Ecocho.com is eco-friendly search engine which plants five trees for every 1000searches made on its website. Ecocho uses Yahoo’s search technology to power searches made on their site and the resulting trees are purchased from advertising revenue generated on the site.
Ecocho has planted 6,571 trees at the time of posting this message. I know this. because I have made the ecocho search engine the home page on my computer.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Green-STEP: Making a difference to the environment
Green-STEP is one major break through in my personal life. With the help from like minded friends and my own resolve to make a difference to the environment I created a web site titled Green-STEP. I invite readers of this blog community to our web-site. And let me tell you that the moment you pledge yourselves to these or any other green measures in your own lives, then this becomes your own web site!
Recently Green-STEP organised an awareness program on plastic bags/covers pollution problem in Malleswaram, Bangalore on 6th Dec 2008. This event was covered by an article appearing in 'THE HINDU' newspaper dated 16th Dec 2008. On seeing the response/results, for once I feel I have been in action in my own life.
'STEP' stands for 'Sharing Thoughtful Environmental-friendy Practices'. In green-STEP website we have shared information on how each one of us as individuals can take simple but powerful 'ACTIONS' to make a difference to our environment. To give you an idea about Green-STEP, it talks about following issues:-
1) Urgent need to switch to cloth bags and avoid the highly polluting Plastic Bags.
2) Reduce, Reuse and if both are not possible then recycle! Be it plastics, paper, glass, steel, aluminium, brass, copper, etc., We must recycle all these and more, even if we can afford the world cannot afford such resource wastages.
3) In case you use an automobile, read how you can save fuel by reducing the virtual capacity of your fuel tank. Save fast depleting resources of mother earth at the same time add to your own bank balance:-)
4) Never drive your bike or car all alone. Drop some one on the way from a bus stand or auto stand. What does one loose by dropping some one on the way? Nothing! But what we gain is huge, we can arrest the maddening addition of vehicles to our city roads which is infact strangulating the smooth movement for the current road users. Unless we do something to this exponential addition of vehicles to our city roads, sooner are later we will definitely hit a wall and we will not even know what hit us!
There can be many more simple and effective green-STEPS which the readers of this blog may be aware and may want to share with the entire world. Do write in to me on sriram.greenstep@gmail.com and also feel free to tell me what you feel about these green-STEPs spoken about in this web site.
1) Urgent need to switch to cloth bags and avoid the highly polluting Plastic Bags.
2) Reduce, Reuse and if both are not possible then recycle! Be it plastics, paper, glass, steel, aluminium, brass, copper, etc., We must recycle all these and more, even if we can afford the world cannot afford such resource wastages.
3) In case you use an automobile, read how you can save fuel by reducing the virtual capacity of your fuel tank. Save fast depleting resources of mother earth at the same time add to your own bank balance:-)
4) Never drive your bike or car all alone. Drop some one on the way from a bus stand or auto stand. What does one loose by dropping some one on the way? Nothing! But what we gain is huge, we can arrest the maddening addition of vehicles to our city roads which is infact strangulating the smooth movement for the current road users. Unless we do something to this exponential addition of vehicles to our city roads, sooner are later we will definitely hit a wall and we will not even know what hit us!
There can be many more simple and effective green-STEPS which the readers of this blog may be aware and may want to share with the entire world. Do write in to me on sriram.greenstep@gmail.com and also feel free to tell me what you feel about these green-STEPs spoken about in this web site.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
A rakhi for trees; vriksha bandhan
The Taru Bandhan ritual being practised in the tribal heartland of Jharkhand has helped restore and conserve hundreds of acres of forestland, writes Moushumi Basu, a Jharkhand-based journalist.
The decade-old ritual was the initiative of a village school teacher Mahadev Mahato from Dudhmatia in Hazaribagh district. In her article Moushmi Basu reckoned that Mahato has helped restore nearly 25,000 acres of forestland - “For the natives of Jharkhand, the forest is an inseparable part of their life; why not include trees as part of our family and rituals,”. Palamau, Dhanbad, Chatra, Koderma and Hazaribagh are some of the districts that have taken the initiative in propagating this unique “green tradition”. Read the full article...
The decade-old ritual was the initiative of a village school teacher Mahadev Mahato from Dudhmatia in Hazaribagh district. In her article Moushmi Basu reckoned that Mahato has helped restore nearly 25,000 acres of forestland - “For the natives of Jharkhand, the forest is an inseparable part of their life; why not include trees as part of our family and rituals,”. Palamau, Dhanbad, Chatra, Koderma and Hazaribagh are some of the districts that have taken the initiative in propagating this unique “green tradition”. Read the full article...
Monday, November 24, 2008
Heritage Trees: Five, and counting
The committee for protection of heritage trees has named a 300-year old tamarind as a heritage tree on the Gangothri campus. It is the fifth one to be identified for the heritage status by the committee, comprising 30 plus environment enthusiasts in Mysore.
The Hindu reports that among other heritage trees identified by the committe are 1) the big banyan on T Narsipur Road;2) a peepul on Manasagangotrhi campus;and 3) a silk cotton in Curzon Park. The newspaper hasn't named the fourth one.
Would the committee fill us in on the location of this heritage tree? We could also do with their photos.
On the status of the Gangotri tamarind, committee spokseman Prof.Ramalingam said a major branch of the 300-year-old tree was in a state of decay; and that the tree has perhaps only a few more years of life left in it. The professor noted that tamarind was very susiptible to lightning strikes.
There are scores of other trees awaiting heritage cerification. Wouldn't it be nice if Prof. Ramalingam and others in the committee share their thoughts on the criteria for identifying a heritage tree? This would help tree lovers to recommend trees for the committee cerification.
Meanwhile we would like to draw the committee's attention to some of our 'finds'in the city. Not all of these tress may merit heritage status.
The banyan at the Baden Powell Public School. "I cherish the memory of this tree because here I spent my boyhood evenings as a scout and this beautiful banyan was the ideal spot for we scouts of the Ramblers' Scout Group to learn roping and earn a badge," says veteran journalist, Mr Gouri Satya.
This tree at a Dewan's Rd.temple must be as old as the temple.
This tree on the SJCE campus was phtographed by tree enthusiast Gagan K. He says he has more such photos in his archive, and would post them here,if the heritage committee would care to consider them.
An aged tree vandalised with graffiti at Pinjrapole. Wonder if such matters come within the purview of the committee to protect heritage trees. the photo was mailed to us by Prashant, an IT professional.
Another photo by Prashant taken at Mysore Pijrapole.
A massive tangle of drop-roots of an aged tree on JLB Road.
This tree at Hotel Metropole, JLB Rd., may not merit heritage status. But it might be worthwhile for the committee, with the support of the hotel management, to bring out a profile of this tree, its history, and the tales it might carry, for the benefit of environment-conscious tourists staying/visiting the hotel.
The Hindu reports that among other heritage trees identified by the committe are 1) the big banyan on T Narsipur Road;2) a peepul on Manasagangotrhi campus;and 3) a silk cotton in Curzon Park. The newspaper hasn't named the fourth one.
Would the committee fill us in on the location of this heritage tree? We could also do with their photos.
On the status of the Gangotri tamarind, committee spokseman Prof.Ramalingam said a major branch of the 300-year-old tree was in a state of decay; and that the tree has perhaps only a few more years of life left in it. The professor noted that tamarind was very susiptible to lightning strikes.
There are scores of other trees awaiting heritage cerification. Wouldn't it be nice if Prof. Ramalingam and others in the committee share their thoughts on the criteria for identifying a heritage tree? This would help tree lovers to recommend trees for the committee cerification.
Meanwhile we would like to draw the committee's attention to some of our 'finds'in the city. Not all of these tress may merit heritage status.
The banyan at the Baden Powell Public School. "I cherish the memory of this tree because here I spent my boyhood evenings as a scout and this beautiful banyan was the ideal spot for we scouts of the Ramblers' Scout Group to learn roping and earn a badge," says veteran journalist, Mr Gouri Satya.This tree at a Dewan's Rd.temple must be as old as the temple.This tree on the SJCE campus was phtographed by tree enthusiast Gagan K. He says he has more such photos in his archive, and would post them here,if the heritage committee would care to consider them.An aged tree vandalised with graffiti at Pinjrapole. Wonder if such matters come within the purview of the committee to protect heritage trees. the photo was mailed to us by Prashant, an IT professional.
Another photo by Prashant taken at Mysore Pijrapole.
A massive tangle of drop-roots of an aged tree on JLB Road.
This tree at Hotel Metropole, JLB Rd., may not merit heritage status. But it might be worthwhile for the committee, with the support of the hotel management, to bring out a profile of this tree, its history, and the tales it might carry, for the benefit of environment-conscious tourists staying/visiting the hotel.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Ad-lined Avenue
Ads may not grow on trees; but they sprout close to them on this tree-lined avenue.
Mysore is advertised as a heritage city. One wonders what could have prompted a heritage-conscious city administration to permit this.
When the hoardings first appeared a couple of years back there was public protest.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
A walk around the lake
Nearly three years back I wrote about a stench from the lake and Kukkarahalli mo(u)rning walkers. Three days back we took a walk along the lake.
This stretch is more than half-way on the 3.5 km walkway round the lake; and those of us who have problem doing the whole round at a stretch could do with a bench for a stretch out,like these ones on the bund close to the main entrance.
A couple of these benches would have better use if they could be relocated on the farside of the lake.
The farside presents a picture of neglect.
This stretch is not just unpleasant to look at. It smells foul as well. A fresh coat of paint on the bridge is long overdue; the water under the bridge that hasn't been treated or cleaned for a while appears a fertile breeding ground for mosquito.
The green patch has crept into the main the water body.
Some scenic pictures. Photos don't lie, they say; but they don't tell all either. They don't smell,do they.
Better maintained spots on the lakeside;they make a visit to Kukkarahalli worthwhile.
This stretch is more than half-way on the 3.5 km walkway round the lake; and those of us who have problem doing the whole round at a stretch could do with a bench for a stretch out,like these ones on the bund close to the main entrance.
A couple of these benches would have better use if they could be relocated on the farside of the lake.
The farside presents a picture of neglect.
This stretch is not just unpleasant to look at. It smells foul as well. A fresh coat of paint on the bridge is long overdue; the water under the bridge that hasn't been treated or cleaned for a while appears a fertile breeding ground for mosquito.
The green patch has crept into the main the water body.
Some scenic pictures. Photos don't lie, they say; but they don't tell all either. They don't smell,do they.
Better maintained spots on the lakeside;they make a visit to Kukkarahalli worthwhile.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
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