Green Earth Movement
An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice
Remember - “you and I can decide the future”
· Mumbai: Showing the green finger
· GEM Inspirational series· Readers’ Letters
· BMC eyes unproven projects to manage waste
· BMC COULD LEARN FROM PUNE’S SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL MODEL
· Garbage crisis reeks of disinterest
· Going Green After Retirement A TESTIMONY BY NARENDRA JINDAL· Corporation gets it for debris on Marina beach
· Mangalore: Citizens unite for 'Cleaner Valencia' movement /· CAG slams govt on afforestation
· Gas-guzzling government talks austerity, burns crores
· Ex-monk builds stunning cathedral out of junk
· Indonesian activists return awards in protest
· Goan Catholics are culturally Hindu, says CM
· Mumbai: Christian schools needn’t cut Xmas break...HT· Ganesh Chaturthi Special: My Admiration for Lord Ganesha
· Bangalore: CM, K J George among lacs of devotees at St Mary's Fest
· Syrian nun says chemical gas attack footage is a fraud
· BANGLADESH : Feast for the Christian micro credit union by Sumon Corraya· Thank you: Readers pour in Rs 11.26 lac for young Kiran
· GEM PLUS – Appeal for help, job vacancies and alliance wanted
· GEM LAUGH TIME
Thought for the week
In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful. ~Abram L. Urban
Mumbai: Showing the green finger
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1860906/report-mumbai-showing-the-green-fingerUrban gardeners in the city are fighting rising vegetable prices, pollution and a depleting green cover by converting their balconies and terraces into mini farms, finds Karishma Goenka.
Everyone has green fingers”, assured Purvita Kapadia,”All they need to do is feel the soil. /
Kapadia (36) should know. She has feeding her soil in her terrace garden in her sea-facing, Chowpatty apartment for the last four years. “It is a common misconception that you need land to carry out farming. A determined effort can bear beautiful fruits even if you grow them in containers, because most vegetables need depth of only up to 1 foot to grow. More than anything it is the satisfaction and peace this activity gives you that is incomparable and very hard to find in this city”, she reveals.
In midst of the congestion present in Mumbai, there are a few urban gardeners who have taken up the mission to add a bit of green in their lives, their homes and their window sills. These gardeners are also fighting rising vegetable prices by ensuring they have a steady supply from their gardens at home.
Most people have stuck to the traditional tulsi, neem, aloe, and flowering plants that you get at any nursery. They grow plants in their windows and tiny balconies, a replacement of sorts for the lack of greenery outside their houses which is gradually vanishing. What most don’t know is that it is equally easy to grow simple healthy vegetables at home, without the chemicals that market vegetables contain and at practically no cost.
Organic is the way to go where indoor farming is concerned. Even though it takes longer than chemically synthesised plants, the yield will always be much healthier. Organic farming does not allow use of any chemicals and uses fertilizers like vermi compost, kitchen waste, leaves, cow dung/urine, mulch, peat etc.
Two years back Vipul Sanghavi, 48, attended a workshop on urban organic farming, and since then he hasn’t been able to pull his fingers out of the soil. He was so fascinated by the idea that he decided to take up the tedious six-month process of making amrit mitti (a rich soil mixture made using cow urine and cow dung) and converting his building terrace into a proper farm. Sanghavi has made soil beds in rows using bricks to line them, and has over 25 varieties of vegetables and fruits in his garden. “The initial inclination to do this was pure pleasure but the garden helped in keeping the home and surroundings cool and the oxygen that it released would be of some help,” he said.
Sanghavi’s garden provides food for his kitchen and the waste goes directly back to the garden as compost. “With time I got more connected to the soil, its texture and aroma and the 30 minutes I spend in it are the most peaceful moments of my day”, he said.
The concept of container farming arose from the need to utilise limited spaces for gardening, and is most beneficial for populated cities where people are ignorant about nature because they haven’t been exposed to it. Vegetables like tomatoes, tendli, spinach, methi, ginger, garlic, chillies and herbs like coriander, basil, pudina, jeera, mustard etc are easy to grow in small balconies or windows. Most of the other plants you can grow with a larger space, the gourds, bhindi, sprouts, ginger, cucumber etc are good to grow in the monsoon.
Both Purvita and Vipul are members of the Urban Leaves community, which is run by farming enthusiasts who meet every Sunday.
Check http://www.urbanleaves.org/
Why practise farming in the confines of your home?
You will grow organic produce, thus cutting down on consumption of chemical insecticides and pesticides. Vegetable and fruit plants grow on soil beds which are only 8 - 10 inches deep. If practised judiciously and dedicatedly, city farming can be profitable as costs of transportation and marketing, which are normally 60% of the market price, are eliminated.
You invest not more than Rs500 in acquiring pots, drums and multiple seed packets. Vegetables that give rolling supply for as long as four months can save you up to Rs 2,000 on vegetables which you would otherwise have bought from market.
On an average 1kg of organic garbage is generated per family of five members every day.
BMC disposes of more than 5,000 tons of garbage per day. Instead of dumping garbage, organic and wet waste can be utilised effectively as fertilisers and manure.
GEM INSPIRATIONAL SERIES
The Power of Your Words
Compiled by K. M . Selvaraj (CNUA)
A group of frogs were hopping contentedly through the woods, going about their froggy business, when two of them fell into a deep pit. All of the other frogs gathered around the pit to see what could be done to help their companions. When they saw how deep the pit was, the rest of the dismayed group agreed that it was hopeless and told the two frogs in the pit that they should prepare themselves for their fate, because they were as good as dead. Unwilling to accept this terrible fate, the two frogs began to jump with all of their might.
Some of the frogs shouted into the pit that it was hopeless, and that the two frogs wouldn't be in that situation if they had been more careful, more obedient to the froggy rules, and more responsible. The other frogs continued sorrowfully shouting that they should save their energy and give up, since they were already as good as dead.
The two frogs continued jumping as hard as they could, and after several hours of desperate effort were quite weary. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to the calls of his fellows. Spent and disheartened, he quietly resolved himself to his fate, lay down at the bottom of the pit, and died as the others looked on in helpless grief. The other frog continued to / jump with every ounce of energy he had, although his body was wracked with pain and he was completely exhausted. His companions began anew, yelling for him to accept his fate, stop the pain and just die. The weary frog jumped harder and harder and -- wonder of wonders! Finally leapt so high that he sprang from the pit.
Amazed, the other frogs celebrated his miraculous freedom and then gathering around him asked, "Why did you continue jumping when we told you it was impossible?" Reading their lips, the astonished frog explained to them that he was deaf, and that when he saw their gestures and shouting, he thought they were cheering him on. What he had perceived as encouragement inspired him to try harder and to succeed against all odds.
This simple story contains a powerful lesson. "There is life and death in the power of the tongue." Your encouraging words can lift someone up and help them make it through the day. Your destructive words can cause deep wounds; they may be the weapons that destroy someone's desire to continue trying. Speak life to (and about) those who cross your path.
There is enormous power in words. If you have words of kindness, praise or encouragement -- speak them now to, and about, others. Listen to your heart and respond. Someone, somewhere, is waiting for your words.
READERS’ LETTERS
From,
Vincent Anes
Dear Father Felix,
Thanks for the news letter. I am enlightened by the information. On the milkfish culture I am yet to know more; but one can be certain from the basic data and the past experience on sea food culture that any cultured fish are bound to endanger the nature and human. After making further inquiry I shall get back to you on this question. God bless you.
Yours Brotherly in Mission,
S. Vincent Anesthasiar, cmf
Claretian Provincial House, Post Box 43,
West Tambaram, Chennai-600045
09444444614 and 08144517616
Ritesh Sharma
: Street plays for social awareness by ahwaan foundation
Dear sir*Ahwaan is a registered group with the mission to keep the Arts alive.* The Ahwaan team consists of young professionals from diverse backgrounds like theatre, animation, management, fashion, fine arts as well as college and university students. Whatever background we come from, whatever be our level of experience, there is one thing that binds us all –the belief in
the power of the arts.
Thanks
Santosh Kumar
Contact-09873366278
Ahwaan Foundation
F-39/7, Street number 5,Amrit Puri B, Garhi,East of Kailash.New Delhi-110065
Contact-09811381695,09873366278
http://sites.google.com/site/ahwaanfoundation/
If we don’t do anything about it, we’re part of the crime. Let’s speak out
today…
b sabha
From: shailesh gandhi <
The referral of the RTI amendment to the Standing Committee is a great step for democracy. When the political parties first spoke about getting an ordinance to amend the Act many citizens across the country protested and media drew attention to this. The political class then said they will bring a bill in
Parliament. Petitions, emails letters and ballots were used to counter this. Citizens called up MPs on phone and in person. Social media was used very actively. Meetings and protests were held at various places. Citizens used reason to persuade. Twenty five BJP MPs admitted they were not in favour of the amendment. Most of us were aware that we did not have thousands of people together. We passionately argued that the amendment would be undemocratic and that at the very least there should be public discussion. During this process Anu Aga, Jay Panda, Dinesh Trivedi, Milind Deora and other MPs started supporting the Citizen's demand. On 3 September Omar Abdullah proclaimed his support to political parties being answerable to citizens.
Government has today announced that the bill is being referred to the Standing Committee for consideration. Citizens will have to continue their effort of engaging with the political class. But for today let us celebrate the success of democracy. This is the way to go. Citizens and politicians engaging in discussions and the politicians showing they are sensitive to our voices. Can there be a better proof that democracy works? A victory for RTI and democracy.
From,
Ashok Bhat
Dear All,
Political Parties wants to out of the purview of RTI !!!! It shame ... What we can we do ?
Pls sign petitions and circulate among your friends. We need to build strong public opinion forum.
with best and warm regards
Ashok Bhat
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Aruna Roy <
To:
Sent: Thursday, 5 September 2013 9:42 AM
Subject: Lakhs of people, 1 voice - Save RTI
Dear Ashok,
I am overwhelmed. The last few days have proven that we really value our Right to Information. Lakhs of Indians have stood against the amendment to the RTI Act. Ordinary people, including you and me, have signed petitions, met their MPs, called the Lok Sabha Speaker, and talked about the issue on social media.
However, the Parliament will conclude in 2 more days and the RTI might get diluted within this time. Let us, together, give this one more push before the session ends.
Ashok, here is what you can do.
1) Email the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Smt. Meira Kumar. She has the power to refer this Bill to a standing committee and ensure that the public is consulted. Below is a sample email you can send her ()with a copy to the Prime Minister ().
Dear Madam,
I am writing this email to express my anguish over the proposed amendment to the RTI Act. The RTI Act has been a powerful tool for fighting corruption and I feel it is undemocratic to amend it without hearing the concerns of citizens. I therefore request you to refer this bill to a Standing Committee and thus enable more public discussion on this issue.
Thank you.
2) Email, SMS or Tweet your Member of Parliament and tell them that as a voter you are against this amendment. Below is a sample SMS and Tweet. Here is a list of their Twitter accounts.
SMS: We strongly feel that the RTI Amendment Bill is being brought in an arbitrary and hasty manner. We appeal to you to demand that the Bill be sent to the Standing Committee to enable public consultation.
Tweet: #SaveRTI. Amendment to RTI Act needs public consultation. Demand the Bill be sent to Standing Committee.
3) Lets talk about thisto our friends, colleagues, and on Facebook,Twitter.
Forward this email to your family and friends asking them to join the campaign as well.
Every action will help. Your message, signature and share will help us in strengthening our voice against this amendment.