Aspire

Blackle - Saving Energy

2009-03-03T00:54:00.000-08:00

Hai friends,

We all know about the search engine Blackle but seldom use it due to various reasons. A great initiative to save energy. Let’s see how.

How is Blackle saving energy?

Blackle was created by Heap Media to remind us all of the need to take small steps in our everyday lives to save energy. Blackle searches are powered by Google Custom Search.
Blackle saves energy because the screen is predominantly black. "Image displayed is primarily a function of the user's color settings and desktop graphics, as well as the color and size of open application windows; a given monitor requires more power to display a white (or light) screen than a black (or dark) screen”.

Where did Blackle got the inspiration?

In January 2007 a blog post titled Black Google Would Save 750 Megawatt-hours a Year proposed the theory that a black version of the Google search engine would save a fair bit of energy due to the popularity of the search engine.Vow! that’s the power of blogposts.
Since then there has been skepticism about the significance of the energy savings that can be achieved and the cost in terms of readability of black web pages.

There is value in the concept because even if the energy savings are small, they all add up.
Secondly we feel that seeing Blackle every time we load our web browser reminds us that we need to keep taking small steps to save energy.
Set Blackle as your home page. This way every time you load your Internet browser you will save a little bit of energy. Remember every bit counts!
You will also be reminded about the need to save energy each time you see the Blackle page load.
Spread the word about Blackle by telling your friends and family to set it as their home page

Ready for a Green Jean?

2009-02-21T00:30:00.000-08:00

Jeans is the universal cool clothing liked by everyone. It’s an evergreen trendy outfit. I have been crazy on this during by school days though I have used it only a couple of times. ok. How green is your jean now?

Eco friendly clothing combining high quality clothing with socially conscious environmentalism has become a faction, and is in vogue.

Green clothing' is made from hundred percent organic materials like soy, organic cotton and hemp. Variety of clothes like skirts, blouses, shirts, pants, socks, bathrobes, pillow cases etc are made from organic fibres.

Want to know about eco friendly players in the market??You have some listed below here.

Loomstate

Loomstate organic clothing was founded on the principle of 'creating demand for certified organic cotton using socially and environmentally responsible methods of production.

Nudie Jeans

Nudie strips jeans down to the basics by using only organic cotton and dying their clothing with pre-reduced indigo for low environmental impact. They also ensure all workers, from planters to dyers, are treated fairly and humanely—and no children under 15 are employed by the company.

Edun

Edun jeans offer a great eco-friendly product with fair trade benefits. Edun's production in India, Peru, Tunisia, Kenya, Uganda, Lesotho, Mauritius and Madagascar is based on the premise that sustainable communities are built through 'trade, not aid.' Word to the wise: not all of their products are organic, so be sure to look at the content.

7 for All Mankind

If you want a pair of sexy, organic cotton jeans, you can do no better than 7 For All Mankind. 7 offers nine styles in California organic cotton from trendy skinny leg to classic boot cut.

Levi Strauss & Co

Classic jeans producer introduced their Levi Eco line of Jeans and it's since expanded to include jackets and skirts. Made with 100% organic and recycled cotton, these are the jeans that will take you back to high school. Called, appropriately, levi’s eco, the organic jeans also boast recycled buttons, rivets and zippers.

Aoki jeans

(Aoki is Japanese for green tea) are made from 98 percent organic cotton with 2 percent of stretch. The women’s line is designed to make you look long and lean with three different cuts to fit any body type. Get yours at http://www.shopmodify.com/. The Aoki website is not quite ready yet, but keep checking back. http://www.aokijeans.com

H&M

Sweedish fashion giant H&M has a line of organic cotton clothing, which includes jeans. For spring 2009, H&M will up their use of organic cotton by 50% (they used 1,500 tons last spring), and they're going to offer recycled clothing, including recycled cotton from fabric remnants from garment production.

James Jeans

Mainstream denim brand James Jeans is taking a different approach to eco. While the jeans are not made of organic cotton, the process that they go through to achieve the different washes is green. Rather than using potassium promagnate and a washing machine to "age" the jeans, the company hand brushes a mix of tea leaves, coffee and other natural "reactants" on each pair and then dries them in the open air and sunshine.. (http://www.barneys.com/b/browse/category.s?categoryId=522256) and http://www.shopgreenrohini.com/women39s-pan.html. http://www.jamesjeans.com/

Why Eco friendly Jeans?
Eco friendly fabrics embrace the body with a soft and supple touch. Eco friendly labels are now appearing on many products, due to the efforts of the companies to be perceived as environment friendly. Health concerns represent a potential source of benefits and demand for organic apparel. Hence, these garments are manifested as most important for children who are perceived to be more susceptible to toxins.

Not only the fibres used for manufacturing the garments are organic, but the dyes used in the process of making these clothes are also environmentally friendly, or those which have a less impact on the human skin.

Furthermore, eco friendly apparels are finding favors with environmentally savvy fashion designers. Until recent times, organic clothes were regarded as coarse, uncomfortable and unappealing. But now, it is becoming fashionable to wear eco friendly clothing. Many designers are coming out with eco friendly outfits made from organic cotton and using other dyes which are free from hazardous chemicals. Though the range of styles is lesser when compared with other materials, new patterns and styles are being developed to keep pace with the growing demand for organic clothing.

You could also check these sites
http://www.shopintuition.com/categories.asp?catid=199&WebCategoryParentID=5
http://kaightshop.com/sewaje.html.
http://serfontaine.com/
.http://www.denimtherapy.com/
http://www.revolveclothing.com/index.jsp.
http://www.slingandstones.com/
http://www.goodsociety.org/

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

2009-02-19T22:49:00.000-08:00

Sustainable tourism is an industry committed to making a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income and employment for local people.

Characteristics of Sustainable Tourism
· Sustainable Tourism tries its utmost to maintain the importance of local culture and tradition.
· Sustainable Tourism is informatory, as it doesn’t only let tourist know about the destinations but also it helps locals knowing about the culture and civilisation of tourists.
· This kind of tourism is aimed to conserve the resources of destinations where one is visiting to .
· Sustainable Tourism seeks deeper involvement of locals, which provide local people an opportunity and make their living. Above all, Sustainable Tourism stresses pointedly upon integrity of the tourist places.

Principles of Sustainable Tourism

With the increased footfalls of tourists, the deep need today is that tourism like other sector be planned and managed suitably. Sustainable development of tourism is possible only if its follows some of its guidelines and principles.
· Tourism ought to be initiated at any location with the help of local community. The involvement of local community helps maintaining the appropriate tourism development.

· The local community has to meet the direct benefit of flourishing tourism in their area. Link between local business and tourism enable local people gain economically as well.

· To cause large growth in sustainable development, there is need that codes, ethics and some fair guidelines be appointed.

· In order to heighten the importance of heritage and natural resources, and manage them better, training and education programme should be instituted.

Ecotourism

Ecotourism, also known as ecological tourism, is a form of Sustainable Tourism, differing by its focus on ecology. Ecotourism focuses on volunteering, personal growth, and learning new ways to live on the planet; typically involving travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions.

Relationship between Ecotourism and Sustainable tourism

Ecotourism basically deals with nature based tourism, and is aimed “to conserve the environment and improves the well-being of local people”. On the other hand, sustainable tourism includes all segments of tourism, and has same function to perform as of ecotourism – to conserve the resources and increase the local cultural and traditional value. Though the goals of ecotourism and sustainable tourism is much similar, but the latter is broader and conceals within itself very many aspects and categories of tourism.

The case of Goa could be taken as an example.Goa is famous for the Olive Ridley turtles (Mandrem inPernem) but as a result of excessive tourism many of the turtles do not find safe nesting grounds. The very promotion of “eco holiday ” in the area by the hoteliers are defeating the purpose as littering the beach and overcrowding do not allow the turtles to hatch safely. Sustainable tourism is especially important for a small state like Goa since the influx of both Indian and foreign tourists is increasing very year.

Goa being a tiny state, the carrying capacity of the state in terms of the size, facilities available and the ecological fragility should be thoroughly studied and taken into consideration while allowing tourism; only then would such tourism be beneficial, in the long run, for the state and the people. Hence practice of sustainable tourism could be of great help.

The objective of sustainable tourism is to retain the economic and social advantages of tourism development while reducing or mitigating any undesirable impacts on the natural, historic, cultural or social environment. This is achieved by balancing the needs of tourists with those of the destination
- WTO

So friends make your next tour the most sustainable and unforgettable one.

Links

http://www.ecoindia.com/sustainable-tourism.html
http://dspace.iimk.ac.in/bitstream/2259/547/1/124-128+Dr+Nirmala+De+Abreu.pdf

http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/st-infosheets.html

green living tips

2009-02-11T23:24:00.000-08:00

hi all,

some more green living tips.

Start going green from ur garden!
Water the garden early in the morning or late in the evening. This reduces water loss due to evaporation. Don’t overwater the garden. Water only till the soil becomes moist, not soggy.

Explore water efficient irrigation systems. Sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation can be adapted to garden situations .

Make your garden lively - plant trees and shrubs which will attract birds. You can also put p nest boxes and put food.

Try growing sturdy grass in bare patches of land , and convince people in your neighbourhood to do so too.

Put waste to work in your garden- sweep the fallen leaves and flowers into flower beds or under shrubs . This will increase soil fertility and also reduce the need for frequent watering.

If you have little space in your garden , you could make a compost pit to turn organic waste from the kitchen and garden to soil enriching manure .

Don't use chemicals in the garden - as they will eventually end up in the sea and can upset the delicate balance of lifecycles.

Organic and environmentally friendly fertilisers and pesticides are available - organic gardening reduces pollution and is better for wildlife.

While Shopping

Buy fruit and vegetables that are in season to help reduce enormous transport costs resulting from importing produce and, where possible, choose locally produced food.

When buying fish look out for a variety of non-endangered species and buy local fish if possible.

Prefer vegetarian options for your meals.

On-line Shopping

Purchase solar powered products.

Send e-cards, if you can, rather than buy paper cards.

Shop online, not only will this reduce fuel consumption and emissions by not driving to the shops, but each time you buy something on-line WWF receive a donation. You may even buy products from the nature shop.At your workplace .

During Holidays

Go on holiday during the off-peak period to prevent over straining resources - you'll also avoid the crowds.

Find out about your destination before you go on holiday - it may be an environmentally sensitive area. Doing this will also ensure you are informed of what to see and any local customs.

Don't travel by air if you can avoid it because air travel uses up large amounts of fossil fuels and creates greenhouse gases.

Avoid taking things on holiday that you will throw away.
Dispose of any rubbish responsibly - it can be hazardous to wildlife.

Ask your travel agent or tour operator what they are doing to be environmentally responsible.

Use public transport, cycle or walk instead of using a car.
Use facilities and trips run by local people whenever possible.
Don't be tempted to touch wildlife and disturb habitats whether on land, at the coast or under water.

Be careful what you choose to bring home as a holiday souvenir. Many species from coral and conch shells to elephants and alligators are endangered because they are killed for curios or souvenirs.

Don’t leave any rubbish at the beach - turtles are often killed by plastic bags they've mistaken for jellyfish and many items take years to degrade as well as being dangerous.

Boats and jet-skis create noise and chemical pollution which is disturbing to wildlife - don't keep the engine running unnecessarily.
Try these to make a difference.

Green Clothing Online

2008-09-29T00:54:00.000-07:00

Redewin, a new online eco-store that sells unique vintage and reconstructed clothing, just launched last week. It offers eco-conscious consumers a new option in shopping for stylish, one of a kind clothes, and it’s great destination for choosing green clothing.

All of the items on Redewin are created from used garments—they take button-ups, t-shirts, dresses, doilies, sweaters, jeans, etc, and stitch them together to create innovative, intriguing new fashion blends. The clothes are creative and singular—and they elevate the term ‘recycled clothing’ to new fashionable heights. The site features a wide range of items—from men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing lines to re-stitched pillows, everything gets the chic, reconstructed treatment at Redewin. And shopping online is a lot easier than making your own recycled clothing.

EcoButton

2008-09-19T21:52:00.001-07:00

The ecobuttonis an illuminating USB device that acts as a reminder and a prompt for the user to press the ecobutton at every opportunity whenever the computer is going to be left idle. This could be from taking a phone call or break, to doing paperwork or going to lunch and meetings where otherwise the computer would normally be left on.

This is because people generally do not like turning off their computers because of the time it often takes to restart. When the ecobutton is pressed it engages the computer into energy saving ‘ecomode’. This ensures that both the computer and monitor are set to operate in the most efficient, lowest power mode available, which actually draws only the same nominal power as when the computer and monitor are turned off!

When you need to use the computer again, simply press any key to instantly return to where you left off!

Energy Savings

The amount of energy that a computer and monitor use varies depending on its age, model, and the programmes and applications in use. A PC switched on 8 hours a day engaging ‘ecomode’ for 3 hours could save around 4200 rupees in electricity cost per year.
Indirect savings can be made with air conditioning systems as they do not have to work so hard because less heat is generated from computers actively using the ecobutton. Because the ecobutton stays illuminated even during ecomode, this can provide a useful reminder that all uneccessary computers, lighting, heating and air conditioning etc... should be be switched off at the end of the day.

Getting Rid of Ur Old Gadgets

2008-08-20T22:13:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

E Waste is a threatening problem which has been discussed in the previous article. Here are some sites where your old gadgets could find a second life.

http://www.gazelle.com/
http://www.venjuvo.com/

The above two sites accepts used camcorders, gaming consoles, digital camera, laptop, mp3 players and gps devices. They offer cash and/or would recycle yr products.

Another site is http://www.techforward.com/ where u cud trade ur used gadgets.

The site http://www.myboneyard.com/ accepts PCs, Laptops; Flat panel Monitors in exchange for Visa Gift Cards.Its better to compare the price each sites offer and then go for it.

Eco Friendly Businesss

2008-08-05T03:42:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of examples for damned enviro friendly business, which r quite inspiring.

Edible Cutlery

Narayana Peesapathy have come out with this very innovative edible spoons. The base flour used is Sorghum (also know as Milo flour, Jowar or Egyptian millet) bonded by other cereal flours .Vegetable pulp is added to give colours. Spinach for green, Beet Root for red and Carrot for yellow. The pulp also makes it more nutritive.

http://www.outlookbusiness.com/inner.aspx?articleid=1903&editionid=50&catgid=9&subcatgid=897

“Have Your Plates and Eat Them Too“.

Organic textiles

This company has started for organic cotton production thus marching towards sustainable growth. Appachi Cotton aims to strike it big in the textiles sector by banking on clean agricultural practices and handloom weaving skills.

http://www.outlookbusiness.com/print.aspx?articleid=1902&editionid=50&catgid=9&subcatgid=897

Let us support sustainable growth.

E WASTE

2008-07-30T03:02:00.000-07:00

Electronic Waste – or e-waste – is the term used to describe old, end-of-life electronic appliances such as computers, laptops, TVs, DVD players, mobile phones, mp3 players etc. which have been disposed of by their original users.

While there is no generally accepted definition of e-waste, in most cases, e-waste comprises of relatively expensive and essentially durable products used for data processing, telecommunications or entertainment in private households and businesses. Public perception of e-waste is often restricted to a narrower sense, comprising mainly of end-of-life information- & telecommunication equipment and consumer electronics. However, technically, electronic waste is only a subset of WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment). According to the OECD any appliance using an electric power supply that has reached its end-of-life would come under WEEE.

WEEE Categories

Large household appliances

Small household appliances

IT and telecommunications equipmen

Consumer equipmentLighting equipment

Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools)

Toys, leisure and sports equipment

Medical devices (with the exception of all implanted and infected products)

Monitoring and control instrumentsAutomatic dispensers.

Hazards of Ewaste
Electrical and electronic equipment are made up of a multitude of components, some containing toxic substances which can have an adverse impact on human health and the environment if not handled properly. Often, these hazards arise due to the improper recycling and disposal processes used.

Challenges Of Managing E-Waste

The challenges of managing e-waste in India are very different from those in other countries, developed or developing. While there can be several shared lessons, the complexity of the e-waste issue in India, given its vast geographical and cultural diversity and economic disparities, makes WEEE management challenges in India quite unique. A few of these are:
Rapidly increasing e-waste volumes, both domestically generated as well as through imports. Imports are often disguised as second-hand comptuer donations towards bridging the digital divide or simply as metal scrap.
No accurate estimates of the quantity of e-waste generated and recycled.
Low level of awareness amongst manufacturers and consumers of the hazards of incorrect e-waste disposal.
Widespread e-waste recycling in the informal sector using rudimentary techniques such as acid leaching and open air burning resulting in severe environmental damage
E-waste workers have little or no knowledge of toxins in e-waste and are exposed to serious health hazards.
Inefficient recycling processes result in substantial losses of material value
‘Cherry-picking’ by recyclers who recover precious metals and improperly dispose of the rest.

Bangalore, the undoubted center of the IT industry in India, was the first city in India to have sent a WEEE wake-up call by arranging awareness campaigns. Mumbai and New Delhi are the other cities where initiatives have been taken

Ways to Green Your Garden

2008-07-29T03:12:00.000-07:00

Ways to Green Your Garden

by Trey Granger on June 23rd, 2008
Here is one more article which i found wud be useful.

Summer is a great opportunity to spend time in the garden. Sunny days provide nice weather and extra daylight. School is out so you’ve got extra potential workers. The ground is fertile from springtime rain.
Your garden may seem very green by definition. But here’s a few ways to reduce the impact your garden has on the environment as a whole.

1. Plant Within Your Environment
In a perfect world, you could grow cactus in a tundra climate and a lawn of Bermuda grass in the desert. Guess what? Plants don’t work that way. Before you start growing something, do some research to see what it needs to survive in your area. Otherwise, you may end up using lots of water and other resources to have “something different” in your backyard.

2. Water in the Mornings
Like it or not, some of the water meant for your plants will evaporate before it reaches the soil. This is compounded on a hot day. Watering in (or setting your sprinkler timer for) the morning can save 50 gallons of water a week.
Other good water saving tips:
Sweep away leaves with a broom/rake instead of a hose
Check your sprinkler heads periodically for leaks
Install a control nozzle on your hose

3. Compost
Soil and fertilizer are expensive, so why not make your own? Take organic waste from your kitchen (fruit/vegetable peels, egg shells) and mix with yard waste (leaves, flowers) and water. The result is compost, which is rich in nutrients and will help your plants grow.

4. Find Second-Hand Supplies
You may not want to buy underwear used, but how about a shovel or wheelbarrow? Look for these items at garage sales and thrift shops before buying a new one. If you do buy new, ask if the products come with a warranty so they will last you a long time.

5. Reuse Your Pots
Plants die, but pots rarely do. Save the pot and soil if one of your plants expires. You can even create your own pots by drilling a hole in old butter containers or flipping over a drum. If a pot breaks, you can usually glue it back together with no loss of quality.

6. Grass-cycle
One of the least fun tasks of mowing the lawn is picking up the scraps. It’s actually beneficial to your garden to leave them there. The grass clippings will provide nutrients to the remaining yard as they decompose. Plus, you’ll have one less plastic bag to dispose of.

7. Recycle Yard Waste
If you decide that composting isn’t for you and you enjoy picking up grass clippings, definitely recycle your yard waste. This material takes longer to decompose in a landfill when buried under a pile of plastic. Plus, if your local community accepts yard waste you may be able to exchange it for compost to use in your garden. Recycle yard waste using Earth 911.

8. Use Natural Pest Management
Pests can wreak havoc on your garden. But you don’t need pesticides to keep them away. Pesticides harm all kinds of living things, including humans. Plus, they can be easily transferred into natural bodies of water and our water treatment systems are not designed to remove pesticides.
You can plant natural pest repellants like chrysanthemums and marigolds nearby. Learn other ways to practice integrated pest management.
This story is part of Earth 911’s “Green Eight” series, where we showcase eight ways to green your life in various areas. Click here to see Earth 911’s “Green Eight” archive.

Recycling Ur Automobiles

2008-07-19T02:02:00.000-07:00

Recycling Ur Automobiles
Here is an article from earth 911, interesting ofcourse.
From: Earth 911,

conserve our biodiversity

2008-06-30T22:35:00.000-07:00

conserve our biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety of all life forms. It includes humans, plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms, and the genes that they contain. But biodiversity is more than the life in the bush or the oceans and rivers. It has many important functions: it gives us food and medicine, produces oxygen, breaks down our garbage, and cleans up our sewage... to name a few! There are many things we can do to conserve biodiversity for the future .

Create habitat for native animals

Plant local native species in your garden and add logs and rocks to create habitat for native animals.

Leave dead wood in the bush

Get your firewood from a timber yard, and remember to ask for plantation timber. Birds and animals live in dead trees and logs. Collecting firewood from the bush robs them of their homes.

Use pesticides and herbicides sparingly

If you must use pesticides in the garden, opt for those made from natural ingredients, such as pyrethrum. Birds, frogs and reptiles can become sick or die if they feed on insects sprayed with pesticides.

Join a community group in your local area

Volunteer your time to do on-ground, office or coordination work to help revegetate your local area. Get involved in tree planting, seed collection and weed control. Contact Landcare, Greening Australia, Conservation Volunteers Australia or the Threatened Species Network to find out more.

Learn about your environment

Visit national parks, botanical gardens or a zoo in your area and learn more about your environment. Take your friends with you.

Drive carefully

Watch out for native animals when driving at dusk and dawn, particularly in bush areas. .

Care for the bush

Make sure that all campfires and cigarettes are properly extinguished before leaving the bush, and remember to take your rubbish with you.
Be informed before you fish: Find out which species you can take home for dinner and which you should throw back in. Take only what you need and leave the undersized ones for another day. Call your local fishing authority to find out more.

Care for wildlife

Sick, injured or orphaned native wildlife can be helped by contacting the blue cross. www.bluecross.org.in.

Try to use plantation timber

Buy plantation timber instead of native forest or woodland timber, if you are building or renovating. This will help conserve the forests and woodlands.

Dispose of garden waste carefully

Weeds, prunings and grass clippings dumped in the bush can introduce or spread weeds.

Take note when travelling overseas

Be careful about what you buy overseas and bring into the country as you may be buying into illegal trade in wildlife.
Rather than writing checks and stuffing envelopes each month, switch to tree-free billing and pay everything from your credit card to your cell phone bills online. Forests not only remove CO2 from the air but are richly complex ecosystems, providing habitat for mammals, birds, plants, insects and mushrooms and other fungi to thrive. www.thegreenguide.com.

Buy local honey at your farmer's market or www.honeylocator.com.

Turn your backyard into a wildlife habitat. Better yet, plant a native tree in a community park, by your local river way or seaside. Native trees provide food and shelter for indigenous insects and animal life and create niches for species pushed out by monoculture commercial forests.

Help the butterflies. Butterflies are bio-indicators that scientists look to for signs of landscape quality and habitat loss. Purchase them and rear in your garden.

http://www.kerala.gov.in/keralacalljune04/p26-29.pdf

Links
www.thegreenguide.com/doc/119/earthday http://www.environment.gov.au/education/aussi/publications/sustainability-tips.html

The 100 Mile Diet

2008-06-19T02:50:00.000-07:00

The 100-Mile Diet refers to the buying and eating of food that has been grown, manufactured or produced entirely within a 100 mile radius of the residence of the individual who will be consuming the food.

The 100-Mile Diet is aimed at reducing an individual’s carbon footprint and ecological footprint while supporting local food systems.

The phrase 100-Mile Diet was coined in 2005 by James MacKinnon and Alisa Smith of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to describe their one-year local eating experiment that was chronicled on an independent news and culture website The Tyee.

Their diet experiment consisted of eating food produced or grown within 100 miles of their home apartment. This included not only local produce, but also ensuring that any meat or dairy products came from animals that ate local feed and were packaged locally.

This innovative diet system to save our planet could be followed by every one of us.
Let’s start eating food grown locally.
Make more use of seasonal vegetables and fruits.
Switch over to food grown organically.
Stop consuming packed food.So lets give it a try from today.

Links
thetyee.ca/Life/2005/06/28/HundredMileDiet/
http://100milediet.org/

DECONSUME – Mantra to Save Earth

2008-06-18T00:15:00.000-07:00

Energy Facts

Did you know ..

• Worldwide, biomass is the fourth largest energy resource after coal, oil, and natural gas?

• If your fireplace damper is open, and there's no fire, it's like keeping a 48" window wide open during the winter; it allows the heat to go right up the chimney.

• If you have a torchiere halogen lamp, consider replacing it with a compact fluorescent torchiere which will use 60-80% less energy and can provide more light (lumens) than the halogen.

• The two most common biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel?

• With an incandescent light bulb, only 10% of the electricity used is turned into light. The other 90% is wasted as heat?

• A heavy coat of dust on a light bulb can block up to half its light output?

• If a faucet leaks enough water to fill a soda bottle every 30 minutes, it will waste 2,192 gallons a year?

• A bolt of lightning contains enough energy to toast 160,000 pieces of bread?

• That a PC Monitor left on overnight wastes enough energy to laser print 800 sheets of paper?

• For every minute that a refrigerator door is open, it will take 3 minutes for it to regain its temperature?

• A tuned engine can improve gas mileage by about 4 percent, and replacing a faulty oxygen sensor can improve gas mileage by up to 40 percent?

• It takes 440 Btu's to heat up one gallon of water? Low flow shower heads in the dorms use 2.5 gallons per minute. So a 10 minute shower uses 11,000 Btu's.

• It takes about 40 gallons of water to do a load of laundry? Since it takes 440 Btu's to heat a gallon of water, washing with hot water will use 17,600 Btu's; a warm water cycle will use 8,800 Btu's.

• You can save 3 to 5 percent of heating costs for each degree you lower the temperature setting on your thermostat?

• You can increase your clothes dryer's efficiency if you dry two or more loads in a row to take advantage of the heat generated by the first load? Don't add wet clothes to a load already in progress and be sure to clean the lint filter after each load.

• The recommended temperature for a refrigerator is 37°F to 40°F and that keeping it colder wastes energy ?

DECONSUME – Mantra to Save Earth

The 4Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle, renew could now be replaced by Deconsume – reducing consumptions in all ways possible so that we live a greener life and save our environment.Start consuming less of everything right now.

BIODIVERSITY

2008-06-17T03:51:00.000-07:00

Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome or for the entire Earth. Biodiversity is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems. Biodiversity is a measure of the relative diversity among organisms present in different ecosystems. "Diversity" includes diversity within a species and among species, and comparative diversity among ecosystems.

Biodiversity found on Earth today consists of many millions of distinct biological species, which is the product of four billion years of evolution

Why do we Need Biodiversity?

Biological diversity is important because of the way relationships between species and habitats combine to provide yet more variation in the living world. Any human activity that diminishes this 'bio - diversity' could therefore impoverish our own quality of life, reduce the resources available to us and ultimately jeopardise the survival of our descendants.
We should seek to conserve biodiversity because:
it confers direct benefits as natural processes protect our planet
it provides the raw material of food, clothing and medicines
it enhances our quality of life, by adding variety to our surroundings
it helps shape our culture and inspires our poets, painters, writers and composers
it is heritage we should not deny to the next generation
it is affected enormously by what we do.

Over the last century, a great deal of damage has been done to the biodiversity existing on the earth. Increasing human population, increasing consumption levels, and decreasing efficiency of use of our resources are some of the causes that have led to overexploitation and manipulation of ecosystems. Trade in wildlife, such as rhino horn, has led to the extinction of species. Consequences of biodiversity loss can be great as any disturbance to one species gives rise to imbalance in others.

The factors that threaten biodiversity have been variously categorized. Jared Diamond describes an "Evil Quartet" of habitat destruction, overkill, introduced species, and secondary extensions. Edward O. Wilson prefers the acronym HIPPO, standing for Habitat destruction, Invasive species, Pollution, Population, and Overharvesting .
India is one of the mega biodiversity centres in the world and has two of the world's 18 ‘biodiversity hotspots’ located in the Western Ghats and in the Eastern Himalayas (Myers 1999). The forest cover in these areas is very dense and diverse and of pristine beauty, and incredible biodiversity. The sacred groves of India are some of the areas in the country where the richness of biodiversity has been well preserved. The Thar desert and the Himalayas are two regions rich in biodiversity in India. There are 89 national parks and 504 wildlife sanctuaries in the country, the Chilka Lake being one of them. This lake is also an important wetland area. Learn more through map on biodiversity in India.
To prevent such loss, the Government of India is setting up biosphere reserves in different parts of the country. These are multipurpose protected areas to preserve the genetic diversity in different ecosystems. Till 1999, ten biosphere reserves had been set up, namely Nilgiri, Nandadevi, Nakrek, Great Nicobar, Gulf of Mannar, Manas, Sunder bans, Similipal, and Dibru Saikhowa. A number of NGOs are being involved in the programme to create awareness. But legal protection is provided only to national parks and sanctuaries, which cover about 4.5% of India’s land area.

Green Buildings

2008-06-14T01:20:00.000-07:00

A green building is the one that makes the greatest possible use of natural light and air and least possible utilization of energy and water. It uses industrial byproducts, emphasizes on recycling of waste water, harvesting of rain water, least use of air-conditioning, less production of carbon dioxide and tries to safeguard the environment in every possible way. Making a building green begins at the planning stage. The aim has to be kept in mind throughout. Secondly, safety is paramount in case of a green building.
Effective green buildings are more than just a random collection of environmental friendly technologies, however.They require careful, systemic attention to the full life cycle impacts of the resources embodied in the building and to the resource consumption and pollution emissions over the building's complete life cycle.

After the construction is over, it is not possible to make a building green. There are various requisites for planning and constructing a green building. Firstly, identifying a site for the construction of the building is very crucial. Ideally the site should be located in a centralized place so that the inhabitants can use public transport and less or no fossil fuel run vehicles.
Energy utilization

Energy utilization should be optimum in a green building. Care should be taken to reduce the load of air conditioning on the power system.
Green buildings often include measures to reduce energy use. To increase the efficiency of the building envelope, (the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned space), they may use high-efficiency windows and insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors. Another strategy, passive solar building design, is often implemented in low-energy homes. Designers orient windows and walls and place awnings, porches, and trees to shade windows and roofs during the summer while maximizing solar gain in the winter.

In addition, effective window placement (daylighting) can provide more natural light and lessen the need for electric lighting during the day. Solar water heating further reduces energy loads.
After heating and cooling loads are reduced, high efficiency cooling, heating, and water heating equipment, along with insulated hot water pipes and properly sealed and insulated ducts increase whole house efficiency.

Higher efficiency appliances and other electric devices not only lowers direct energy use, but also lowers cooling loads in the summer by producing less waste heat.

Similarly, fluorescent lighting, which uses one-fourth to one-fifth less energy than conventional incandescent bulbslowers direct electricity use and cooling loads.
Other improvements include adding thermal mass to stabilize daily temperature variations, absorption chillers, optimizing houses for natural ventilation, cool roofs in warm climates, heat recovery ventilation and hot water heat recycling.
Finally, onsite generation of renewable energy through solar power, wind power, hydro power, or biomass can significantly reduce the environmental impact of the building. Power generation is generally the most expensive feature to add to a building.

Reduced Waste

Good green architecture also reduces waste of energy, water and materials. During the construction phase, one goal should be to reduce the amount of material going to landfills. Well-designed buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by the occupants as well, by providing onsite solutions such as compost bins to reduce matter going to landfills.
To reduce the impact on wells or water treatment plants, several options exist. "Greywater", wastewater from sources such as dishwashing or washing machines, can be used for subsurface irrigation, or if treated, for non-potable purposes, e.g., to flush toilets and wash cars. Rainwater collectors are used for similar purposes.
Centralized wastewater treatment systems can be costly and use a lot of energy. An alternative to this process is converting waste and wastewater into fertilizer, which avoids these costs and shows other benefits. By collecting human waste at the source and running it to a semi-centralized biogas plant with other biological waste, liquid fertilizer can be produced.
Recycled Materials

Architectural salvage and reclaimed materials are used when appropriate as well. When older buildings are demolished, frequently any good wood is reclaimed, renewed, and sold as flooring. Any good dimension stone is similarly reclaimed. Many other parts are reused as well, such as doors, windows, mantels, and hardware, thus reducing the consumption of new goods.

When new materials are employed, green designers look for materials that are rapidly replenished, such as bamboo, which can be harvested for commercial use after only 6 years of growth, or cork oak, in which only the outer bark is removed for use, thus preserving the tree.

When possible, building materials may be gleaned from the site itself; for example, if a new structure is being constructed in a wooded area, wood from the trees which were cut to make room for the building would be re-used as part of the building itself.
Water discharge should be zero in a green building. Good green architecture reduces wastage of water in a big way. A green building should ideally have all waste water biologically treated and recycled. Ample structural specifications are incorporated in green buildings for harvesting rainwater. Grey water (water left after washing utensils and clothes) can be used for gardening and flushing purposes.

Maximum effort should be made in use of recycled materials in the construction of the building. Effort should be made to use fly ash Ready Mixed Concrete (20% fly ash + 100% cement) in construction. Aerated concrete blocks can be used instead of bricks for better insulation and heat rejection. Roof insulation should be done with clay rather than chemicals. Maximum bamboo products should be used for flooring.

Green building materials

Building materials typically considered to be 'green' include rapidly renewable plant materials like bamboo and straw, lumber from forests certified to be sustainably managed, dimension stone, recycled stone, recycled metal, and other products that are non-toxic, reusable, renewable, and/or recyclable (eg Trass, Linoleum, sheep wool, panels made from paper flakes, baked earth, rammed earth, clay, vermiculite, flax linen, sisal, seagrass, cork, expanded clay grains, coconut, wood fibre plates, calcium sand stone.) Building materials should be extracted and manufactured locally to the building site to minimize the energy embedded in their transportation .

Green buildings in India

There is a tremendous potential for constructing green buildings in India. Realty developers and multi national companies are increasingly becoming aware of the green house effect and the benefits of harnessing the natural resources. This augurs well for the various stakeholders like construction industry, architects and recycled material industry. The main objective is to create awareness on green building concepts. The market potential for the green building materials and equipment will reach Rs 15,000 crores by 2010.

As far as the cost of construction goes, a green building costs about 2-18% more than a conventional building. The difference is not much if the long-term benefits are seen.

Of the numerous buildings that have incorporated green materials and practices five stand out because they have been awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building rating by the United States Green Board (USGB).

CII,Godrej, Hyderabad

Wipro technologies,Gurgoan

NEG-MICON, Chennai

ITC Green Centre, Gurgoan

India certainly has taken a great liking to this green concept and in the future this ‘Green Building’ movement will flourish here”

carbon trading

2008-06-08T00:37:00.001-07:00

Carbon trading (or emission trading) is an administrative approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants. It is sometimes called cap and trade.

A central authority (usually a government or international body) sets a limit or cap on the amount of a pollutant that can be emitted. Companies or other groups are issued emission permits and are required to hold an equivalent number of allowances (or credits) which represent the right to emit a specific amount. The total amount of allowances and credits cannot exceed the cap, limiting total emissions to that level. Companies that need to increase their emissions must buy credits from those who pollute less. The transfer of allowances is referred to as a trade.

In effect, the buyer is paying a charge for polluting, while the seller is being rewarded for having reduced emissions by more than was needed. Thus, in theory, those that can easily reduce emissions most cheaply will do so, achieving the pollution reduction at the lowest possible cost to society. There are active trading programs for several pollutants. For greenhouse gases the largest is the European Union Emission Trading Scheme.In the United States there is a national market to reduce acid rain and several regional markets in nitrous oxide. Markets for other pollutants tend to be smaller and more localized.

CARBON CREDITS

The concept of carbon credits came into existence as a result of increasing awareness of the need for pollution control. It was formalized in the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement between 169 countries. Carbon credits are certificates awarded to countries that are successful in reducing emissions of greenhouse gas.

Carbon credits are a tradable permit scheme. They provide a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by giving them a monetary value.

A credit gives the owner the right to emit one tones of carbon dioxide.
International treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol set quotas on the amount of greenhouse gases countries can produce.
Countries, in turn, set quotas on the emissions of businesses. Businesses that are over their quotas must buy carbon credits for their excess emissions, while businesses that are below their quotas can sell their remaining credits.

By allowing credits to be bought and sold, a business for which reducing its emissions would be expensive or prohibitive can pay another business to make the reduction for it. This minimizes the quota's impact on the business, while still reaching the quota.

Carbon Credits And Emissions
Carbon credits create a market for reducing greenhouse emissions by giving a monetary value to the cost of polluting the air. This means that carbon becomes a cost of business and is seen like other inputs such as raw materials or labor.

By way of example, assume a factory produces 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse emissions in a year. The government then enacts a law that limits the maximum emissions a business can have. So the factory is given a quota of say 80,000 tonnes. The factory either reduces its emissions to 80,000 tonnes or is required to purchase carbon credits to offset the excess.

A business would buy the carbon credits on an open market from organisations that have been approved as being able to sell legitimate carbon credits. One seller might be a company that will plant so many trees for every carbon credit you buy from them. So, for this factory it might pollute a tonne, but is essentially now paying another group to go out and plant trees, which will, say, draw a tonne of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As emission levels are predicted to keep rising over time, it is envisioned that the number of companies wanting to buy more credits will increase, which will push the market price up and encourage more groups to undertake environmentally friendly activities that create for them carbon credits to sell. Another model is that companies that use below their quota can sell their excess as 'carbon credits.'

The Kyoto Protocol provides for three mechanisms that enable developed countries with quantified emission limitation and reduction commitments to acquire greenhouse gas reduction credits. These mechanisms are Joint Implementation (JI), Clean Development Mechanism(CDM) and International Emission Trading(IET) .

Under JI, a developed country with relatively high costs of domestic greenhouse reduction would set up a project in another developed country that has a relatively low cost.

Under CDM, a developed country can take up a greenhouse gas reduction project activity in a developing country where the cost of greenhouse gas reduction project activities is usually much lower. The developed country would be given credits for meeting its emission reduction targets, while the developing country would receive the capital and clean technology to implement the project.

Under IET, countries can trade in the international carbon credit market.

Need of this Hour

Carbon trading can significantly reduce overall compliance costs for the specific pollutants covered by the trading program if the emissions reductions that take place are the most cost-effective ones. The trading market functions like any other commodity market, with trade brokers, outside investors interested in the future potential of innovators and established rules of acceptable activity. According to analysts from the International Energy Agency, the use of economic instruments such as domestic and international emissions trading could reduce the costs of complying with emissions targets by up to 50 per cent.

Emissions trading can also encourage innovation in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Competition among emitters for the lowest-cost emissions can stimulate innovation and development of the least costly measures and techniques of emissions reduction. For example, a company can eliminate or significantly reduce its emissions by developing renewable technologies to replace traditional fossil-fuel-fired electricity generation.

When a new technology is introduced or an activity is undertaken that reduces emissions, an "offset" is created. The company can then take credit for that offset and sell it in the emissions market. The mass planting of trees, which act as "carbon sinks" because they absorb greenhouse gas emissions, is an example of an offset that could be used for a credit.

Plastic Resin Codes

2008-05-20T04:29:00.000-07:00

The numeric codes that you see on many plastic items are used to help sort post-consumer plastics for recycling purposes. There are so many plastics in common use that consumers are unlikely to recognise them all. Plastics manufacturers have come up with a code. Different types of plastics are sometimes referred to as “resins” and the numeric symbols are known as “Resin ID Codes.” Each number (1 through 6) signifies a specific type of plastic and usually appears inside a small triangle (often formed by three adjoining arrows) imprinted on the bottom of a plastic item. The number “7” is used to represent a group of other plastics or combinations of plastics. Resin ID codes are not intended to provide guidance on the safe or appropriate use of any plastic item and should not be used for this purpose. The number does not indicate how hard the item is to recycle, nor how often the plastic was recycled. It's an arbitrary number and has no other meaning aside from identifying the specific plastic

Make Your Car EcoFriendly

2008-05-14T04:06:00.000-07:00

Eco Friendly Drives
There are now hybrids to match almost any need: two-door, four-door, SUV, luxury sedan. But whether or not you drive a hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle, there’s lots you can do to green your car right now.

Best practices
Driving technique has a lot to do with your fuel economy. Avoid sudden starts and stops. Drive wise and minimize unnecessary miles by doing errands in one trip, getting good directions, and calling ahead.

Stay in tune
Getting regular tune-ups, maintenance, and having clean air filters will help you burn less gas, pollute less, and prevent car trouble down the line. Lastly, get the junk out of the trunk! All that extra weight is sapping your fuel economy.

Reduce Emissions
There are many services out there now that can help you calculate your yearly emissions from driving and offset those greenhouse gasses through various means.

Share Cars
Find coworkers, neighbors, and fellow students headed the same direction. Start with one shared trip per week.

Drive part of the way
If getting where you’re going by bike or public transit alone isn’t going to happen, consider driving part of the way and then jumping on public transit or your bike.

Manage the AC
Use the windows to help keep the car cool. Or try an electric or solar fan. Parking in the shade and using a reflective windshield shade can keep your car cooler when parked, meaning it takes less to cool it off when you get back in. If you car is new, however, let it air out. That new car smell is not friendly stuff.

Telecommuting
Drive less with the wonders of working from home (or internet café, treehouse, Mojave desert, etc.) With instant messaging, video chat, teleconferencing, and other world-flattening technologies, making the rush-hour trek to work and back might not be that necessary. Ask your boss or offer your employees a teleconferencing day once a week.

These measures would green our environment considerably.

Simple Steps To Reduce Global warming

2008-05-12T23:35:00.000-07:00

Everyone can make a difference. By changing the way you use energy in your home, you can save money and help the environment. If we do nothing, there will be serious consequences for our future. Benefits include:
• cheaper energy bills
• less greenhouse gas emissions
• better use of our natural Resources.

Even a seemingly small rise in global temperatures will have huge consequences for our future. Other potential consequences include:

• More hot days

• Less rain
• More bushfires
• Less snow
• Threatened natural environment
• Shifting coastlines
• Higher insurance
• Declining health

Making changes in your household can change our future. Energy efficiency is the easiest way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at home

• Fridge uses the most electricity of any appliance in the house. If you have an extra fridge or freezer that you only use for special occasions, switch it off until you need it. Defrost your fridge / freezer regularly - they will work more efficiently. Make sure the door closes properly.

• Replace conventional incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light globes which consume 80% lesser energy.

Switch off unwanted lights and open curtains to allow daylight into rooms.

• Avoid standby modes in all your electrical appliances. Switch it off completely when not in use.

• Start using solar Heaters instead of conventional heaters.

• Always purchase appliances which are power saving. Know the energy saving capacity by the BEE seal- Bureau of Energy, rated from 1 star to 5 stars. Appliances rated 5 star are highly energy efficient.

Other measures which would decrease greenhouse emissions include
• Avoid using plastic and paper bags. Switch over to reusable bags.

• Minimize the consumption of Use and Throw articles.

• Segregate waste at home and try to recycle as much as possible.

• Use both sides of paper.

• Minimize purchasing of materials with too much, unwanted packing. Write to the company about it.

• Encourage your family members, friends and relatives to follow these energy saving measures.
These simple initiatives which we take would reduce global warming and make this world greener.

Ideas for Mothers Day Gifts

2008-05-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

Mom – Our living Angel. What are you going to gift her this mother’s day? Of course, there is no wonderful gift to a mother than a caring hug and a loving kiss. You have a variety of gift to choose- Greeting cards, roses, watch, jewellery,…….
Want to give ur mom a surprise?

If U r good at cooking, why don’t u cook her favorite dishes? But if u are a worst cook like me, please get them from her favorite restaurant.
Bring her childhood buddy home or relative whom she always wanted to meet.
Ur mother is too occupied with her job? Gift her a smashing watch so that u r remembered often.
Take her to a place which she longed to visit.
I always admire the role of Nathiya in M.kumaran,S/o.Mahalakhshmi. Ur mom is jovial like that? Then start for an outing with your friends and mom.
Running out of time for all these things?
Just have a dinner with all your family members tonight. To pep it up, let it be a candle lit one.
Too late even for that? No probs!
Plant a sweet kiss on her forehead and whisper HAPPY MOTHERS DAY.
Make your MOM happy everyday
Not on Mothers day alone.

2008-05-09T03:32:00.000-07:00

My Favorite mothers day quotes

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love.
~Mildred B. Vermont

Mother - that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries.
~T. DeWitt Talmage

There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.
~Chinese Proverb

If nature had arranged that husbands and wives should have children alternatively, there would never be more than three in a family.
~Lawrence Housman

“A mother understands what a child does not say.”

The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom.”

2008-05-07T02:22:00.000-07:00

Is paper bags a viable option for Plastic bags ?

Cheap Availability and easy usage has made plastic bags inevitable in our daily life. Lets probe into the usage of paper bags.http://www.greenfeet.net/newsletter/debate.shtml

Pollution

Most paper comes from tree pulp, so the impact of paper bag production on forests is enormous.The majority of Kraft paper is made by heating wood chips under pressure at high temperatures in a chemical solution. As evidenced by the unmistakable stench commonly associated with paper mills, the use of these toxic chemicals contributes to both air pollution, such as acid rain, and water pollution. Millions of gallons of these chemicals pour into our waterways each year; the toxicity of the chemicals is long-term and settles into the sediments, working its way through the food chain. Further toxicity is generated as both plastic and paper bags degrade.

Recycling

It takes 91% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper. But recycling rates of either type of disposable bag are extremely low, with only 10 to 15% of paper bags and 1 to 3% of plastic bags being recycled, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Degradability Current research demonstrates that paper in today's landfills does not degrade or break down at a substantially faster rate than plastic does. In fact, nothing completely degrades in modern landfills because of the lack of water, light, oxygen and other important elements that are necessary for the degradation process to be completed. A paper bags takes up more space than a plastic bag in a landfill, but because paper is recycled at a higher rate, saving space in landfills is less of an issue.
Hence its clear both plastic and paper bags deteriorate our environment. Reusable bags could provide a solution. They're made from renewable resources, take minimal energy, are light, durable (each holds up to 40 lbs) and last for years. Some can be machine-washed and are great to keep in the trunk of the car. Use them at the beach, farmers market and, of course, supermarket.http://www.reusablebags.com/facts.php?id=7

Plastic Bags

2008-05-06T01:24:00.000-07:00

Plastic shopping bags are among the most ubiquitous consumer items on Earth. Plastic bags are so cheap to produce, sturdy, plentiful, easy to carry and store that they have captured at least 80 percent of the grocery and convenience store market since they were introduced a quarter century ago, according to the Arlington, Virginia-based American Plastics Council.

The first plastic “baggies” for bread, sandwiches, fruits, and vegetables were introduced in the United States in 1957. Plastic trash bags started appearing in homes and along curbsides around the world by the late 1960s.
A quarter of the plastic bags used in wealthy nations are now produced in Asia.
Plastic bags start as crude oil, natural gas, or other petrochemical derivatives, which are transformed into chains of hydrogen and carbon molecules known as polymers or polymer resin. After being heated, shaped, and cooled, the plastic is ready to be flattened, sealed, punched, or printed on.

Life of a Plastic Shopping Bag:· Made of virgin resins (#2 or #4)
· Does not biodegrade!
· Health laws and business economics limit recycled content
· Less than 1% are recycled
Supermarkets push plastic bags – because they cost them a about half of what a paper bag costs (4 cents vs. 8 cents), and because they are so light they are cheaper to transport. Grocery bags are at the top of their operating expenses so they have jumped at the chance to cut costs there and push use of plastic over paper.
Even bags recycled at the markets are often land-filled, and super-market collection represents the only real cycling of bags that is taking place.

Advantages
The durability, strength, low cost, water and chemicals resistance, welding properties, lesser energy and heavy chemicals requirements in manufacture, fewer atmosphere emissions and light weight are advantages of plastic bags. Many studies comparing plastic versus paper for shopping bags show that plastic bags have less net environmental effect than paper bags, requiring less energy to produce, transport and recycle; however these studies also note that recycling rates for plastic are significantly lower than for paper. Plastic bags can be incinerated in appropriate facilities for waste-to-energy. Plastic bags are stable and benign in sanitary landfills. Plastic carrier bags can be reused as trash bags or bin bags. Plastic bags are complimentary in many locations but are charged or "taxed" in others.

Disadvantages

The following disadvantages have also been identified:
Plastic bags are made of petrochemicals, a nonrenewable resource.
Plastic bags are flimsy and often do not stand up as well as paper or cloth.
When disposed of improperly, they are unsightly and represent a hazard to wildlife.
Plastic bags, conventional or "biodegradable", do not readily biodegrade in a sanitary landfill, (but neither does paper due to lack of oxygen).
Plastic bags can cause unsupervised infants to suffocate.
Littered bags may clog roadside drains, which could cause street flooding during heavy rainfall.

Over 1,000,000 seabirds and marine mammals die each year from plastic ingestion of entanglement

Some do’s to save our earth

Think twice about taking a plastic bag if your purchase is small and easy to carry.
Keep canvas bags in your home, office, and car so you always have them available when you go to the supermarket or other stores.
Ask your favorite stores to stop providing bags for free, or to offer a discount for not using the bags.
Encourage your local politicians to introduce legislation taxing or banning plastic bags

Some success stories
In January 2002, the South African government required manufacturers to make plastic bags more durable and more expensive to discourage their disposal—prompting a 90-percent reduction in use.
Ireland instituted a 15?-per-bag tax in March 2002, which led to a 95-percent reduction in use.
In the early 1990s, the Ladakh Women's Alliance and other citizens groups led a successful campaign to ban plastic bags in that Indian province, where the first of May is now celebrated as “Plastic Ban Day.” Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Philippines, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom also have plans to ban or tax plastic bags.
Supermarkets around the world are voluntarily encouraging shoppers to forgo plastic bags—or to bring their own bags—by offering a small per-bag refund or charging extra for plastic.
Some manufacturers have introduced biodegradable or compostable plastic bags made from starches, polymers or poly-lactic acid, and no polyethylene—though these remain prohibitively expensive and account for less than 1 percent of the market.
The organizers of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, were able to collect 76 percent of the food waste generated at the sports venues and athletes' village by using biodegradable utensils and plastic bags that composted as easily as the food and eliminated the need to separate the garbage.
Its high time we realise the impacts plastic creates on earth and start taking initiatives to bring down the consumption.Awareness created at any level could have wide benefits.Lets start creating awareness at our community N lets go green.

Friends

2008-05-03T23:42:00.001-07:00

I need to say about my friends who has inspired me a lot. Just a bit about some good souls.

We are a trio group, Sims, Chitoo and Gays (myself). The day sparkles with our laughter.
Sims is a cool, trendy soul to hang out with who wants to bcom a garment business tycoon. Moments become really funny when Sims loses her control and starts arguing.
Chitoo is a practical and determined girl. She is a tigress in finance and patiently spends hours clearing our doubts about crr, repo and subprime crisis. They believe that I take a lot of challenges and have an achieving spirit. The vigor with which I start any project ofcourse is really immense which makes one think that I am so very passionate about it. Few know that it is short lived and the list goes endless which is fit to be published as 101 short-lived passions.
I should be thankful to Sims throughout my life as she has been often the target for my innovative? Dishes which I try with my meager cooking knowledge. To name a few are Digital Chapathi(the chapathi is a bit hard so that ur chewing produces some dts effect), Hide N Seek Hot chips(It seems tasteful and tempting as long as it is on the table, the moment u put it in ur mouth the taste plays hide n seek).Chitto is so innocent at times that she eagerly asks the recipes for some of my preparations.
A Friend is one with whom u can speak about all things under the Sun.Sims and Chitoo are damned good friends of mine who have added more meaning to my life.
Rain or Shine, they join my hands,
Make me happy by a magic wand.
Together We Smile
To brighten some miles
In the journry of life.