Maybe biking is a great idea.

The most efficient car is the one that you don't have and the second most efficient car is the one not in use. For me its the latter as I caved in and bought a car a few months back. But I still bike because it is sustainable. You can protest oil pipelines and offshore drilling with actions that speak louder than words. Even if you don't agree with man made climate change, we can all agree on the other evils associated with drilling and burning oil. From deforestation, to oil spills, wars, acid rain, smog, etc.

And for the I-don't-care-about-wars-and-environment folk, biking is cheap. Driving costs approx 30cents to a mile, whereas biking is virtually free. Some initial investment and once in a while repairs.

It is good for health (will get you those washboard abs :D) as it burns about 10 cals/min. When there is no time to exercise, you know that you exercise for at least a few minutes a day on your commute. Then there is the community aspect. Less noise and smoke from traffic, reduced congestion on streets, pedestrian safety etc. It brings people together. You are no longer insulated from the world in your metal cage. It is good for your mental health as you don't get frustrated with traffic. Parking is usually not an issue.

You reduce parking requirements at shopping centers saving a few square feet from being paved. Imagine the amount of open space we would have if half the parking lots were converted to parks. Or tennis courts! Oh and I get gift certificates for biking to work. Sweet deal eh?

Some practical suggestions if you decide on commuting by bike. Panniers are very handy to avoid carrying backpacks that give you a sweaty back. If biking to work, you may have to take a change of clothes depending on weather, distance and fitness levels. Safety is paramount. I know many people fear getting hit by a car. I wouldn't say unjustified fears, but I think a little overblown. You should ride defensively. You will not win a battle with something 20 times your weight. So don't bother tempting fate. Wear a florescent vest and use front and rear lights to improve your visibility to drivers. Be predictable and try to anticipate the actions of drivers. Don't worry, it becomes second nature after a while. And always wear a helmet. Some practical info for new bikers can be found here.

Biking is a win win win win win situation. And I know that it is much easier to sit in your car and drive away, specially after a long workday. But how much good has come in this world because the easier path was taken? Get out there and put your foot down on a different pedal. Hop on that bike and rediscover the joy of biking. Remember the thrill, the exhilaration, the independence our bikes gave us as kids? Trust me, it is still the same.

Earth Day - It's not only about Global Warming.

April 22 was Earth day. The day when we, hopefully, took a moment to think about the Earth, how we are degrading it and what can we do to conserve it for the future generations. I hope this Earth Day we made a start in changing our habits, to become more eco friendly in our ways. Following are a few places I have observed where we can change easily for the good of the environment.

The basic mantra is Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and in that order. Not the other way round. Most people used paper or plastic freely, thinking it will be recycled. First of all not everything you think is recycled, is recycled. It might end up in a large dump yard somewhere. Just because you don't see the thrash around that doesn't mean its all good. And secondly, if it does get recycled, take it account the amount of energy and resources that go into recycling. Sometimes its more costly to recycle than to make a product from new materials. Recycling paper for instance is a water and chemical intensive industry.

So the best option is too reduce. Don't buy or use what you don't need. Its good for your pocket and the environment. Or maybe buy second hand if you find something of your liking and in good condition. The next option is reuse by all means. Plastic bags can be reused a few times, cloth bags a hundred times! Don't use disposable crockery and dishes. Just a little cleaning up after wont hurt anyone.

Say no to bottled water. Have a look at this video. I never understood the need for bottled water. Tap water is safe almost everywhere in the US and in most places in India. So don't forget to fill a bottle at home before you step out.

Avoid using hot water to wash dishes. Just because hot water is easily accessible doesn't mean you have to use it all the time. Make cold water your first choice. It does the job just fine. Same goes with washing your clothes. And avoid using the drier is possible.

Unplug your devices at night. I make sure I unplug my laptop and my cell phone charger every night. Vampire power is the most easily avoided waste of energy.

Bike or walk. Minneapolis is one of the most bike friendly cities in the US. Bike lanes all over and pleasant weather (don't say the winters are cold, I biked through the winter) make biking an attractive option. I biked around in Bangalore too. Give it a shot. You might actually like it.

Take the stairs. The most efficient elevator is the one not in use. Most of you are young and run for miles and burn tons of calories in the gym. Remember the gym is not the only place to burn calories.

Print on both sides of the paper and write on both sides as well. It will make your notes and assignments lighter, compact and eco-friendly.

Switch off the lights. Just because you use CFL lighting that doesn't mean you must keep them on all the time. Don't think that less waste is no waste. Increase the thermostat temperature setting in summer and decrease it in the winter. Your room need not be a sauna in winter and a freezer in summer.

Reduce non vegetarian food consumption. The connection between non vegetarian food and carbon emissions is still highly debated. But the pollution caused by animal farming is clear to see. Animal farming pollutes water and is highly water intensive. Nat Geo Magazine this month reported that it takes 1857 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef while it takes 31 gallons of water for a pound of potatoes. And most of this water comes by destroying the nearest river. And there is the use of fertilizers to grow crops to feed animals. Can farming get anymore inefficient? Salmon farming in Chile is destroying pristine coastlines. Just because you are dirtying your neighbors backyard that doesn't mean you must enjoy the bliss that comes from being ignorant. In that sense I am happy nature is speaking through global warming. Now the repercussions of destroying nature have come knocking at everyone's door.

If you haven't noticed, most of the above step don't take too much time and are not a major hassle. You just have to try to make it a habit. Don't forget, even if your are not the eco-conscious person, these practices save money! I am sure all of us are money conscious if not eco-conscious.

And this post was not about global warming. I know many people think global warming isn't for real. But global warming is not the only environmental disaster looming ahead. The electricity that so cleanly and quietly powers almost everything we use comes mostly by burning coal. The entire process of mining, transporting and burning coal is highly polluting. You should read about mountain top removal coal mining. Why should we allow such avoidable abuses to nature? Yeah, take a moment to think of the ways we are destroying the earth. Its time man shows that he is truly intelligent and mend his ways.

Picture credits
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_274/1212070475h4ovql.jpg
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/biking-500.jpg
http://thewiddershins.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/mtn.jpg

Tackling the E-Monster

This is truly the ‘e-age’. Everyone talks about e-mail, e-ticketing, e-banking, e-books and even e-zone. But you don’t hear much about a term called e-waste. But this term may become the most talked about e-term if nothing is done to control this silent threat to the environment. E-waste comprises old electronic goods ranging from personal computers and peripherals like DVDs to various household appliances such as TV’s, refrigerators, cell phones, wires, batteries, and CFLs. Each of these products contains a plethora of substances and chemicals, many of which are toxic and likely to create serious problems to the environment and human health if not addressed appropriately. E-waste dangers stem from ingredients such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, copper, beryllium, barium, chromium, nickel, zinc, silver and gold.

Take for instance the dry-cell batteries so commonly used and disposed along with regular waste. Everyday thousands of batteries are disposed of in Bangalore itself. About 55% of these batteries include the zinc-carbon and zinc- chloride batteries which are known to contain heavy metals and mercury. Another 25% of batteries used are button cell batteries which again have mercury content. The relatively safe alkaline batteries which do not contain mercury currently make up just 10% of the market. It is the same with the widely promoted CFLs which contain mercury and should therefore be collected and recycled rather than be disposed along with regular household waste.

So how and where is this e-waste disposed?

Land filling of e-waste, one of the most widely used methods of disposal, is prone to hazards because of leachate which often contaminates ground water resources. Older landfill sites and uncontrolled dumps pose a much greater danger of releasing hazardous emissions. Mercury, Cadmium and Lead are among the most toxic leachates. Mercury, for example, will leach when certain electronic devices such as circuit breakers are destroyed. Lead has been found to leach from broken lead-containing glass, such as the cone glass of cathode ray tubes from TVs and monitors. When brominated flame retarded plastics or plastics containing cadmium are landfilled, both PBDE (Polybrominated diphenyl ethers) and cadmium may leach into soil and groundwater. In addition, landfills are also prone to uncontrolled fires which can release toxic fumes.


In India we also have scrap yards where the young, the old and everyone in between dismantle e-waste to extract small quantities of various metals. Laborers smash and unhinge devices, spraying toxic shrapnel all over the ground, where people with no shoes walk. Then workers employ a variety of methods to track down and remove the metals from objects like circuit boards, semiconductors and wires. The methods used for retrieval of valuable components are terribly harmful to the environment and human health. Mother boards are regularly burnt for retrieval of copper. Gold extraction is seen to take place is small rooms with no ventilation. Here chips from printed circuit boards containing tiny specs of gold are heated with nitric acid. The final retrieval uses cyanide - this cyanide is finally flushed into the open drain outside the unit. Inhaling or handling such substances and being in contact with them on a regular basis can damage the brain, nervous system, lungs, kidneys and the reproductive system.

Harmful effects of e-waste chemicals
• Arsenic may disrupt cell communication and interfere with the triggers that cause cells to grow, possibly contributing to cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes if someone is exposed in chronic, low doses.
• Cadmium affects your body's ability to metabolize calcium, leading to bone pain and severely weakened, fragile bones.
• Chromium can cause skin irritation and rashes and is potentially carcinogenic.
• Copper can irritate the throat and lungs and affect the liver, kidneys and other body systems.
• Lead poisoning can cause a whole slew of health problems including the impairment of cognitive and verbal activity. Eventually, lead exposure can cause paralysis, coma and death.
• Nickel is carcinogenic in large doses.

Scientific disposal of e-waste.

So what can we concerned (if you have become concerned by now!) citizens do, to avoid this mess our fancy gadgets create at the end of their life cycle? This is where an NGO called Saahas comes in. They have taken initiatives to reduce uncontrolled dumping of e-waste in Bangalore and in the long run hope to eliminate it all together.

Saahas has also setup nine public collection points for CDs, DVDs and batteries.
• Safina Plaza, Commercial Street
• Landmark store in Forum Mall, Koramangala
• G K Vale Photo at M G Road, Indiranagar and Jayanagar
• Fab Malls at Indiranagar and Bannerghatta Road
• Fitness One at Koramangala and Jayanagar

Saahas office address:
#431, 8th Cross, 1st Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore
Tel: 41689889, response AT saahas.org

To set up a collection bin in an apartment complex, an initial amount of Rs.3500 must be paid to Saahas, after that there are no other fees required ever for the timely collection or for any other promotional programme. After paying this amount, a bin is set up in the common area of the apartment complex (usually near the security room). Collection is done once in two months and Saahas collectors take it to their office.

At the Saahas office, the e-waste is further segregated into batteries, CDs and floppies. The lot is then sent to e-Parisara, which is an authorised company for recycling e-waste located in Dobaspet industrial area, in the outskirts of the city. Other bigger items can be handed over directly to the Saahas office for safe disposal.

Recycling e-waste helps recover important natural resources for reuse and decreases the need for surface mining. Recycling is a better, environmentally friendly solution to finding these metals in existing products, rather than digging up the earth and impacting nearby forestry. Also the insatiable demand for all kinds of metal has fuelled gruesome gang and tribal wars in many parts of Africa. The following is an excerpt from a New York Times article.

Columns of men, bent double under 110-pound sacks of tin ore, emerged from the colonel's mine shaft. It had been carved hundreds of feet into the mountain with Iron Age tools powered by human sweat, muscle and bone. Porters carry the ore nearly 30 miles on their backs, a two-day trek through a mud-slicked maze to the nearest road and a world hungry for the laptops and other electronics that tin helps create, each man a link in a long global chain.

The proceeds of mines like this one, along with the illegal tributes collected on roads and border crossings controlled by rebel groups, militias and government soldiers, help bankroll virtually every armed group in the region.

So here you are the facts are out in the open and the decision is yours to be taken. It is time the educated class of India takes steps towards eliminating this growing hazard which they themselves created in the first place. Now you know how to give your old beloved PC the farewell it deserves!

The best mode of transport in Bangalore.

This past Saturday I decided to give up the luxury, if you can call it one, of using my bike to commute around Bangalore and instead rode my bicycle. I wondered if I could be up to the task of cycling about 20 km to airport road in the summer heat. Surprisingly, it turned out to be quite an enjoyable experience. I wasn’t too tired at the end of it and I covered the distance in good time. Less than an hour to be precise and that’s decent for travelling right through central Bangalore’s legendary traffic jams. On Sunday, I cycled from yesvantpur to koramangala in 45 min.


So what makes cycling so enjoyable? Well, for one you can weave through all the traffic that is stationary at the signals and come right in front. And then the moment you get an opportunity to cross, you can go. Even if the signal is red. I stress that you have to exercise utmost caution while doing this. Else you can wait for the pedestrian crossings slots. Also, you always have a free left even if the signal is red. Then there is the footpath in case you can’t weave through. You can go the wrong way on one-way streets instead of having to make cumbersome detours. Also, there is no need of searching for a break in the road divider to take a U-turn. Just hop over it with your bicycle.

The best part is when you bend all these traffic rules; you don’t have to bother about the cops. In fact you can smile at them! I felt like giving the cop at trinity circle a middle finger salute for the unreasonable fine incident. And then you have a chance to best the auto guys in squeezing in all the gaps. You also need not bother about finding a place for parking. Just find a decent place on the footpath and lock your bicycle. The whole city is your parking lot, except the parking lots themselves because your cycle might be thrown out to make place for a motor vehicle.

Besides, cycling is a really good exercise and is an environmentally and economically friendly mode of transport. But you do need to have some level of physical fitness for long distance commute. The climbs can be really tiring especially if your bicycle doesn’t have gears. You get some rest when you have to stop at a red light. So you really don’t mind a red signal as much as when you travel by car or bike. It might also help if you have good shock absorbers. Else you get rocked in the wrong places when the road or footpath is bumpy.

As I have mentioned earlier, your own safety should be your first priority. You have to assume you are invisible, in the sense no one will give you way or bother about your safety. Cyclists are the lowest in the hierarchy of road users. Even pedestrians don’t bother about your presence. They just cross in front of you and don’t move out of the way even if you ring the bell. Less said about other road users the better. No amount of trring trring will get their attention. Sometimes it’s not their fault because your feeble trring trrring is drowned out by the ear splitting tttrrrrr of an auto a mile away. Make sure you have proper reflectors on your bicycle and wear light coloured clothes in case of night cycling. Also be extra alert around buses and autos near bus stops. You never know when they’ll swerve or brake hard, leaving you to fend for yourself.


So there you are. Cycling as a mode of transport has so many advantages. You do your bit for the environment and that is much more than just switching off your light for one hour in a year! You can help decongest Bangalore’s roads. You save money. You will not need any more of those boring treadmill sessions to stay in shape. And above all it’s fun! So pick up a cycle, plug in those earphones and pedal away to glory! Tring Tring!

Added on April 16,2009.
In Paris they have a wonderful bicycle rental system. Check it here I hope Indian cities follow suit soon!

My crusade against environmental degradation (cont..)

For those of who who haven't read all my blog posts so far, (I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT IS POSSIBLE!!! [:D]) I must mention that I deeply care about the environment. I am gonna talk about the environmentally friendly practices i follow in my everyday life. And I think that my reader's can also try to do the same and earn some green credits!!

Well I stopped eating chicken, eggs, beef etc a few months back because animal husbandry is a major contributor to global warming, For details read the post, SAY NO TO NON VEG FOODS. I eat fish though. But to make a long story short, I tell people I have turned vegetarian. The first thing most people comment is that the reason of my conversion may be because i have got a veg GF. I say to myself, if only people could open their minds a little bit and realize that guys can do things without always being forced by their GF's! And more importantly how can they assume a guy like me might have a GF!! But i must say that it does feel good that people think that i might have a GF. Nice!!

I also got a bicycle recently and use it to commute to IISc everyday. Whenever I tell anyone that I have got a cycle they either exclaim "what is wrong with you??" and start laughing or make some comment like yeah it saves money or can't you afford the expensive petrol now. Very few people think I may be doing it for the environment. Anyways the other day I was riding my cycle to IISc when I saw this hot chick standing alone at the bus stop. I slammed on the brakes.. Crrrrrhh.. And i came to stop in front of her with a neat skid. "Want a lift to wherever you are goin?" I asked and then realized that I was on my cycle!! There wasn't any undo button to click on!! I wanted to dig a hole and bury myself!! I smiled at her sheepishly and said "how dumb can a guy get." Surprisingly she said "No, i think its great that you use a cycle instead of those fuel guzzling sports bikes, Even I use my bicycle when i have to go somewhere nearby. And you look quite cool on that bicycle!" The latter part goes without saying of course!! [:D] So guys, you see, intelligent girls appreciate cycling!! So pick up those "chick magnets" and Laila ko kare impress ala minto fresh!! That was story was straight from dollywood!! (D for Daniel!! [:P])

On a serious note, i have observed one thing at most retails shops. No one ever carries a cloth bag to the shop. All purchases are carried home in fresh plastic bags every time!! I carry some old bag with me every time i go to the shop. So wen the person is billing my purchases i dig into my pocket for the bag and i get all weird expressions from the people. Speacially from the billing person himself. Maybe thats because sometimes i carry a bag of some rival shop!! Sometimes i just hope shaktimaan would come to reliance fresh and say to the customer, "tehero!!! plastic bag lena galath bath hai!!" and then continue with his "bachon, mein aksar dekta hoon ki blah blah blah!"

And so my struggles continue. I know i am one lone soul (lunatic?) fighting for the environment among countless other souls who don't give a damn and I know some optimists will encourage me to continue by saying that every drop makes the mighty ocean while some pessimists will ask what difference a drop of fresh water makes in a salty ocean. That doesn't bother me. I know deep within my heart that at least i, myself, am making an effort to fight one of the biggest ills plaguing mankind today and that is environmental degradation. And i m happy!!

Glass is not Green.

A walk or drive in some of Bangalore's tech parks and industrial complexes can be a breath taking experience. Beautiful modern architecture complete with shining glass facades really make you gaze at them in awe. I did my internship at General Electric, which had four beautiful buildings, all of which had at least 75% of their walls covered with glass. Glass has become the new building material in Bangalore.

But what is the logic behind thus trend? The answer is that most of these offices belong to MNCs and that their offices in India also should also have an international (read American or European) look. Ah, the same old story of us Indians aping the West. So what is the cost of this stupidity?

A huge energy bill which implies a huge carbon footprint! In times when large parts of India have to put up with load shedding on a daily basis, here we have people who are virtually keeping hot plates in their refrigerators! The point here is that all these swanky buildings have central air conditioning. All of us know that glass structures trap heat very effectively and so, we have a tug of war between the cooling and heating processes of the building. What a waste! These buildings make a lot of sense in the colder countries where the heating needs are much higher than the cooling requirements and so it is a good idea to trap whatever natural heat they receive. But what sense it makes in India, specially the south, where the day time temperatures never go below 25 degree Celsius.

In fact in IISc we have brick and mortar buildings with windows that can be actually be opened!! We do not have AC and i do not even switch on the fan. Another point, digressing from the issue at hand, is the high incidence of respiratory illnesses in those building with central air conditioning. Buildings which have central cooling systems are estimated to be recirculating up to 92% of the air leading to the sick building syndrome where people, even sitting at great distances from each other, are at high risk of getting respiratory allergies and disorders from co-workers. Doctors in the city say that the number of people with respiratory problems are on the rise, owing to not just the pollution, but also cross infection inside buildings. So much for all the glitz and glamor of these glass marvels!

It is high time the govt. comes with some legislation banning buildings with glass walls. It can be the first step in reducing the insatiable demand for electricity in India's Silicon Valley.

SAY NO TO NON VEG FOODS

Which causes more greenhouse gas emissions, rearing cattle or driving cars? Surprise!!! According to a new report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18 percent – than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation.

The above paragraph is frm an article by the United Nations.. You can read the full articles from the following links.. http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=20772&Cr=global&Cr1=environment

Greenhouse gases coz global warming n all the associated climate extremes that v r seeing 2day.. It’s a major coz for all the droughts around the world which r driving millions of poor ppl 2 starvation.. It’s the major coz of all those devastating floods that destroys livelihoods of millions of ppl.. It’s a major coz of deadly tropical storms which even brought the greatest nation on earth, the USA, to its knees.. Glaciers r melting, lakes r drying n sea levels r rising.. N wat r v doing?? Nothing.. Our only home in this whole wide universe is dying!! N yet v sit tight doing nothing.. How can v be so inconsiderate to our fellow human beings and our future generations? Humans are supposed 2 b the intelligent animals.. But I wud be ashamed if a lion or a tiger wud ask me to justify our actions.. Is there ne justification?? For all those skeptics of global warming, I suggest u watch Al Gore’s movie, THE INCONVINIENT TRUTH. It shud effectively clear all the doubts frm ur minds..

N then there r some ppl who think others will do smth.. all those NGOs will do smth.. Another class of ppl say dat v hv only one life on dis planet.. so y waste it by leading a conservative lifestyle?? I guess its becoz of such ppl that v r facing natures wrath 2day.. The time has come my friends to make a stand.. a stand fr nature.. I m nt suggesting u leave ur jobs n start leaving in a jungle, or stop using all modern amenities.. Jus start reducing.. Reduce ur non veg component of ur diet fr instance.. or using public transport more.. stuff like dat..

Another reason 2 stop eating non veg, besides the environmental aspect, is the food crisis.. Land use 2 grow food crops is now being used to grow fodder.. N that led to the food crisis of 2day.. U r feeding the food that poor ppl only dream of to livestock.. isn’t dat inhumane?? The conversation efficiency of a plant crop to animal meat is bout 9%.. That means if u feed 100kg of food crop 2 livestock u ll get only 9kg of meat.. wat a colossal waste!!! N factor in the miserable condition of the livestock.. I guess ne person with some sense wud resolve to stop eating non veg food..

I have effectively stopped eating non veg from all livestock.. dat includes chicken, eggs, beef, pork etc.. I eat fish sometimes.. But I ll stop dat also in due course of time as over fishing causes damage to marine environment.. I find it really hard.. I ws a hardcore non veg.. the transition ws tuff.. But the thought dat I m doing smth fr d environment drives me on..