Frustrated with Bangalore‘s rowdy rickshaws? Tired of clutch-braking your way to work and back? Or just want to reduce your carbon foot print? Try a carpool.
Why Carpool?
Considering the nasty state of Bangalore’s roads, with half the city dug up for the metro and the rest for flyover construction, daily driving can be a real pain. Maneuvering through high density traffic is akin to mental and physical trauma. Carpooling simplifies life. You don’t have to drive everyday or endure the daily stress associated with road rage and snail’s pace jams.
Carpools help reduce traffic jams. They reduce fuel consumption and thus the environment. Carpools also save your wallet from perpetual emptiness. Most importantly, you make a few new friends on the way. Continue reading →
Lets face facts, for too long we have been like kids with utter disregard for the pains mother Earth has been going through to provide us with all the comforts we lavish in. We humans behave like mindless brats who don’t give even care about our siblings who share this planet with us. While you read this, think about our callousness, our ignorance and insensitivity towards what is given freely to us by nature.
Channelize your thoughts towards groundwater a big issue in Bangalore for quite some time and the topic of this, our post today! Assuming none of us are Professors of Hydrology, most of us don’t know much about the subject. Let us do an honest layman’s analysis of the way we use groundwater. Starting from our own homes.
Where Does All The Water We Use Come From?
Image via Wikipedia
The tap of course, but who supplies our water?
The Municipality, the BWSSB (in Bangalore) or lets just say- the Government.
The Government in turn harnesses freshwater supplies from rivers, catchments like water tanks and lakes and of course, groundwater.
Fun Facts
In Bangalore, approximately 1 in every 5 buildings with a BWSSB water connection has a bore well.
As of Jan 2010, only around 1.5% of buildings with BWSSB water connection had rain water harvesting facilities. This data is only from BWSSB serviced regions (out of 750 square kilometers, BWWSB caters to only around 330 square kilometers). This roughly translates to approximately 320 bore wells per square kilometer! For more details about bore-wells, click here.Continue reading →
There’s a new wave sweeping the world and it breaks ashore on 10/10/10. 350.org is a global non-profit that deals with eco issues. They’ve selected the well-rounded 10/10/10 as a day for sending world leaders a very serious message about climate change.
Work Parties are being organized across the Americas, Africa and Asia will bring millions of people together to send out a clear-cut message to local leaders and businesses. There’s tonnes of activities being planned around India as well; from tree plantation drives and clean up sessions to zero garbage initiatives. The goal is to reduce individual carbon emissions by 10% every year.
Check out Bangalore’s action plan, see what’s happening around you and confirm your presence here. These guys are doing a pretty noteworthy job. Kudos!
Look around your home. How much e-crap do you see lying around the place? By e-crap, we refer to defunct cell phones, old computer components, broken televisions, headsets, miles of wires and other electronic appliances. Where do you think this will wind up?
They Are Sold As Scrap
One day, you’ll call the raddi-guy and he’ll cart your old goodies off. He’ll sell them by the kilo to an old man with a tempo who will carry off your old computer to a slum in a filthy part of town. And there begins the process of recycling your old machine. Continue reading →
At one point of time, we harvested rainwater, walked everywhere, made and mended our own clothes and we even grew our own food. We were self-sufficient to a large extent and were dependent on others only during dire times. With modernization and technological expertise we have adapted to changing scenarios.
Meet Nithila
Here’s a proactive Bangalorean who is actively trying to reduce her carbon footprint. Nithila Baskaran is a photographer, traveller, bird watcher, wild life conservation enthusiast and now she’s into Organic Roof top Gardening. We asked Nithila about her rooftop garden and how she came about growing her own veggies for her home.
Nithila Baskaran- Organic Terrace Garden
Nithila’s Take On Organic Gardening
● What motivated you to set up a roof top vegetable garden?
I like the idea of growing fresh, safe and pesticide free food. It is a good way of reducing our carbon footprint, most foods travel many hundred of kilometers from farm to plate. But most importantly, because I enjoy it and its a great sense of accomplishment when you put on the table the veggies you have grown. Continue reading →
Finally! WordPress has a new sharing feature that allows folks to share their favorite blog posts with multiple social networks.
The question is, why are we at The Initiative, so excited about this new development?
The answer is easy. This sharing feature rocks because it tells us what our readers enjoy about our blog! We’re keen to know what you like reading here so do take a few minutes to let us know which posts interested you and we’ll bring you more relevant information on those topics.
Eid and Ganesh Chaturthi may be over, but there are a few more Celebrations left in September. Here come the Green Days, and we’re not talking about the band. There are 21 Green Days annually, so we’ve jotted down September’s Special Days for you.
Coming Up
16th September is International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. Designated by United Nations, the day is better known as Ozone Day and is earmarked to spread awareness. Remember, Ozone Day is different from Ozone Action Day which comes every summer.
Close on the heels of Ozone Day is Clean Up The World Weekend from 17-19 September. Take up a project with some friends. Head out for a hike and pick up the litter along the trail on your way back home. Or gather some neighbours from Commonfloor.com and organize a recycling drive in your neighborhood.
21st September is Zero Emissions Day, so forget your vehicles for a day, fix that puncture on your rusted ole bicycle and take it for a spin.
22nd September is World Car Free Day, leave your car at home and head for the bus-stand.
We celebrate Valentine’s Day for Love, Festival Days for our Gods and National Holidays to stand by our Nation. We even celebrate Teachers’ Day, Children’s Day, Friendship Day, Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day to express affection for others. Doesn’t Planet Earth also merit a few days of our attention?
Talk about it. Blog about it. Tweet about it. Spread the word. Wear a funky t-shirt, grab a badge, buy a green device or get that composter for your home. Do something, do anything to create an eco-friendly India and spread the message of sustainable living.
Show your gratitude to Mother Earth this September.
Meet Katrina Fernandez, proprietor of the Hermitage Guesthouse, Ecologist, Conservationist and an over-all role model for all aspiring green beings. The Green Life Initiative sat her down for a virtual chat as the Lady is usually inaccessible and only found deep in the forests of Belgaum. Last week we got her to tell us about their eco-property, this week we interrogated her specially so students can discover greener fields to graze in.
Green Life: Firstly, what was it like growing up on an eco-property?
Katrina Fernandez, A True Green Being
Katrina: The Hermitage farms is a 45 acre area that is set amidst the lush forests of the Western Ghats. It’s what I think of as paradise on earth. I am an only child, and there were no other children around for miles together. My play mates were farm workers and my parents and my playing field – the wilderness. The first 6 years of my life I was a wild child and then my parents decided it was time for some education and packed me off to boarding school in Ooty. From then on it has been holiday visits. Each one a new experience. I remember going back to school with all these wonderful exotic stories, and I got some really strange looks from my friends. I don’t think they believed me, and now that I look back and analyze it I don’t blame them. It was such an alternative lifestyle and so alien to everyone else except maybe my Coorgie friends who lived on big coffee estates. Snakes, scorpions, centipedes, deer, bears, bison, these were all a part of my everyday existence since I was born. Today, I have managed to let it remain that way by and to protect it for all its worth by working in the field of conservation.
Green Life: Your resume is long, impressive and unusual. Tell us more about your subjects.
Katrina: My Bachelors degree Natural Environment & Wilderness Studies, is specialized one by itself. It looks at all aspects of ecology, the science (zoology, botany, climatology, geology), legislation and policy (laws and regulations) and teaches management options. I also did a course on Sustainable Tourism and Environmental Journalism. Continue reading →
30 years ago, David and Morvarid Fernandez left the city grind to begin a new life and raise a family in a remote forested part of Belgaum, Karnataka. Today, the Fernandez family’s 45 acres estate is home to a lush organic farm and an eco-lodge that is a stellar example of sustainability. A family establishment run by the Fernandezes and their daughter Katrina, The Hermitage is a unique experience. Here’s an inside scoop on living in the wilds.
Bangalore once known as the ‘City of Lakes’ and ‘Garden City’, was the most sorted out place to visit for its ‘cool’ climate and hill station appeal. Sadly that’s not the case anymore. Bangalore has changed at an alarming rate. Urbanization does its share of damage to city’s environment. Pollution is on the rise. The air is now smoggy, water and soil is contaminated with pollutants. Lakes and parks have disappeared and stadiums and residential complexes have come up in their place.
Ulsoor Lake
Days of Kempe Gowda
Bangalore had 280 lakes when the city was founded by Kempe Gowda, in the 16th century. The lakes and tanks were man-made for drinking water, irrigation and fishing. They influenced the micro-climate in the city and replenished groundwater in the surrounding areas since ages. Continue reading →
After a five-day long 9 to 5 shifts, attending meeting after meetings and giving pointless presentations, traveling to work day in and day out in heavy traffic, with all the honking and pollution one wouldn’t think twice about a quick get away. An escape to a tranquil place to spend the weekend and not worry about deadlines and submissions.
WEEKEND ESCAPADE
There are quite a few places in and around Bangalore, where folks can have a quick weekend escapade. Experience the tranquil atmosphere far far away from the city bustle. Many Bangaloreans opt for weekend treks, biking, mountain climbing, river rafting, bird watching, mid-night treks, wildlife safaris, snorkeling and the like. Folks here seem inclined to outdoor and adventure sports. To meet such needs there are numerous eco-lodges and resorts in and around Bangalore that cater to stressed out folks. Continue reading →
Sometimes it seems as if everybody leaves the house, goes for lunch and get off work at the same time. Everyone zooms about at top speeds as if their emergencies are primary. That’s cool, but before you head for your vehicle or hail down a rickshaw, think about carpooling, van pooling. Catch a friend or foe who is heading towards your destination to hitch a ride.
HITCH A RIDE
Try carpooling. By pooling resources, we use less energy and pollute less. Continue reading →
We don’t know about you, but most of us at Green Life are products of the 90s who don’t have the heart to throw away our now defunct mixed tape collections. Besides, they’d just fill up the landfill, never rotting, always waiting.
Ever since one of our Facebook friends put up a picture of this cute little mobile phone pouch – made from audio tape, we’ve been craving to turn our favorite tapes into pouches. So we invited Ms. Rupa Gandhi of Noida, winner of our Recycling Ideas Challenge on Facebook, to write us a guest post on how we can make these things ourselves.
Annual temperatures are soaring, Bangalore experienced one of the hottest summers this year. Bore wells across the city dried up. The outcome – water scarcity. That’s a well-known issue in the city. In most Indian cities.
Why Harvest The Monsoons?
Demand for water has shot up too, with the influx of people and builders/developers heading for Bangalore.
Ground water level has decreased radically, with over pumping.
Some areas get drinking water once a week and only for an hour or so. Continue reading →
Taking a walk down the street, for some fresh air and a glimpse of Mother Nature feels like a thing of the past in Bangalore City. Watch out for are open pot holes that look like muddy puddles (and vice versa) that can ruin your Puma shoes or your 100 rupees chappals from Commercial Street. Watch out for overflowing choked drains as well. However, the menace that takes the cake with its fragrance and beauty is the brimming dust bin.
GENESIS
It got there because of you and me. We started it, and we continue to nurture it. Then we complain about it.
Residential areas have their own blooming garbage zones. That’s the road we don’t take, cos it stinks! But guess what, you, me and our mothers started the stink spot. Developed countries have mammoth trucks with good garbage compressors to collect maximum amount of garbage for treatment and disposal.
Why Is Waste Management So Haphazard In India?
The garbage van takes a stroll around town, spilling stinky kitchen waste on its way and lets not forget the poor chaps who clear up the garbage on the road side. They have no gloves, safety boots or good equipment that can help them rake up the garbage, instead of using their bare hands. It’s a sorry sight. It can be changed.
REALITY CHECK
You should check out the dustbins that ‘hang out’ on Brigade road, on the pavement, railings and road.
Rubbishing Responsibility
Dirty and overflowing, who would dare to flip open the lid and throw in trash? Or even walk on that side. We also have lovely people who chuck in opened half-full cola bottles, which of course leak and add to the beauty. Well, since the dust bins on Brigade Road got so pretty, they were removed. Smart move. You can’t expect people to carry around their garbage, so when no one is looking it is tossed it in a dirty corner which eventually becomes a big garbage pile.
Great landmark seriously. (“Hey, Im standing next to the garbage dump near Pecos round the corner”) We need garbage bins at regular intervals on roads (EVERYWHERE!) so folks can find each other.
To be clean, a city has to face and solve many problems which otherwise leads to unsanitary conditions and poor health. Bangalore needs some strict regulations to get clean, green and healthy. The door to door collection of garbage is big improvement in reducing the amount of waste strewn around the city, but having said that, Bangalore has a long way to go. Maybe implement some global best practices.
If you have garbage related problems, irregular garbage collection, monkey and mosquito menace and other stinking problems call these numbers to lodge a complaint:
BBMP: 080 2200031/22221188
CONTROL ROOM: 080 22660000
BWSSP: 080 22945129
080 22945240
Until we see better days, we need to Swalpa Adjust. (Don’t stop walking though)
Go green.
Today’s weather calls for steaming mugs to swap stories over. Host a rainwater-harvesting awareness party for your neighbours to discuss how you can rescue some of the .
Though Bangalore is changing at a fast pace, it will always be a Garden City in the minds of Native Bangloreans. Despite being well aware of the fact that it isn’t so anymore. Today, the city is clamoring to be heard by policy makers and the Local Government.
Rajbhavan Road Being “Developed”
We have accepted ‘change’ because it’s an inevitable factor of a growing economy. Bangaloreans may have been a little slow to react while the city’s green cover was stripped, but of late we hear voices raised in dissent. Newspapers speak of angry residents up in arms around Lalbagh and other formerly green areas. People are standing up for Bangalore’s trees. You should too.
Bangalore’s Trees Are NOT Defenseless
Bangalore is changing by the day. The city has witnessed an unprecedented depletion of tree cover in the name of development, widening of roads and a not so well thought out infra structure planning. High-rises of concrete and glass spread out from the center to the out skirts of the city, eating up lakes, trees and shrub land in its wake. Despite oft-flouted policies meant to stop such unhindered urbanization. Builders are legally bound to get the Forest Departments permission before they cut down trees. For the Forest Department to give the go-ahead, developers are supposed to plant two saplings for every tree that is to be felled. Theoretically.
We need to stop being complacent and stand up for whats happening to our city. If you come across a potential case of unauthorized tree felling, make the effort to demand a letter from the guy in charge. He should have permission letters and certificates from the Deputy Conservator of Forests (Bangalore Urban Div). If not, you can stop the tree felling by contacting the forest department.
Stumped
Last Trees Standing
Reach them at –
~ Forest Department (Tree Officer): 2334 3464
~ Range Forest Office: 2334 3543
Read more about how to handle tree-abuse situations here, at the Environment Support Group’s website. If you need guidance you can also call the Environment Support Group (ESG) @ its helpline – Telephone 22441977. ESG has been doing some pioneering work across India since 1996.
Bangalore has evolved from a calm green small town to a not so green, not so calm and an ever growing metropolitan. Development and progress always means growth and betterment from the present state of affairs to a higher standard. In the process the city has faced a lot of environmental problems and issues of the environment are always a deep concern to it’s citizens. Continue reading →
Meet Prasad Bidapa, a legend among India’s fashionistas, trainer of many-a-gorgeous Ms. India, choreographer, idea guy, PR wiz and above all, a true-blue desi designer with a footprint in every chic corner of the world. Mr. Bidapa has kindly consented to spearhead The Green Life Initiative’s Trashion Movement. Here’s a sneak peek into the mind behind Funk The Junk.
Why do you support the Green Life initiative? Mr. Bidapa. Anything that inspires us to save the world makes me feel I
Prasad Bidapa's Green Life Ideas
must contribute towards reducing my carbon footprint, so Green Life definitely gets my support for the great work they do.
As an authority, can you tell us the honest state of India’s fashion industry in terms of resources and sustainability?
Mr. Bidapa. India is booming and the new generation of Indian designers have the potential to become International Brand names with the right support and backing. It is an extremely healthy industry but the Government needs to accord it full Industry status to encourage development, otherwise it will stay moribund. Continue reading →
We talk a lot about the Greening Philosophy, during our morning walks, over a cup of coffee, on chat, blogs, debates, movies and so on. But, do we actually realize what we are talking about and really do something about it? Some of us, yeah, maybe. But a large majority of us don’t seem to give a rat’s ass about it. Our concern and views end with that last sip of coffee and move on to talk about which rock band is coming to town next month or why Sonam and Prashanth broke up.
We need to wake up, and do our bit. We need to be smart enough to realize the damage we as individuals are causing and act quick, act now. Instead of taking the lift, walk. Walk from MG road to Commercials don’t take a rickshaw (you will be cutting out on a lot of carbon emission and also your temper/anger/energy arguing with the arrogant auto driver). Charge your cell phones for just half an hour a day, unplug all equipments when not in use, make use of natural light during the day instead of turning your tube lights on, hitch a ride with a friend to go to work or cycle, use public transport, and please please you’ll do a lot for my children and yours if you can avoid using less plastic and paper and stop littering. Grow a couple of plants in your house (they are really not high maintenance). Reuse every bit of paper you can. Don’t feel shy use and reuse paper, stick a note as a reminder on television sets, computers, printers stating ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’, it definitely should work. Recycle/reuse old items at home, take bus day seriously (4th of every month in Bangalore). A good friend explained to me that we can’t save energy, what we can do is reduce energy consumption.
Going Green, and environmentally friendly actions don’t have to be large to make an impact. Consistently reducing the amount of energy, water, plastic and paper can make a huge difference both to the environment and to our pockets.
So, now while having those conversations over beer or dinner you know it doesn’t have to stop there. Discuss with your friends and family how we can help, because every bit counts !!
Wake Up. Go Green.
Lets live life right, lets live the Greenlife.
A passionate plea by the newest member of our team, Sonia Martin. Let’s have a round of applause for this spirited young writer, anthropologist and green activist.
India may not have an organized waste management systems. Our streets, coasts and rivers may be clogged with non-degradable plastic and rubber based rubbish, but every home has an encouraging recycling tale to tell, courtesy the lady of the house. If your mother (or wife) has pack-rat tendencies, collects scrap or yells at you to turn of the lights and taps, she has an ulterior motive.
1.Minimize Plastic Waste
Reuse Coca Cola/Pepsi bottles as water bottles till. These bottles are also great to grow money plants, mint and other kitchen herbs if you hack the neck off.
2.Reutilize Glass
Reuse empty beer/wine bottles as lamps. Paint them, or fill them up with colourful pebbles and use them as tea table decors.
Ambient Lighting In An Old Bottle
3.Re-use Water
Reuse soap water from the washing machine after washing the clothes instead of draining it and wasting liters of detergent water. My mother fills them in buckets and uses it to wash the front porch, the gate and the stairs that lead to the terrace – Rupa Gandhi, Noida)
4. Organic Waste Is Precious
Collect organic waste, left overs and vegetable cuttings in a separate bin and use it as compost for your terrace garden or your kitchen garden.
5. Recycle Paper At Home
Make paper bags out of the daily newspaper to carry vegetables, bread and milk. Or recycle the paper to make paper mache items.
6.Harvest Rainwater Pipes from the window ledges and the roof that let out the rain water are collected in buckets and later used to water indoor plants, wash bikes and cars.
7.Re-use Old Bags
Rice sacks are used by some to store manure or they are folded and kept under potted plants so that the mud and water doesn’t ruin your nice balconies and porches – Yamini Murali, Chennai
8. Make The Most Of Your Threads Old clothes are reused as kitchen rags and door mats. Mother’s say ‘ a good absorbent and it ‘ slip like the real proper door mats (can’t argue with them). Old t-shirts can be sewn into pillow covers, it is a big hit with the children.
9.Redecorate With Non-degradable Plastic
Polythene bags are in abundance in every house hold. One of the best and creative way to put them to use is, take a cushion cover fill them up with old scrap cloth and (washed and dried) polythene bags. you have yourself snugly little cushions. We all know that these bags don’t degrade very easily so put them to the best use and increase their utility rate – Anagha Gole, presently Globetrotting
10.Metal Is Precious Tin cans, jars and other metal containers are re-used as pin cushions, pen and clothes pin holder or are reused to fill in spices.
It’s surprising how many waste or old household items can be changed and reused and become efficient all over again, instead of heading for the stinky Trash can. Left over crayons and wax are melted and reused to make new colourful candles. Shoe boxes are used to store stuff, old books, milk packets are carefully collected and given to the paper man for recycling.
The content for this post was inspired by our Facebook Challenge. These are real suggestions suggested by group members. We’d like to thank each and every contest participant for their invaluable contributions.
The Green Life “greening” philosophy is rooted in efficiency, convenience, educating & entertaining.
Show Your Support, Grab A Badge Here Badge
Badge_2
Bangalore’s Green Help Lines
~ Forest Department (Tree Officer): 2334 3464
~ Range Forest Office: 2334 3543
~ Tree Line (coordinated by the Environment Support Group): 2653 4364
~ BESCOM: All Executive Engineers, Asst Executive Engineers of respective areas: (Land lines and mobile nos. available on their web site www.bescom.org)
~ BESCOM Central Complaints: 1917, 2226 7118, 2226 7119
~ BESCOM Chief Engineer (B’lore Metro Area Zone): Mr V M Chandre Gowda: 98442-45888, 22263176
~ Karnataka State Pollution Control Board - 080-25581383,25589112,25586520
Descriptions
Dr. C
The Green Life Initiative
singlewindow
The Green Life Initiative Blog 