Please do not hit the reply button. You can contact the editor using the e-mail address below. Apologies for posting this issue late. «°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»«°»^«°»^«°» M A K I N G I N D I A G R E E N Vol. 1, No.5 «°» May 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. Details on subscribing or unsubscribing can be found at the end of this issue. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» In This Issue: «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «» Editorial «» News Digest «» Take Action: HLL dumps toxic mercury waste in Kodaikanal «» Feature: Fire In The Cotton Fields Author: Keya Acharya «» Guest Article: Urban Wastes, Farm Resource Author: Padma Rajagopal «» Green Tips: Keeping Cool in Summer «» Contact Details «» Subscribe/Unsubscribe «» Recommended resources «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» Do you have a green product or service to promote? Post a FREE advertisement on our classifieds page: http://pub48.bravenet.com/classified/show.php?usernum=4120542254&cpv=1 To list your green product, service or website: mailto:listsite@makingindiagreen.com (Note: All submissions should contain an e-mail address or website URL that will allow visitors to access your information online) «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Editorial «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» The Two Faces of Biotech The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) new rule stipulating that household wastes be segregated into wet and dry garbage before disposal, is a welcome step towards making Mumbai city a cleaner place. However, the average citizen, still seems confused as to what comprises wet and dry garbage, and what is to become of the segregated wastes? The answer lies in a very simple low-tech application of biotechnology - vermicomposting. Using worms to degrade kitchen and other biodegradable wastes (or *wet* wastes) is nothing new. NGOs and the press have been extolling its virtues for years, without much visible success. But, according to Kisan Mehta of the Save Bombay Committee, organisations like his are actively involved in helping to make this a reality, with 600 ALM (Advanced Locality Management) projects already being implemented. The BMC rule has left the citizens with no excuse to remain apathetic about managing their own wastes. Its time the Mumbaikars took the initiative to educate themselves and implement vermiculture projects in their own homes or community. The guest article in this issue gives an account of one woman's attempt to spread awareness of vermicomposting in Coimbatore. In this time's feature, noted environmental journalist, Keya Acharya gives us a glimpse into the more sinister face of biotechnology with a first-hand account of the Bt cotton field trials being undertaken in Karnataka, without regard to the ecological threat they present. [Read an article about the dangers of genetic engineering in agriculture at: http://www.makingindiagreen.org/genie.htm] In these two faces of biotechnology, we can truly see how technology can both help and harm, depending on how we choose to apply it. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» 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 «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» ACT NOW: Send an instant e-mail to India's decision makers. Sign the Greenpeace India Petition to Halt the Entry of Genetically Engineered Crops into India http://makingindiagreen.actionize.com/view.php?action=600 «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» News Digest «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» POLLUTION-FREE WORLD A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT, SAYS UN Everyone has the right to live in a world free from toxic pollution and environmental degradation, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights has concluded. http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?id=4199 RAINWATERHARVESTING.ORG SITE Even the President of India harvests rain, do you? Any land anywhere can be used to harvest rainwater The fundamental reason: extend the fruits of the monsoon. The basic principle: Catch water where it falls. There are 15 ecological zones in India, each with its localised water harvesting systems. A trove of appropriate technology. The CSE has showcased them on a new site for Rainwaterharvesting. http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/ JAL BIRADARI AIMS TO DROUGHT PROOF VILLAGES Initiating a national strategy to encourage the Jal biradari (water community) to make participatory water management a national movement in rural as well as urban regions, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), and Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS), a Alwar based NGO organized a three-day conference from 21 April to 23 April 2001. http://www.cseindia.org/html/au/au4_20010425.htm TO CNG OR NOT TO CNG Like the smart green strap sported by the 500-odd CNG vehicles in New Delhi, the alternative fuel is a spanking new concept. At Rs 12 a kg and with a proven emission record, CNG sounds a new age option. But the problems dogging it are decidedly old - design snags, technology hiccups and cost pressures. http://www.economictimes.com/today/25poli01.htm On April 1, 200, chaos reigned in Delhi following the failure of the public transport system to switch to CNG in accordance with the Supreme Court's orders. The question most people are asking is: Why didn't the Delhi government make alternate arrangements for public transport despite being aware that only CNG buses would be allowed to ply from April. http://www.cseindia.org/html/dte/dte20010430/dte_srep2.htm US expert commends CNG http://www.indiaserver.com/thehindu/2001/04/20/stories/1420218b.htm Delhi transport chaos eases after deadline relaxed http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=10408 A new way out of the CNG jam http://www.indiaserver.com/thehindu/2001/04/11/stories/14112186.htm CNG, known to be a clean fuel, is certainly not the only choice for public transport. It is a desirable option to convert petrol-based vehicles, such as taxis and three- wheelers, to the use of this fuel. Dr R K Pachauri urges that this is a time to take an objective and balanced view of fuel choices for our cities. http://www.teriin.org/features/art94.htm How does motorized transport contribute to pollution? What makes it worse? Is it simply a question of choosing the right fuel? How can we make Delhi's air breathable again? What effective short-term measures can show results in weeks and months instead of years? http://www.teriin.org/energy/delhi.htm MONUMENTAL CLEAN-UP Climbers from Japan, Nepal and South Korea carrying 200 empty plastic bags climbed the northern slopes of Mount Everest to pick up garbage dumped by previous expeditions. http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=10351 WORLD'S LARGEST SOLAR PROJECT FOR PHILIPPINES Over 400,000 residents of the Philippines will benefit from a deal signed today between BP and the Spanish and Philippine governments to bring solar power to 150 isolated villages in the Philippines. http://www.gnet.org/Coldfusion/News_Page2.cfm?NewsID=15509 IS YOUR BUSINESS SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE? The World Business Council for Sustainable Development has announced a new web-based course on corporate social responsibility in an E-wire press release. The course *Social Responsibility and Business: A New Web-Based Training Course* teaches managers how the *Business-Case* for social responsibility results in gains over competitors. http://www.ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Feb01/26Feb0102.html GLOBE WARMS TO ANTI-BUSH SENTIMENT All the world's enraged about the Bush administration's moves on climate change - Read the summary in the Heat Beat section of Grist Magazine http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/heatbeat/thisjustin042701.stm In reaction to President Bush's decision to withdraw from the Kyoto treaty on climate change, Time magazine produced a special issue focusing on the hard science showing that climate change is upon us and to the political fallout from Bush's move. The issue also includes a letter to Bush from Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev, John Glenn, Walter Cronkite, George Soros, J. Craig Venter, Jane Goodall, Edward O. Wilson, Harrison Ford, and Stephen Hawking, telling the president to get his act together. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,104617,00.html Two studies published in the journal Science provide some of the strongest evidence yet that global warming is here and humans are to blame. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1274000/1274252.stm The U.S.' decision is sparking a wave of calls from European environmentalists and Greens for consumers to take revenge on President George W. Bush by boycotting American firms. http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2001/2001L-04-05-05.html The first international conference of Green Party politicians and supporters voted to launch a boycott against U.S.-based oil companies in retribution for President Bush's decision to withdraw from the Kyoto treaty on climate change. http://www.economictimes.com/today/16worl02.htm The environmental group Greenpeace said it would seek to hurt the businesses of five U.S. oil companies until they agreed to back an international treaty designed to slow global warming. http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/04/04262001/reu_oil_43236.asp The world should declare the US a rogue nation for this act of extreme selfishness. And the Indian government should stop being a pushover, says environmentalist Anil Agarwal of the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. http://www.cseindia.org/html/au/au4_20010403.htm The European Union's top environment official affirmed her determination to push ahead with the troubled Kyoto accord on climate change by cutting a "birthday cake" marking the EU's signing of the deal. http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/04/04252001/reu_kyoto_43215.asp The UK, Germany and Luxembourg are the only three EU nations making the necessary greenhouse gas reductions, a new survey says. http://www.edie.net/news/Archive/4130.cfm Norway and other nations will scale back work to combat global warming if the United States sticks to its refusal to join the global climate accord. http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/04/04172001/reu_climate_43090.asp Greenpeace environmental activists protested at the French offices of U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil against the firm's support of President George W. Bush's rejection of the Kyoto treaty on global warming. http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/04/04272001/reu_oil_43261.asp [TAKE ACTION: Lend your voice to the global protest against President Bush's stand on the climate agreement at: http://www.makingindiagreen.com/camclimate.htm] ENVIRONMENT, INC. The environmental movement has become big business, concludes the Sacramento Bee in a five-part series this week. In 1999, the heads of nine of the U.S.' 10 largest environmental groups earned at least 200,000 dollars a year; one of the big wigs earned more than 300,000 dollars. Money to the movement reached 3.5 billion dollars in 1999, but much of the dough was spent on overhead and fundraising - not directly on protecting the environment. http://www.sacbee.com/news/projects/environment/index02.html PVC HAZARD TO ENVIRONMENT, SAYS EU ASSEMBLY The European Parliament has said that polyvinyl chloride (PVC) should be collected and disposed of separately from other waste materials because the plastic poses potential environmental hazards. http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=10381 CANADIAN FARMER LOSES BIOTECH SEED CASE TO MONSANTO Percy Schmeiser, a Canadian farmer, plans to continue fighting the giant biotechnology company, Monsanto, for the right of farmers worldwide to save seed for next year's crops. Schmeiser treasures the Mahatma Gandhi Award he received while he was in India in October, 2000, in recognition of his work for the betterment of humankind in a non-violent way. It was presented to the Canadian farmer by the farmers of India who are fighting genetic engineering. *That's something Monsanto can't take away from me,* Schmeiser says. http://ens.lycos.com/ens/apr2001/2001L-04-03-01.html GE-FISH CURRY ON YOUR TABLE SOON? Despite the brouhaha over the potential health and environmental risks of genetically engineered crops, several biotech companies are moving forward with plans to introduce genetically modified fish and meat into the food chain. http://motherjones.com/magazine/MA01/xgenic.html When the debate rages from *Frankenfood* to *feeding the world,* it's not surprising that the typical consumer is a bit confused about genetically-engineered, or GE foods. http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/04/04112001/gmfoods_42946.asp STOP BIO-CORN EXPORTS, GREENS TELL BUSH Nearly 80 seed companies have found corn seed contaminated with traces of Starlink, an unapproved biotech variety, according to the Agriculture Department. About 100 consumer and green groups around the world have urged President Bush to halt exports of U.S. corn and food aid that may be contaminated with the unapproved Starlink variety of corn. A letter, signed by Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and other groups in Australia, Germany, India, Ghana, Bangladesh and Brazil, said the United States should block further exports that may contain traces of StarLink corn. http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/04/04042001/reu_bio-corn_42884.asp http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/04/04242001/ap_seed_43197.asp WILL INDIA LABEL GM-FOODS? With the impending import of genetically-modified (GM) food items becoming a virtual hot potato, the Union Health Ministry expects to soon arm its Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (1954) to tackle the issue -- in terms of defining, labelling and testing of GM foods. The Ministry is still working out on how to ascertain and define GM foods, besides equipping the existing laboratories to test GM foods. However, it could well take a good three to four months before the mandatory procedures are completed and a notification is issued. [Source : The Business Line / UN Wire] [LEARN MORE: Read more about genetic engineering in the food chain at:http://www.makingindiagreen.org/resources.htm#geneng http://www.makingindiagreen.org/camgefood.htm http://www.makingindiagreen.org/genie.htm] [TAKE ACTION: Sign the Greenpeace India Petition to Halt the Entry of Genetically Engineered Crops into India http://makingindiagreen.actionize.com/view.php?action=600] NEW TASK FORCE SET TO TACKLE TIGER POACHING A global task force formed to protect tigers has called for better training of wildlife protection workers to crack down on poaching of the endangered species. http://ens.lycos.com/ens/apr2001/2001L-04-03-11.html http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?id=3919 http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=10413 ECOTOURISM RESOURCES GO ONLINE The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), a nonprofit membership organization, and naturalist.com, an online network for nature and natural health enthusiasts, have teamed up to provide travelers with expert ecotourism news and resources on the internet. http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Apr01/04Apr0102.html THE CASE OF THE MISSING TOADS -- SOLVED Researchers report finding a link between man-made climate changes and the alarming disappearance of amphibians. http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/04/04052001/upi_frog_42901.asp http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=10401 A CHEQUE IS NOT THE ANSWER, SAYS CLINTON What is needed is empowerment of villages concerned and participation of the people in the reconstruction and rehabilitation process. By just making available micro-credit to the affected people, we cannot help change their future, the former US president said. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/apr/05guj1.htm EARTH-FRIENDLY SPRING CLEANING FOR EARTH DAY This year homeowners can do their spring cleaning with safer, time-tested ingredients they already have in their cupboards and closets, while avoiding toxic products that cause indoor air pollution, endanger children and disrupt the environment. Experts warn that household cleaning often comes at a great cost to the environment and human health. The typical American home contains three to 10 gallons of hazardous materials, many of which take the form of cleaning products, polishes and drain openers. Health effects of ingredients in household products can include respiratory problems, eye irritation, cancer and disruption of the endocrine system. http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/04/04172001/cleaning_42921.asp http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Apr01/05Apr0103.html [Find more resources for safe household cleaning at: http://www.makingindiagreen.org/resources.htm#contox http://www.makingindiagreen.org/articles.htm] TOXIC CHEMICALS SET TO BE THROWN OPEN After the proposal to open up defence production, the government is proposing to delicense bulk of the hazardous chemicals and petrochemicals. As a result, 19 out of the list of 22 items of hazardous chemicals an petrochemicals would be taken off the licensing list. Under the proposed policy, with the exception of hydrocyanic acid and its derivatives, phosgene and its derivatives and isocyanates and diisocynates, all other hazardous chemicals and petrochemicals would be freed. The three items would be retained under compulsory licensing on account of their very toxic and lethal nature. http://www.economictimes.com/today/30econ02.htm [TAKE ACTION: Use our Anti-Toxics campaign resources to demand a toxic-free India. http://www.makingindiagreen.org/camtoxics.htm] EARTH DAY 2001: A CLEAN ENERGY REVOLUTION Predictions of global warming catastrophe, soaring energy prices and the threat of summer power shortages in the U.S. give the "Earth Day 2001: Clean Energy" message a new edge. http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Apr01/11Apr0102.html [Take our Earth Day Tour at: http://www.makingindiagreen.org/earthday.htm] SOMETHING IN THE WIND Wind power is an attractive proposition for India - it can help meet our Kyoto Protocol targets and reduce noxious emissions. India's terrain and geography provides great potential for wind power generation, but it is yet to be tapped. http://www.cseindia.org/html/dte/dte20010415/dte_stati.htm According to a new report, global installed wind power capacity will increase by 39 percent this year following a 15 percent rise in 2000. Wind turbines around the world will generate 37 billion kilowatt- hours this year, according to a Danish consulting firm. The worlds largest offshore wind farm will be built between Denmark and Sweden. http://www.solaraccess.com/sanews/showstory.asp?id=409 http://www.edie.net/news/Archive/4064.cfm http://www.solaraccess.com/sanews/showstory.asp?id=405 FORGET CHERNOBYL, WE WANT NUKES People across the former Soviet Union offered their prayers yesterday to victims of the Chernobyl disaster, 15 years after the world's worst nuclear accident occurred in Ukraine. At least 7 million people in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine suffer physical or psychological effects from the radiation released during the catastrophe. http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=10642 Meanwhile, half of Americans now say they support using nuclear plants to produce electricity, an increase over two years ago, according to an Associated Press poll. And the nuclear industry may soon seek its first permit in decades to build a new plant in the U.S. http://www.msnbc.com/news/564225.asp Currently 20 percent of U.S. power is nuclear. If the Bush administration get its way, the figure will rise. The administration touts nuclear energy as a carbon-neutral solution to the energy crisis. http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/04/04182001/nukes_42979.asp Anti-nuclear and environmental activists held a march and rally in New York's Times Square, to protest the categorization of nuclear energy as a sustainable power source. http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2001/2001L-04-20-03.html [TAKE ACTION: Check our Anti-Nuke campaign resources at: http://www.makingindiagreen.org/camnuke.htm] COMPOSTABLE PLASTIC WRAPS DUNLOP GOLF BALLS NatureWorks(TM) PLA, the revolutionary polymer made entirely from annually renewable resources such as corn and wheat, is now being used in its first full-scale, mass market packaging film application. Dunlop golf balls are to make history by being involved in the first commercial use of packaging made from renewable resources, which is also entirely compostable. http://www.edie.net/news/Archive/4071.cfm http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Apr01/02Apr0103.html THE OILZAPPER If there is an oil spill near you, don't panic. There is now a bug that will eat up the oil. The end result: Within three to four months, the land will be as clean and rich as it was before the spill. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/apr/07spec.htm COAST GUARD The 10th anniversary of the implementation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification -- which came into being on February 19, 1991 -- passed off in February without much ado. This is ironical as had generated some of the most bitter environmental controversies of the decade. http://www.indiaserver.com/businessline/2001/04/09/stories/100925m5.htm Human modification and destruction of the planet's coastal zone is endangering marshes, estuaries, coral reefs and mangrove forests that provide a host of ecosystem services to humans, warns a new study. These services are vital - flood protection, water filtration, nursery habitat for fish and other species. http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?id=4085 http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2001/2001L-04-17-06.html AMAZON ENCOUNTER A Brazilian government expedition has made contact with members of a remote Amazon Indian tribe never before exposed to Western culture. The Tsohon-djapa tribe lives in an area known as the Vale do Javari, wedged between two Amazon river tributaries. The area is home to about a dozen tribes that have had little exposure to modern society. http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/04/04092001/ap_tribe_42956.asp STICKY SCOTCHGUARD It may help keep the red wine stains out of your carpet, but Scotchgard, a popular water and stain repellant, is leaving its mark on the environment. Last May, 3M, which is the sole manufacturer of Scotchgard, decided to reformulate the stain guard due to concerns that PFOS can build up in the tissue of humans and animals. http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/04/04112001/pfos_42961.asp HIDDEN FAULT HELPS SOLVE INDIAN QUAKE PUZZLE U.S. and British researchers have found a hidden fault that reveals the solution to a century-old mystery of a devastating earthquake in northeast India which killed thousands, reduced masonry to rubble in a region the size of England and caused part of the overlying plateau to shoot up nearly 50 feet in three seconds. http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/04/04122001/upi_fault_43005.asp TALC, WOOD DUST MAY BE CARCINOGENIC Even the Inuit native peoples who live in the extreme Arctic, are at risk from birth defects and other health problems from toxic chemicals in their native foods. Pollutants, such as chlorinated pesticides and PCBs, find their way to the Arctic by air or by sea from as far away as India and Egypt. http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2001/2001L-04-13g.html IS IT A BIRD, A PLANE? NO, IT'S A MUMBAIKAR The Maharashtra government has agreed in principle to fund a proposal by the Konkan Railway Corporation to operate Skybuses - electrical coaches suspended over existing roadways - in Mumbai on an experimental basis. http://www.economictimes.com/today/15econ01.htm DALITS, ENVIRONMENT FIGURE AT US CONFERENCE Indian environment and the movement of the socially underprivileged Dalit community were two of the topics featured during a recent conference on social movements and poverty at the University of California at Berkeley. http://www.economictimes.com/today/15news01.htm ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES: THEO COLBORN Theo Colborn is best known for her theory of endocrine disruption described in the best-selling book, *Our Stolen Future.* Co-written with John Peterson Myers and Dianne Dumanoski, the book documented for the first time the impact that many petroleum-derived chemicals have on endocrine and immune systems. http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/04/04162001/envirohero_43024.asp [Buy this book from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0452274141/makingindiagreen] [Buy this book from FirstandSecond.com: http://firstandsecond.com/associates/alliance.asp?associate=priyashah&bookid=397749] BULLY! NO MORE RACES The High Court has stayed bull races in Andhra Pradesh. A PIL claimed that the bulls were made to pull heavy boulders and tortured to make them run fast at the races to be held on April 18 in Guntur district during the Kotappakonda festival. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/apr/16ap.htm TURTLE TALES More than a million Olive Ridley turtles came ashore to nest and lay eggs last month on India's eastern coast and hatchlings are now filling the beaches, providing some hope that the turtles may be back from the brink of extinction. But, only one out of every 1000 hatchlings is expected to ever reach adulthood. That number may further reduce because many trawler owners, encouraged by government inaction, do not use turtle excluder devices that can reduce turtle mortality. http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=10506 http://www.cseindia.org/html/dte/dte20010430/dte_srep1.htm RECYCLING THAT OLD TV It takes more than the click of a mouse to make obsolete consumer electronic equipment disappear. Discarded electronic equipment is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the industrialized world. and this week these mountains of junk are the focus of a grassroots campaign and a series of conferences. The principle of Extended Producer Responsibility -- which means requiring manufacturers who make products with toxic materials to take full responsibility for the products through their entire lifecyle -- is gaining in popularity. http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2001/2001L-04-16-01.html http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?id=4076 NO MORE VIVISECTION, SAY U.S. MED SCHOOLS Two-thirds of all medical schools in the United States, including Harvard, Stanford, Columbia and Yale, have eliminated the use of animals for training doctors, replacing the animals with modern, cost-effective and humane alternatives. We can only hope that Indian medical colleges will, in the great Indian tradition of aping the West, soon follow suit. http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/04/04172001/medschools_43050.asp COMING SOON: NEW MASTERS PROGRAM IN SUSTAINABILITY The School of the Built Environment at UK's University of Westminster will launch a masters degree in sustainable development this year. The interdisciplinary program, which focuses on new urban development, may be of particular interest to architects and to property developers anxious to avoid future taxation on non-sustainable development. http://www.wmin.ac.uk/item.asp?ID=4495&varWhatPage=pgs AN (ORGANIC) APPLE A DAY Confirming claims made all along by organic foodies that their food tastes better, a study published in the journal Nature, has found that not only are organically grown apples better for the environment than conventionally grown apples, but they also taste yummier and can lead to more profits for farmers, The six-year study gives scientific backing to the claim that organic farming is superior to conventional farming. It found that an organic orchard would break even on operating costs after nine years, compared to 15 years for a conventional farm. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/134286383_organic19.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1282000/1282222.stm As toxic and persistent agricultural chemicals make headlines again, organic farmers have a message to share with concerned consumers. This message: consumers can make choices that will reduce their exposure to such chemicals. http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Apr01/09Apr0105.html The U.S. government kicked off its official certification of organic foods. The federal seal of approval, will guarantee that organics were grown and processed without synthetic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. http://www.wweek.com/html2/leada.html Agriculture will be a major driver of global environmental change over the next 50 years, rivaling the effect of greenhouse gases in its impact, according to a new study. http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/04/04192001/4.19 news_43120.asp ECO-LABEL FABLES If you're one of those who look for the label -- the green label that is supposed to tell you that a product is environmentally responsible, organic, free range, fair trade, cruelty-free, dolphin-safe or certified sustainable, Eco-labels.org, launched by the independent researchers at Consumers Union can help you understand what it really means and what to trust. http://tidepool.org/findings/ecolabel.cfm [Read an interview about the sorry state of eco-labelling in India at: http://www.makingindiagreen.org/wagle.htm] EARTH DAY BIKE RIDE Taiwan President Chen Shui-ban biked to work today to mark Earth Day, and hopes to be able to ride to work one day each month. Meanwhile, environment ministers from six countries took a quick bike ride around the U.N. complex in New York City to call attention to the benefits of bicycles over cars. Can't really see our pot-bellied representatives in Parliament doing the same, can you? http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=10579 ONLINE GREEN BUILDING CONFERENCE AT YAHOO E-GROUPS The Planeta.com and Greenbuilder.com web sites team up in May to host the Green Building and the Tourism Industry Conference. The event takes place from May 1-14 and will be conducted free via the Internet. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/green_tourism/ CLICK TO REDUCE POLLUTION EcologyFund, the largest wilderness protection click-to-donate website, has announced the addition of a new section to extend EarthDay throughout the year. This 'Reduce Pollution' section allows each visitor to click and donate emission reduction credits to remove pollution contributing to global warming and acid rain. Each day a visitor to EcologyFund.com arrives on the 'Reduce Pollution' page and views banners of EcologyFund.com sponsors, credits for removing two pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the Earth's atmosphere will be provided for free. Join the Making India Green group at EcologyFund.com: http://www.ecologyfund.com/registry/ecology/groups_join.html?groupID=2354 Then proceed to click and reduce pollution at: http://www.ecologyfund.com/registry/ecology/ecology.html?noheader=-1 GREEN BUSINESS AT TERI At TERI's conference on 'Corporate strategies for Sustainable Development', leading business houses of India participated and agreed on the need to voluntarily set eco-standards in the conduct of their business. http://www.teriin.org/news/apr011.htm A POACHER TURNS CONSERVATIONIST Desire Louis Kafack Dontegeo used to be a poacher. Now, instead of stalking the forest with a gun, he travels with binoculars, pen and notebook. He is an ecology monitor for the World Wide Fund for Nature. Now if only we could achieve the same results with our resident poacher, Veerappan. http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/04/04252001/poaching_43212.asp 100 DAYS OF BUSH: DISASTER ZONE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT? Can 100 days reverse more than 30 years of environmental regulations in the United States? That is a question many conservation groups are asking as the Bush administration passed its 100-day mark in office on April 30. EMS has put together a web package of all the Bush Administration's environmental decisions and budget priorities, as well as links to *100 days* reports by environmental groups. http://www.ems.org/bush_cheney/timeline.html http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/04/04302001/bushover_43213.asp http://www.newsagogo.com/cgi-bin/point.cgi?l=t18372397 INDIAN BOY WINS ENVIRONMENT PAINTING COMPETITION Three young people from India, Romania and Thailand have been awarded first prize in the Tenth International Children's Painting Competition on the Environment, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced. A complete list of winners is available on the Internet at: www.unep.org/children_youth/painting BOND TO THE RESCUE Actor Pierce Brosnan, joined today with a group of leading environmentalists, including NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) and Jean-Michel Cousteau, to announce plans to oppose a powerful new sonar system developed by the U.S. Navy, which intends to deploy the system in as much as 80 percent of the world's oceans. researchers and conservationists caution that the system could have serious impacts on marine life that depends on hearing for survival. Since 1975 there have been nine incidents of major mass strandings of whales, all of which occurred in the vicinity of naval operations. http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Apr01/26Apr0103.html http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/04/04062001/sonar_42879.asp «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Get the latest environmental news, events and announcements at: http://www.makingindiagreen.com To list an event or announcement, send details to: mailto:addevent@makingindiagreen.com «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» Get reacquainted with some of India's best loved tales with Amar Chitra Katha - 7 great collections at 15 % off http://www.fabmart.com/stores/Books/promos/amck/amck.asp?ltype=2&affid=1280 «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Take Action: HLL dumps toxic mercury waste in Kodaikanal «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Background: Unilever, a giant Anglo-Dutch multinational corporation whose products include Dove soap and Lipton tea, has been accused of dumping mercury in a hazardous manner via a factory owned by its Indian subsidiary, Hindustan Lever Limited. The factory is in the mountain town and tourist resort of Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu and produces thermometers for the export market. In March, local activists from the Palni Hills Conservation Council and Greenpeace India cordoned off a dump site in Kodaikanal where the factory had dumped contaminated waste. They also led a protest march of about two hundred people against HLL and Unilever for bringing the toxic metal into the town and dumping it in such a manner. What you can do: Learn more about the anti-mercury campaign in India at: http://www.makingindiagreen.org/campaign.htm#mercury Show your support for the ex-workers of Hindustan Lever's polluting mercury thermometer factory in their appeal for justice and for freedom from mercury pollution. Ex-workers, who were exposed to mercury in the workplace, launched their campaign on Earth Day with a day-long hunger strike. Join the protest! Sign Greenpeace's online petition at: http://zope.greenpeace.org/z/gpindia/kodai_mail_axn/net_signpetition On a personal level, you can help by boycotting products made by Unilever's Indian subsidiary, HLL. If more people decided to do this, it would send the message that Indian consumers do not support corporations that pollute the environment and compromise the safety and health of fellow-Indians. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» HELP TO SAVE TIGER HABITAT WITH A CLICK OF YOUR MOUSE! It's simple. It's easy. Click daily on the link below to save up to 5.2 acres of endangered big cat habitat. The site's sponsors pay for your donation, so it's free for you! All donations go to the Wildlife Conservation Society's big cat protection programs. Just click: If you register free with Care2, you can double the amount of land you save with your first click and can begin tracking how much habitat you personally have helped protect. Care2.com's Big Cats Race visitors have helped protect over 13,000 sq. miles of big cat habitat already! Without your clicks, hundreds of opportunities are lost to help protect endangered felines and their habitat! Tell all your friends so they can help too. They can visit where every page has links to save habitat and wildlife. «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Feature: Fire In The Cotton Fields Author: Keya Acharya «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» This article is being reprinted from the 15th electronic bulletin of CAAM-Net, the Centre for Alternative Agricultural Media, Dharwad, INDIA. Noted environmental journalist, Keya Acharya looks into the much-discussed Bt cotton field trials being undertaken in Karnataka. The curious contradiction between the government and Monsanto-Mahyco combine professing willingness to share information on the positive impacts of Bt technology on the one hand, and their perceptions of confidentiality on the other, has bedevilled the entire issue of Bt cotton in India. What is of significance is that there are very successful trials (12 quintals/ acre yield) of non Bt, indigenous hybrid varieties being conducted at UAS, that are less susceptible to pests because of their indigenous strength, she observes. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» India is in the midst of a transgenic debate in academic circles, and in a consuming controversy about it in the field. And all this at a time when Indian agriculture is in crisis anyway with a glut of produce that has no marketing infrastructure to ensure a competent price to the small farmer. In academic and administrative circles, authorities speak with enthusiasm of the need to keep up with the latest in technology abroad, which they view is the new world of transgenics, or the transference of alien genes into food crops, supposedly for better yields and disease-resistance. The most visible proponent of this belief is the State of Karnataka. Anxious to keep up with its progressive 'IT image,' it would now like to link this field up with biotechnology, another area where it has pioneered. *We want to make Bangalore the Biotech destination of Asia*, said Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairman of Karnataka’s Biotechnology Task Force. The State's and indeed the country's official enthusiasm over Bt cotton has to be viewed within this perspective of keeping up with the latest. In April 1998, the Indian seed company Mahyco (Maharashtra Hybrid Seed Company) in collaboration with the multinational Monsanto (which owns 26% equity in Mahyco, bought at 24 times the paid-up value) was given permission to conduct small trials of Bt cotton (100g per trial) by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and its Department of Biotechnology (DBT) at 7 sites countrywide, including Karnataka. "We have a built-in level of mechanical checks to prevent import of unwanted materials", said DBT Secretary Manju Sharma in defence at the consequent uproar on Bt cotton, at a Transgenic Conference in December 1998, at UAS, Bangalore. The matter went underground till July 2000 when DBT allowed Mahyco to conduct large-scale field trials, including seed- production at 40 sites in six States totalling 235 ha. Dr. Sharma says research findings of the previous small trials are *totally confidential data* submitted to the GEAC (Genetic Engineering Approval Committee of the MoEF), but that they draw a *clear inference* that Bt is safe. This curious contradiction between the government and Monsanto-Mahyco combine professing willingness to share information on the positive impacts of Bt technology on the one hand, and their perceptions of confidentiality on the other, has bedevilled the entire issue of Bt cotton in India. According to the Karnataka Agriculture Commission (KAC) Report, the main findings of Mahyco’s research submission (which could relate to Dr. Sharma’s version of *built-in level of mechanical checks*) on its previous small trials, to RCGM (Review Committee on Genetic Pollution) on 12.2.2000 are: · Incorporation of Bt gene holds promise in cotton crop by controlling bollworm and reducing insecticide needs that are environmentally unsafe · Specific experiments indicate Bt hybrids are superior to non-Bt counterparts in terms of boll worm infestation · Control of bollworm through Bt hybrids did not influence behaviour of the pest in adjacent non-Bt plots. · Bt recorded higher yields · Bt could be an important part of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) RCGM, on the strength of these findings, allowed Mahyco (letter of 4.5.2000) to approach the GEAC for further steps. Thereafter Mahyco approached GoK (govt. of Karnataka) for permission, (ref.no. TNS/MKJ/MMB/561/00). This letter was referred to the Karnataka Agriculture Commission on 7.8.2000 for examination and submitting of views. The KAC convened concerned scientists from the two State Agricultural Universities (UAS) who said *The seminar dispelled the apprehension that all biotechnology is the same as 'terminator technology'* (KAC Report 2000), and 'okayed' Bt cotton trials, stating that the state agricultural universities needed to be involved. The status in the field shows that both the UASs in Dharwad and Bangalore have not been given permission to get involved in Mahyco’s field trials which are currently being conducted without independent assessment. As per Mahyco’s records, there are currently nine sites at farmers’ fields in Bellary, Davangere, Koppal, Raichur and Shimoga Districts. These sites belong to: Subba Reddy (Annapurneswari Camp, Odatti Post, Bellary), V. Hanumantha Rao (Bowring Camp, Siddamanahalli Post, Bellary), Tippe Rudra Gowda (Kammarchedu, Bellary), D. Ravindra Babu (Laxmi Nagar Camp, Soma Samudra Post, Bellary), K. Karibasappa (Kumaranahalli, Harihar, Davangere), Ningappa Angadi (Ojanahalli, Koppal), M. Gopal Reddy (Bagyanagar Camp, Sindhanur Raichur), Ramalinga Reddy (Ariginmara Camp, Ariginmara Post, Sindhanur,Raichur), Shivappa (Puradal Post, Shimoga) All the plots were sown between September 4 - 17, 2000, well past the planting season of June. Personal visits to these sites found these records somewhat inaccurate as a number of farmers had not opted for trials due to the delay in planting. Two others whose names were not listed have Bt trials on their fields. Additionally, there are 14, and not nine sites, in total. All plots are of 10 *guntas,* or one-fourth of an acre, pieced into three segments, with Bt being sandwiched between two non-Bt plots of presumably the same varieties of seeds. There are no boards delineating seed variety, or genotype or any other details. The overall status of the plants in these trials is poor. Plants are stunted due to late sowing, show heavy infestation of whitefly and aphids while some plots have bollworm infestation. In all the Bt fields visited (including the two farmers whose names are not on Mahyco’s records), non-Bt plants in the trial-plots were of better quality. Bt germination in most plots is poorer than non-Bt. Of equal significance is that hybrid cotton in all the four cotton districts of Karnataka, show an estimated average yield (10-15 quintals/acre) that is higher than what will currently be harvested from Bt plots ( estimated at 5-6 quintals/acre by experienced cotton-farmer Shivaramma Reddy of Bellary). The reason for this could very well be due to delayed planting however. What stands out in this confusion though, is that hybrid plants were far healthier. There is, in addition to Mahyco’s field trials, an independent trial being conducted at UAS, Dharwad, under an Indian Council of Agricultural Research – World Bank project. Bt Seeds for the project were given by Mahyco and were of the following varieties: MECH 12 Bt and Non-Bt MECH 162 Bt and Non-Bt MECH 184 Bt and Non-Bt These trials too were sown late. They showed poor germination of Bt varieties, with the non-Bt ones being definitely healthier but the latter more susceptible to aphids. Dr. BM Khadi, Senior Scientist in charge of the trials said he would not be able to get the correct picture from these trials because one whole pest-load, and a very crucial one in the month of August, had been missed out due to the delay in availability of seeds. What is of significance is that there are very successful trials (12 quintals/ acre yield) of non Bt, indigenous hybrid varieties being conducted at UAS, that are less susceptible to pests because of their indigenous strength. (Karnataka’s cotton history has shown hybrids of foreign parentage given to tremendous bollworm infestation) The problem as Khadi agreed, is their unsuccessful dissemination to farmers in the field. The *Extension* wing of the government's Agriculture Department in Karnataka, as in the rest of the country, is a failure. Some of these varieties are DHH 11, DHB 105 and *Sahana*. The indigenous variety *Arboreum herbaceum* with built-in bollworm resistance needed no spraying at all and yielded 5-6 quintals/acre. The message then is clear: that hybrid varieties are capable of producing equal, if not better results than Bt. Though farmers in the entire cotton belt are not averse to trying out the seed again in the next season many questions arise. Farmers say they will know its environmental impacts within 2-3 cropping seasons and change the seed if necessary, but the freedom of choice gets limited when Bt appears to be entering the State (and the country) through a private monopoly. With the current situation of exploitation, especially in Raichur in the cotton trade, and the small-farmer's tendency to listen to seed/pesticide/ fertiliser companies, Mahyco’s monopoly could well be a virtual reality that makes Chief Minister S.M.Krishna's argument of the farmer's personal choice as a *fundamental right seem unrealistic. Moreover, copious amounts of cotton, without a competent marketing infrastructure will not help the farmer. There will continue to be more suicides and dumped cotton. And, finally, the current manner of conducting and the indifferent condition of the field trials raise immediate doubts on their efficacy for coming to any concrete conclusion of the impacts of Bt into both Karnataka, and India. Under GEAC’s terms for granting of field trials, Mahyco had been asked to undertake the following: a) nutritional studies in buffaloes and cows to determine whether transgenic cotton seed as well as cotton-seed oil had any effect on animal health, milk-production and quality vis a vis the health of people; b) insect-resistance studies on other plant-pests; c) toxicity studies on other animal species such as poultry, fish etc. under Indian conditions; d) to generate data on the stability of the CRY 1 Ac gene; e) to undertake fresh studies on gene flow/pollen and the assessment of impact on such migration on non-transgenic cotton; f) to get authentic report from an Indian lab that Bt seeds do not contain Terminator gene to reassure the public and NGOs; g) to make available socio-economic data like costs of transgenic cotton, projected demand and the area to be covered under cultivation. GEAC also said it would *rigorously monitor* the field trials for the next one year (from announcement of trial permission in July 2000) and that the Monitoring cum Evaluation Committee (MEC) set up by DBT would continue to monitor large-scale field trials with the possible exception of f) which became public after the flurry of controversy surrounding BT cotton in India in late 1998, the status of other studies meant to be conducted are not known. Neither is the government nor Mahyco transparent. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Keya Acharya can be contacted at mailto:keyaa@bgl.vsnl.net.in To subscribe to the CAAM bulletin, write to mailto:caam@vsnl.net with subject as 'subscribe.' «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Take Action on this issue! Tell the Indian Government to Keep our Agriculture Free from Genetic Modification! Send an instant e-mail to our political representatives by signing the Greenpeace India Petition at the link below: http://makingindiagreen.actionize.com/view.php?action=600 «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR COMPUTER. Over 75 of the best programs listed that pay you to surf, receive e-mail, visit websites, or even sleep. All International and absolutely FREE to join. Visit: http://wakeup.to/showmethemoney «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Guest Article: Urban Wastes, Farm Resource Author: Padma Rajagopal «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» For the last fifteen years, I've been an organic farmer. My husband and I farm a 4 acre plot near Mysore city, maintaining a diversity of activities. We rear cattle, free-range chickens, dogs, cats, and earthworms, grow fruit, fuel and fodder trees, and vegetables for our household as well as to sell at an organic market held in Mysore city twice a month. On our farm, we use no chemical inputs - neither fertilizers nor pesticides - but collect every scrap of biodegradable material we can set our hands on, to make vermicompost which we use to enrich the soil that grows our crops. View the complete article online at: http://www.makingindiagreen.org/urbanwaste.htm Or download the pdf file from: http://www.makingindiagreen.org/Wastes.pdf «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» For more information and resources on Organic Farming, visit: http://www.makingindiagreen.org/resources.htm#orgfarm http://www.makingindiagreen.org/book5.htm «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» E-MAIL AND SAVE THE RAINFOREST! Sign up now for free PlanetSave.com e-mail! Now not only do you get free e-mail that you can check from anywhere, but you save 5 square feet of Amazon basin rainforest with every e-mail! http://www.planetsave.com/ViewStory.asp?ID=203&Section=44 «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Green Tip: Keeping Cool in Summer «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» With the heat of summer now upon us, here are some ways to conserve energy as we keep cool. Install a whole-house ventilating fan. This can be put in your attic or in an upstairs window to cool the house, even if you have central air conditioning. According to Consumer Reports, a big fan working under the right conditions can cool and ventilate an entire house for about the energy cost of running an air conditioner in one room. If you have an air-conditioner, using it wisely and keep it running efficiently. Use an energy-efficient air conditioner. If you're buying a new air conditioner, choose one for maximum energy efficiency. Avoid overcooling. Set your thermostat as high as possible. Don't use or buy more cooling equipment capacity than you actually need. Keep your cooling system well tuned. Have it professionally maintained, and ask how the energy efficiency of the system may be increased. (Source: Earth Saving Tips from Earth Share) «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» Get that book you've always wanted - at a Fab-ulous price! A full 50 percent off on the Book of the Day at Fabmart. http://www.fabmart.com/stores/Books/promos/justtoday/justtoday.asp?ltype=2&affid=1280 «»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«»^«» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» 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 Review/rate this newsletter: http://www.INFOJUMP.com/cat/Environment_and_Nature/9536 -review.html 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 Send details of events or announcements to: mailto:addevent@makingindiagreen.com To list your green product, service or website: mailto:listsite@makingindiagreen.com Join the Making India Green discussion forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/makingindiagreen/join Chat with other Green Indians at the Green Indians Club: http://in.clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/greenindians We welcome article submissions on topics relevant to the theme of this newsletter. For information on article submissions, send mailto:articles@makingindiagreen.com «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°^«°»^«° GET $5.00 INSTANTLY! Download the DeltaBar NOW and start enjoying a new and rewarding way to surf the Net. Find what you need fast and get paid for doing it!! http://www.qksrv.net/click-657121-1203628 «°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«°»^«° «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Recommended resources «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Let It Rot: The Gardener's Guide to Composting by Stu Campbell A readable, quietly humorous introduction to composting, this covers reasons to compost; differing approaches; how decomposition works; various methods, ingredients, and containers; how to speed decomposition; and how to use the end result. An interesting treatment of a basic subject for general readers, this is recommended for all gardening collections needing material on compost heaps. This book is available at FirstandSecond.com: Earthworm: Vermi Culture and Vermi Composting By R.K. Bhatnagar & R.K. Palta Shows how the lowly earthworm makes an invaluable contribution to humanity by maintaining the fertility of the soil. A lucid guide to vermiculture and vermicomposting. Compost Making By Dominic Bara A very lucidly written manual on how to prepare good compost. The books above are available at the Other India Bookstore: Garbage By A. D. Bhide A practical guide to solid waste management which will be helpful to any citizens' group working on the issue. Solid Waste Management By Isa Baud and Hans Schenk (Eds.) The first serious account of solid waste management for the city of Bangalore. Concentrates on the role of local governments, NGOs, rag pickers and entrepreneurs. Also analyses the experience of other cities as well. The books above are available at the Other India Bookstore: «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» Thanks for reading this issue. For more resources and information on sustainable living, visit us online at: http://www.makingindiagreen.com