Hit by five cyclones on its eastern coast last year, India is planning to procure a NASA aircraft equipped with a lab to study wind patterns at high altitude for better prediction of such calamities.

“We are procuring McDonnell Douglas DC-8 aircraft from NASA and we should hopefully get it by 2015-2016. This aircraft has a laboratory within itself and will be helpful in studying wind patterns,” Ministry of Earth Science (MoES) Secretary Shailesh Nayak told reporters.

The government has also tied up with University of Massachusetts, US for research on weather patterns in the country especially in the Bay of Bengal, he said.

“The aircraft will help in gathering data at high altitudes, especially the wind patterns, and to conduct experiments in the aircraft itself,” a scientist at MoES said.

This assumes significance as several cyclones, including the powerful Phailin that left a trail of destruction, had hit the country’s eastern coast last year.

Indian Meteorological Department chief Laxman Singh Rathore had last month said five cyclones including Phailin and Helen had originated in the Bay of Bengal.

A senior scientist from the MoES said that wind is a major factor in determining the atmosphere and despite predictions of cyclones, it was necessary to study wind patterns in depth.

“We know why cyclones take place and the formation process, but it was also important to understand why so many cyclones were hitting the eastern coast,” the scientist said.

NASA uses the DC-8 aircraft as a flying science laboratory. The platform aircraft, based at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in California, collects data for several experiments in support of scientific projects.

Data gathered by the aircraft and by remote sensing have been used for studies in archaeology, ecology, geography, hydrology, meteorology, oceanography, volcanology, atmospheric chemistry, cryospheric science, soil science and biology.

After doing about a dozen films in South, Tanisha has now turns a very daring and courageous first Lady of India who wore the real meat cloth to involve herself with the Campaign SAVE THE ANIMALS.

Tanisha was on her way back to mumbai suddenly she saw a dead Animal was lying beside the road,she stopped and as she loves the Animal and birds a Lot she got upset and hurt”with a reaction That what the hell is Going on why the people have turned so much cruel and having no mercy with Birds and Animals.

Then she decided to wear the cloth of the same dead Animal to convey the message world wide “with a request please Stop eating Non veg and try to turn Vegeterian.

A special photo shoot was held in Mumbai on Wednesday, February 5th, 2014, where she gave various pose wearing real goat meat dress, to remind Lady Gaga wore meat dress in 2010 MTV Awards, and now Tanisha Singh does it and became the first Indian Women to show this much of courage who wore the Real meat cloth to support the campaign “SAVE THE ANIMAL”

Source: Sachin Murudeshwar

Facing criticism of ignoring environmental concerns in rush to clear projects, Government on Thursday cleared a plan to create new forest cover and improve the quality of existing forests with an expenditure of Rs 13,000 crore in the 12th Plan.

Besides the two components, which are to be implemented through various measures including decentralisation of forest governance, the proposed National Mission for a Green India (GIM) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme will also strive to achieve increased forest-based livelihood income of households living in and around the forests.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday approved the proposal of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The objectives of the Mission during 12th Plan period includes increased forest/tree cover and improved quality of forest cover in two to eight million hectares, along with improved ecosystem services including biodiversity, hydrological services, increased forest-based livelihood income of households, living in and around the forests, and enhanced annual CO2 sequestration (process of capture and long term storage of CO2).

Of the total expenditure of Rs 13,000 crore envisaged in the 12th Plan, the plan outlay is Rs 2000 crore.

The source of funding for the scheme would be from the Plan outlay, and convergence with MGNREGA activities, Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) and the National Afforestation Programme (NAP).

“The sharing pattern for the plan outlay would be 90 for Centre and 10 State for the North Eastern States and 75 Centre and 25 State for the rest of the States. The 13th Finance Commission grant funds may be counted towards the States’ share, to the extent that this is in conformity with the Commission’s award,” a government release said.

Mission implementation will be on a decentralized participatory approach with involvement of grass root level organisations in planning, decision making, implementation and monitoring.

The gram sabha and the committees mandated by the gram sabha, including revamped Jont Forest Management Committees will oversee implementation at the village level.

New Delhi: Sponsored by Lotus Greens, the real estate company known for its Environment friendly initiatives & Sustainability drive, the annual Miranda House Fest – Tempest, rocked the Delhi University one more time.  The fest appropriately adopted the theme ‘Shades of Green’, to spread awareness on sustainability. The idea of the three vital Rs- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, were utilized in all aspects of the Fest from campus decorations to the events. Even the Invites for the fest were handmade and delivered to all the colleges with a sapling each. Truly it was about walking the GREEN talk.

 Held at the Miranda House campus between 21st & 22nd February, the Fest was a perfect unison of fun, cross-college student activity and cultural programs.  The success of the endeavor can be gauged by highly spirited student participation of more than 10,000 students who came forward in large numbers to connect with the relevance of the theme and took pledges for ensuring a GREENER, HAPPIER & HEALTHIER planet.

GREEN reflected in all that happened at the Fest. Old coffee cups collected from around the campus, along with plastic bottles, newspapers, scrap cloth and related stuff found way into works of art – the waste actually added to the appeal and aesthetics of the entire campus. It was widely appreciated and applauded by guests, faculty members & students alike. Most of the Individual events revolved around the theme of sustainability and conservation of environment. The Environment society of Miranda House – ‘Vatavaran’, hosted a play on bio-diversity and an exhibition on ‘best-out-of-waste’.  There were other popular crowd pullers like the exhibition showing ways to set up a composting plant in your home garden, and a workshop showing the basics of paper recycling.

A noteworthy and innovative idea was the ‘trash-to-cash’ activity, wherein waste material was given by the college to specially abled people, who spent time and effort to create wonderful pieces of art and craft, which was sold by them on the campus during the Fest.

P. Sahel, Vice Chairman, Lotus Greens, congratulated the students of Miranda House on successful organization of the event saying “Lotus Greens believes that schools, colleges and universities are the best places to equip students with the training and experience they need to create and develop solutions that can have positive sustainability impacts across the world.  It is indeed heartening to see students of different faculties and backgrounds of Miranda House come together in such harmony to show the world how small actions and changes of individual behaviors can help in creating a positive impact on the environment.  This will have a rubbing effect on youth across the country, who will now come forward to become motivated spokes persons of sustainability”.

Devanshi Lall, vice-president of the student union says with a beaming smile “we are proud to practice what we believe in. The world needs engagement of this kind to spread the message about eco-conservation and create awareness. Yes, we actually Walked the Talk’’. “I saw re-cycling in a very different way. It has been an eye-opener and been a fusion of FUN and LEARNING.” – says Shaily, a first-year Geography Hons. Student.

Shri Chandi Prasad Bhatt, eminent Gandhian and environmentalist, has been awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2013.

The jury for the prize met under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 18th February and decided on his name, a press release in New Delhi said.

Other members of the jury were Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Rajya Sabha member Karan Singh and former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

Born in 1934, Bhatt was one of the pioneers of the Chipko movement for which he was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1982.

He is also a recipient of the Padma Bhushan in 2005. One of India’s first modern environmentalists, he is known for his work on subaltern social ecology, the release added.

Selangor, Malaysia : A simple test of electrical conductivity could be used as a parameter for water quality, according to new research published in the Journal of Tropical and Agricultural Sciences. The research investigated whether this single parameter could be used instead of the more complex current tests used in Malaysia to measure water pollution. The author believes the test should be included in the water quality index in the future.

Currently, the Malaysian Water Quality Index (WQI) is based on six water parameters. This allows a lot of data to be broken down into six measures, but there are weaknesses, and it is certainly not comprehensive. The use of conductivity tests can inform of sulfate, bicarbonate, and chlorides of calcium, magnesium, and sodium in water, and is used in some still water lakes, but isn’t currently used in running rivers.

Yap CK, from Universiti Putra Malaysia, took nine periodic samplings at eight sites along the Malaysian Langat river, including both polluted downstream and unpolluted upstream sites. The results show that there are consistently higher levels of electrical conductivity in the more polluted downstream, and this was in line with two current measures – dissolved oxygen and suspended solids. Since it is much easier and faster to measure electrical than these two factors, its use as a single indicator of water pollution in tropical rivers is proposed.

Source : ACN Newswire  

The United Nations Environmental Program marked UN’s first ever World Wildlife Day to raise awareness about an illicit global trade in illegal timber, elephant ivory and rhino horns worth an estimated USD 19 billion.

UNEP executive director Achim Steiner said on Monday that World Wildlife Day can help remind the world that humans living on Earth today will determine if endangered species will survive and be seen by future generations.

Paula Khumbu, the executive director of the group Wildlife Direct, said she fears that elephants, rhinos and lions could be extinct by 2030. Poachers have increasingly been targeting elephants and rhinos for a growing consumer class in Asia.

“The wildlife situation in this country is at an all-time low,” Kahumbu said on the sidelines of a UNEP conference. “We have doubled the rate of poaching in 12 months, of rhinos. We are now the No. 1 country for the trafficking of ivory, according to Interpol. Kenya used to be the No. 1 country in the world in terms of conservation.”

Kahumbu over the weekend sent out over Twitter a picture of a rhino — still alive — whose horn had been cut off on Friday. The rhino was standing on a road in one of South Africa’s major wildlife parks, Kruger.

“It’s heartbreaking to see the cruelty that people are willing to inflict on these animals,” she said. “They cut off its horn and it’s still alive, and it’s still suffering.”

South Africa, she said, has lost more than 100 rhinos to poaching this year. Kenya has lost 11. And far more elephants have been lost in the region.

Steiner said China is working to stop the illegal importation of ivory but that the country is vast with a large border and that it is struggling to contain the illegal trade of ivory like some countries struggle to combat illegal drugs. He cheered China’s recent move to publicly destroy a cache of ivory.

In East Africa, Tanzania is losing more elephants — thousands per year — than any other country. Steiner called it an “onslaught” against the country’s economy and bio-diversity. He called on citizens in Europe, North America and Asia to understand that when they buy ivory or rhino horn, that it comes from a dead animal.

“What, hopefully, World Wildlife Day will do is remind us that it’s our generation that has the possibility to determine the fate of many species’ future survival, that we have the responsibility, obligation and power to get involved in this issue,” Steiner said. “Wildlife is not here just for our generation. Imagine the world without rhinos or elephants. It’s not a world that anyone wants.”

The Earth Hour initiative by the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) that encourages individuals and businesses across the world to switch off their non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness for the planet has created a global impact over the last 7 years.

This year, Times Music, will be releasing a specially created music compilation, Sounds of Harmony,  in support of the Earth Hour and WWF-India.  The 5 tracks on the compile represent each of the 5 great elements of nature, but equally great are the artists behind these compositions.  With names like Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Vikku Vinayakram & Pt. Bhavani Shankar to name a few, one couldn’t ask for a more powerful line-up for such a powerful cause. The album will be available  in India across digital download & streaming portals like iTunes, Gaana, Nokia MixRadio and more. Part of the proceeds from song sales of the Earth Hour compile will go to WWF-India for their Earth Hour initiatives.

Speaking on the release of the compile, Mr. Mandar Thakur – COO Times Music said, “We’re proud to be associated with a global movement like the Earth Hour. We’ve seen through the annals of history that music can prove to be a powerful tool to promote powerful causes.”

What started as a city specific movement in Sydney in the year 2007 has now spread to over 7000 cities and over 150 countries globally. The aim of the Earth Hour has always been to empower people to use their talents and abilities to make a positive change for the planet.

Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO, WWF-India speaking on the album said, “The Earth Hour campaign of WWF is a global movement and has recognition and participation from all corners of the world. Using music as a tool to spread the message of conservation and build awareness about the environment will only help us strengthen this campaign and reach out to people through popular platforms, both in India and globally. We thank Times Music for this association and look forward to working together in the future.”

Indian sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan also expressed his excitement about his work being featured on the album. “I am very happy to be a part of the Earth Hour initiative by the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) that encourages individuals and businesses across the world to switch off their non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness for the planet. I am so happy that Times Music will be releasing Sounds of Harmony, a specially created music compilation of elements of nature in support of the Earth Hour.”

Mumbai: Actor Arjun Kapoor has joined hands with WWF-India to pledge his support to the Earth Hour 2014 – WWF’s global campaign to raise awareness and inspire individual action on climate change. This was announced at a press conference held at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai, the hospitality partner for Mumbai. Earth Hour 2014, India is also being supported by the Discovery Networks Asia Pacific, the national campaign partner for the campaign. Arjun Kapoor spoke about his association with the cause and invited citizens of the city to come forward and show their support for the campaign. Earth Hour is the largest environmental campaign in history and enables individuals, organizations, governments and groups to show support for policies and practice that balance development and environmental concerns.

The message of Earth Hour 2014 is to make the switch to renewable energy. Six years in the running, the Earth Hour 2014 campaign calls for:

•                     Individuals to adopt household products powered by renewable energy;

•                     Organizations to adopt renewable energy solutions to run their business operations and production processes;

•                     Governments to promote policies favourable to the production and uptake of renewable energy

The speed and scale of climate change, fuelled by ever increasing consumption of the Earth’s resources, is impacting the whole world. Unless we make efforts to transform our energy production systems to renewables, as far as possible, we will enter into a trajectory of climate instability and energy insecurity that will affect each one of us. Every individual has the power to make this transition possible by taking small, yet significant steps.

Emphasizing his support for Earth Hour, Arjun, addressing the media at Mumbai said, “I am honoured to be part of such a pertinent cause as Earth Hour – a campaign against climate change that has the support of millions of people globally. My association with Earth Hour will bring me in close contact with one of the country’s foremost conservation organizations that has been diligently fighting against the adverse impact of climate change.”

Commenting on Discovery Network’s association with Earth Hour 2014, Rahul Johri, Senior Vice President and General Manager – South Asia, & Head of Revenue – Southeast Asia and Pan Regional Advertising Sales, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific said, “Discovery Channel’s partnership for Earth Hour underscores our commitment to give back to the planet that inspires our on-air stories. We believe our programming and on-ground efforts will help raise awareness about the importance of energy conservation and inspire individual action to combat environmental changes.”

David Mansfield, Area Director/General Manager, Grand Hyatt Mumbai states, “It is our pleasure to be associated with one of the largest organization’s – WWF India; synonymous with conservation of natural and wildlife resources through sustained efforts and practices, with regard to its Earth Hour initiatives. At Grand Hyatt Mumbai, we recognize the impact that our hotel creates on the neighbourhood and surroundings and work towards a greener future for our communities. The Grand Hyatt Mumbai community will be celebrating Earth Hour by encouraging our community to turn off non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness about the pressing concerns that we face today in regard to climatic changes around the world. He also added that Grand Hyatt hotel is in the process of upgrading all its inefficient lighting and other electrical devices to new LED lighting and other power saving devices to save on power.

Speaking about the campaign, Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO, WWF-India said, “Earth Hour is a movement that unifies people nationwide to express their concern over the global crisis of climate change. Participatory in nature, the campaign’s clear message encourages individuals, businesses and governments to adopt sustainable practices in order to conserve the finite resources of our beautiful planet. The shift to renewable energy has received overwhelming responses, especially among schoolchildren. This year too, Earth Hour hopes to leave an indelible impression on people’s minds about the environment.”

Source: Lokesh Shastri

It’s lights out for Starwood Hotels and Resorts across India

The hotels will join millions around the world in turning off lights for Earth Hour 2014 to illuminate a powerful message about environmental awareness and action.

Earth Hour 2014 takes place on March 29 at 8:30 p.m. local time.  Created by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Earth Hour is the largest movement for the planet in human history, spanning 7,000 cities, over 150 countries, with a digital reach of 200 million.

This year’s theme is “Use Your Power.”  With that in mind, Starwood Hotels will activate a range of energy-saving measures during Earth Hour.  Starwood Hotels will turn off exterior lighting, dim or turn off non-essential interior lighting or use candles for lighting in appropriate public areas such as restaurants and bars. The hotels will also be using in-room voicemail and television messages to inform guests about Earth Hour observances.

Le Meridien Delhi will be serving organic food and drinks along with the creation of the Earth Hour logo curated with candles. Candlelight dinners will be held at various restaurants across participating Starwood Hotels such as Chingari at Le Meridien Pune, Asian Kitchen at Four Points by Sheraton, Mumbai, The Eatery at Four Points by Sheraton, Ahmedabad, Panash at Four Points by Sheraton, Pune and Kangan and Prego at Westin Hyderabad Mindspace.

Bene, Feast, Persian Terrace and Durbar at Sheraton Bangalore will observe a candle light hour with minimum lighting to highlight this movement, paired with specially crafted cocktails for the evening like the Earth Hour ice tea and the Blue Sky Martini to name a few.  Bene and Persian Terrace will also be hosting a culinary tour of Persia to Italy in an elegant candle lit ambience.

Westin Hotels and Resorts will be contributing to this special movement with their specially designed menu to reduce the carbon foot print, for example 85% of the ingredients sourced for the buffet at Seasonal Tastes Westin Mumbai Garden City will be from a 10 mile radius. Aloft Bengaluru Whitefield will also be turning off all non-essential lights considering all safety measures.

Last year, Earth Hour broke records to cement itself as the largest voluntary action for the environment.  Iconic buildings and landmarks from Asia Pacific to Europe and Africa to the Americas switched off.  People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet.

“It’s a privilege for us to support such a powerful movement with such a simple gesture,” said Dilip Puri, Managing Director, India and Regional Vice-President, South Asia, Starwood Hotels and Resorts.  “Earth Hour also reflects a philosophy we try to practice year-round:  The small steps each of us take can make a big difference together.”

Starwood’s pioneering Global Citizenship philosophy reflects the same dedication to sustainability among its 181,400 associates worldwide. In 2013, nearly 600 hotels participated in Earth Hour in various ways.

This year will mark Starwood’s sixth annual participation in Earth Hour, making it one of the largest worldwide companies to make a pronounced global statement with a voluntary hour of darkness.  Earth Hour is just one of the many ways Starwood acts in support of its 30/20 by 20 goals, which is the company’s commitment to reduce energy consumption by 30% and water consumption by 20% by 2020 across its entire portfolio.

Mumbai: 92.7 BIG FM, India’s No.1 FM Network in association with Ganga Kaveri Seeds and the Indian Council For Agriculture and Research launched a brand new radio show in the Uttar Pradesh market – ‘Mere Desh Ki Dharti’. With the latest in agriculture being doled out to listeners in an engaging storytelling format, the show will touch upon success stories in the farming community and expert opinions in a two-hour format. ‘Mere Desh Ki Dharti’ airs on 6 stations of 92.7 BIG FM in Uttar Pradesh every Sunday, at 7am with the concluding episode on 15th June!

Mere Desh Ki Dharti is based on a story format which revolves around a student who has just returned home from his college after a long time and is surprised to see all the changes in the field of agriculture in his village. He has a brief discussion about it with his father who is a progressive farmer and gets to know the new techniques that are now being used in the field of agriculture. The show features one weather advisory, one success story and covers a wide range of topics like sources of information on agriculture, sugarcane farming, summer crops, hybrid seeds, organic farming, integrated pest management, soil fertility management, dairy farming, weather and plant protection, poultry/ livestock management etc. The show also provides a patriotic and proud feeling of being an Indian and will pay tribute to the agricultural and economic development of the country.

Mere Desh Ki Dharti is yet another example of 92.7 BIG FM being true to its ‘Suno Sunao, Life Banao’ objective of reaching, engaging and enriching consumers through the power of relevant ideas and in the process, creating ever growing value for their stakeholders. Ganga Kaveri Seeds Pvt. Ltd is a proud associate sponsor of the show, augmenting its significant goodwill and focus on serving Indian farmers for overall development. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has also joined hands with 92.7 BIG FM as its knowledge partner on the show.

With informative and innovative programs like ‘Mere Desh Ki Dharti’, 92.7 Big FM hopes to attract a larger audience through its vast radio network and continues to positively impact the lives of its listeners.

Chennai: Along with millions of concerned, environmentally-conscious individuals and institutions worldwide, V.V. Mineral (VVM) today switched off lights at their Vijayapathi factory in Thiruvembalapuram village, Thirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, expressing its concern for environment sustainability issues for an hour between 8:30 and 9:30 pm.

Speaking about VVM’s efforts to reduce their carbon trail, Mr. Subramanian, Director – V V Group of Companies, said: “Earth Hour is undoubtedly an effort that can create global consciousness about the imperativeness of reigning in the carbon trail at every level. But we believe each one of us should go beyond the symbolic hour and institutionalise long-term measures to reduce CO₂ levels. Towards this end, 10% of our annual power consumption comes from the use of windmills, besides other measures. We are fully committed to harnessing innovative means of creating a favourable climate around our workplace in a sustained manner.”

The Company has also adopted manual sun drying for their mineral concentrate in place of fossil fuels. Thereby, VVM prevents the emission of 133 kilos of CO₂ for every ton of product produced. This single process ensures VVM annually prevents millions of tons of carbon emissions. For packing, VVM resorts to manual packing in select areas where it has technically qualified labour.

Mr Subramanian concluded: “The deleterious effects of global climate change are clearly apparent through the erratic weather patterns and unseasonal rains that have damaged standing crops across the country. I believe we can only contain such harmful phenomena via sustained long-term steps undertaken on a daily basis. Long-haul efforts are the only means to mitigate the dangerous effects of global warming.”

Source: Lokesh Shastri

Bangalore: In keeping up with its commitment to a better and safer environment, Canon, a world leader in digital imaging, will be observing the Earth Hour from 08.30 – 09.30 PM on 29th March, 2014, Saturday.

As a part of this activity, all lights at Canon’s offices and Canon Neon signage at international airports in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore will be switched off during this time. Apart from this, employees of the company have pledged to observe the Earth Hour at their respective residences.

Earth Hour is the largest worldwide movement in the fight against climate change and is promoted by WWF, the global organization for conservation. The event is an open invitation to reflect on the health of our planet and to promote further efforts that will help reduce our impact on the environment. It is that one crucial hour uniting the world and building synergies through the collective action of switching off non-essential lights in celebration of life and our planet.

Elucidating his thoughts on the occasion, Mr. Kazutada Kobayashi, President and CEO, Canon India, said, “At Canon India, we are delighted to continue our journey in the eco-friendly revolution by extending our support to the WWF for Earth Hour. A global event of this stature is the perfect place for Canon to encourage people and get them thinking about the impact of energy use on a worldwide scale, a cause that Canon has always believed in.”

Canon India has been undertaking several activities to promote the Earth Hour within the organisation like inviting employee’s kids to their Noida facility to educate them about renewable energy. Canon also has an online campaign called ‘Light Off’ where participants can submit their pictures clicked during the Earth hour. These pictures will be uploaded by Canon on their India Facebook page.

“We have always encouraged our employees to volunteer time for CSR causes. The more support we get, the stronger voice we present for concern on our environment. Doing several small, environmental-friendly actions every day not only saves the environment, but also helps protect species and their habitats and peoples’ livelihoods in other parts of the world. Such small steps can make a positive difference. Canon India believes in acting now and getting more people acting too.” he added.

Talking about the participation of Canon in the campaign Dr. Alok Bharadwaj, Executive Vice President, Canon India said, “In keeping with its global philosophy of kyosei, which means living and working together for the common good, Canon India pursues environmental sustainability and works towards building a greener society. Canon understands that society requires to urgently address environmental issues and before we expect anything from others we must begin the same from our end. Participating in the Earth hour is an attempt by the company to be part of this global campaign to better the environment and preserve our resources. As a part of this activity, all lights at Canon’s offices and Canon Neon signage at international airports in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore will be switched off during this time.”

During last year’s observation of the Earth Hour, Canon’s Neon and Outdoor signage were switched off. Mailers were sent throughout the month to encourage participation by Canon’s employees and partners. Approximately 30,000 people including CIPL employees, dealers, vendors and customers at CIS stores, QRC and website viewers were influenced. Pledge Cards and Earth Hour Ballet Boxes were placed at Canon Image Square shops and Master Service Centres for customers to sign up for Earth Hour.

This year too, Canon India aims to enhance the participation since Earth Hour is not just about saving energy for that one hour, but it symbolizes the first step in the direction of adopting environment friendly activities into everyday life, which will lead the way towards a cleaner environment and a sustainable lifestyle.

Soaring carbon emissions will amplify the risk of conflict, hunger, floods and mass migration this century, the UN’s expert panel said in a landmark report on the impact of climate change.

Left unchecked, greenhouse gas emissions may cost trillions of dollars in damage to property and ecosystems, and in bills for shoring up climate defences, it said, adding the impact would increase with every additional degree that temperatures rise.

“Increasing magnitudes of warming increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive, and irreversible impacts,” a summary said, in a stark message to policymakers.

The report is the second chapter of the fifth assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), set up in 1988 to provide neutral, science-based guidance to governments.

The last overview, published in 2007, unleashed a wave of political action that at one point appeared set to forge a worldwide treaty on climate change in Copenhagen in 2009.

But a global consensus failed to emerge as the developing world and developed world squabbled, with big polluters like China insisting it was up to rich countries to take the lead, arguing they could not be expected to sacrifice growth.

And in the United States, President Barack Obama’s attempts at passing climate change legislation have been stymied in Congress, where some Republicans remain unconvinced of the scientific case for warming and argue that mitigation efforts are an unnecessary block on economic growth.

The new document, unveiled in Yokohama after a five-day meeting, gives the starkest warning yet by the IPCC of extreme consequences from climate change, and delves into greater detail than ever before into the impact at regional level.

It builds on previous IPCC forecasts that global temperatures will rise 0.3-4.8 degrees Celsius (0.5-8.6 degrees Fahrenheit) this century, on top of roughly 0.7 Celsius since the Industrial Revolution.

Kyoorius, a not-for-profit initiative by Transasia Fine Papers, and D&AD headline a number of sustainable initiatives aimed at supporting the creative community in India.

In keeping with the Kyoorius ethos, the Kyoorius Advertising Awards are unlike any other awards in India, not only because of the rigorous judging standards, but also because entry fees are fed back into the industry. Kyoorius has galvanized the creative community in India since 2006, developing resources that can benefit creatives at all levels in their careers. Funds are used in developing the annual education programme, Kyoorius FYIdays, an initiative aimed at educating and stimulating creative professionals and students – India’s future creative superstars.

But it doesn’t stop there. In another first, Kyoorius Awards is pledged to be a 100% Carbon Neutral event, making it the first awards programme to do so in India, if not the world. 5000 trees have already been planted, with more on the way. And participants can contribute INR 500 towards planting 5 trees, thereby making their entry Carbon Neutral as well.

The audit measured carbon footprint of the event by identifying all sources of event-related greenhouse gas emissions. Major emission sources included travel to the host city, local road transportation, energy consumed by the event venue and energy used through stays at local hotels or homes. Smaller emission sources include transportation of goods the event needs, event organizer travel during planning and preparation, energy consumed by the event office, paper use and waste generation.

Rajesh Kejriwal, Founder CEO commented, “We are in the process of conducting an carbon emission audit of Designyatra and our other events and by August 2014 we will ensure that all Kyoorius Events and Awards will be carbon-neutral – a first in India and amongst the very few globally”

The Kyoorius Awards have been conceptualized in close partnership with D&AD, from defining the format and scope of the Advertising Awards, to the selection of judges and jury process. A mix of the top international, regional, and Indian creative minds have been selected to ensure that work is compared against industry best practices, while keeping the Indian context in mind.

The aim is to create a truly neutral and ethical platform that recognises the best of the advertising industry solely on the basis of merit. Unlike any other advertising awards, all jury members gather in India to review, discuss and elect the best of the best over an intensive three-day session. All voting is private, never by a show of hands.

Chinese scientists have discovered a new species of the aggressive brownish pit viper in the largest scientific study since the 1970s on wildlife at Mount Everest in Tibet.

A genetic analysis identified Protobothrops himalayanus, which was first spotted at Jilong Valley in southern Tibet Autonomous Region in 2012, as a new snake species. The new species was named in honour of its home, the Himalayas, said Hu Huijian, co-chief of the research team and a researcher of the South China Institute of Endangered Animals.

Featuring a round head and copper-coloured eyes, the adult Protobothrops himalayanus is about 1.5 metres in length. Mostly found on the south flank of the Himalayas, the reptile is fierce and aggressive.

“Actually, local people called it ‘the holy dragon of the Himalayas’ and they always show great awe toward the creatures, which are well protected,” Hu said. The discovery, published in Asian Herpetological Research, is more evidence of Tibet’s biodiversity, he said.

Currently, there are 12 valid species in the genus Protobothrops, of which seven are known to inhabit China and many of them prefer mountain areas at high elevations.

Since the expedition started in October 2010, the research team has travelled an area of 32,000 sq km and has so far discovered and identified 499 species of vertebrates, including eight species of fish, according to Hu.

“Twenty of them are under top-level state protection, nine of which are on the ‘red list’ of endangered species by the Switzerland-based International Union for Conservation of Nature,” Hu told state run Xinhua news agency.

The new discoveries have laid a solid foundation for wildlife study and protection at Mount Everest, which has one of the world’s most-watched and vulnerable ecosystems, said Cao Tiantang, head of the Mount Everest nature reserve, which organised the research.

Another inspiring discovery is the brown-fronted woodpecker, which was previously seen in Afghanistan, India, Nepal and Pakistan, but has only recently been observed in China. The bird was discovered in the Jilong Valley in May 2012. China has previously organised two scientific studies on wildlife at Mount Everest, one in 1975 and another from 1991 to 1993.

Observing that climate change is altering the planet in ways that will have profound impacts on humankind, US President Barack Obama has urged Americans to protect environment for a healthy, sustainable future.

“Today, we face a problem that threatens us all. The overwhelming judgement of science tells us that climate change is altering our planet in ways that will have profound impacts on all of humankind,” Obama said in a proclamation issued on Monday.

“Farmers must cope with increased soil erosion following heavy downpours and greater stresses from weeds, plant diseases, and insect pests. “Increasingly severe weather patterns strain infrastructure and damage our communities, especially low- income communities, which are disproportionately vulnerable and have few resources to prepare,” he said.

The consequences of climate change will only grow more dire in the years to come, Obama warned, arguing that this is why, last year, he took executive action to prepare US for the impacts of climate change.

“As my Administration works to build a more resilient country, we also remain committed to averting the most catastrophic effects. He said since he took office, America has increased the electricity it produces from solar energy by more than tenfold, tripled the electricity it generates from wind energy, and brought carbon pollution to its lowest levels in nearly two decades. “In the international community, we are working with our partners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions around the globe. Along with States, utilities, health groups, and advocates, we will develop commonsense and achievable carbon pollution standards for our biggest pollution source — power plants,” he said.

“Because caring for our planet requires commitment from all of us, we are engaging organisations, businesses, and individuals in these efforts, the US President said.

More than a billion people around the world celebrated Earth Day on Tuesday with the theme ‘Green Cities’ calling for transformation in the public transportation systems to make them more accessible, convenient, and clean fuel-run.

The celebrations of the 44th edition of Earth Day also called for switching over to electric, hybrid, and other eco-friendly vehicles, the Earth Day Network reported.

Earth Day was first mooted by US Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970 after an oil spill incident in Santa Barbara, California.

Twenty million people across the US rallied then for the protection of the environment.

By the end of 1970, the US Environmental Protection Agency was established, and efforts to improve air and water quality gained political traction.

Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and is celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.

The Earth Day Network’s India Programme has its headquarters in West Bengal state’s capital Kolkata.

The network in India organises workshops to provide environmental education and training for sustainable livelihood development among the youth.

The Earth Day Network also works very closely with the municipal corporations of major metropolitan cities in India to ensure that public parks and gardens are well maintained.

The network, in partnership with Rotary International, has launched ‘Green Magic’ which aims to plant 10 million trees across India.

In news that is not pleasant for the farming community, India is expected to see below normal monsoon this year with Met department forecasting 95 per cent rainfall after a good spell of four years.

India Metereological Department (IMD) officials said the monsoon is expected to be below normal because of the El-Nino effect, which is generally associated with the warming of ocean water.

“The monsoon seasonal rainfall is likely to be 95 per cent of the Long Period average with an error of plus or minus 5 percent,” it said in a statement in New Delhi.

The rainfall between 90-96 percent is catergorised as below normal and rainfall between 96-104 per cent is termed as normal rainfall.

Large parts of the country which includes western, southern and northern India will receive below normal rainfall while the eastern parts (eastern UP, Bihar, Odisha, parts of Andhra Pradesh and almost the whole of Northeast India) will receive normal rainfall, according to South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (SACOF).

It is a regional weather body comprising World Meterological Organisation and six South Asian countries.

The forecast of below normal monsoon is not a pleasant news for the farming community which heavily depends on the rainfall, particularly for kharif crops such as rice, soyabean, cotton and maize.

The country’s 60 per cent farm land is rain fed.

The country has witnessed normal monsoon and bumper harvest for the last four years.

Last year, the Met department had forecast 98 per cent rainfall but it exceeded and the country received over 106 per cent rainfall.

Couturier & an EcoFashion supporter Amy Billimoria gear up this Earth Day launching her collection Earth 21, a unique project paying a tribute to the Revolutionary Vladimir Lenin! Cricketer Shoaib Akhtar comes forward in support for the noble cause as the Global eco Brand Ambassador for Earth 21co-hosted by Actor- Chef Amrita Raichand! The Launch of Earth 21 at Mumbai’s largest premium lifestyle shopping mall, Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla!  Band INDIVA with a special opening act on the occasion of Earth Day!

A unique project, a noble initiative by Couturier & Bridal Specialist Amy Billimoria, supported by Amrita Raichand on the finale of Earth week on the 26th April, Earth Day is celebrated by more than 200 countries worldwide. The designer on completion of 21 years in the fashion field and eco-fashion pays tribute to the Father of World Environment Vladimir Lenin. The collection is a prêt range of co-ordinates which includes fluid palazzo pants, crop tops, draper tops with variating  length, very funky and cool summer couture inspired by the true elements of nature, the various aspects of mother earth, and the color palette is vast and arid included fern greens, burnt roses with a tinge of yellow and gold.

Supporting the cause in a big way is legendary cricketer & fastest bowler in the world Shoaib Akhtar who will be seen sporting an attire specially designed using eco friendly fabrics promoting the cause. Amy talks about her design for the cricketer, “It’s a linen jacket teamed with denims & a shirt. The styling is very contemporary and Young!”

Amrita Raichand as the co-host of the show, “Earth 21…my friend & designer Amy Billimoria’s initiative is very close to my heart. I always wanted to work towards better environment for our children, our future & couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity for the same.”

Also Band INDIVA consisting of Merlin D’souza, Vivienne Pocha, Hamsika Iyer, and Shruti Bhave will be performing live flaunting resort wear attire designed by Amy using stretch cotton blends in ethereal whites to create a BoHo chic look! The core essence of Earth 21 lies in the idea that with every outfit sold in this line Amy will donate a tree to mother earth, “Every little step contributes to the bigger picture.” The unique initiative will see the top models of the gliteratti at the launch; Sucheta Sharma James, Diandra Soares, Kavita Kharayat, Shamita Singha, Mashoom Singha & Shanaya Tuli. Shoaib Akhtar shall pledge to plant a sapling & nurture it till it becomes a tree along with Amy Billimoria & Amrita Raichand. Fever 104 is the radio partner and D fashion are the digital partner.

Source: Lokesh Shastri