10/10/10

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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.

So find your local chapter and get involved with your neighborhood’s initiatives.

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!

Spread the word to help the world go green.

Meet Our Friendly Neigbourhood Ecologist

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.

An Eco-lodge | The Hermitage Guest-house

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.

http://www.thehermitageguesthouse.com/whoweare.htm

Green Life: What came first, The Hermitage or The Farm?

Katrina: The farm came first (1980) and the The Hermitage Guesthouse came in 2004.

Green Life: Whose idea was it to make the move from City to Jungle? And what inspired such a drastic shift?

Eco Getaways

Get away from the Hustle and Bustle

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.

Save Your Planet | Dive Into A Local Car Pool

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.

3 Reasons To Harvest The Monsoons

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?

1. Demand for water has shot up too, with the influx of people and builders/developers heading for Bangalore.
2. Ground water level has decreased radically, with over pumping.
3. Some areas get drinking water once a week and only for an hour or so.

Dial For Waste Disposal | Check out our

Dial For Waste Disposal | Check out our post on waste management | Leave a word for us http://ht.ly/2fwtW

Brimful Of Garbage

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.

Bangalore’s Blistering Barnacles

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.

Change

Realization is the first step towards Change.

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.