environment

Recently, at my monthly quiz meet, I was intrigued by this "green" container for chai, from Chai Point.  The container seemed made of cardboard, an ecologically friendly material. But when I visited the website of Chai Point You can visit it here. I found that it was made of "food grade PET" - PET is polyethylene terephthalate, which is, in their own words, "use and throw".  Only  the outside cover is cardboard! Surely, using thermos flasks that were properly cleaned would have been a better solution, especially when we now have metal flasks which retain heat for a long time and are…

When we talk of conservation, we often think of trees, water, mammals and birds. However, Rohit Girotra, who, in the past few years, has popularized  butterfly walks, and indeed, has discovered several species of butterflies in and around Bangalore, writes: Bangalore is surrounded by beautiful spots for watching butterflies. Camp Gee Dee in Shivanahalli, is one of these havens. Camp Gee Dee is home to a host of birds, reptiles, mammals and butterflies. At last count we had recorded around 100 butterfly species in the Camp Gee Dee grounds. What makes Camp Gee Dee special is its proximity to Bannerghatta…

I saw this notice in the Arekere Reserve Forest today. What is "illegal dumping"? Is there any "legal dumping"?  And the amount of trash that lies behind the notice gives the lie to the message anyway. What the photograph shows is the apathy we have towards our surroundings... sad to see.

Sudarshan Nityananda gives the following contact numbers:   South  Bangalore comes under Mr Ranganathswamy,DCF-BBMP.His number is 9480683842.   His senior is Mr N D Sudarshan who sits in the BBMp premises.His number is 9480684566.   The third person is Sathyanarayana who sits in Utility Bldg,MG Road.His number is 9480683146.   Please contact any of these people if you find trees being cut down in Bangalore.

I conducted the Campus Bird Count at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, on two days, Saturday, 13th Feb, and Sunday, 14th Feb 2016. I had already mentioned that as birders and naturalists, our team would be carrying their own water bottles, and that IIMB should only provide for filling up the bottles and not set out PET bottles of mineral water. After the count on the morning of the 13th, IIM-B hosted our birding team for breakfast. I noted the small mineral water PET bottles at each place setting and requested the Dean of Administration, Dr G Shainesh, not…

Over the past few years, we've done many things to raise funds for PNLIT, and we've realised that fund-raising is quite a challenge. To a social-cause fund-raiser who may knock on your door, the most disheartening experience is when you express regret and shut the door. Donations apart, we have often found it difficult to get people to part with Rs 220 for a PNLIT calendar, or even Rs 30, in exchange for a PNLIT wristband.     However, there are many generous souls out there, generous both in terms of time and monetary support, who share our dreams, who believe…

Prem Sagar says, "The kids had a lot of fun with crackers. Now, ensuring that their fun doesn't turn into someone else's job. It started with the kids cleaning up. Soon, others (elders) joined in. At 9.15 pm, we're done with crackers and the street is all clean now." Couldn't we all follow his example? Here is the photo of the children cleaning up.

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) is organising Parisara Habba on 5th and 6th June 2015, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, at Sri Kanteerva Indoor Stadium (Rajaram Mohan Roy Rd). Look out for a stall on lakes at the event. World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated every year on the 5th June, and has become one of the main vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates positive action for the environment. Through WED, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) enables everyone to realise not only the responsibility to care for the Earth, but also reminds them about their individual power to become agents of change. Parisara Habba or “Festival…

When trash seems to be strewn everywhere in our public spaces, it was heartening to see this sight at the Bannerghatta Zoo. Long may such initiatives last! Zoo, 18th January, 2015.

Swalpa Adjust Maadi (SAM)..this seems to be our attitude towards the others who share our planet. And some of them learn to adjust...but at what cost, still needs to be determined! Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore, 11th Jan 2015.