Archive for the ‘ Environment ’ Category

>Green Tips

>

Green your daily routine! Say no to plastic bags when you shop. Use cloth bags instead.
Conserve energy! Turn off the lights to brighten our environment.
Use rainwater for your indoor plants – they love it, and you’ll save water at the same time.
Choose public transport. It reduces your carbon emissions.
Don’t keep the water running while brushing your teeth. You will save as much as 11 litres (3 gallons) every time!
Green your office: print double-sided, turn off monitors, start an office recycling program.
Host a World Environment Day celebration. Clean up your neighbourhood, carpool with friends, have a vegan (no animal products) dinner party! And don’t forget to register your activity on the WED website!
Jog outside and save the energy you would have used on the treadmill!
Mobilise your friends to celebrate World Environment Day! Use Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, SMS, text, email – it doesn’t matter how, just get the word out!
Plant a tree this year! This is the International Year of Forests so why not celebrate by planting a tree with friends or family.
Courtesy :UNEP
2011
05/28
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CATEGORY
Environment
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LIST OF IMPORTANT MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANT UNDER CULTIVATION IN DIFFERENT STATES

Botanical name of species, with common name in bracket

1.Aconitum heterophyllum (Atis)

2.Acorus calamus (Vach)

3.Aegle marmelos (Bael)

4.Aloe vera (Ghrit kumari)

5.Andrographis paniculata (Kalmegh)

6.Aquilaria agallocha (Agar)

7.Artemisia annua (Maleria buti)

8.Asparagus racemosus (Satawar)

9.Azadirachta indica (Neem)

10.Bacopa monnieri (Brahami)

11.Cassia angustifolia (Sena)

12.Catharanthus roseus (Pariwinkle, Sadabahar)

13.Centella asiatica (Mandookparni)

14.Chlorophytum borivillianum (Safed musli)

15.Cinnamomum verum (Dalchini)

16.Coleus barbatus syn. Coleus forskohlii(Patharchur)

17.Commiphora wightii (Guggal)

18.Crocus sativus (Kesar)

19.Cymbopogon flexuosus (Lemon grass)

20.Cymbopogan martinii (Palmarosa)

21.Cymbopogon winternianus (Citronela)

22.Eucalyptus citriodora (Citriodora)

23.Emblica officinalis syn. Phyllanthus emblica(Amla)

24.Gloriosa superba (Kalihari)

25.Glycyrrhiza glabra (Mulethi)

26.Gmelina arborea (Gambhari)

27.Gymnema sylvestre (Gudmar)

28.Hedychium spicatum (Kapur kachri)

29.Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Gudhal)

30.Inula racemosa (Pushkarmool)

31.Litsea glutinosa (Litsea)

32.Mucuna prurita (Kawanch)

33.Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile)

34.Mentha arvensis (Mint)

35.Mentha spicata (Spearmint)

36.Nardostachys jatamansi (Jatamansi)

37.Ocimum sanctam (Tulsi)

38.Oroxylum indicum (Shyonaka, sona)

39.Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium)

40.Phyllanthus amarus (Bhumi amlaki)

41.Picrorrhiza kurrooa (Kutki)

42.Piper betel (Betelvine)

43.Piper longum (Pippali)

44.Plantago ovata (Isabgol)

45.Plumbago zeylenica (Chitrak)

46.Podophyllum hexandrum (Bankakari)

47.Pogostemon cablin (Patchouli)

48.Pterocarpus marsupium (Beejasar)

49.Rauvolfia serpentina (Sarpagandha)

50.Rosa damascena (Dasmask rose)

51.Santalum album (Chandan)

52.Saraca asoca (Ashok)

53.Saussurea costus (Kuth)

54.Smilex china (Lokhandi)

55.Solanum nigrum (Makoy)

56.Stevia rebaudiana (Stevia)

57.Swertia chirayita (Chirata)

58.Taxus baccata (Taxus)

59.Terminalia arjuna (Arjun)

60.Terminalia ballerica (Baheda)

61.Terminalia chebula (Haritaki)

62.Tinospora cordifolia (Giloe)

63.Valeriana jatamansi (Tagar)

64.Vetiveria zizanioides (Vetiver)

65.Vitex nigundo (Nirgundi)

66.Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha)

2010
11/21
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CATEGORY
Environment
medical
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Indiscriminate Disposal of CFLs Health Hazards

Fluorescent lamps, having mercury as a vital component for their functioning, can cause health related problems, if disposed of indiscriminately at the end of their life. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has notified standards for safety and performance related requirements of fluorescent lamps. As per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)’s estimates, there is an average of 30 mg of mercury in a fluorescent tube light (FTL) and 5 mg of mercury in a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), indicating that CFLs are less hazardous than FTLs.
 
             CPCB has issued technical guidelines for environmentally sound mercury management in fluorescent lamp sector, including CFLs. These  guidelines prescribe best practices at various levels, such as at manufacturer’s level, that include mercury consumption, process technology, raw mercury distillation, on-site storage, treatment, recycling and disposal of mercury bearing wastes, mercury spill management; and at consumer’s level which includes handling of used/broken lamps, consumer awareness pertaining to collection, transport, treatment and disposal of used fluorescent lamps.  
             This information was given by the  Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Shri Jairam Ramesh  in a written reply to a question by  Shrimati Priya Dutt  in Lok  Sabha
2010
08/09
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CATEGORY
Environment
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>Story of an Orchid Flowering (Dendrobium densiflorum)

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2009
06/04
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CATEGORY
Environment
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Story of an Orchid Flowering (Dendrobium densiflorum)
























2009
06/04
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CATEGORY
Environment
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World Environment Day- 2009

World Environment Day (WED) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.

Commemorated yearly on 5 June, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The day’s agenda is to:

  1. Give a human face to environmental issues;
  2. Empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development;
  3. Promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues;
  4. Advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.

The theme for WED 2009 is ‘Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change‘. It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests.

This year’s host is Mexico which reflects the growing role of the Latin American country in the fight against climate change, including its growing participation in the carbon markets.

Mexico is also a leading partner in UNEP’s Billion Tree Campaign. The country, with the support of its President and people, has spearheaded the pledging and planting of some 25 per cent of the trees under the campaign. Accounting for around 1.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country is demonstrating its commitment to climate change on several fronts.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon states that the WED celebration will “further underline Mexico’s determination to manage natural resources and deal with the most demanding challenge of the 21st century – climate change.”

2009
05/19
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CATEGORY
Environment
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>World Environment Day- 2009

>

World Environment Day (WED) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.

Commemorated yearly on 5 June, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The day’s agenda is to:

  1. Give a human face to environmental issues;
  2. Empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development;
  3. Promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues;
  4. Advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.

The theme for WED 2009 is ‘Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change‘. It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests.

This year’s host is Mexico which reflects the growing role of the Latin American country in the fight against climate change, including its growing participation in the carbon markets.

Mexico is also a leading partner in UNEP’s Billion Tree Campaign. The country, with the support of its President and people, has spearheaded the pledging and planting of some 25 per cent of the trees under the campaign. Accounting for around 1.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country is demonstrating its commitment to climate change on several fronts.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon states that the WED celebration will “further underline Mexico’s determination to manage natural resources and deal with the most demanding challenge of the 21st century – climate change.”

2009
05/19
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CATEGORY
Environment
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‘Go green’: New IT Mantra

On the occasion of the Earth Day that was served April 22, 2009 most of IT companies pledge to conserve the environment’s resources and save energy costs in the bargain. According to the study conducted by IDC in the Asia-Pacific region, 18 percent of the organisation consider the greenness of the IT suppliers before making a selection, and another 30 per cent are expected to do so in the near future.

Maharashtra-based Chitale Diary, for instance, consolidated its IT environment into three physical servers (from 10) in one data centre. These servers host 20 virtual servers running multiple applications and operating systems. With a virtualised environment, the firm reduced hardware acquisition costs by 50 per cent, server deployment time came down from three weeks to a few hours. And it brought in 50 per cent reduction in power, cooling, and real estate. IBM has committed over $1 billion to the Big Green Innovation initiative launched in 2007. The project focuses on intelligent energy (smart grids and alternative energy), carbon management, water management, and computational modelling. Intel, on its part, integrated ‘Design for Environment’ principles into its production.

The Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI), co-founded by Intel and being led in India by Nasscom, CII, TERI and WWF works globally with manufacturers and consumers to increase the energy efficiency of personal computers (PCs) and servers by 50 per cent with the help of power-management tools. Cisco has also launched Energy Wise, a technology that makes it possible for businesses to reduce carbon emissions, by managing energy consumption of devices on the network when they are not in use. While Wipro has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WWF to collaborate in several areas of sustainability like the application of IT solutions to ecological sustainability. IT companies are aiming to reduce CO2 emission by 54 million tonnes a year and cut energy costs by $5.5 billion by 2010.

Courtesy: e Gov

2009
04/25
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CATEGORY
Environment
technology
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>’Go green’: New IT Mantra

>

On the occasion of the Earth Day that was served April 22, 2009 most of IT companies pledge to conserve the environment’s resources and save energy costs in the bargain. According to the study conducted by IDC in the Asia-Pacific region, 18 percent of the organisation consider the greenness of the IT suppliers before making a selection, and another 30 per cent are expected to do so in the near future.

Maharashtra-based Chitale Diary, for instance, consolidated its IT environment into three physical servers (from 10) in one data centre. These servers host 20 virtual servers running multiple applications and operating systems. With a virtualised environment, the firm reduced hardware acquisition costs by 50 per cent, server deployment time came down from three weeks to a few hours. And it brought in 50 per cent reduction in power, cooling, and real estate. IBM has committed over $1 billion to the Big Green Innovation initiative launched in 2007. The project focuses on intelligent energy (smart grids and alternative energy), carbon management, water management, and computational modelling. Intel, on its part, integrated ‘Design for Environment’ principles into its production.

The Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI), co-founded by Intel and being led in India by Nasscom, CII, TERI and WWF works globally with manufacturers and consumers to increase the energy efficiency of personal computers (PCs) and servers by 50 per cent with the help of power-management tools. Cisco has also launched Energy Wise, a technology that makes it possible for businesses to reduce carbon emissions, by managing energy consumption of devices on the network when they are not in use. While Wipro has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WWF to collaborate in several areas of sustainability like the application of IT solutions to ecological sustainability. IT companies are aiming to reduce CO2 emission by 54 million tonnes a year and cut energy costs by $5.5 billion by 2010.

Courtesy: e Gov

2009
04/25
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CATEGORY
Environment
technology
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>सुबहे बनारस ( Sunrise at Varanasi)

>You all must have noted that I have not updated my Blog in previous week i.e from 12/4/2009 to 18/4/2009. During this week I was on vacation to attend my Brother-in-Laws marriage ceremony at Varanasi, my hometown. There I was able to witness one of the most beautiful moments of Varanasi i.e Sunrise after long time. Here are some of the photographs taken from my cellphone camera. Although picture quality might not be good but the moment was amazing.
But I was sad to see a Government motorboat polluting the ambiance in the early hour of morning. As an student of ecology I know that the current level of pollution in River Ganga is a holistic problem and it needs a holistic treatment . One or two retrogressive steps wipes out all the positive measures.



2009
04/21
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CATEGORY
Environment
General
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