Green Spaces

Do you know how much of the pollution in the world is caused by cars? Some studies put that at 40%. As a result, some across the globe have chosen to observe 22nd September as World Car Free Day. ESAF, a Bangalore based not-for-profit organization that is campaigning to make the city a child friendly one, decided to do its bit to create awareness on the advantage of not using cars. On the 21st, the NGO has planned to distribute handbills along with 2 English and 1 Kannada newspapers to persuade car users to consider taking public transport. "Some friends…

When the festival is over, Ganesha does not always merge with the elements and reach Kailasa as he is supposed to. He is often abandoned in public places:Similarly, when the patriotic frenzy of "Pandrah August" fades, our country's flag is cast aside with disrespect:Both these photos were taken in Lalbagh. Devotion of any kind...whether to God or to country...is something that should be practised and lived, daily, not indulged in for one day in a feel-good token display. ⊕

 We generally dress in our oldest, dull-coloured clothes to go on nature trails, because many creatures are sensitive to bright colours, and vanish as soon they see such colours moving around. In Nature, blending in with one's surroundings is often the key to survival...what stands out is often what's eaten, and also what could be dangerous.But there are creatures who manage to blend beautifully into their surroundings, and yet remain very colourful!The PRAYING MANTIS that we found on Saturday at the Valley School was a prime example:It was quite tough to see the Mantis at first, but we all soon…

This Sunday - Aug 28th, Bengaluru joins other Indian cities in the movement initiated by Kitchen Gardener's International to create awareness and promote ‘grow and eat organic vegetables' in your own homes. Garden City Farmers Trust, Bengaluru along with media partner Citizen Matters, brings you 'Oota from your thota' where you can learn about organic kitchen gardening. Biodiversity Conservation Indian Limited (BCIL), a Bangalore based company that is a pioneer in the construction of green building projects in the country is sponsoring the event. The participants and invitees at 'Oota from your thota' includes a well balanced mix of practitioners, vendors,…

Ripples of excitement ran through the assembled gathering when Margaret Alva, the governor of Uttarakhand came to inaugurate a little plant fair in Bangalore. Simple and unassuming in her trademark silk saree and bindi, the governor who has been associated with The Association of people with Disability (APD) for years, inaugurated the sale without any fanfare. Sale: The Association of People with Disability,  6th Cross, Hutchins Road, Off Hennur Road,  Lingarajapuram, St. Thomas Town Post, Bengaluru 560 084. Ph:  25470390, 25475165 "Margaret Alva is on a visit to Bangalore and supports anything that can help people with disability, as well as the environment of Bangalore,” says…

There are close to 841 BBMP parks in Bangalore (a 2009 statistic) but I had not been to one until last weekend. Although, I did not get to see much of the park I did see this board announcing that the park is shut between 10 am and 4 pm. Even if I used the park during open hours then I could not play, sit or walk on the lawn! This is the case with most public spaces; they are not open for the public! I spent a day laughing it off before I found out about an event being…

For the last two years, a park-cum-playground in 30th main in JP Nagar 6th phase has lost almost a third of its area. This part of the site, which was designated for the park, was encroached for the construction of two temples. Today only the playground remains and the site itself is known after one of the temples. While one temple is a permanent structure and almost 75% of its work is complete, the other is a temporary structure. Playground attached the park in J P Nagar 6th phase has been taken over for building temples and fenced off. Pic:…

When we have a party at home, we take good care to clean up every trace of it afterwards, to return to a spic-and-span home...so why do we not take the same responsibility in our city?Here is a photo taken by Girish S V, in HSR Layout, of an open area, the day after Deepavali:We blithely assume that "someone" will come and clean up the mess that we've made, in the process of enjoying ourselves. All it would take is a little effort, to clean it up ourselves...but we seem to lack the civic sense, the sense of pride that…

On 1st November 2010, treesforfree will be celebrating the 5th Anniversary by planting 1000 saplings in 4 different places around Bangalore. We request all of you to take time off , come with your family and plant saplings in places convenient to you.The places kept ready are:1. MLA Layout, Kalena Agrahara on Bannergatta Road. Take left turn before Gottigere. Contact person Vinod Krishna 9945396345 and treesforfree Volunteers David 9986452888 and Usha 0620226202. This is a residential layout and 140 saplings will be planted at 9.00 am with tree guards.2. Ben Enclave, on Hennur Bande Road. Ben Enclave board come to…

Saw this awe-inspiring scene at Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens. Busy bee. Pic: Ravi Kaushik. The bee skipped from flower to flower and I had a tough time keeping up. No Image processing done.⊕