not only reduces your ecological footprint, but also keeps the body healthy.

Use public transport. And if you have to use a car at all then try to use the option of car pool.

If you are in the market for a new car, choose one that gives more Kms per liter of fuel, rather than one that just looks good. Lobby for getting hybrid and other energy efficient cars to be made in India.

As far as possible, avoid flying.

Many corporations are choosing to have their employees work from home. This means a terrific saving in transportation costs as well as logistical costs of maintaining an office!

Here is a little known fact, one that many websites and even Al Gore (An Inconvenient Truth) or Leonardo Di Caprio (The 11th Hour) didn’t talk about. A meat based diet contributes to 40%
more greenhouse gases than the pollution generated by ALL the traffic in the entire world put together! All the cars, buses, trains, planes and ships of the planet don’t pollute as much as the meat industry. They actually pollute 40% less!!

There are billions of animals being slaughtered every year. In the US alone, the number of animals being “processed” every year is more than 6 times the human population on the planet. Understand that these animals need food to eat and water to drink. They also excrete. The
colossal amount of food and water that is pumped into this industry is enough to feed more than 50 times the current human population. In fact, if just 10% of the US population went vegetarian, there would be enough food for 800 million people and the entire world’s hunger problem would be solved! If you ate a plant based diet, you would save so much water, that
you could leave your shower on, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year and still save more water for the planet compared to a person having meat. A plant based diet is now accepted to be vastly superior for the human body than a meat based diet. The tremendous amount of resources needed to create meat translates therefore into billions of tons of greenhouse gases being
released into the atmosphere… Finally while you are combating global warming, by choosing to eat green, you also stand up for the meekest and smallest amongst us. Those helpless animals with no voice and no choice at all… So at every meal, each person can make a greener, healthier, more humane choice: Eating vegetarian food!

The above choices (there are many more green tips which are not mentioned here though) exercised made by more and more people on the planet will ensure more than anything else, the arrest and reversal of the very severe threat of Global Warming Please spread the word…

SAVE Environment!!! SAVE EARTH!!!

It is well-known fact that we, as a generation of Indians are at the threshold of the most humongous threat to our environment. It is imperative that we take as many steps as feasible to reverse this damage. As citizens of the planet, and as Indians, if we don't then who will?

1. There is a cute small round press button at the bottom right corner of almost all monitors: Please make use of this.
2. Stop printing out Harry Porter, Jeffrey Archer and other e-books. This is a classic example of paper wastage.
3. If you have forgotten to give double-side prints, make sure you make use of the empty sides as scribbling pads or for your kids' imposition!
4. Take two minutes from your busy schedule before hurrying back home to shut down the computer.
5. All of us are big time Googlers. Have you heard of the Blackle search engine? Blackle (Google powered) is a search engine designed all in Rich Black so that your system consumes less power. So change your homepage.
6. Plastic bags these days indeed come in bright and flamboyant colours and tempt us to take them home with us. But the saying, "Appearances are deceptive" holds true for these plastic things too. Next time, hold back or go prepared to counter temptation with a cloth bag.
7. Roses, Jasmine, Hibiscus and Peas; All these saplings cost hardly between Rs 10 - 20 each. Can't we afford to plant these in and around our houses? Also, more importantly, caring and maintain them as they grow?
8. Try to segregate the different kinds of waste into Bio-Degradable (Fruit or vegetable waste), Recyclable (waste Paper, paper products) and Electronics (Floppy disks, CD-ROMS). Once you have segregated your thrash, look for specialized trash cans to throw them away.
9. Try to minimize the use of horns. Honking drastically increased and this adds to the noise pollution and does not provide a conducive environment to live in.
10. Use rechargeable batteries though it's an expensive product, its one-time purchase. Recharge when required. (Same applies to cell-phones, MP3s, iPods and Laptops)
11. The best pens to use would be ink ones. Though if you have to use a ball point pen, buy refills instead of buying new pens. Pencils are much better for rough use! (That's why we used it at school!!!)
12. Remember to close water taps before preening in front of the mirror. Of course you are beautiful, but Water is a precious resource!
13. Let's not just wake up and walk out of finished meetings and conferences with a sigh of relief, let us remember to turn off the lights and projectors too.
14. Take few minutes to learn about topics like 'Global Warming' , 'Air / Noise /Land / Water Pollution ' etc apart from constant surfing of News, Latest Gadgets, Movies and Music.
15. Compost your kitchen waste at home. Try Daily Dump. www.dailydump.org.
16. Try e-reader for downloading and reading newspaper at home. or read it online. Avoid buying newspapers.
17. Spread this message; to your friends and foes. They too can make a difference.
The Earth has already become a dangerous place to live in for the animals and birds. Soon it might be our turn. So let's pledge to save our beautiful planet so that you and your future generations can live happily and peacefully ever after.
"Heal the World and make it better place to live in"
Consider Environment. Don’t print, unless necessary. Encourage "Environmental Awareness".

How to BEAT Back Pain at Work

It's getting to be so bad that by Monday afternoon, you're already tired of being at the office. You're not even thinking as far ahead as Friday. Just getting to hump day is going to be challenge enough.

In reality, it's not the folks you work with who are getting you down - they're tolerable, mostly, although there is that one guy in accounting. Where do they find these people?

It's not even your boss, who, if he knew even half as much as you do, would be a shoo-in for Executive of the Year.

No, the biggest pain in your neck is actually located a bit lower. And it's really what's making working where you do seem a lot worse than it actually is.

Face it. It's your aching back that's sucking the joy out of your nine-to-five existence and making you feel 10 years older to boot.

Sure, you've learned to tolerate the bad coffee, pointless meetings, and lame jokes in the course of your day. But you just can't tough it out when it comes to back pain, which can range from dull, nagging aches to those unexpected twinges that feel like you've been hit with a taser gun.

The bad news about back pain is that it not only lives with you all day at the office but it also comes home with you at night. It may even dog your weekends.

How do you develop pain?

If you are experiencing back pain at the office, you may think that it is coming from all the sitting, standing, and lifting that you have to do. And, indirectly, it does. But it is actually more about how the body has to adapt to all the sitting, standing, and lifting than the activity itself. Let's take sitting as an example.

Because of the amount of time you spend sitting, your body must gradually adapt itself to that position. This happens in a number of ways. The first thing it must adapt to is how the weight goes through your hips and pelvis. Then, there is the way you sit - upright, slouching, or something in between.

Most importantly, it's what happens to the muscles while you're sitting. For example, your hip flexors will get tight from being in a shortened position and your butt will get weak and flabby from being in a relaxed state.

That simple combination of tight hip flexors and weak glutes is called a "muscle imbalance." The result of these muscle imbalances will be postural dysfunctions of your pelvis and spine. These imbalances send both your spine and pelvis into abnormal positions, the combination of which can be devastating to a person with a healthy back and catastrophic for a person suffering from any form of back pain.

What can you do about it?

What you must also understand is that your imbalances are the result of what you do in your everyday life - your workouts, sitting, the activities of your job, and your own personal habits. I'm not going to tell you to stop going to work. But what if you changed the way you present yourself at your desk?

Instead of sitting at your desk, try kneeling. I kneel at least 30 percent of the time I spend at my desk. I have a small foam pad that puts me just high enough to type and see the monitor. I sit on a therapy ball - and guess what? I don't sit still like my momma told me to. I move my hips in every direction, which means I'm working on my core balance all day long.

Action steps to take

Sitting

When I sit, I sit with my legs in all different positions - sometimes bent, sometimes behind me, other times stretched out in front or even to the side of me, keep the legs moving.

Every 10 minutes or so, I will work my body in some way - and, yes, that includes walking away from my desk. But more than that, I make it a habit to stand up when the phone rings. I also stand when I have to read something or when I'm rearranging the stack of stuff on my desk for greater productivity.

Standing

If your job requires you to stand all day long, be sure you have quality footwear and a neutral shoe insert. Our body mechanics start when our feet hit the ground. It is best if your feet are in the most neutral position possible.

One negative body pattern that many people fall into is to continually shift their weight from one foot to the other. The problem with this is that most people find eventually decide that one leg will be more comfortable than the other, and then that leg will get most of the weight most of the time. This will wreak havoc on the pelvis and spine. Better to put equal on each foot as much as you can, and learn to correct when you catch yourself shifting your weight or leaning on one leg too much.

Lifting

A third obstacle on the job can be situations where you have to lift anything over 10 pounds repeatedly. Again, it's not the activity itself that puts you in jeopardy; it's your body's inability to tolerate the stress of the weight. In other words, you should be able to lift anything you want to and not have any difficulty doing it. The problem occurs when your body is suffering from the muscle imbalances and postural dysfunctions that we talked about earlier - and you don't even know it.

So, when you lift that object and you get injured, think of it as the straw that broke the camels' back. Your body was already in a compromised state, and it just needed that last bit of stress to send you in to a painful condition.

Stress

It's an unavoidable fact of life at the office, and it can also play a role by causing your muscles to tense up, which makes you more prone to injury. Stress also lowers your tolerance for pain. In some cases, minimizing stress on the job can be a daunting task, but deep-breathing exercises, walking around the block, or even talking about your frustrations with a trusted friend can help.

In closing, I want to leave you with this message: Even though the workplace can be a hazard to your health, if you do find yourself having back pain, remember that your thoughts and your beliefs about your situation will have a direct impact on your ability to recover and how fast you recover. That's why it's critical to learn all you can about your condition and take action as soon as you can.

Take care and be safe :)

Resource Utilization

Buddha, one day, was in deep thought about the worldly activities and the ways of instilling goodness in human beings. One of his disciples approached him and said humbly " Oh my teacher ! While you are so much concerned about the world and others, why don't you look in to the welfare and needs of your own disciples also."

Buddha : "OK.. Tell me how I can help you"

Disciple : "Master! My attire is worn out and is beyond the decency to wear the same. Can I get a new one, please?"

Buddha found the robe indeed was in a bad condition and needed replacement. He asked the store keeper to give the disciple a new robe to wear on. The disciple thanked Buddha and retired to his room. A while later, he went to his disciple's place and asked him "Is your new attire comfortable? Do you need anything more ?"

Disciple : "Thank you my Master. The attire is indeed very comfortable. I need nothing more"

Buddha : "Having got the new one, what did you do with your old attire?"

Disciple : "I am using it as my bed spread"

Buddha : "Then.. hope you have disposed off your old bed spread"

Disciple : " No.. no.. master. I am using my old bedspread as my window curtain"

Buddha : " What about your old Curtain?"

Disciple : "Being used to handle hot utensils in the kitchen"

Buddha : "Oh.. I see.. Can you tell me what did they do with the old cloth they used in Kitchen"

Disciple : "They are being used to wash the floor."

Buddha : " Then, the old rug being used to wash the floor...?"

Disciple: " Master, since they were torn off so much, we could not find any better use, but to use as a
twig in the oil lamp, which is right now lit in your study room...."

Buddha smiled in contentment and left for his room.

If not to this degree of utilization, can we at least attempt to find the best use of all our resources at home and in office?

We need to handle wisely all the resources nature has bestowed us with, both natural and material so that they can be saved for the generations to come.

Poison on a Platter??

"Poison on the Platter", is an eye-opening film, made by Mahesh Bhatt and Ajay Kanchan, illustrating how all of our lives are gonna be (adversely) affected by genetically modified foods. It is no more a farmers issue alone, its a matter of the consumers right to food safety. You and I wouldnt even be able to separate/choose a normal Brinjal from/over a GM one, if Bt Brinjal - a GM crop produced by the mighty agri-MNC Monsanto - is let through by our corrupt regulatory body. Lets put up strong resistance, demanding a ban on GM food/crops for 5 years, until they are proven safe for human consumption by independent, long-term studies. Please help spread awareness about Genetically-Modified food. Let us remember that all the imported technologies are not good.

Anton Chekhov said it right : "Man has been endowed with reason, with the power to create, so that he can add to what he's been given. But up to now he hasn't been a creator, only a destroyer. Forests keep disappearing, rivers dry up, wild life's become extinct, the climate's ruined and the land grows poorer and uglier every day."





William Wordsworth :

Written in Early Spring

I heard a thousand blended notes
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What Man has made of Man.

Through primrose tufts, in that sweet bower,
The periwinkle trail'd its wreaths;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopp'd and play'd,
Their thoughts I cannot measure,—
But the least motion which they made
It seem'd a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature's holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What Man has made of Man!

Spread the word and stop this from happening... for your own sake ... for your children ... for the world!

Save the Olive Ridleys from extinction

It's March, and construction at the Tata's port in Orissa continues day and night. Meanwhile, there seems no sign of mass nesting of endangered Olive Ridley turtles in the area. There wasn't any mass nesting last year either. Could this be more than a mere coincidence?I think the port should stop for the sake of these turtles. And since all the public pressure hasn't made Mr. Ratan Tata sit up and notice, I decided to speak to him directly.And that's just what I did right now, by calling and letting the Tatas know I'm backing Greenpeace in the fight to save the Ridleys. But I don't think one call is enough

Why don't you show your solidarity by clicking here and and calling Mr. Tata too?

It's just another phone call for you, but it could be the one that changes Mr. Tata's mind.

I have been a proud customer of TATA - from my phone to internet to the salt I use !!! This Dhamra Port project is making me rethink my decision to respect and use this brand. Has Mr. Ratan Tata forgotten that "with great power, there must come great responsibility" ? Will he take the blame for pushing an already endangered species to extinction?

Moral Policing on what grounds???

Who has given them to right to decide what or how people should be?

Just received this email. It seemed appropriate to put it up on the blog ...

If you are apathetic about the conditions around you, don't read further. If not, go ahead ...... and then try just try and help change. It concerns all of us living anywhere.

This one's a bit long , but please do read - it's relevant to all of us.......... ......... .....

Millionaire slumdogs and how things can change.... (read this, for you may have a role to play!)Share with others. Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 10:37am

Yes, everything changes.

The fantastic invisible sweep of time rushes and roars past us every dull and intense second that ticks relentlessly away every day, and all around us things constantly morph. Twin towers crumble, good people die, the good earth turns brown and bare, and old love fades.

And what precisely is your role in the incredible kaleidoscope of change?

A slack-jaw by-stander who barely registers the impact and implications? A commentator spectator who freely critiques but somehow rises above being affected by it all? A fatalist loser who bemoans everything and blames it all on circumstances and other people?

Look around you, you who reside in the so-called mind and knowledge capital of the shining new India. This is Bangalore.

Many of the quiet avenues that used to snake through the wooded shades and fragrant flower-scatters of a thousand gulmohars, flames of the forest, bougenvillias and silver oaks are now shorn of even a single blade of grass, their tar guts upturned by mammoth earth moving equipment, tortured sites full of grime, steel and concrete through which an endless procession of loud vehicles crawl back and forth, utterly indisciplined, frothing with impotent anger and frustration, from the early dusty dawns to the midnight hours, every single day.

We are the victims, you say? The civic governance of Bangalore is sub standard, you claim? Well, you may be right, but does that mean that even as an individual citizen whose real powers to influence matters is way less than what it theoretically should be, we have absolutely nothing to do?

I am re-thinking this premise, my friend. Unfortunately not a self realization case, but prompted by a black incident last Friday, 6th February, 2009. And this time it was not about aspects that affect your life and mine indirectly. It wasn't the death of yet another 100+ year old tree. It wasn't another instance of criminal neglect of any civic infrastructure. It wasn't road rage. It was a kick in the groin. Literally. And it woke me up all right.

So, in brief, this is how the drama unfolded:

A few of my friends and I were just paying our bills and coming out of our regular Friday night watering hole and dinner place in Rest House Road, just off Brigade Road, and most of the women in the company were already standing outside. Some of us outside were smoking, people were happy, there was laughter and jokes, as there were many other people in the street, all coming out, satiated, in the closing hour of the various pubs and restaurants around.

Suddenly from up the street a massive SUV comes revving and speeding, hurtling down, and stops in a scream of brakes and swirling dust, millimeters away from this group of 4 women, barely missing one of their legs. A white Audi, imported, still under transfer, with the registration plate of KA-51 TR-2767. Some millionaire' s toy thing, that in the wrong hands can kill.

Naturally the women are in shock. And quickly following the shock comes indignation. These are self made women running their own businesses, managing state responsibilities for global NGO firms, successful doctors. They are not used to being bullied. So they turn around, instead of shrinking back in fear. They protest.

And as soon as they turn around in protest, the car doors are flung open, and a stream of 4-5 rabid men run out towards these women, screaming obscenities in Hindi and Kannada against women in general, fists flailing. Some of us who came in running at the sound of the screaming brakes now stand in the middle in defense of our women, and then blows start raining down. One of the goons make a couple of calls over the cellphone, and in seconds a stream of other equally rabid goondas land up. They gun straight for the women, and everyone – a few well-meaning bystanders, acquaintances who know us from the restaurant, basically everyone who tries to help the women – starts getting thoroughly beaten up.

Women are kicked in the groin, punched in the stomach, slapped across the face, grabbed everywhere, abused constantly. Men are smashed up professionally, blows aimed at livers, groins, kidneys and nose. A friend is hit repeatedly on the head by a stone until he passes out in a flood of blood.

A plain-clothes policeman (Vittal Kumar) who saunters in late stands by watching and urging people to stop, but doing absolutely nothing else. A 'cheetah' biker cop comes in, with our women pleading him to stop this madness, but he refuses action, saying a police van will come in soon and he cannot do anything. Everyone keeps getting hammered. Relentlessly.

The carnage continues for over 20 minutes.

Finally when the police van does come in it is this vandals who are raging and ranting, claiming to be true "sons of the Kannadiga soil", and we are positioned to be the villainous outsiders, bleeding, outraged. How do the cops believe them, especially seeing the bloody faces of our men and the violated rage of our women, while they carry nary a scratch on their bodies? Don't ask me! Yet, it is us who these goondas urge the newly arrived law-keepers to arrest, and the police promptly comply, and we are bundled into the van, some still being beaten as we are pushed in. Some blessed relief from pain inside the police van at least, even if we are inside and the real goons outside, driving alongside in their spanking white Audi. The guy who was hit by the stone is taken separately by the women to Mallya hospital.

Inside the police station at Cubbon Park it becomes clear that these goons and the police know each other by their first names. The policeman in charge (Thimmappa) initially refuses to even register any complaint from me, on the purported grounds that I am not fluent in Kannada and I have taken a few drinks (3 Kingfisher pints, to be precise) over the evening. No, it doesn't matter that I didn't have my car and was not driving, and no, it doesn't mater that the complaint will be written in English. We watch them and the goons exchange smiles and nods with our our bloodied and swelling eyes and realize in our pain-clouded still-in-shock brains the extent of truth in the claim of one of the main goons when he claimed earlier in the evening in virulent aggression: we own this town, this car belongs to an MLA, we will see how you return to this street!!

This was the turning point of the saga, I guess. For we refused to lie down quietly and be victims.

One of our girls, a vintage and proud Bangalorean who is running one of the town's most successful organic farming initiatives, took upon herself to write the complaint, when I was not allowed to write the same. Another Bangalore girl, a state director of a global NGO firm, wrote the other molestation complaint separately on behalf of all the girls. Some of us called our friends in the media and corporate world. Everyone stepped up. And even when the odds were down and we were out, we did not give up, and as a singular body of violated citizens we spoke in one voice of courage and indomitable spirit. That voice had no limitation of language, not Kannada, nor English, or Hindi. It was the voice of human spirit that cannot be broken.

And in the face of that spirit, for the first time, we saw the ugly visage of vandalism, hiding behind the thin and inadequate veil of political corrupt power, narrow-vision regionalism and self-serving morality, start to wilt.

We spent 6 hours next day in the police station. The sub-inspector of police who filed our FIR, Ajay R M, seemed a breath of fresh air inasmuch that he did not appear a-priori biased like others, even though the hand of corruption and politico-criminal power backing these goons was still manifest in many ways: a starched, white-linen power-broker walked in handing over his card to the sub-inspector in support of the goons; the goons got an audience with the Inspector because of this intervention, while we had to interact one level lower down in the hierarchy; the plains cloth policeman of last night, even though he had arrived far too late in the crime scene, gave a warped statement, passing it off as a "neutral" point of view, repeatedly stressing that we came out of a pub and hence were drinking, positioning this as a 'drunken brawl', while completely forgetting to mention the unprovoked attack against the women and the one-sided vandalism and violence that ensued.. I guess one cannot blame the low ranked police officer – the criminal connections of these goons must be pervasive enough for him to be careful.

Thanks however to the impartial handling of the situation by Ajay, soon the goons were all identified. The lead actor was one Ravi Mallaya (38), a real estate honcho and owner of a small property off Brigade Road which he has converted into a "gaming" (you know what that means, don't you?) adda. The others identified are Mohan Basava (22) of Chamarajapet 12th Cross, R. Vijay Kumar Ramalingaraju (25) and Shivu Rajashekar (20). All are residents of 12th & 13th Cross in Vyalikaval. Their bravado and machismo were by that time evaporated. It was good to see their faces then.

Of course nothing much happened to them, nor did we expect it. They were supposed to be in lock up for at least the weekend till they were produced in court, but we understand that they were quickly released on (anticipatory? ) bail. The car, purportedly belonging to an MLA, also does not figure in the FIR, apparently for reasons of "irrelevance to the case"..The media also have given us fantastic coverage and support so far, strengthening the cause.

The goons meanwhile, as an after thought, also filed the customary reverse complaint on the morning after we filed our own complaint: the women have apparently scratched the car! (Why did they not file the complaint the same night, considering they came to the Police Station in the same car? Why was the car allowed to be taken off police custody? Why is the car still irrelevant to the case and not in the FIR? Questions... questions..) .

Is this the end of this saga? Probably not. Are these women, more precious to us as friends and wives than most things in our lives, safe to walk or drive down Brigade Road from now on or are the goonda elements, slighted by this arrest and disgrace, are lying in ambush, waiting, biding their time to cause some of us more grievous harm? We don't know. Is there reason for us to remain apprehensive of future attacks and victimization? Perhaps.

But here is the point.

We stood up.

We believed in the power of individual citizens even in the face of hooliganism, intolerance, corruption and power mongering. Even though many of us have the option of leveraging political or government connections, we deliberately chose to fight this battle as individuals. Sure, these connections have been activated and they have been kept informed, should the worst case scenario unfold tomorrow. But we have chosen to not leverage them. And in every small win we register as a group of individual outraged citizens of Bangalore and India, however insignificant these milestones may be in the larger scheme of things, there is one small notch adding up in favor of what is right, one small notch against what is wrong. And we believe that every such small notch counts, each such mark is absolutely invaluable.

It is the people who make this city, this country, this world. It is you and I, as much as the terrorists inside and outside. And in our small insignificant little ways, it is my responsibility and yours to not shirk from investing effort – not just lip service or any token attempt, but real effort – in backing up what we ourselves believe in. It is so easy to logically argue that everything is corrupt, nothing is worth it, there are so many risks involved. We must not fall trap to this escapist trend. We must not fail to try.

Next time you feel outraged, violated, abused, don't let it go by and add up to your list of litanies and complaints. Stand up and take it to the limit - at least your own limit. Not in the same way as they wrong you, but in the way that every citizen, at least in theory, is entitled to complain and protest. Do not let the hooligans power rant scare you or prompt you into submission. Do not allow the corrupt cop make you give up trying. Carry the flame forward. Try harder.

If are up to it, start right now.

Forward this note to everyone you want to be made aware of this. Post it in your own blogs. Talk about it amongst your circles. And if anyone of you should like to step forward with a word of empathy or advise, talk to me. Comment.

It is not Bangalore that is going to the dogs. It is us. We have far too long become accustomed to let everything go. And the more we let things go without any protest or fight, the dormant criminal and dark elements of the society get that much more encouraged. Every time we turn the other way, the hooligan next street gets incentivized to push the boundary a little further, provoke a little more, try something a little more atrocious. It is time for us to refuse to let this go on. We are responsible for making ourselves proud. Lets believe in ourselves. We can do this.

My name is Saugata Chatterjee. And I am standing up.I refuse to let Bangalore go to the hooligan slumdogs, even if some of them are pets of corrupt power millionaires.

Story About Stuff

The story of the everyday stuff that we use - where it comes from, how it gets processed, reaches us and what we do with it. Taking resources, rather irrationally, from the Earth for our needs is not a very prudent thing to do. They are not going to last forever. While the resources are fast disappearing, we are forgetting that we, as a species, will (or rather might) continue to live. Ever stopped to wonder what you are leaving behind for the next generation(s)? A garbage bin called "Earth" or a livable planet called "Earth" ?

'The Earth has enough for every man's needs, but not enough for his greed!' - M. Gandhi.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBbo85arTN0


Let's try to do our bit to save the planet before there is nothing left for the next generation!!!

There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest. (Elie Wiesel)

Water Crisis - A reality in India

Be aware of how your actions can affect other people and the environment. Fun and luxury come at someone's cost :

50000 more trees are listed to be cut in Bangalore...

Yes! That's right. The zeroes in that statement are correct. Already more than 2 Lakhs trees have been cut in and around Bangalore in the name of "development" ..

A tree mafia is operating in the city. Every tree that is cut down, brings in only Rs. 3000 to the BBMP (officially). The contractor who pays 3k to the BBMP and cuts the tree, sells the timber for lakhs of rupees, depending on the type and size of the tree. This is all in the name of "development". It's not a lie ... Read some of the news articles on the same:
Time of India reports -- Report on Timber Mafia :
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1138045441.cms
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1219777
http://bangalorebuzz.blogspot.com/2008/12/timber-mafia-behind-axing-of-trees.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Aug72007/spectrum2007080617516.asp
read about it in wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia_Raj#Timber_Mafias

The city now sees extreme climates - shorter, severe winters and early summer onsets and to think that this was a no-fan-zone city till about 15-20 years back!!! Its time to act now, else the next generation may not have any breathing space left in this fast growing concrete jungle. It is no longer suited for the title of the "Garden City of India".
The Hindu -
Report on the pollution situation in Bangalore: http://www.hindu.com/pp/2007/12/22/stories/2007122250540200.htm
Times of India -
Report on Bangalore's drastic climate changes: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/The_heat_is_on_and_it_is_just_February/articleshow/4146529.cms
Report on Bangalore's tree cover loss and dried up lakes: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/HC_warning_on_Bangalore_warming/articleshow/4145981.cms
Diseases : http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Bangalore/Diseases-rising-with-change-in-temperature/articleshow/4102060.cms

Recent updates of the extent of apathy towards trees and environmental issues in and around Bangalore by BBMP/and other agencies:
-- Lal Bagh and Cubbon Park - a part of these beautiful places is going to be lost forever, thanks to the new suggestion to take over the land for a Metro station.
-- A whole lot of roads that are going to go from being tree-lined avenues to barren wide roads, with absolutely no shade for pedestrians and cyclists.

What can we do?

As the saying goes:
"All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in this world is for enough good men to do nothing.(Edmund Burke)"!

Try and create awareness among people about the adverse effects of this mad drive in the name of development and mass murders of the very trees that defined this city.

A group of environmentalists that is fighting the cause is Hasiru Usiru : http://www.hasiruusiru.org/. About them:

"Hasiru Usiru is a network of concerned citizens of Bangalore who want Banglaore to live up to its "Garden City" epithet. Our charter is to ensure that Bangalore devleops its infrastructure in a holistic and sustainable manner, keeping its people in mind, and ensuring a green and healthy future for its residents. Since 1998, Hasiru Usiru has provided citizens a forum to critique the path of development that Bangalore has adopted, and engage constructively with the civic administration. Hasiru Usiru has helped organize public consultations, workshops, peaceful protests, and has submitted alternative traffic management plans to the authorities, which if implemented would go a long way in preventing the rampant environmental desctruction that this city is witnessing. In December 2005, the High Court of Karnataka ruled that tree felling projects conducted by the administration must be executed in consultation with Hasiru Usiru. "

They also have a yahoo group called HasiruUsiru. Please join to find out more ways to help save our city.

The least we can do is to create awareness of this issue, and join hands to save this city. Help spread the word around.

Please do remember that -
"We have not inherited the Air, the Water and the Earth from our parents, but we have merely borrowed it from our children".