Please do not send a reply to this address. Contact details are given at the end of this newsletter. «°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»«°»^«°»^«°» M A K I N G I N D I A G R E E N Vol. 1, No.4 «°» April 1, 2001 Priya Shah, Editor, mailto:Priya@makingindiagreen.com «°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»«°»^«°»^«°» Privacy Policy: Our subscriber list is confidential and we respect your privacy. This newsletter is distributed by subscription only. All subscription and unsubscription information can be found at the end of this issue. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» In This Issue: «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «» Editorial «» News Digest «» Your Green Recipe «» Feature article: Reinventing the Inventors «» Guest Article: Search for Innovators Author: Dr Sudhirendar Sharma «» Green Tips: How to Minimise your Exposure to Pthalates and other Hormone-disrupting Chemicals «» Contact Details «» Subscribe/Unsubscribe «» Recommended resources «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» Do you have a green product or service to promote? Post a FREE classified advertisement on our classifieds page http://pub48.bravenet.com/classified/show.php?usernum=4120542254&cpv=1 «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Editorial «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» The biggest environmental crisis of this month has undoubtedly been President Bush's decision to pull out of the Kyoto treaty. With a single retrogressive statement, the U.S. signed the death knell for a decade-long effort to protect the world from the effects of climate change. Is this the end for the Kyoto Treaty? Can the rest of the world forge ahead without the world's biggest polluter? One of the reasons that Bush claims the global warming treaty is *unfair* is because it excludes India and China, whose per capita emissions are very low compared to those of the U.S. The total carbon dioxide emissions from one U.S. citizen in 1996 were 19 times the emissions of one Indian, says a press release from the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. The United States has just six percent of the world's population yet produces more than a quarter of the globe's greenhouse gases. The U.S. President would like to preserve these inequities as is evident from his policies. President Bush's stand has earned him brickbats from world leaders as well as Americans and has let to much fretting and fuming among environmentalists. Italian Environment Minister Willer Bordon has said the United States should be penalised if it does not accept the treaty. But how does one penalise the world's biggest economy? On a lighter note, read about some tongue-in-cheek suggestions for sanctions against America. [This means war ] As part of our commitment to bring you the good news with the bad, the articles on this issue have nothing to do with this sad state of affairs. They in fact cover heartening new developments for struggling Indian grassroots innovators. Last year, the government allocated Rupees 20 crore to create a National Innovation Foundation that will benefit Indian inventors. While the first article is an account of the success of these initiatives in taking new inventions to the marketplace, the second reminds us that for every success story there are numerous inventors still at the mercy of the bureaucracy. But now there's hope that the wheels of enterprise will spin faster to grant recognition (and a bit of income) to the native Indian genius. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» You can comment on this editorial, or start a discussion on these topics at the Making India Green discussion forum http://groups.yahoo.com/group/makingindiagreen/join «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Energy fact: 1000 -- reduction in pounds of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by replacing one traditional lightbulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, over the bulb's lifetime. - Todd Hettenbach «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» Buy your computer accessories at India's finest online store http://www.fabmart.com/stores/welcome.asp?ltype=0&affid=1280 «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» News Digest «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» HINDUSTAN LEVER ADMITS TO MERCURY DUMPING Hindustan Lever, which had earlier denied charges leveled by citizen groups in Kodaikanal against its thermometer factory of illegal mercury waste dumping, has admitted that the mercury- containing glass wastes, now ascertained to be 5.3 tonnes, lying at the Munjikal scrapyard in Kodaikanal originated from their factory. In a letter to Greenpeace India, the company has also agreed to track and retrieve other such shipments which have been sent to various locations outside the factory, and to having cleared the wastes that were found to be dumped in the watershed forests behind the factory wall. Related articles: Activists expose Hindustan Lever's illegal mercury waste dumps in Kodaikanal Hindustan Lever factory suspends operations amid allegations of mercury poisoning in Kodaikanal TamilNadu groups launch alliance against mercury and Lever Lever, Clean up, Don't cover up Dangerous mercury thermometer factory and waste dump in India has links to major U.S. company Scientists unlock mystery of mercury's harmful effects Canadian scientists studying the toxic effects of mercury have made a major breakthrough, showing for the first time how the metal that gave rise to the expression *mad as a hatter* actually debilitates and destroys parts of nerve cells. They found the damage caused by the silvery-grey metal was similar to that seen in brains of humans suffering from Alzheimer's Find out how you can support India's anti-mercury campaign at: INDIAN STATES TOLD TO AMEND BUILDING BY-LAWS Apparently, the Indian subcontinent is among the world's most disaster prone areas with 54 percent of the landmass vulnerable to earthquakes, 8 percent vulnerable to cyclones and 5 percent to floods. DUTCH AWARD FOR INDIAN ENVIRONMENTALIST Suman Sahai of Gene campaign, a Delhi-based non-governmental organization (NGO) working on conservation of biological resources, has been given the Order of the Golden Ark, an environmental award established by Prince Bernhard of Netherlands. SUPREME COURT ASKED TO RECONSIDER CLEAN FUEL ORDER India's Supreme Court this week stuck by its 1998 decision to force buses in Delhi to convert from diesel to natural gas, but extended the deadline for the switchover by six months, until the end of September. The court added a caveat, however: Bus operators can only take advantage of the extension if they can prove by Saturday that they intend to meet the new deadline. The Tata Energy Research Institute said that it is unlikely that the city or private bus owners, who operate about 10,000 of the vehicles, will be able to convert all the buses by September. Related stories: Indian court relents partly on polluting Delhi buses Court order on banning diesel buses may cripple commuters in Indian capital Chaos, Neglect, Grumble: The CNG sabotage TURTLES, TURTLES EVERYWHERE Over a million Olive Ridley turtles crawled to the shores of Orissa for an annual nesting ritual, boosting hopes of pulling the turtles back from the brink of extinction. Related story: Record nesting of endangered turtles on Orissa's beaches HERBAL *GULAL* PATENT STILL PENDING Holi enthusiasts had to make do with hazardous chemical colours this year too, as adequate natural colours are not available in the market. VOLUNTEERS IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD 25 year old, software developer Nipun Mehta resigned from his 100,000 dollar job at Sun Microsystems to get involved full-time in *high-tech* charity work. INDIAN *SHAHTOOSH* SMUGGLERS FINED AND SENTENCED IN US Maneka Gandhi has found an ally in her anti-shahtoosh tirade - the United States judiciary. In the first United States felony case to be prosecuted for the illegal trade in wool of the endangered Tibetan antelope, an Indian company has received a US 5000 dollar fine and five yearson probation for smuggling hundreds of *shahtoosh* shawls into the country. ENVIRONMENTALISTS THREATEN TO SUE ASSAM PAPER MILL Anti-pollution watchdogs have threatened to move court to restrain authorities of a paper mill in Assam from releasing toxic effluents into water bodies, besides emitting hazardous gases into the atmosphere. VELLORE'S TANNERIES TO PAY FOR POLLUTING CROPLAND Polluting tanneries have been ordered to pay compensation of Rs.268.2 million to nearly 3,000 people in villages of Vellore district in north Tamil Nadu for the destruction of their fields into which effluents were let out. THE BAD NEWS IS.... DELHI WILL RUN OUT OF WATER BY 2015 Two out of three people in the world will face water shortages by 2025, a report launched by British-based development agency Tearfund said yesterday. *Running on Empty,* released to coincide with World Water Day, said the world's water supply could not keep pace with demands being made on it. It listed Delhi in India, which was predicted to run out of groundwater by 2015, Lake Chad in Africa, which has shrunk 95 percent in the past 38 years despite providing for 20 million people in six countries, and China. Under international human rights law, water is implicitly and explicitly protected as a human right, yet one sixth of the world's 6.1 billion people lack access to improved sources of water. That fact formed the backdrop to *Water and Health,* the broad but apt theme for World Water Day, organized by the Geneva based World Health Organization (WHO) on April 22. A report prepared by Pricewaterhouse Coopers for the U.N. warned that wars over water are expected to increase around the world, as population numbers continue to soar and environmental degradation continues. AND NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS.... HERE'S A BOOK WITH THE SOLUTION *One of the biggest reasons for misuse of water in urban areas is that it's almost for free. Fiscal incentives are desperately needed to manage water judiciously in this country,* quips Sunita Narain, co-author of *Making Water Everybody's Business,* which looks at important policy issues that dictate the use of water in India. *Over time India has shifted from the use of harvested rain water to ground and river water. Also, water management has passed from the hands of people to the government,* says Anil Agarwal citing reasons for water- scarcity in India. So, as the book says, policymakers needn't look far. The answer probably lies in simply making water everybody's business! Related stories: The water harvesting movement in Madhya Pradesh Safeguarding Our Water UNITED NATIONS LAUNCHES CORAL REEFS PROJECT The U.N. environment agency launched a multimillion dollar project Monday to help preserve the world's coral reefs, up to 60 percent of which are at risk - primarily from human activity, officials said. Also see: Andamans' coral reefs threatened by tourist ignorance and lack of monitoring THERE'S MONEY IN SAVING THE WORLD, SAYS BLAIR Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair tried to entice big business into investing in *green* technology, saying there was money to be made by helping save the world from the effects of global warming. JAPAN WRANGLING WITH RECYCLING PLAN FOR APPLIANCES A new law requiring manufacturers to recycle used refrigerators, televisions, washing machines, and air conditioners goes into effect next month in Japan. Each year, the Japanese discard about 20 million appliances; how many are recycled under the new law will depend in part on whether it is strictly enforced. GROUPS AIM TO MOBILIZE IMMOBILE PHONES More and more outdated cell phones are ending up in landfills. Now, some eco-minded humanitarian groups are answering the alarm. POWER LINES LINKED TO CHILD LEUKEMIA The possible health effects of living near power lines are being assessed after UK scientists found that children exposed to certain levels of electromagnetic fields for prolonged periods could be at an increased risk of leukemia. Related story: Power lines may raise cancer risk, study shows CLEANING UP TOXIC SITES WITH PLANTS *A stand of poplars is a self-assembling, solar-powered, pump-and-treat system,* says Steve A. Rock, an engineer with the U.S. EPA. As scientists struggle to find cheaper, easier ways to clean up polluted soil and groundwater, they are increasingly wielding a novel tool: plants. In a process dubbed *phytoremediation,* plants like sunflower, clover, and mustard have been shown to absorb and break down such harmful chemicals as arsenic, zinc, uranium, and lead. E-COMMERCE: FRIEND OR FOE OF THE ENVIRONMENT? On the surface, e-commerce appears to offer a big environmental bonus by eliminating hundreds of thousands of trips to the mall. A closer inspection, however, reveals a net environmental impact that is decidedly mixed. ORGANIC FARMING CAN REDUCE HUNGER: FAO Organic agriculture has the potential to boost the incomes and food security of developing countries, but distribution problems will hinder the war on hunger, says the United Nations' world food body. USDA PURCHASING CONTAMINATED CORN In the first federal bailout related to genetically engineered food, the U.S. Agriculture Department announced that it will buy as many as 400,000 bags of corn seed that have been contaminated with the StarLink variety of biotech corn, that prompted nationwide recalls of food products last year. The corn was inadvertently contaminated with StarLink, most likely through the drift of pollen from other cornfields. Related story: US science panel says more data needed on bio-crop safety STUDY FINDS SMOKERS' WIVES ABSORB CANCER CHEMICALS Here's one more reason to get your husband to give up his cancer stick. Wives of men who smoke at home absorb chemicals that have been linked to lung cancer, according to a new study. The study, which appeared in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is the latest evidence of a connection between environmental tobacco smoke and lung cancer. NEW CORN-TO-PLASTIC TECHNOLOGY RECEIVES HONORS Cargill Dow LLC has invented a new technology to produce performance polymers entirely from annually renewable resources. Starting with natural sugars (derived from plants such as corn, wheat, beets and rice) they use fermentation to create lactic acid (a food additive) and some simple refining steps to create polylactide polymers (PLA). The breakthrough technology, NatureWorks(TM) PLA, was presented with the DOE's Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) Technology-of-the-Year award. Also see: Breakthrough technology makes plastics biodegradable SATELLITE PICTURES SHOW GREENHOUSE EFFECT Observations from satellites support a new theory that carbon dioxide and other emissions are to blame for global warming, confirming what some climate models have been implying, that Earth's "greenhouse" effect increased between 1970 and 1997. Secretary-General of the UN, Kofi Annan has called on industrialised nations to face up to their environmental responsibility as the first satellite evidence from space of a rise in greenhouse gases is published. Related stories: UN puts environment at top of agenda after satellite confirmation of greenhouse gases build up Greenhouse effect confirmed over 27 years TEN COMPANIES CONTROL FATE OF WORLD'S FORESTS Just 10 companies could halt logging old growth forests and still meet the world's industrial wood and wood fiber needs, according to a report published by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). EU URGED TO TIGHTEN CHEMICAL CONTROLS Environmental campaigners are calling on senior European Union officials meeting tomorrow to tighten controls over chemicals - known to disrupt human hormones - proposed in a controversial White Paper last month. THE ALIENS ARE HERE Invasive alien species might sound like science fiction, but to officials from 180 countries who recently met in Montreal, they are real and deadly serious. SOLAR POWER IN A BACKPACK A solar power unit that can be carried in a backpack was created by a Portland, Oregon, inventor and released just three months ago. It is already making its way around the world. Greenpeace International has even ordered some for use in India. BIGGEST OFFSHORE OIL RIG SINKS Despite desperate rescue efforts, the world's largest offshore oil rig sank off the coast of Brazil and began spewing oil, five days after powerful blasts ripped through the platform killing 10 people. Related story: Oil spill from sunken Brazil rig contained so far AND NOW, PLASTICS IN YOUR BLOOD For those waiting to finally lay their hands on foreign goods from the US, here's a word of warning. Common products such as soap, shampoo and perfume are leaching dangerous chemicals into the bloodstreams of U.S. consumers, reveals a comprehensive new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A study released by U.S. health officials has shown for the first time, that most Americans carry surprisingly high levels of pthalates (plasticising compounds found in cosmetics and household products), and detectable levels of plastics, pesticides, and heavy metals in their blood and urine. Pthalates are known to cause hormonal disruptions and fetal malformations in animals. It seems that these chemicals may be absorbed through the skin. Related stories: Unexpectedly high chemical levels found in Americans US study highlights high levels of plastic compound in humans Dr. Quinn, medicine woman, leads anti-pesticide campaign Learn more about the toxics in your environment and how you can protect yourself Read a series of articles on safer household cleaning at THE CHEMICAL PAPERS: SECRETS OF THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY EXPOSED The chemical revolution of the past 50 years has altered nearly every aspect of our lives. Many of the products we rely upon every day - from plastic bags to computers - would not exist without synthetic chemicals. Most of us believe the chemicals in consumer products have been tested and approved by some government agency. In fact, until they are proven harmful, most chemicals are presumed safe. Did the chemical industry knowingly expose its workers -- and the public -- to dangerous chemicals? *Trade Secrets: A Moyers report* is an investigation of the history of the chemical revolution and the companies that drove it - and how companies worked to withhold vital information about the risks from workers, the government, and the public. At its core, the Moyers show asks a deeply troubling question: With more than 75,000 synthetic chemicals having been released into the environment, what happens as our bodies absorb them, and how can we protect ourselves? Also see: After Silent Spring, Chemical Industry Puts A Spin On All It Brews 'Erin Brockovich' Oscar Win Raises Consumer Awareness About Environmental Hazards RX: LOOK AT A LANDSCAPE AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING Feeling under the weather? It may be time to pack that bag and head for the great outdoors. An Emory University professor believes that spending time in a natural environment may have positive health effects and could help prevent and treat illnesses. EARTH DAY PRELUDE: A WORLD WITHOUT CARS Get ready. Stop your engines. Go! On April 19, the Thursday before Earth Day 2001 (April 22), all citizens of the world are invited to spend a day without their cars in what is being billed as the first ever Earth Car-Free Day. TAKE YOUR CLONES ELSEWHERE Skeptical lawmakers opened hearings into possible human cloning as an advocate argued that safeguards can head off critics' worst fears. A federal moratorium now bans the use of federal funding for any research that attempts to create a child by cloning, technically known as somatic cell nuclear transfer. Read an in-depth report on the pros and cons of cloning: GLOBAL WARMING UPDATE The Global Warming issue has been seriously heating up since our last issue. Read the whole definitive story on the subject as reported in the latest Grist Magazine. KYOTO BUSHWHACKED THE U.S. PULLS OUT OF THE KYOTO PROTOCOL... Christie Todd Whitman, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, confirmed that the country will not implement the Kyoto Protocol. *We have no interest in implementing that treaty,* Whitman told reporters. Under the treaty's terms, the U.S. would have to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Related stories: U.S Aims to Pull Out of Kyoto Pact U.S. Blow to Kyoto Hopes Bush rejects global warming treaty The cold shoulder AND THE WORLD CRIES FOUL.. Dismay is being expressed across the world at the decision by U.S. President George W. Bush to abandon the 1997 Kyoto Treaty aimed at staving off global warming. Frank Loy, the lead negotiator for climate change issues during the Clinton years, blasted President George W. Bush for rejecting the Kyoto treaty, saying the move was a *drastically bad* decision which imperils international action on global warming. European and Japanese governments reacted angrily yesterday to the Bush administration's decision to abandon the Kyoto treaty on climate change. European officials warned President Bush that U.S. relations with the rest of the world could suffer if he sticks by his decision to pull out of the agreement. The European Union plans to send a high level delegation to Washington in a bid to *clarify* the USA's position on the Kyoto climate protocol. A broad coalition of U.S. religious groups urged Bush to revisit the decision. Related stories: The President who bought power and sold the world A dirty business U.S. criticized for dropping climate pact Clinton climate change czar slams Bush European governments confront Bush over climate retreat Europe warns Bush on global warming U.S. Angers Allies Over Climate Pact US facing climate isolation U.S. Going Empty-Handed to Meeting on Global Warming Coalition Raps Bush on Global Warming Bush, Schroeder disagree on Kyoto pact ....BUT THE SHOW MUST GO ON The U.S. administration's decision to abandon America's commitment to the Kyoto Protocol has created the most serious international environmental policy crisis in years, says President of the Worldwatch Institute, Christopher Flavin. The development puts at risk a decade of efforts to craft an agreement to protect the world from climate change. *The world cannot afford to wait for another climate protocol to be drafted,* said Flavin. The Global Climate Coalition urged the European Union to join the United States in moving climate change policy in a new direction based on a forward-looking technology-centered approaches. Agitated environmentalists have asked the EU to press ahead with Kyoto without the US, knitting together an alliance with Japan, Russia, Australia and New Zealand and the countries of eastern and central Europe. Related stories: IPCC to Meet in Nairobi, as Climate Debate Intensifies EU may have to go it alone on climate change Is This the End for Kyoto Pact? Global Warming Need Not Necessarily Harm the U.S. Economy nor Living Standards GCC Urges EU to Join Efforts Toward Real Progress Take Action to Fight Global Warming. Sign the petitions on our Campaigns page «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» For more news, events and announcements visit the News page of our website: http://www.makingindiagreen.com «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» Get certified! Learn new computer skills. Join Planetlearn's Self-Study Computer Training Programs. http://www.qksrv.net/click-657121-166139 «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Your Green Recipe «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» [This is your space. Please send in your questions, ideas or views on practices that make you angry, or that you feel are unsafe or harmful to the environment. It should be accompanied either with your own suggestions or ideas for solutions /alternatives to the problem, or you could have other readers answer your query. Alternatives/solutions to everyday problems that plague us all are particularly welcome. Submissions should be about 50-100 words in length, and should include your contact information (phone number, postal address, e-mail).] «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Feature article: Reinventing the Inventors «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» It was a typical, hot Indian summer. Arvindbhai lay on his bed burning with fever, and thinking as he often did of the solution to problems. This time the one that vexed him was how to cool water. In the torrid heat of the Indian summer, cool water is a priceless commodity. But those traveling and living in the rural areas know that with summer comes erratic power supply. The ubiquitous earthen pots prove ineffective once the mercury rises beyond a point. They are also not suitable for public use. Water coolers are expensive and require electricity. How can I design something that is not very costly, provides cool water, consumes less energy and does not require much maintenance, Arvindbhai asked himself. Not an unusual question for one who is a trained mechanic and inventor of sorts. His wife came in to apply a bandage soaked in cool water to his forehead. As the bandage soothed his fevered brow, it struck him. The summer heat itself would cool the water! And it would not require any energy input other than the heat lost by evaporation. Today Arvindbhai is the proud inventor of a "natural water cooler" - a device that, based on the principle of evaporation, cools water by almost 5 to 10 degrees in 15 minutes, without using any kind of non-renewable energy. Like so many other inventions in India, Arvindbhai's water cooler would have languished had it not been for organisations like Gujarat Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network (GIAN) -- an initiative of the Government of Gujarat, the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) and Society for Research Initiative in Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI). In order to take Arvindbhai's invention to the market,GIAN carried out a technology valuation exercise for the state of Gujarat and developed a valuation model. The device was further improved on by GIAN with the help of IIT-Mumbai and GEDA. Their efforts have resulted in a technology transfer agreement - the first of its kind in India - where the rights to manufacture and sell a grassroots technology was bought for an entire state by a local entrepreneur. M/s Nature Products will pay Arvindbhai the sum of three lakh rupees for the rights to manufacture and market the Natural water cooler in the state of Gujarat. It was not always so for Arvindbhai, who was once so much in debt that he was forced to sell his workshop. But there are many more unrecognised Arvindbhais, across the rural hinterland, whose inventions have yet to receive the recognition they deserve. After seven years of working in 5500 villages primarily in Gujarat, Sristi has found a wealth of grassroots innovations, numbering 10,000, that it has catalogued in a database and shared in a newsletter, Honeybee. The newsletter now reaches about 75 countries, is published in six Indian languages as well as English and Spanish, and includes innovations from Mongolia, Vietnam, Uganda, Kenya, Colombia, Ecuador and North America. The Honey Bee Network, set up by Anil Gupta, a professor at the Indian Institute of Ahmedabad and his colleagues, felt that rewarding the grassroots people for their creativity should look beyond the mere recognition and documentation of their knowledge. It should also aim towards the commercialization of viable innovations, so that their benefits are disseminated over a broader spectrum of the society and the motivation to innovate further is sustained. GIAN was set up as a Green Venture Promotion Fund to enable the rural innovators to link themselves to formal systems of marketing, technical and financial services. Now GIAN is helping grassroots innovators reap the benefits by patenting and investing in various creations on behalf of inventors like Arvindbhai. GIAN's list of achievements include setting up the first grassroots innovation-based fully functional manufacturing plant for small sprayer and conversion of seven rudimentary innovations into product prototypes, namely tilting bullock cart, motorcycle-mounted sprayer, hand-operated sprayer, 12.5 HP tractor, first cotton stripping machines, polybag filter and an innovative pulley. GIAN also recently succeeded in arranging venture investment for a Cotton Stripper machine developed by Mansukh Bhai Patel, that solved an age-old problem of separating kernel from local cotton varieties for farmers. In a short period of four months Mansukh bhai returned the principle investment along with an annualized rate of return of 30 percent. The Honey Bee Network, GIAN and SRISTI were able to prove that a small investment in grassroots technology has the potential of providing excellent returns. GIAN also plans to set up India's first Micro Venture Fund dedicated to grassroots innovations - the Shodh venture Fund Limited. Last year, the government allocated Rupees 20 crore to create a National Innovation Foundation based on the philosophies and practices developed by Sristi. India has an opportunity to play a key role in promoting green, grassroots innovations worldwide, says Gupta, who is vice-chairman of the NIF. Sristi's database of innovations is now being transformed into an on-line multimedia kiosk that will help innovators and investors connect across the country. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» This article was compiled with inputs from GIAN and the website of SRISTI To learn more and support this movement, visit the websites of GIAN [http://www.gian.org] and SRISTI [http://www.sristi.org] «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» Surf Smarter! Get the Free Deltabar. http://www.commission-junction.com/track/track.dll?AID=1456110&PID=657121&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Edeltaclick%2Ecom «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Guest Article: Search for Innovators Author: Dr Sudhirendar Sharma «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» This article appeared in the The Hindu BusinessLine (Jan 31) It is being reprinted with permission from the author. Tej Singh Goyal's ordeal has yet to end. It was during the oil crisis period of the 70's that the young Goyal was ready with his invention - a fuel less water-lifting device. His twin-drum system had demonstrated that lifting water to a height wasn't costly and that the system, if suitably adapted, could service the farmers as well as the urban-dwellers. Counting on its low cost and less than complicated technology, Goyal had hoped for recognition from the Government. Two metal drums of 500-litre capacity linked to each other by a pipe make up for most of Goyal's invention. One drum gets both the water-inlet as well as the outlet pipe. This is the drum that is filled with water. The second drum is kept empty. A few old newspapers or waste material is all that is needed to heat the empty drum. Expanded air from this drum lifts the water from the other drum to a height. There is a valve contraption in the water outlet pipe such that the lifted water does not return to the tank. Goyal, a school dropout, had put the principle of gas expansion to its perfect use. His invention was well timed. On one extreme was a government frantically working to cut down on the fuel bill and on the other was the newly created Department of Non-conventional Energy (now a ministry) searching for energy-saving appropriate technologies. Yet, there were no takers for his invention. His repeated knocks at the corridors of power had proved futile, forcing him to peacefully demonstrate at the Delhi's historic Jantar Mantar. The newspaper publicity made little difference to his plight. Dejected and tired, Tej Singh returned to Mandi, his hometown in Himachal Pradesh. For Tej Singh, who has spent 30 years of his youth for recognition, the much-hyped search for innovators under the newly launched programmes and recently established institutions by the government holds little promise. Tragically, his is not the only case. There are several others who have met with similar fate. A close examination of the modus operandi of these programmes reveals that the unsung heroes of the society will be publicly honoured for their innovations and a selected few will get infrastructure and funding support to convert their ideas into marketable reality. To begin with, an award is all that is at stake. It serves the promoters of the programmes well by scouting and rewarding innovators, much in line with the practice of honouring sports persons with coveted Arjuna Awards. It is no secret that a majority of the awardees (Arjuna) of the recent past are keeping the trophy close to their chest and virtually holding the begging bowl for survival. There is no rehabilitation policy for the ageing sportspersons in the country. How does the newly created Rs 200-million National Innovation Foundation ensure that its awardees don't meet the same fate? The successful launch of a tilted bullock cart or a membrane oxygenerator may not be sufficient to prove that a foolproof system has been put in place. One is questioning the system that hasn't offered congenial environment for the recognition and growth of local talent. Says Prof. Rajesh Kochar, Director of the National institute for Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS), *Innovative people have been ignored or harassed until they were recognised by others.* Mangal Singh, the man who has developed the incredible fuel- less turbine, rates himself as one the most harassed and humiliated innovator of independent India. Nearly 15 years after he had first developed the turbine that lifts water from small rivulets without creating a head, Mangal Singh has nothing much to his credit. But for a fully-functional turbine in his native village of Bhaloni-Lodh, near Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh, Mangal has still to see his promising technology serve the poor farmers all across the country. Studies conducted by the Bhopal-based Central Institute for Agricultural Engineering (CIAE) and the Rome-based International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have proved that the Mangal turbine is most apt intervention for replacing the inefficient fuel-guzzling diesel pumps from rural India. A pile of letters from the technocrats and bureaucrats notwithstanding, his search for support to the development and dissemination of the technology has yielded little. Mangal Singh has received awards for his patented technology but his quest for survival follows the tragic pattern set by the Arjuna Awardees. His approach to the Technopreneur Promotion Programme (TePP) of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India for support has not been of much consequence. He wonders if the system of recognition and reward will do any long-term good to village-level innovators. Despite technical evaluation and feasibility reports on the virtues of the turbine, the same hasn't been added to the portfolio of appropriate technologies that enjoy the support of traditional donors. Instead of creating a separate mechanism of support for illiterate innovators, traditional donors make these innovators go through the process that has been laid essentially for the voluntary agencies. Does the country expect its creative innovators to fall into the trap of rules and regulations governing such grants or invest their time and energy in creative pursuits? Can society risk the potential of such creative innovators on futile chase of the babu raj? Can the onus of promotion of innovations be left on the shoulders of those who created them at the first instance? There are significant lessons for the newly launched National Innovation Foundation and other innovation promotion programmes of the government. The innovators will be better served if there are backward-forward linkages of incentives and royalties on innovations. Else, there will be fresh awards each year with the past awardees falling by the wayside. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Dr Sudhirendar Sharma can be contacted at mailto:sudhirendar@vsnl.net «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Sign up now for free planet-save.com e-mail! Now not only do you get free e-mail that you can check from anywhere but you are also helping to save Amazon basin rainforest with every e-mail you receive! Better than Hotmail! Go to http://www.planetsave.com/ViewStory.asp?ID=203&Section=44 «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Green Tips: How to Minimise your Exposure to Pthalates and other Hormone-disrupting Chemicals «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Phthalates are common industrial chemicals used in building materials, food packaging and food wrap, toys and other children's products, medical devices, garden hose, shoes, shoe soles, automobile undercoating, wires and cables, vinyl tile, artificial leather, notebook covers, insect repellents, skin emollients, hair sprays, nail polish, and perfumes. Scientific and medical evidence has linked phthalates to reproductive disorders in wildlife and humans. A growing body of scientific evidence suggests these chemicals can seep out of soft plastic and cause liver and kidney lesions and other damage in laboratory animals. A new US study shows that high levels of plastic compounds are found in humans. Environmental groups have petitioned the U.S. FDA to require labeling of perfumes that contain toxic phthalates, such as Calvin Klein's Eternity. See You can avoid exposure by choosing cosmetics amd personal care products with natural ingredients. Instead of chemical-based moisturizers, for example, try natural aloe vera. Try tube gels instead of hairspray, or hairsprays with plunger-type squirt nozzles. Young women who wish to have children may be well- advised to avoid nail polish. Phthalates sometimes are listed on labels, but there are multiple synonyms for phthalates that may not be immediately recognizable. DBP is sometimes labeled as *butyl ester.* Phthalates in soft plastic toys are not sufficiently bonded. Avoid soft vinyl toys, especially those from Asian countries; these have the highest phthalate content. There are alternatives. Toys made from wood, cotton, and wool look and feel wonderful and are safe and long lasting. If you don't know about a toy that is made of soft plastic, the general guideline is the stiffer and harder it is, the fewer phthalates it is likely to have. Be more careful with a vinyl toy that is ripped or torn. The tear is more likely to be a spot where phthalates can easily leach. Try to use glass feeding bottles instead of plastic or polycarbonate bottles. Look for latex or silicon nipples on pacifiers. While a few pacifier nipples are still made from vinyl, most are now made with latex or silicon and are labeled as such. Eat lower on the food web. Fruits and vegetables have much lower concentrations of PCBs and dioxins than animal products. Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to vary your exposure to pesticides. For extra protection, take vitamin E. A University of Kentucky study found that vitamin E counters tissue damage resulting from PCB exposure. Before eating and feeding to children, thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables. If available and affordable, choose organic produce grown without the use of synthetic pesticides. As far as psossible, purchase only products that claim to contain, *No artificial flavors or colors.* Don't use pesticides in your home or on your lawn or garden. Many less-toxic alternatives to pesticides are available, including boric acid, insect baits and traps. Avoid areas freshly sprayed with pesticides. Groom pets regularly with a flea comb while inspecting for evidence of fleas. Vacuum areas where pets spend most of their time. Pregnant women and families with children shouldn't use organophosphate or carbamate-based products. Children should never be allowed to apply flea shampoos, dusts or dips that contain organophosphates or carbamates (Notix). There are a number of herbal products and neem soaps which are very effective (as, I have been told, is Medimix soap). When you dry clean, air out the garment before bringing it into your house. Purchase washable clothing as much as possible. Avoid using toxic naphthalene mothballs. Store all woolens items in airtight boxes or chests. Cleaning clothes before storage will destroy the moth larvae that feed on clothes. Airing clothes out in the sunshine may also help. When buying supplies for your child's next craft project, use starchy glues instead of rubber cement, epoxy, instant glues, plastic adhesives and model glues. Use *inhale proof* water- or alcohol-based markers. Avoid using toxic phenyls and disinfectants. Vegetable-based liquid products work just as well as chemical-laden cleansers. Vinegar and baking soda will clean floors, mirrors and windows. And according to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar kills kitchen bacteria. Avoid air freshners. Burning a match will quickly eliminate the methane gas that causes bathroom odors. Minimize plastic wrap's direct contact with food. In particular, reduce consumption of fatty foods (cheese and meat) packaged in plastic and heat-sealed containers. Ask that high-fat takeaway food be wrapped in paper rather than PVC cling wrap. Harmful chemicals from plastic or styrofoam packaging can penetrate foods, and may cause health problems such as cancer. Whenever possible, use foil, paper or reusable containers to preserve food. When microwaving food, use heat-resistant glass or ceramic containers instead of plastic containers or plastic wrap. Plastic wrapping on microwavable foods can transmit the chemicals during heating. Formed plastic containers, used for carry-out foods, should not be re-used for microwaving. Place food in glass containers before microwaving. Use heavy stainless steel cookware whenever possible. It cleans up nearly as easily and doesn't release chemicals into the air. One of the strongest messages individuals can send is through their role as consumers -- by avoiding products that contain or produce toxics and choosing more environmentally friendly alternatives, you are not only decreasing your own and your family's exposure, but are also influencing the market for these products. Every consumer counts, and corporations guilty of producing and marketing highly toxic materials will soon realize that consumers will not tolerate this dangerous type of pollution. Learn more about the toxics in your environment and how you can protect yourself Read a series of articles on safer household cleaning at Learn about more ways to make a difference. http://www.makingindiagreen.org/campaign.htm «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» Natural Toys are the Best Toys. Get the safest toys for your child. http://naturalplay.com/shopsite_sc/shopping_cart/ref.cgi?name=MakingIndiaGreen&storeid=natu43 «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Contact Details «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Priya F. Shah, Editor mailto:Priya@makingindiagreen.com http://www.makingindiagreen.com Plot No 45, Lane G, Sector 8, Vashi, Navi Mumbai - 400 703, Maharastra, India 9122-7826746 «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Subscriptions to this ezine are free. Making India Green is published on the first of every month. Like this newsletter? Tell a friend and you could win $10,000! http://recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=854129 Subscribe: mailto:makingindiagreen-subscribe@listbot.com or join online at:http://makingindiagreen.listbot.com/ Unsubscribe: mailto:makingindiagreen-unsubscribe@listbot.com Read past issues of this newsletter at: http://www.makingindiagreen.org/archives.htm Join the Making India Green discussion forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/makingindiagreen/join We welcome article submissions on topics relevant to the theme of this newsletter. For information on article submissions, send mailto:Priya@makingindiagreen.com with "Article Info" in the subject line. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» When you plan major home improvements, consider some energy saving investments. They save money in the long run, and their CO2 savings can often be measured in tons per year. Plant shade trees and paint your house a light color if you live in a warm climate, or a dark color if you live in a cold climate. Reductions in energy use resulting from shade trees and appropriate painting can save up to 2.4 tons of CO2 emissions per year. (Each tree also directly absorbs about 25 pounds of CO2 from the air annually.) «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°^«°»^«° Some of the best things in life are free. Now you can get some of the hottest "free stuff" offers available on the net! Free samples, trial offers, sweepstakes, software, catalogs, and much more! http://ezfreebies.com/cgi-bin/f.cgi?11067m «°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«° «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Recommended resources «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Our Stolen Future : Are We Threatening Our Fertility, Intelligence, and Survival? - A Scientific Detective Story by Theo Colborn, Dianne Dumanoski, John Peterson Myers, Albert Gore Jr A book about the health and environmental threats created by man-made chemical contaminants that intefere with hormones in humans and wildlife. Endocrine disrupting chemicals alter development of the fetus in the womb by interfering with the natural hormonal signals directing fetal growth. Their impacts, sometimes not detectable until years or decades after exposure, include reduced disease resistance, diminished fertility and compromised intelligence and behavior. Our Stolen Future tells the story of how endocrine disruption was discovered, how it works, what it means, and how families can protect themselves and their communities, all in clear, simple language intended for a general audience. Buy this book in India from FirstandSecond.com Buy this book from Amazon.com «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Thanks for reading this issue. For more resources and information on sustainable living, visit us online: http://www.makingindiagreen.com