Posts Tagged ‘plants’

Ocean of Change

Sunday, March 15th, 2015

water on Earth

 

As mankind we have trouble comprehending what’s going on at land . The oceans have consequently been ignored . On a planet that is 71% water – of which 96% is oceans – ignoring the oceans is not an option anymore .

A recent article by the National Geographic profiles the loss of Oxygen from the oceans and it’s consequent impact on marine life . We would encourage everyone to read it to understand in detail the rapid changes that are taking place in the oceans .

In the last several years there has been a growing understanding of the impact of disposal of waste and pollutants into the oceans. Marine life and birds either undergoing mutation or painful , untimely death as a consequence of mankind’s chosen way of life. The risk to marine life does not end there . Marine life need oxygen which they imbibe from water . Natural changes compounded by climate change are resulting in a rapid increase of low oxygen areas . This is pushing marine life closer to the surface , putting certain species at risk . Imagine if we had a sprawling city – but ALL of it’s residents had to live only in 3 neighborhoods . Something like that is happening in the oceans .

The discussion on this can easily degenerate to allocating how much of this is due to climate change . In doing so we will be deluding ourselves .

Our everyday choices as individuals , households , businesses are shaping the Planet . An Ocean of Change is needed to ensure sustainabilty for mankind and other species .

As individuals and households we can make a vast range of choices that reduce disposable waste which choke the planet . As businesses we have even greater responsibility to make choices that go beyond the next quarter results and nurture the planet. Produce responsibly , sell responsibly , buy responsibly . Let’s take good care of the one Planet that is our only Home .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TV Off, Planet On!

Saturday, January 28th, 2012

Clean Planet supports HT’s – No TV Day initiative. It’s time to turn the box off and turn life on or like how we say it here – TV Off, Planet On! This could be a wonderful day to make the most of the outdoors, enjoy the weather and have a fantastic day out. Or you could choose to stay back home and do all the little things you love that make you happy. What would you rather do, other than watch tv today? Check out what folks have to say about what they’re about to do right here – www.notvday.in

Have a very happy No TV Day =)

 

Awesome 2012

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Decorate your wall board or desktop background with this earthy worthy calendar. Click on the link to the right to download a printable pdf or jpeg as per your screen size.

 

 
 

How will you make this Christmas and New Year eco friendly?

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

 

 

How will you make this Christmas and New Year eco friendly? Spread the joy of the season to the planet and be a good pal to it. You will be shopping for clothes, decorations, sweets, gifts and more right? Do carry reusable bags and go easy on those plastics. Gift giving just brings about special joy when there is an element of personal attached with it. Gift your loved ones a green gift this season.

 

We would love to have your cool suggestions on how to make this Christmas & New Year, very merry yet ecoJ. The 5 coolest suggestions will win a 25% discount gift voucher from us. With a Clean Planet tote you can save up to 300 plastic bags from clogging our beloved planet. So suggest to your heart’s content and stand a chance to get an exciting discount on our unbeatably eco stylish totes. Hurry, this contest is up and running till 31st Dec. The winners will be announced on Jan 2. Be an eco hero! You don’t need no cape to be one.

 

 

 

Meghalaya’s Living Bridges

Saturday, October 22nd, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apBO9pujP5E

In Meghalaya, India, “the wettest place on Earth”, summer monsoons cause floods and rapids that are nearly imposible to cross. Residents have responded by building “living bridges” out of the roots of fig trees. These still-living roots allow bridges that continue to grow and strengthen over the years. No one person can complete a bridge alone, so the practice is passed down from one generation to the next, with the construction of bridges spanning entire lifetimes.

This is sustainable architecture in practice, and a stunning testament to the power of collaboration.

This level of  wisdom , foresight , planning and collaboration is needed urban India which virtually languishes from lack of all four attributes on part of successive governments and citizen groups.

(via)

 

Join the buzz

Sunday, January 9th, 2011

Most of us possibly don’t have even a passing thought about bees . Much less ponder on the connection between human beings and bees. Yet , there is a connection . Bees don’t just make honey, they are a giant, humble workforce, pollinating 90% of the plants we grow.

Bees are vital to life on earth — every year pollinating plants and crops with an estimated $40bn value, over one third of the food supply in many countries. Without immediate action to save bees we could end up with serious disruption in food supply.

This is just the impact on human lives . There is a wider role that pollinating bees play in nature which possibly is not understood completely.

Recent years have seen a steep and disturbing global decline in bee populations — some bee species are now extinct and others are at just 4% of their previous numbers. Scientists have been scrambling for answers. Some studies claim the decline may be due to a combination of factors including disease, habitat loss and toxic chemicals. But new leading independent research has produced strong evidence blaming neonicotinoid pesticides. France, Italy, Slovenia and even Germany, where the main manufacturer Bayer is based, have banned one of these bee killers.

A world without bees is not necessarily a world that is completely devoid of life. Much of human existence is presently dependent on honey bees because they are currently the main pollinators. However, penguins and fish don’t need bees to sustain their diet. The human race is not likely to become extinct as a result of the bees becoming extinct. Instead, there would be massive deaths until the humans can evolve to eat foods that bees do not pollinate. Food production would decline as a result of the bees’ extinction but would never disappear entirely. Some type/quantity of crops can still be grown without the intervention of bees. The labor-intensive hand pollinating process would raise the price of food.

Life on Earth would survive without bees, but it would be a much different Earth. Most plants depend on insects like bees to pollinate them. Unless some other animal inserted themselves into that biological niche, most of our plants would disappear along with the bees. One source of photosynthesis that is independent of insects is in our water supply. Algae has a tremendous influence on the world’s oxygen production, so oxygen would not disappear. Because many trees and flowering plants depend on bees for their reproductive cycle, they would be highly stressed.

Avaaz is campaigning for a ban of neonicotinoid pesticides to stop the decline of bees . Pl click here to support the campaign.

Green Roofs in Copenhagen

Sunday, September 19th, 2010

Copenhagen is now the first Scandinavian city to put a mandatory green roof policy into action. The new policy requires vegetation and soil to be a mandatory part in architectural planning; in particular, it covers all roofs with a slope less than 30 degrees, plus the refurbishment of older roofs. By putting this new green roof policy into action, it pushes the great Danish city one step closer to reaching their carbon neutral goal by 2025.

Now, as far as the green roofs go, there is a list of specific requirements to consider. Buildings with green roofs must be able to meet at least 2 of the following requirements:

  • The roof must absorb 50-80% of the precipitation that falls on the roof.
  • The roof must provide a cooling and insulating effect of the building and reduce reflection.
  • The roof must help make the city greener, reducing the urban heat island effect, counteracting the increased temperatures in the city.
  • The roof must contribute to a visual and aesthetic architectural variation that has a positive effect on the quality of life.
  • The roof must double the roof life of the roofing membrane by protecting it against UV rays, etc.

Superb initiative by Copenhagen. The green consequences of this requirement are several..

- Architects will have to learn about green roofs to incorporate them in their plans. The knowledge base in green roofing will shoot up.

- Innovation in green roofing (in Copenhagen to begin with ) will increase

- It would inspire architects and city planners in other parts of the planet to look at green roofs and other innovative eco ideas.

Stylishly green restaurant

Friday, July 16th, 2010

“A kitchen surrounded  by fertile soil where vegetables and herbs thrive … Where daylight shines in from all sides and where the chefs are free to express their creativity daily using the best the season has to offer. It seems an obvious concept, but I spent twenty years surrounded by white tiles under fluorescent lighting before I came up with it.” – chef Gert Jan Hageman

Restaurant De Kas has its own greenhouse and garden near the restaurant, where they grow Mediterranean vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. They also have a large field about  10 kilometres from Amsterdam in the Purmer Polder, where they  grow seasonal vegetables.

In the world teeming with McDonalds , Pizza Hut and other industrial food serving outlets it’s wonderful to see a restaurant that is built around fresh food grown and harvested by the restaurant team.

De Kas is more an exception because of the sheer space needed for such an initiative . Yet , that are restaurants with the luxury of space who choose to adopt the beaten bath. Increasingly hotels are beginning to grow some herbs / vegetables in their gardens (hotels tend to have more space than a restaurant ).

What’s striking about De Kas is the combination of eco friendliness and style that makes it so distinctive.

The Sapling project

Friday, June 4th, 2010

Much needed initiative in Mumbai . Check out details at The Sapling Project .

Pl participate in the sapling plantation drive on 6 June at various locations in India.

Save 1095 litres of water

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

These days many cities and neighborhoods face water shortage . Even those that are lucky to get 24 hour water supply must be prudent with water consumption.

Water used to wash vegetables , rice , dal etc can be stored in a bucket / watering can. This water can be used to tend to home gardens. This change on an average will reduce the otherwise fresh water needed to water plants by 3-4 liters daily . Multiply this over millions of households. That’s millions of liters of water that would otherwise be poured down the drain.

A single household with a home garden that consistently uses kitchen water for the home garden will save a minimum of 1095 liters per year.

If you don’t have a home garden pl make a start . It’s possible to nurture plants in a small balcony / window sill . Use wall space . The joy of seeing plants grow and blossom is indescribable.  In a world where most things are marketed as ‘instant’ – from noodles to weight loss – gardening connects us with the rhythm of life that can’t be hurried. We may think we nurture the plants. The plants nurture us with their presence.