E-Weekly-6/17
Green Earth Movement
An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice
Remember - “you and I can decide the future”
NO to the ‘Development’ that enriches a few and
impoverishes most. . .
By Stan Swamy (CNUA)
Everybody is speaking of growth and development these days. The Lok Sabha election was won
by the ruling party on ‘sab ka vikas’slogan. The more recent State election in Jharkhand was
again fought on ‘development of Adivasis’. The electronic and print media have become the
messengers of this ‘development’ magic. The proof of this is the rising Sensex & Nifty, several
MoUs being signed by the Indian govt and national & international corporate houses, the
promise of unbelievable amount of investments that are going to pour into the country, the
promise that the growth rate will be up to 6-7% shortly etc.
But the contrary is the reality of the poorest of the poor. As the country is supposedly developing
by leaps and bounds, the poverty of the Adivasi and the Dalit people is deepening by the day.
Their land, which is the only source of their sustenance, is being forcibly snatched from them for
a pittance. The rich minerals in their land are very much wanted but the Adivasi people are not
wanted any more. In fact, one can say that all the show-pieces of development such as mines,
factories, dams, highways are built with the blood of the Adivasi people.
A study by the Centre for Environment and Food Security (CEFS) on "Hunger in Adivasi Areas
of Rajasthan and Jharkhand" in 2005 [http://www.cefs-india.org/pressrelease.html] brings to
light the following disturbing facts in Jharkhand State: Adivasi population has dropped from
around 60% in 1911 to 27.67% in 1991.
Mostly dependent on agriculture: 76.8 per cent are agriculturists, 17.6 per cent daily
wagers, 1.8 per cent MFP gatherers, 0.4 per cent handicapped & aged and 3.4 per cent belonged
to other occupations.
Housing: Only 0.4 per cent had pucca house, 3.2 per cent semi-pucca, 89.8 per cent had mudhouses and 6.6 per cent were living under thatched roofs
Literacy: 61.2 per cent were illiterate, 3.8 per cent barely-literate, 8.6 per cent had received
primary schooling, 13.2 per cent had middle schooling, 10.2 per cent had received education up
to high school and 3 per cent of Jharkhand respondents had received college education.
Migration: 26.2 per cent of surveyed households said that at least one member from each
family had migrated to some town or city in search of livelihood.
Chronic hunger: A staggering and shocking figure of over 99 per cent of people were facing
chronic hunger. Out of the total 1000 households asked as to whether they had eaten two square
meals on the previous day of the survey, only four respondents (0.4 per cent) said that they had
eaten two square meals on the previous day.
Displacement: After Independence, over 10 million Adivasis have been displaced in the
country to make way for development projects such as dams, mining, industries, roads,
protected areas etc. Though most of the dams are located in Adivasi areas, only 19.9 per cent
(1980-81) of Adivasi land holdings are irrigated as compared to 45.9 per cent of all holdings of
the general population
Adivasis and Forests: Adivasi people in India have been an integral part of the forests. But
little is being discussed at the international level about protecting the indigenous peoples of the
forests. Coupled with this is the systematic approach of the state in India which presumes that
control over forests and wildlife can be best attained by getting the adivasis out of the forests.
The state supported vested interests feel that adivasis are an impediment to the free operations
of the forest and mining mafia…
Loss of traditional livelihood systems: The core of this problem lies in the structural
changes in Adivasi economy in the last five decades that have depleted and destroyed the
traditional livelihoods and food system of these communities.
Disastrous impact of industrialization: Immediately after independence the Nehruvian
development paradigm embarked on building “temples of modern India”. The social and
ecological costs of this development were largely borne by country’s Adivasi communities in
terms of physical displacement, destruction of sustenance base and gradual alienation from
natural resources. It is these starving, hungry and poor Adivasis who were made to pay the
“price of progress”.
Poverty and Unemployment: According to government estimates, around 23.22 lakh
families in the rural areas of Jharkhand live below the poverty line, out of which 3.91 lakhs
belong to SCs and 8.79 lakhs to STs. It is estimated that almost 61.57 per cent of the families
living in the rural areas are below poverty line.
Poor Status of Health and Nutrition: The nutritional status of people in general and
women and children in particular is very low in Jharkhand. According to National Family Health
Survey (NFHS-II), during 1998-99, amongst the under-3 age group children, 54.3 per cent were
under-weight, 49 per cent were stunted and 25per cent were wasted.
Infant & Child Mortality: The incidence of anemia amongst adolescent girls was 72.5 per
cent, amongst pregnant women was 63.9 per cent and among the lactating women it was almost
76 per cent.
Alienation of Adivasi land: Jharkhand’s agriculture is almost completely dependent on the
monsoon; only 8 per cent of cultivable land is irrigated. Agricultural and forest lands are the sole
sources of sustenance for the Adivasis.
Forced to migrate: Apart from the forced, involuntary displacements caused by large projects,
several lakhs of Jharkhandis have migrated to the tea plantations in Darjeeling and Assam.
Several thousands, especially young women, are migrating to large cities and towns. A recent
report says that about two lakh Adivasi young women from Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal
are presently working as house-maids in middle-class homes. Employment opportunities in
Jharkhand are nil. During the last five decades, it is estimated that as many as 40 to 45 lakh
non-Tribals from neighbouring states have migrated into Jharkhand and have taken over the
whole economy and greater part of job opportunities.
Undo the injustice done to indigenous people: The governments are under obligation to
acknowledge and implement their constitutional, legal and judicial rights and safeguards.
Foremost among them are (1) the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, (2) the CNT/SPT Acts, (3)
SC and the ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, (4) PESA Act 1996, (5) Forests Rights Act
2006, (6) Samata judgment 1997 of the Supreme Court, (7) ‘Owner of the land is also the owner
of the sub-soil minerals 2013’ judgment of SC.
Our ultimate aim has to be to work towards a cosmic harmony to which justice and peace are
closely interrelated. If you want to cultivate peace, protect cosmos. NO to the ‘Development’ that
enriches a few and impoverishes most! YES to ‘Justice’ that preserves natural resources and
shares them equitably!
From,
Dr Leo Rebello
prof.leorebello@gmail.com
FESTIVALS ARE CULTURAL EVENTS WHICH SHOULD BUILD A BOND AMONG PEOPLE.
THEREFORE, AVOID NOISE, TAMASHA AND OSTENTATION
Says Dr. Leo Rebello, #AsliMumbaikar
"Noise Police did a commendable job on Dahi Handi day" reports The Times of India (6
Sep). Mumbai Police must now focus on #Ganpati Festival, the single most nuisance festival
due to noise and grabbing public spaces including roads.
Many still remember my PIL (WP no.2480 of 1990) against Ganpati Pandals in Kandivali East
(which was admitted by Justice Tipnis for expedited hearing). Later, it was delayed by 14 years.
Finally, Chief Justice CK Thakkar of the Bombay High Court (who is now in the Supreme Court)
and Justice SA Bobde, had passed a favourable order on January 30, 2004, which, if it was
implemented by the Mumbai Police, Ganpati Pandals and the noise and the commercialisation
of religion would not have mushroomed so much.
#Freedom Fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak had started Ganpati festival to unite and educate people
to drive away Britishers. Today, that festival has become the worst pollution factor. Lord Ganpati
is the God of Wisdom - earliest recorded case of Head transplant that shows how advanced was
India. Therefore, there should be restrictions on the height of Ganpati idols (52 feet high Ganpati
is unwieldy), Noise pollution, generation of #Blackmoney, Law and Order, police burdened by
the bandobast rather than attending to real complaints, etc.
Justices VM Kanade and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi of the Bombay High Court hearing Festival
Nuisance case (#ISCKON's Rath Yatra et al) and who have already commented that Public
Spaces should NOT be used for Religious extravaganza (as reported in the#media), should note
that after #Ganpati, comes #Dussera, #Durga Festival, #Diwali - one hell of celebrations leading
to degeneration of society, rather than progress. Diwali, the festival of light, has now become the
festival of noise; and that which we used to enjoy, now we dread. This also applies to Call on the
banned conical loudspeakers, mounted on every Masjid, before 6 AM violating SCI guidelines,
use of Roads for Namaz, Islamic Julus (more as an act of show than piety), etc.
Festivals are cultural events which should build amity among people and not divide us. But when
excesses become unbearable for tolerance, it is time to say Enough is Enough of Religious Zingoism.
Infant Jesus church and school, Jogeshwari-East, Mumbai
Launched
ZERO PLASTIC PROJECT
On 8th Sep. 2015, on the occasion of Birthday of Mother Mary
Say NO to plastic bags
Say YES to cloth bags
How ZERO PLASTIC PROJECT works?
Parishioners, school students and parents are urged to say no to plastic bags. As a practical step in this
direction, they are asked to bring plastic bottles, bags, toys etc (which otherwise would have gone to the
dumping ground) to the church and drop them in the ZERO PLASTIC DRUM kept near the entrance of
the church. To encourage the use of cloth/jute bags, they are made available in the church premises at
reasonable price.
This is a small initiative of Infant Jesus church and school launched on the occasion of Mother Mary
birthday, 8th September.
The other eco-friendly initiatives of Infant Jesus school which are already started are:
 Classroom Zero Garbage project. This project was started a year ago and progressing well.
 Zero garbage project contest for housing societies.
The future eco-friendly initiatives of Infant Jesus church and school are:
 Say no to crackers campaign during Diwali
 Save water campaign.
These projects are concrete follow-up of theme taken during the Mother Mary novenas ‘ Care for
Creation’.
Fr Felix Rebello
Life, 50 Years ago
mother made food and first fed the kids, elders and the servants
Then she sat with father and they ate together with great
satisfaction. Dogs, Cats, Squirrels, Crows, Parrots, Sparrows,
Goats and Cows all came for food. No stale food was left at the
end of the day. Washing machine, microwave, Refrigerator was
unheard of Aquaguard was not there, Pot water tasted so pure. We
carried water to school in glass bottles and not plastic bottles. 50
years ago we slept on the floor, on the terrace, under the starry sky
with no fans or dengue mosquitoes. The doors were never locked.
We had less money, but no worries, no fears or jeers. We fought,
but said sorry before going to bed. Houses were made mostly of
clay. Policemen were friends. Area postman knew everyone.
Doctor came, sat, talked, told us stories. And did not spread his
hand for fee. For he was called the Family Doctor. Today we have
everything, but frankly nothing. For relations are hollow, Houses
are empty, children are left with nannies. Husband sleeps when
wife works and vice versa. Family life is lost. No one trusts
anyone, anymore.
by Dr. Leo Rebello
courtesy: Secular Citizen
Church steps up to adopt Vikhroli stn
Bella Jaisinghani | Sep 3, 2015, TOI
MUMBAI: Over the past few weeks, the priests at St Joseph Church in Vikhroli have been living the
maxim that every drop of water contributes to make the mighty ocean. They have distributed reusable
bags to all families to persuade them to avoid plastic. They have replaced all conventional lights in the
church with LED bulbs and installed rainwater harvesting systems in the church and school buildings. As
a result, they no longer utilize BMC water for the garden and toilets.
Taking a big leap forward, the parishioners, along with the members of the Bombay Catholic Sabha, plan
to adopt Vikhroli railway station and work towards cleanliness and beautification of the premises. "We
are awaiting permission from the BMC and railway authorities," says parish priest Fr Rocky Banz. "Ours
is the church closest to the station, and our youth members studying in Class XI and XII are enthused by
the plan."
This will be the first time a church, or any religious institution, has adopted a railway station in Mumbai.
The priests have taken a cue from Pope Francis' recent encyclical on climate change which urged the flock
to protect the earth, its "common home".
St Joseph's has around 8,000 parishioners, mostly young working couples, who participate wholeheartedly
in all spiritual programmes and church associations. Interestingly, the church is also correlating the nine
days of the ongoing novena to nine themes on the environment. The feast marking the nativity of Mother
Mary will be held on September 8. "Every day since August 30, preachers have been using the homilies to
create awareness. We have discussed the pollution of land and water resources, its impact on human life
and what we can do to stem the decline," Fr Rocky says. Children of St Joseph's School joined in
enthusiastically to display a large banner in support of the cause.
Save Aarey group seeks infra to make city’s green
lung a cycle-friendly zone
Virat A Singh @singhvirat246
The Save Aarey Community has submitted a proposal to authourities for making Aarey Colony
into a cycle-friendly zone by creating necessary infrastructure. This, they say, will not only serve
cycling enthusiasts for recreation activities but also attract a major chunk of office goers working
either in Powai, Goregaon or even SEEPZ by facilitating cycling to work. Manish Gadia, a
cycling enthusiast who has ideated this project, said that they are not demanding laying of a
dedicated cycle track but instead proposing using the existing roads by upgrading them slightly
to make cycling comfortable and safe for riders.
“Approximately, 25,000 vehicles use the eight kilometre Goregaon to Powai Aarey-Mulund
Road, which passes through Aarey Colony. Many are people working either in Powai or in the
Goregaon-Malad belt. Our proposal entails capturing these segments and giving them an option
to use cycles at least to commute just on the Aarey stretch,” said Gadia. He added that under
this project they have also proposed a manned and protected cycle stand or a rent-cycle
scheme on both Goregaon and Powai-end as also one at the Marol end of the Aarey road.
According to the proposal, the internal roads with low traffic density have been chosen as the
cycling route. “The proposed route starts from the first right turn one takes after entering Aarey
Colony from the Western Express Highway side that leads to New Zealand hostel and thereafter
winds up on the main Aarey road near the lane to VIP bungalow, which will help the cyclists
complete around 75 per cent of the journey without having to ride on the main road,” shared
Gadia. Save Aarey Community has already met Gajanan Raut, chief executive officer of Aarey
Dairy Development Board and submitted the proposal. They also explained to him how they can
outsource the cycle rental, which can be made part of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
They now plan to meet senior BMC officials.
Eugene Das, founder of ‘We Will Help Charitable Foundation’, which has been working in Aarey
with the locals and is part of the Save Aarey Community, said that the cycling initiative could
also help create an employment opportunity for the locals. “Apart from those who would be
cycling to work, a substantial number of people would want to cycle for recreation or fitness
reasons on a daily basis or on weekends. They can be provided cycles on rent and this can help
the locals earn a livelihood, which in turn will ensure that this project will be a long-term one,” he
said.
Satellite images show destruction of Ghats continues
unabated
Anahita Mukherji,TNN | Sep 4, 2015
MUMBAI: A 2009 Google Earth image of Gharap, a nearly 2km stretch along the eco-sensitive
Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife corridor in the Western Ghats, shows a vast expanse of green.
But time series satellite images of the area over the last few years, up until 2015, show gross
levels of deforestation. Much of the green cover in the region can be seen to have turned brown.
Environmentalist D Stalin of the NGO Vanashakti, who has long championed the protection of
the Western Ghats, has petitioned the authorities over the deforestation matter, using Google
Earth images. Deforestation in the region is in direct violation of a 2012 Bombay high court
order, which prohibited the felling of trees in the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg corridor.
"This region admittedly is a crucial wildlife corridor, used by big cats like the tiger and also by
other Schedule 1 animals listed under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act. Some of these animals
are moving from Anshi Dandeli to Radhanagiri. Some are residents of these forests.
Deforestation will only increase man-wildlife conflict and spell doom for water security in the
region," wrote Stalin in a letter to the deputy conservator of forests, Sawantwadi, the chief
conservator of forests, Kolhapur, and Maharashtra's forest secretary, apprising them of the
situation.
While he had earlier written to them about massive deforestation in Udeli village in the region,
his recent letter says, "We find that an even worse situation is unfolding at Gharap village in the
same region." "We received information from villagers that investors from Kerala are trying to
replace the forest with rubber plantations. They have fenced in the region with barbed wire and
placed ferocious dogs on their 'properties' so that they are hard to access. Despite orders from
the judiciary, the government machinery has, time and again, failed to protect the region," Stalin
told TOI. He said that a number of rivers originate in the region. "Clearing the forests will affect
water security in the area."
Sindhudurg collector Anil Bhandari told TOI that he was not aware of the issue, but would find
out about it and take strict action.
MK Rao, chief conservator of forests, Kolhapur, said that of the 50% tree cover in Sawantwadi,
only 10% falls under the forest department. "We are monitoring the forest with 50 people," he
said, pointing to the need for further involvement of all authorities in preventing deforestation.
"We have brought this to the notice of the collector of Sindhudurg."
PARCHED STATE - No time to study or play, kids
here have to fetch water all day
Priyanka Kakodkar
BeedLatur: Fifteen-yearold Rahul Karpe is up at 5am.The next two-hour stretch is the only undisturbed
period he will get to study for his 10th board exams. That's because Rahul spends at least six hours daily
fetching water for his home in Kaij taluka's Sonijawala village. All 30 wells here have run dry . Rahul is
part of the growing army of kids joining the desperate search for water in Marathwada. The region has a
52% rainfall deficit this year, the highest in the country . There is only only 7.6 % water left in
Marathwada's dams. In fact, 5 of its 11 major dams have hit dead storage level. “This is unprecedented
and among the worst rain deficits in the region,“ says Marathwada divisional commissioner Umakant
Dangat. As the water crisis snowballs into political emb arrassment, chief minister Devendra Fadhavis is
in Ma rathwada on a 3-day visit.
For youngsters like Rahul, the pursuit of water has meant a lost childhood. By 7am, he queues up at the
soli tary borewell in the village to fill two massive 15-litre pots and lug them home, a kilo metre away .
He gets a break two hours later when the elec tricity stops but repeats the same task in the afternoon and
late at night. By the end of the day , he has hauled 10 pots of water home, walking a gruelling 10 km. In
between, he squeezes in school from 10am to 4pm but has no energy left to study in the evening. “I am
worried I will fail in maths at this rate,“ says the anxious teenager.
Last year, when the region faced a severe drought, he hel ped fetch water during the su mmer vacations.
Now the wa ter-trek is his daily routine. Rahul's friend Shubham Bobade (13) made a debut at the
borewell this year. “I don't have time to play anymore,“ says Shubham wistfully. Across Marathwada,
people are relying on tankers and bottled water. As many as 1,291 water tankers are being supplied this
year, up from 718 tankers at this time last year.
In Latur's Raju Nagar slum, residents can only bathe twice a week.“Sometimes I don't send my kids to
school because their clothes are smelling,“ says housewife Karuna Kshirsagar. Three of Marathwada's
eight districts are showing “drought-like conditions“ says state agriculture minister Eknath Khadse.
“Beed, Latur and Osmanabad are worst affected,“ says Khadse. The Centre and state have jointly
allocated Rs 920 crore to tackle the fodder and water shortage. The state is hoping for more showers in
September.
Critics blame excessive sugarcane cultivation in this historically arid region for escalating the water stress.
Marathwada has as many as 70 sugar factories, even though cane is a water-guzzling crop unsuited to this
region. “The government should ban sugarcane cultivation totally,“ says water expert P radeep Purandare,
from the Marathwada Statutory Development Board. Ground water levels have dropped in 66 of the
region's 76 talukas, in the last 5 years. In Latur's Harangul Khurde village, the future of another student
grows bleaker. Ranjana Dixit, who has a daughter in Std IX, is spending Rs 100 a day on bottled drinking
water. “This term we could not buy books and pencils. It was either those or water,“ she says.
NO RUBBISH: SOP STORY IN AMBERNATH’S
TRASH PLAN
By Divyesh Singh, Mumbai Mirror | Sep 4, 2015, 12.36 AM IST
DIY to reduce garbage generation and get rebate in property tax, AMC tells its residents.
In a bid to end the blame game over garbage disposal, the Ambernath Municipal Council's
(AMC) is aiming to be the first civic body in the state to introduce a waste management plan run
by citizens, which will be rewarded with property tax concessions.
The proposal was mooted a few weeks ago by Congress corporator Pradeep Patil. It was
approved by the council on Thursday. AMC Health department chief, Suresh Patil told Mirror:
"The proposal was passed by the house in a meeting of all corporators. The solid waste
management project by citizens will be part of a larger solid waste management initiative. It
should come into effect within two months and those housing societies roped in for the project
will be given a bucket for preparing vermicompost. Initially, pick up vans of municipal council
will help housing societies in the project".
Ambernath's 4.5-lakh population is set to go up by a lakh by 2016, with multiple construction
projects in progress and in the pipeline. This, corporator Patil says, will increase the civic body's
struggle to dispose of garbage in a timely manner. Patil has proposed that solid waste
management be handed over to citizens who will collect, segregate and then dispose of it in the
dumping ground, or use it for compost.
"The proposal was approved by a majority of corporators. We don't have a CEO at the moment.
We are waiting for one to take charge, after which orders would be issued to implement it," said
AMC president Pradnya Bansode. The civic body's CEO, Bhalchandra Gosavi, is behind bars for
alleged graft in a Transfer of Development Rights case. Thane district collector Ashwini Joshi
has assumed additional charge till a new appointment is made.
Bansode added that tenders will also be floated for compost collection. "The societies can also
prepare compost from the waste, which will be bought by the civic body. This should further
motivate housing societies. The compost will be used in AMC gardens, greenery at traffic islands
and roadside plantations," Bansode said. She said the new garbage collection and disposal
project will be proposed only for new housing societies, and older ones can join in as well.
"Peoples' involvement in this activity will go a long way in making the city a cleaner and
beautiful place," Bansode added.
As per the proposal, housing societies will have to rope in private vehicles to take the collected
waste to the dumping ground. The door-to-door waste collection would be done either by their
representatives or by appointed private parties. The segregation of dry and wet waste will also
have to be done by the housing societies before dumping. A marking system will be put in place
to conduct checks on housing societies participating in the programme, for which surprise
checks will be conducted by AMC health department officials.
Based on the marks, an annual grade will be awarded to societies, based on which flat owners
will avail of the property tax benefits.
"The AMC has a budget of around Rs 300 crore, of which a very small amount is used for solid
waste management. If this initiative comes into effect and is carried out as proposed, it will
really help maintain the city's hygiene. People think of keeping their house clean; now they will
also think of keeping their surroundings clean," said Satyajeet Burman of the Ambernath
Citizens Forum.
Best use of space: here’s how you can give your
terrace a green makeover
Aishwarya Iyer, Hindustan Times, Mumbai
Many of us would love to grow fruits and vegetables in our gardens, but do not act upon this,
given the space constraints in our flats. However, Nabar brothers from Dadar have not let this
come in their way of their hobby.
Five years ago, Shashank, 54, and Parag, 47, the directors of Multiprint Advertising in Byculla,
started gardening on their office terrace, which has become a lush garden where flowers, fruits
and vegetables are grown. From tomatoes, beans, watermelons and chikkoos, everything is
grown in the terrace garden. “We had a garden at our home in Kolhapur and so we are naturally
inclined towards gardening,” said Shashank
“And thanks to former mayor Shubha Raul’s encouragement, I participated in several workshops
conducted by the civic body and Marathi Vigyan Parishad, where I learnt composting. We use
natural compost in the garden,” he said. After learning the technique, the first thing he invested
in was a plastic barrel, which became a compost pit. Also, he carries two tiffin boxes to work
every day — one with his lunch, the other with vegetable and fruits peels and seeds.
“The peels go into the compost pit, while the seeds are sown,” said Shashank. Parag said the
idea behind buying an office space with a terrace was gardening. “When we were looking for a
flat to set out our office, we were clear that we wanted to use the terrace as a garden. This place
is perfect,” he said.
The fruits and vegetables grown in the garden are used in office and also distributed among the
employees. For instance, lemon grass is used to make tea at work, while the lemons are
distributed to the employees. The Nabars’ efforts have encouraged and inspired their employees
to grow their own plants. Santosh Gopale, 30, a visualiser and graphic designer, grows flowers
and fruits in the balcony of his Dombivli flat.
“Owing to space constraints, I cannot plant trees or plants that grow tall. I started doing this to
keep the air inside my house clean. When you enter my home you can smell the flowers and
breathe in fresh air,” he said.
France: New rooftops must be covered in plants or solar
panels
BY KAREN GRAHAM
MAR 20, 2015 IN ENVIRONMENT
Paris - A new law passed by the French Parliament on Thursday decrees that rooftops on new
buildings constructed in commercial zones must be partially covered in plants or solar panels.
The law approved by the Socialist government was a scaled-back version of a law proposed by
environmental groups asking for green roofs to cover the entire rooftop surfaces on all new
buildings constructed in France. The compromise law gives businesses the option of installing
solar panels instead or partially cover the rooftops with living foliage. There are many
advantages to having grasses, shrubs and flowers, or other flora covering a structure's rooftop.
The most obvious is the insulating effect, reducing the need to heat or cool the building,
depending on the season, Green roofs also help to retain water, reducing runoff and other
drainage issues.
Green rooftops help in favoring biodiversity, giving birds, bees and other urban wildlife access to
an environment that is sometimes missing in the urban jungle today. And green rooftops will aid
in reducing pollution, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.
Green rooftops can reduce the urban heat island effect
We all know how hot a city can be in the summer. This is called the urban "heat island" effect.
This effect comes about when buildings, roads, and other developments replace open land and
vegetation, causing surfaces to become moist and impermeable. This in turn, causes the surfaces
to heat up higher than the surrounding atmosphere. According to the EPA, the heat island effect
can cause temperatures to become 1.8°F to 5.4°F warmer than surrounding areas in the day, and
22°F warmer at night,
France feels their green roof law is trailblazing and will change the urban landscape in cities all
across the country, inspiring other countries to follow in their footsteps. And with the upcoming
United Nations’ climate summit coming to Paris at the end of the year, this is in effect, all the
more reason to show the world the environmental benefits of going green.
The government is also encouraging the implementation of solar panels on rooftops because
France has lagged behind other European nations, like Germany, Spain, and Italy, in solar power
development. France still relies heavily on nuclear power to generate electricity, with nuclear
generation making up 83 percent of its energy generation in 2012. In 2014, France had a little
over five gigawatts of photovoltaic capacity, amounting to around one percent of total energy
consumption. Germany, on the other hand, has 40 GW installed.
The green roof concept is not new
Green roofs have been around for centuries. Early examples are the turfed roofs of the Vikings.
Modern green roofs, as we know them today were developed in Germany about 50 years ago.
Generally, while green roofs are catching on around the world, there are still skeptics who
believe they are too expensive and prone to leakiness.
The exception is Germany, where the green roof industry is worth over $77 million annually. But
in Germany, the industry has the backing of the government, unlike other countries. Another
exception is the City of Toronto, in Canada. In December 2008, the city adopted the Toronto
Green Standard (TGS), formerly know as the Toronto Green Development Standard. Essentially,
this standard is all about designing buildings and landscapes that are environmentally friendly.
Section 108 of the City of Toronto Act gives City Council the authority to pass a by-law requiring
and governing the construction of green roofs, as an “exception” to the Building Code Act, 1992.
The new TGS is still a work in progress, simply because there are no rigid sets of rules or
requirements governing the construction of green roofs. So its a matter of trying and finding the
best of many methods. Toronto is the only city in North America to have this by-law.
Will faith lead to action on climate change?
Asian Catholics debate how to implement pope's encyclical on environment
A Manila family leaves their home, which sits atop a sea of garbage, on June 5. (Photo by Jay
Directo/AFP)
ucanews.com reporters, Asia, September 1, 2015
Churches around Asia are using Sept. 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, as an
opportunity to reflect on Pope Francis’ plea for the environment. But more than two months
after the pope issued his groundbreaking encyclical, Laudato si’, the reaction from around Asia
reveals local churches’ uneven track record on environmental issues — and the urgency of
setting a road map for action. In Hong Kong for example, Cardinal John Tong Hon recently
announced the establishment of a study group on the encyclical, which was released publicly in
June.
That group, led by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing of Hong Kong, has decided to raise
awareness in the diocese by printing a pamphlet explaining the encyclical in Chinese, since a full
translation of the encyclical is not expected to be available until the end of the year. A source
with deep interest in environmental issues in the diocese wondered if this group would be able to
take the significant steps demanded in Laudato si’.
"I wondered if it is simply organized for reading the document," said the source, who asked not
to be named. "But the encyclical invites Catholics to undergo a transformation in their lifestyles."
Similarly, Catherine Hung, secretary of the Catholic Messengers of Green Consciousness group,
which has been promoting environmental protection in Hong Kong since forming in 1997, said
the Church, like the wider society, seemed not to be interested in environmental issues. "When
we started the [group], the atmosphere in the society and in the Church just had no interest in
this issue. We were far behind Taiwan on talking about eco-theology," Hung said. The recent
focus on Laudato si’ may change that. The challenge now is to give people a way to convert their
words into action.
"Now there is more resonance with parishioners as awareness has grown," she said. "They just
don’t know how to do it and we keep teaching them with practical ways." Bishop Ha said the
newly formed study group for the encyclical will offer more than just words. He said that he sees
issues such as waste and unsustainable development as pressing problems. Lau Yiu-chung, a
Catholic student who studies environmental science, said he hopes the Church will concentrate
on local issues relevant to the diocese. He cited the construction of a new high-speed railway and
a third runway for the airport as examples.
"Some global issues such as glacier-melting … are too distant for local Catholics to see as
relevant," Lau said.
‘The ultimate pro-life issue’
Just as in Hong Kong, Catholics in the Philippines are using the World Day of Prayer for the
Care of Creation as an opportunity to call for swift action on an "impending ecological crisis."
Father Dexter Toledo, chairman of the Ecological Justice Interfaith Movement, warned against
"faith without actions." In a statement, Father Toledo said climate change requires a faith-based
response based on science-driven discourse.
"Instead of contradicting each other, empirical data has supported and complemented what our
faith has taught us to do: become good and caring stewards of all creation or face dire
consequences," he said. Church officials in Catholic-majority Philippines have generally taken a
more active approach to environmental issues than their counterparts in other Asian countries.
In 1988, for example, the country’s bishops’ conference called environmental destruction "the
ultimate pro-life issue." "There is an urgency about this issue which calls for widespread
education and immediate action," it said in its statement.
More recently, priests and nuns have taken an active role in resisting controversial mining
projects. Father Edwin Gariguez, executive secretary of Caritas, has urged the Church to be at
the forefront of the fight against coal. As outspoken as the Church in the Philippines has been,
however, Catholics in Indonesia have been less active. Christians represent a minority in the
Muslim-majority archipelago nation.
In July, Indonesian bishops urged action on climate change while acknowledging that the local
Church has failed to establish a sense of ownership of the issue. "With the encyclical letter, the
hierarchy and lay people must get out of their comfort zones," said Father Paulus Christian
Siswantoko, secretary of the conference’s Commission for Justice, Peace and Pastoral for
Migrant-Itinerant People.
Asia’s vulnerability
Like several Asian countries, climate scientists believe Indonesia is particularly threatened by
the effects of climate change. But Bangladesh is also among the most vulnerable. The low-lying
nation could face dire consequences if predicted sea level rises come true. Roughly 20 million
people live in the country’s coastal districts, where authorities have struggled to adapt to and
prepare for the effects of climate change.
Ahead of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, Dhaka archdiocese hosted activists
and religious leaders from various faiths to discuss the issue. Philip Gain, an environmental
activist and director of the Dhaka-based Society for Environment and Human Development, said
the pope’s strongly worded encyclical gives an opportunity to the country’s most marginalized to
speak out on the environment. "In the past, we couldn’t raise our voices about the environment
and development concerns," Gain said. "But this document gives us that strength because it
speaks up against a throwaway culture and exclusion of the poor, powerless communities."
Sanjeeb Drong, secretary of the Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples’ Forum, said Pope
Francis’ message gives hope to the often overlooked indigenous communities. What remains to
be seen, however, is whether Catholics in Bangladesh and beyond can translate the pope’s words
into meaningful, immediate action.
Hossain Zillur Rahman, a development researcher and executive chairman of the Power and
Participation Research Center, a Dhaka-based think-tank, noted that the pope’s encyclical
highlighted the urgency of the challenges the world now faces. "The pope urged a 'sense of
urgency' on this matter of universal concern and this is extremely important," Rahman said. "He
says if we can't scale up significantly our sense of concern and engagement, things will go
beyond our capacity of control."
What’s in 90% of seabirds’ guts? Plastic
Birds often mistake plastic bits for fish eggs, so they think they’re getting a proper meal
A red-footed booby on Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean. As many as nine out of ten of the world’s
seabirds are likely to have pieces of plastic in their guts, a new study estimates. Photo: AP
Washington: As many as nine out of 10 of the world’s seabirds likely have pieces of plastic in their guts,
a new study estimates. Previously, scientists figured about 29% of seabirds had swallowed plastic, based
on older studies. An Australian team of scientists who have studied birds and marine debris for decades
used computer models to update those figures, calculating that far more seabirds are affected, according to
a new study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“It’s pretty astronomical,” said study co-author Denise Hardesty, senior research scientist at the Australian
federal science agency. She said the problem with plastics in the ocean is increasing as the world makes
more of the stuff. “In the next 11 years we will make as much plastic as has been made since industrial
plastic production began in the 1950s.” She combined computer simulations of locations of the garbage
and the birds, as well as their eating habits, to see where the worst problems are.
Hardesty’s work found that the biggest problem strangely isn’t where there’s the most garbage, such as
the infamous garbage patch in the central north Pacific Ocean. Instead it’s where there’s the greatest
number of different species, especially in the southern hemisphere near Australia and New Zealand.
Areas around North America and Europe are better off, she said. By reducing plastic pellets, Europe is
even seeing fewer of those plastic bits in one key bird, the northern fulmar, she said. Some species of
albatross and shearwaters seem to be the most prone to eating plastic pieces.
Birds mistake plastic bits for fish eggs, so “they think they’re getting a proper meal but they’re really
getting a plastic meal,” Hardesty said. Usually it’s incredibly tiny pieces of plastic, but Hardesty has seen
far bigger things, such as an entire glow stick and three balloons in a single short-tailed shearwater bird.
“I have seen everything from cigarette lighters ... to bottle caps to model cars. I’ve found toys,” Hardesty
said.
And it’s only likely to get worse. By 2050, 99% of seabirds will have plastic in them, Hardesty’s
computer model forecast. That prediction “seems astonishingly high, but probably not unrealistic,” said
American University environmental scientist Kiho Kim, who wasn’t part of the study but praised it. AP
BANGLADESH : “Urban and tribal cultures
can meet the goals set by Laudato si’
”Abp. Patrick D'RozarioDhaka (AsiaNews via CNUA)
Mgr Patrick D'Rozario, archbishop of Dhaka, organised a debate on Pope Francis’
Laudato si’ encyclical in order to promote the pope’s teachings and put them into
practice. Held last Saturday in the auditorium of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of
Bangladesh, the event brought together some 80 educators, teachers, activists,
religious and environmentalists. “According to Catholic tradition, the Holy Father
expresses the thoughts and concerns of the Church on major issues by means of
encyclicals,” said the archbishop in his opening address. “Following this tradition,
Pope Francis published his latest encyclical on the care of our common home ".
The document “reflects two major issues,” said Mgr D'Rozario. “First, nature cannot
be considered as something separate from ourselves. Hence, we need a holistic
view of ecology. Second, ecological changes have become an important global
issue." Indeed, for Sanjeeb Drong, a Catholic tribal leader, "We must take care of
our culture and hold on to it, for it teaches love and respect for the environment,
for the river and the forest, as our mother." At the same time, "We must establish a
relationship of brotherhood among people of all religions, including indigenous
peoples and ordinary folks,” Sanjeeb added. “This way we can implement the
pope's encyclical."
According to Fr Topan D'Rozario, an associate professor in the Department of
Religion at the University of Dhaka, every religion teaches love for the land.
Therefore, everyone must "sincerely take care of God's creation, and keep in mind
that none of us is God, but only His creatures, the best of God’s creations who must
take care of the earth." "We can heed the pope’s by teaching everyone to love the
environment from the point of view of his or her religion,” the priest added. "We
intend to practice in our lives the teachings of the Pope and to communicate them
to others,” another participant told AsiaNews. For this reason, every Catholic
diocese in the country organised seminars to discuss Laudato si’ to help the faithful
understand it and practice it. Bangladesh is divided into six Catholic dioceses. Only
0.4 per cent of the population (156 million) is Catholic. (Sumon Corraya)
The Cleanest Village in Asia, is in India :
Courtesy: Green Positive News
When I first heard of Mawlynnong’s claim of being “The Cleanest Village in Asia”, I knew I had to
plan a trip to see it. The village is at a distance of around 90 km from Shillong, and the road
leading up to it has some of the most panoramic and breathtaking views in the country. Nestled
in the pristine East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya the residents of this picturesque village along the
Indo-Bangla border have learnt to live at harmony with Mother Nature and might very well
become an example that urban folk should emulate.
Till over a decade ago this village was practically unknown to tourists until Discover India
magazine accorded it the Cleanest Village status in 2005. As one walks around the narrow zigzagging paths of the village one is astounded by the clean well maintained black tarmac and the
spotless front-yards and sidewalks of the bamboo stilt houses. There are stylish bamboo
dustbins everywhere and separate compost pits in various pockets of the village for organic and
inorganic wastes. Polythene use is completely banned and so is smoking.
There are public toilets which the villagers themselves maintain and everyone takes part in the
ritual weeding, sweeping and cleaning of the gardens and roads which happens every evening.
Even the children are taught from an early age to keep their surroundings clean and they don’t
hesitate to pick up the odd piece of garbage on the road and put it in the bin. The village is well
supplied with an efficient localized water supply and sanitation system.
Just outside the village on the passing river is situated the amazing living roots bridge which
speaks out for the ingenuity of the people. It is over 200 years old and was constructed by tying
the roots of two banyan trees and maneuvering them to get entangled in such a way as to
create a passage over the stream. The Sky-view tower on the eastern side of the village is a tall
structure built on the support of a tree with bamboos and gives a wonderful view of the
Bangladesh plains.
For the discerning traveler there are many unmapped trails that one can explore around the
village full of little waterfalls and sacred forests abounding in flora and fauna. The guest houses
in the village are basic tree houses built on top of stilts that almost jut out into the adjacent
forest. Staying in them is an experience in itself. There is a lot urban society could learn from
Mawlynnong and its environmentally conscious citizens. The self sustaining models though
rudimentary have very strong foundations and have more to do with behavior and customs that
the peoples have adhered to and upheld.
With the increasing influx of tourists the challenge for Mawlynnong is to maintain its culture and
also educate outsiders with their ways. Do you think modern cities in India can replicate what
the citizens of Mawlynnong have done? With better technology and infrastructural support Indian
cities can certainly Mawlynnong’s concepts forward and create self sustaining environment
systems with minimal damage to the eco-systems. All we need are more responsible and
conscientious citizens who will take up the cause of the environment.
Mawlynnong can be reached by road and it is roughly a three hour drive from Meghalaya’s
capital, Shillong. The nearest airport is Guwahati, in Assam, which is around three hours from
Shillong and is well connected with major metros.
VATICAN : Pope marks first World Day of Prayer
for Care of Creation
By Philippa Hitchen (Vatican Radio)
“Today is the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. Let us work and pray.” That
was the papal message on Twitter on Tuesday as Pope Francis prepared to lead a special
Liturgy of the Word in St Peter’s Basilica marking the Catholic Church’s first Day of Prayer
for Creation. At his general audience last week the Pope invited local residents and visiting
pilgrims to join him for the Liturgy of the Word in the Vatican basilica, beginning at 5pm.
He also urged Catholics around the world to contribute to solutions to the environmental
crisis facing our planet by organizing their own prayer and practical initiatives to mark this
new celebration.
The Pope noted the initiative follows in the footsteps of the Orthodox Church which, for the
past 25 years, has dedicated September 1st, the beginning of a new year in the Orthodox
liturgical calendar, to care for the environment. Since that time, the World Council of
Churches has also marked a month-long‘Time for Creation’ stretching from September 1st
to the feast of St Francis of Assisi on October 4th. In his encyclical letter ‘Laudato Si’, Pope
Francis quotes what he calls the “deep concerns” and “valuable reflections” of the spiritual
leader of the Orthodox world, Patriarch Batholomew, whom the Holy Father met twice last
year, in Jerusalem and at his home in Istanbul.
Among the five speakers introducing the Pope’s new encyclical in the Vatican Synod Hall
on June 18th was the Orthodox Patriarch’s personal envoy, Metropolitan John Zizioulas,
who suggested that all the Christian churches might consider, as an ecumenical gesture,
the idea of marking a joint day of prayer for creation. Less than two months later, Pope
Francis wrote to Cardinal Peter Turkson, head of the Vatican’s Justice and Peace Council, to
announce his intention of instituting an annual World Day of Prayer for the Care of
Creation within the Catholic Church. “The ecological crisis”, the Pope wrote in his
encyclical, “summons us to a profound spiritual conversion…….The annual World Day of
Prayer for the Care of Creation will offer individual believers and communities a fitting
opportunity to reaffirm their personal vocation to be stewards of creation, to thank God for
the wonderful handiwork which he has entrusted to our care, and to implore his help for
the protection of creation, as well as his pardon for the sins committed against the world in
which we live.....We live at a time when all Christians are faced with the same decisive
challenges, to which we must respond together, in order to credible and effective”.
From
MOUNT ROSARY ALANGAR, mountrosary@rediffmail.com
MOUNT ROSARY CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS
ALANGAR, MOODBIDRI – 574227, D.K. KARNATAKA
Administrator:
To
Date: 06-09-2015
Rev. Fr. Felix Rebello,
Dear Rev. Father,
May I first and foremost wish you a Happy Monthi Saibin fest and Novem Jevan.
I am Sr. Prescilla D’Mello, Superior General of the Congregation of Sisters, Helpers of Mount
Rosary. Besides, I am the Administrator of Mount Rosary Ashram, where we take care of 250 inmates,
who are sick and disabled, aged and destitute, and also senior citizens, housed in different homes in the
Ashram lands. Some of these 250 inmates, at least one third of them, are from Bombay, who
have sought shelter in our homes and we take care of them till the end. This Institution was founded 78
years ago by Msgr. Francis Elias D’Souza. Presently we have the 6th Director, Msgr. Edwin C. Pinto,
I have enclosed two projects for your generous support by an appeal annexure. One is requesting your
support and the support of your parish for the maintenance of 250 inmates. We have a deficit of
rupees three lakhs every month and we are in dire distress to buy rice, vegetables, and take care of health
needs and the maintenance of the different 44 buildings. The second project is to request a donation of
your parish or of any person of good will, who could help us to complete the Sisters Nurses quarters
at our own hospital, Mount Rosary Hospital. Earlier it was a T.B. Sanatorium. Now we have turned it
into a general hospital taking care of all tropical diseases of the area. The poorest of the poor among the
sick, come to our hospital where we have a duty doctor attending patients all the24 hours of the
day. Besides we get specialist doctors on Sundays from Fr. Muller’s . Therefore we needed a decent
nurses quarters . We have begun building the same and spent rupees ninety lakhs already given to us by
well wishers. We further need another rupees sixty lakhs. May Mother Mary, Queen of the Holy
Rosary, bless you for your support to us in both these projects.
Another important appeal and request to your Reverence is this, On September 15, the Founder of
Helpers of Mount Rosary, Msgr. Edwin C. Pinto, is founding another group of sisters called the
Rosarian Sisters. He has already obtained the permission of the church to found this sisters group.
Bishop Aloysius D’Souza of Mangalore will erect it at 9 a..m. during the Eucharist at Mount Rosary
church Alangar, Moodbidi. We have already two Rosarians ready to join this group.
The membership is open to catholic women, who are spinsters, of the age of 30 years and
above. Besides widows, who have no children to take care of them, could also be members. A candidate
should have sufficient health and should be able to read and write English. They will be
spiritually trained just like our other sisters of Helpers of Mount Rosary and also will be given education
in Pastoral work, in agricultural work, in health care work and Human development social
work, according to their interest and desire. Mount Rosary does not expect any money or finance from
the Rosarians, but their maintenance and security till the end of their life will be given by Mount
Rosary Ashram. Therefore I request you father, if you know anybody who will be willing to join this
new group of sisters, please ask them to contact me directly. My mobile number is 9845221907. You
can also contact Msgr. Edwin C. Pinto, the Founder whose mobile number is 9845789589.
Thanking you and with prayers.
Yours sincerely
Sr. Prescilla D’Mello
Superior General
Note: If you would like to send your donation by bank to bank transfer here below are our bank
details. Please send us an email when you send the donation through bank transfer. Thank you.
-S.B. 016700101004434
Of Mount Rosary Charitable Institutions
At CORPORATION BANK,
ALANGAR BRANCH
ALANGAR, MOODBIDRI – 574227.
IFSC CODE: CORP0000167
SWIFT CODE: corp in bb 133
WANTED HELPING HANDS- Courtesy: Daijiworld.com
For more appeals visit – www.daijiworld.com - charity
Mohammed Ashraf(29), 1-69/3, R N Apartments, Jeppu Market Road, Mangalore
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Mohammed Ashraf(29), S/o Mohammed Bava, 1-69/3, R N Apartments, Jeppu Market
Road, Mangalore is a victim of grave car accident. He was admitted at KMC Hospital, Dr B
R Ambedkar Circle, Mangalore 575001
from casualty with C6 – 7 fracture dislocation with complete cord transaction and
quadriplegia. He underwent reduction, anterior ,decompression, plating and fusion C6 -7
under GA on June 16, 2015. He has also undergone tracheotomy to facilitate ventilation.
The approximate cost of his treatment will be around Rs 4.5 lacs. Theirs is a poor family.
He also has two small children. So he has requested for donations from kind hearted
people in order to spend for
his medical treatment. Your kind remittances may please be sent to the following bank
account:
Bank Account No. 20277676110
Name of the Account Holder: Samshad,Mohammed Bava & Abdul Khader
Bank: State Bank of India, Mangaladevi Branch,
Mangala Gateway, Ground Floor, Mangalore.
IFSC Code: SBIN0017762
Telephone No. 8197121788
Monthu Lobo(80), 17-4-175/1, Jerosa School Seminary View, Mangalore 575002
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Monthu Lobo(80), 17-4-175/1, Jerosa School Seminary View, Mangalore 575002, well
known auto driver who was awarded the honor of 'Sarathi No. 1
And 'Auto Raja' is a simple man who has to depend totally on his scanty earnings for his
livelihood.
Forty years ago, he had built a small house on three cents of land obtained with the help
of then Bishop Most Rev Basil S D' Souza and Rev Fred Pereira and other good people who
stood by his side.
However the roof of his house is in dilapidated condition which requires repairs. He cannot
bear the expenses of these repairs as his earnings are insufficient. His wife is often sick
with diabetes. She has also undergone four surgeries in the past. All that is saved from his
earnings has been spent to pay for her medical and hospital bills.
Hence, he depends on his friends and people of good will for the repairs of his house. He
will gladly and gratefully accept whatever you offer with love as God's gift to him. Please
send your kind remittances to his following bank account.
Bank Account No.: 0652101034448
Name of the Account Holder: Monthu Lobo
Bank: Canara Bank, Valencia Branch, Mangalore 575002.
IFSC Code: CNRB0000652
Telephone No.; 9845851193
Published by Fr Felix Rebello
c/o Infant Jesus Church, Jogeshwari
Mob. 9819688630, Email:frfelixrebello@gmail.com, gemenewsletter@gmail.com
website: www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in
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