YouTube - ndtvhindu's Channel
The other group that I follow, Let's ROB, has also found itself in the news in India with one of their young volunteers interviewed along with other young people who have been working as environmental activists in Chennai. I think this is a wonderful acknowledgment of the hard work being put in by people with both their hearts and minds in the right place. Now, if only this spirit could be conveyed to the powers that be, this very blog may not have a reason to criticize some of what goes wrong in India. Perhaps, the older folk (this blogger included among them) need to look at the younger people with more trust and confidence.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Coastal Protection Group on NDTV Hindu
YouTube - ndtvhindu's Channel
There's some news about the protests against the proposed elevated expressway along the Chennai beaches in this segment from NDTV Hindu's Youtube channel. This blog was inspired by the group that does this work in India and this post is meant as a big thanks to them. That said, the hard work that they have put in, is at a critical stage and the risks of the expressway being built are great indeed. Hopefully, friends of this blog would try and help in whatever way they can to convince the political and bureaucratic authorities that their expressway plan is ill conceived, bound to be unnecessarily expensive and not really likely to help any of the groups representing people living along the proposed route. Do we want to replace some of the loveliest public spaces in Chennai with a concrete monstrosity, noise and perpetual exhaust smoke?
There's some news about the protests against the proposed elevated expressway along the Chennai beaches in this segment from NDTV Hindu's Youtube channel. This blog was inspired by the group that does this work in India and this post is meant as a big thanks to them. That said, the hard work that they have put in, is at a critical stage and the risks of the expressway being built are great indeed. Hopefully, friends of this blog would try and help in whatever way they can to convince the political and bureaucratic authorities that their expressway plan is ill conceived, bound to be unnecessarily expensive and not really likely to help any of the groups representing people living along the proposed route. Do we want to replace some of the loveliest public spaces in Chennai with a concrete monstrosity, noise and perpetual exhaust smoke?
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Hindu : Cities / Chennai : College students do their bit for nature
The Hindu : Cities / Chennai : College students do their bit for nature
Some more positive news about the Let's ROB group and their enthusiastic volunteers in Chennai. I do think that this group's work deserves to be supported by everyone who can spare some time. Before anyone forgets, Wa'angari Mathaai won a Nobel Prize for peace for planting green belts in Africa. This group is doing work that is as important an significant. I hope that they get more and more recognition in the future and, to repeat myself, they draw more members to their fantastic cause!
Thanks and all the very best!
Some more positive news about the Let's ROB group and their enthusiastic volunteers in Chennai. I do think that this group's work deserves to be supported by everyone who can spare some time. Before anyone forgets, Wa'angari Mathaai won a Nobel Prize for peace for planting green belts in Africa. This group is doing work that is as important an significant. I hope that they get more and more recognition in the future and, to repeat myself, they draw more members to their fantastic cause!
Thanks and all the very best!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Kuwaiti study: Conventional oil to peak in 2014 — Autoblog Green
Kuwaiti study: Conventional oil to peak in 2014 — Autoblog Green
For the first time, an Arab country has admitted that the world's oil supplies are close to peaking. I seriously wonder if ANY of India's politicians / planners have the foresight to consider the implications of this admission by one of the world's leading oil producers? In the short term, this will mean that oil prices will skyrocket. In the long term, it will mean that the future will belong to countries that are prepared for a mainly post oil era. Yes, some morons will talk about converting coal to gasoline or of gasifying coal and using it in conventional engines. The smart brains will be working to wean themselves off oil and coal altogether and work on wind, solar or other sources of energy.
It will be interesting to watch this develop - I am going to wait and see if any Indian media outlet even takes cognizance of this Kuwaiti admission.
For the first time, an Arab country has admitted that the world's oil supplies are close to peaking. I seriously wonder if ANY of India's politicians / planners have the foresight to consider the implications of this admission by one of the world's leading oil producers? In the short term, this will mean that oil prices will skyrocket. In the long term, it will mean that the future will belong to countries that are prepared for a mainly post oil era. Yes, some morons will talk about converting coal to gasoline or of gasifying coal and using it in conventional engines. The smart brains will be working to wean themselves off oil and coal altogether and work on wind, solar or other sources of energy.
It will be interesting to watch this develop - I am going to wait and see if any Indian media outlet even takes cognizance of this Kuwaiti admission.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Solar energy to light up 191 remote JK villages: Rediff.com Business
Solar energy to light up 191 remote JK villages: Rediff.com Business
I have received this particularly good piece of news from a young internet friend from India, Avadhut Joshi. Avadhut is an engineer and he has plans of doing his Masters and beginning his career as a Renewable Energy entrepreneur in the future - an encouraging piece of news especially for older people with an interest in this area like me. What is particularly positive about this piece of news is the fact that one more state - until recently known both for its breathtaking scenery and its long and painful insurgency - there is a positive way forward. The Kashmir government has taken a very good step in my opinion. A beautiful state like Kashmir needs to find clean energy to power itself without marring the environment in any way. And, with tried and tested systems being manufactured in India for export to regions with similar climatic conditions like Afghanistan, the solution is available indeed for implementation in Kashmir itself. I hope that this beginning would also see solar powered traffic lights in Kashmir in addition to more wind power installed as well. This is a development that I shall be watching.
And, Himachal Pradesh - what are you planning? Aren't you interested in competing with Kashmir on a friendly basis? With similar conditions, you are an equally good candidate for solar power . . .
I have received this particularly good piece of news from a young internet friend from India, Avadhut Joshi. Avadhut is an engineer and he has plans of doing his Masters and beginning his career as a Renewable Energy entrepreneur in the future - an encouraging piece of news especially for older people with an interest in this area like me. What is particularly positive about this piece of news is the fact that one more state - until recently known both for its breathtaking scenery and its long and painful insurgency - there is a positive way forward. The Kashmir government has taken a very good step in my opinion. A beautiful state like Kashmir needs to find clean energy to power itself without marring the environment in any way. And, with tried and tested systems being manufactured in India for export to regions with similar climatic conditions like Afghanistan, the solution is available indeed for implementation in Kashmir itself. I hope that this beginning would also see solar powered traffic lights in Kashmir in addition to more wind power installed as well. This is a development that I shall be watching.
And, Himachal Pradesh - what are you planning? Aren't you interested in competing with Kashmir on a friendly basis? With similar conditions, you are an equally good candidate for solar power . . .
Friday, March 12, 2010
Forbes Comes Away Impressed with Clean Tech Startups in India
Some positive news here: when a hard nosed business publication like Forbes comes away impressed with clean tech startups in India as this article suggests, you know that progress is being made and in a viable manner. Personally, I think it is important to have environmentally sound solutions but that it is also possible to make these profitable. No, I am not a socialist and I am not interested in the stupidity of throwing good money at "solutions" that may or may not work. it is especially encouraging to me to see that one of the toughest business journals in the most firmly capitalist country in the world is impressed with Indian clean tech companies. This means that these companies will succeed - and that means not just that they will make a profit, but that they will do this while keeping the environment cleaner.
This is a great start, India! Please don't fall back after beginning well!
PS There's one more related article that is equally worth reading if you enjoy this post.
Cheers!
This is a great start, India! Please don't fall back after beginning well!
PS There's one more related article that is equally worth reading if you enjoy this post.
Cheers!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
RAND Corp Study Links Air Quality to Hospital Costs
The US think tank RAND Corp have released a study directly correlating hospitalization costs with air pollution based on data gathered in California from 2005 to 2007. The report can be downloaded from this link. I do wish that someone would take up a similar study in India and inform the Central government and State Governments how much potential damage could take place because of the mindless attempt at pushing forward with the current methods of "development." All of the money in India will not be enough to do anything positive if huge numbers of people begin to fall severely sick from exposure to pollution. And pollution is something that is democratic in nature - it affects millionaire and pauper alike, political leader and the average Indian alike.
Now, would someone please get this message out to the luminaries who occupy the seats of power? Good health is something that has a direct effect on prosperity. Medical expenses have brought even wealthy nations like the USA and Britain to the verge of ruin. Just imagine what they could do to a poor nation like India . . .
Now, would someone please get this message out to the luminaries who occupy the seats of power? Good health is something that has a direct effect on prosperity. Medical expenses have brought even wealthy nations like the USA and Britain to the verge of ruin. Just imagine what they could do to a poor nation like India . . .
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Geneva 2010: Tata debuts Nano EV concept
Geneva 2010: Tata debuts Nano EV concept
Chalk one more hurrah up for the Tatas and their electric Nano. With Indian streets stinking of the smell of untreated exhausts from many millions of old vehicles and with the ever increasing prices of fuel in India whenever some silly sheikh decides to build himself a new palace or acquire a new harem, this car could address two very important needs: use less imported fuel and pollute less. Unfortunately, there are problems and these are not related to the car itself: India's power sector is pathetic and many places including the capital suffer from power shortages for several hours a day. Unless this is addressed, the Nano Enectric will only work well in cities like Mumbai and Pune which have decent electric utilities. Hopefully, though, India will address the power issue - I have friends who work in the infrastructure sector talk about possibly as much as Rs 50,000 crores in new investments in powerplants. Hopefully, these will not be coal-burning plants which need imported coal.
In any case, a leading private sector company in India is doing a great job. Cheers for the Tatas for producing an electric car that is suited to the Indian marketplace. I doubt that any of the foreign companies which have set up shop in India would invest the time and the money to come up with something like this. India will have to look for Indian solutions to Indian problems, eventually. This is as good a beginning as is possible.
Chalk one more hurrah up for the Tatas and their electric Nano. With Indian streets stinking of the smell of untreated exhausts from many millions of old vehicles and with the ever increasing prices of fuel in India whenever some silly sheikh decides to build himself a new palace or acquire a new harem, this car could address two very important needs: use less imported fuel and pollute less. Unfortunately, there are problems and these are not related to the car itself: India's power sector is pathetic and many places including the capital suffer from power shortages for several hours a day. Unless this is addressed, the Nano Enectric will only work well in cities like Mumbai and Pune which have decent electric utilities. Hopefully, though, India will address the power issue - I have friends who work in the infrastructure sector talk about possibly as much as Rs 50,000 crores in new investments in powerplants. Hopefully, these will not be coal-burning plants which need imported coal.
In any case, a leading private sector company in India is doing a great job. Cheers for the Tatas for producing an electric car that is suited to the Indian marketplace. I doubt that any of the foreign companies which have set up shop in India would invest the time and the money to come up with something like this. India will have to look for Indian solutions to Indian problems, eventually. This is as good a beginning as is possible.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Since India Seems Committed to Jatropha Cultivation, This May be of Interest
An interesting Forbes perspective on Jatropha which has been regarded as a miracle crop of sorts in India: Link. On the one hand, traditional Jatropha may not be the miracle crop that it is cracked up to be. On the other hand, with hybridization, it may be possible to tailor Jatropha varieties for the various different soils and environments that it is grown in.
I do wish that the Indian government would pay more attention to this than to inflicting third rate junk like Bt Brinjal on the nation!
PS SG Biofuels's website is: Link. Hopefully, some company in India ties up with them soon!
I do wish that the Indian government would pay more attention to this than to inflicting third rate junk like Bt Brinjal on the nation!
PS SG Biofuels's website is: Link. Hopefully, some company in India ties up with them soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)