World Environment Day Theme 2012

Green Economy: Does it include you? The UN Environment Programme defines the "Green Economy" as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. In its simplest expression, a green economy can be thought of as one which is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive.

Now, talking about these terms, low carbon means making justifiable and reduced use of carbon fuels and controlling carbon emission from our daily activities. Everyday, we use energy to fuel up our lives. It is inevitable. But, what can help saving the environment is that we should use energy more sensibly.

Resource efficiency means that we need to make most of what we have got. The tendency to scatter and waste the resources is deemed to cause shortage in future. We need to make efforts to leave resources for our future generations too.

Ans lastly, social inclusion of the environmental drive is necessary. Until  and unless, every person will not understand their role in making the planet greener, you can not dream of a better future. What we need is to generate lots of awareness, tell people that they are capable of contributing, their efforts can bring new hopes.

No effort goes useless, that's what I believe, and I'm sure you too can feel it. So, here is a list what we can do, to give something back to our mother nature:

• The, utmost, spread word. You can share this post via facebook/twitter/your blog.
• Reduce energy wastage. Turn off your lights, engines, or any appliance that you are not using.
• For PC users, delete your old mails/scraps/old data that you keep on servers. It causes use of more servers, it creates unnecessary load on servers causing them to heat up. And lots of energy is needed to keep them cooled.
• Say no to polythene bags, you can always carry a cloth bag.
• Don't waste petrol. We are possibly in the last decades of petroleum usage. After this, the reserves are drying and the price hike will  make it impossible to purchase petrol.
• Plant trees- van mahotsava if upcoming in the first week of July. I plan to make earth greener, do you?

I can say for sure that if you follow even a few of these steps, you'll feel good, in your heart that you too helped creating a better world.

---

Life In A Circus

Animals in the circus don't have anything in common with their mates living in the wild


Totally denaturalised, violently subdued to the privation of their biological and ethological needs, reduced to machines and made ridiculous for our entertainment, the only thing they know is sadness and terror.


Lions and elephants living in the wild have complex social relationships, obviously annihilated in the circus. On the other hand, tigers are solitary animals: in the circus they are forced to live in a few square meters - while in the wild their territory can be larger than hundreds of square kilometres - and sometimes put together with a group of other felines.


The tamer bends the animal's will through violence and privations: either the animal obeys or it dies. Even during the shows it's not hard to see that the animals are terrified: lions often crawl on their belly, with their ears flatted back groaning quietly.

The conditions in which the animals are kept are shameful: the cages are too small (sometimes the animal cannot even stand), hygiene is scarce or missing, there's not enough light and the journeys are frequent and too long.


Animals are mortified and get conditioned, and tied to a strict routine. Every day they have to make the same movements in very small spaces. 
Elephants are usually immobilised by two short metallic chains tying their legs. 
Imprisoned in their closets with their own faeces, they spend the day obsessively shaking their heads, the only possible movement. This behaviour persists even if they are released. 


According to a recent study on circus's lions in UK, the lions spent up to 97% of the time in rooms of 1,9 x 2,4 meters. The king of jungle, which every other animal is fearful of lives in such an agonizing situation. Everything is strictly and monotonously ruled. The animals don't have any other choice but sleeping or turning nervously around their tiny cages. 


Animals suffer from the frustration of their natural instincts and from the stress provoked by captivity. Their reaction to this distress makes them develop nervous problems that can sometimes lead to aggressive behaviours. Additional stress to these out of the brink conditions is added by the long and tiresome trips throughout the country.


The most common animals to see in the circus are tigers, lions, elephants and horses. But you can also find reptiles, parrots, gorillas and chimps.


Importing chimps and exotic animals is now forbidden by the Washington Convention, but the illegal traffic is a flourishing business. Chimps are caught in the wild after all other members of the group trying to protect them are killed.


Even in case that the illegal imported animals are recognised as such, and therefore taken by the forestry department, they end up in zoos or in recovering centres if they are lucky, spending the rest of their lives in an artificial environment far from their wilderness.


The circus troops invite schools to take the students to the shows because the circus would be "a live show, entertaining and educational moment". According to them the circus also provides "a deeper knowledge of the animals, also from the point of view of their needs and life habits".


But it is not true. How can the sight of a suffering and sad animal in a cage, forced to behave so unnaturally, be educational and entertaining?

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS IN INDIAN CIRCUSES

Cruelty has been documented in numerous Indian circuses; the following are some examples:

1. According to the group People for Animals Bangalore, animals with the Rajkamal Circus, Bangalore, were kept crammed inside rusty cages, living in filth amid their own waste. One lion was missing an eye, and several other animals were suffering from untreated wounds.
2. At the Grand National Circus, inspectors found animals confined to small cages with little to no space to move about, including four lion cubs who were all crammed into a single small cage. Elephants had been driven mad from continuous chaining, and  none of the circus's animals had access to food or water.
3. Some years ago, The Empire Circus was found to be travelling with 10 tigers, 10 lions and a Himalayan bear in violation of the Supreme Court ruling banning the Circus Federation of India from using lions, tigers, panthers, bears and monkeys in shows. Elephants were forced to spend all their time shackled by three feet, horses were tied with short ropes and unable to move freely, dogs suffered miserably in cramped cages and cockatoos were kept in small cages without perches, forcing them to cling to the sides of the cage. PETA India immediately filed a report on this cruelty with the Animal Welfare Board of India.
4. Animals used by the Kohinoor Circus suffered injuries as a result of being transported in cramped, unsafe cages. The circus was also found to be using endangered animals – including a pregnant Royal Bengal tiger – in violation of a Supreme Court ruling that bans the exhibition and training of endangered animals.
5. Two of the four chimpanzees, ranging in age from 10 to 43 years, forced to travel and perform with the Great Royal Circus werefound to be suffering from injuries and illness. One chimpanzee, 22-year-old Lakshmi, could not sit or stand and was discovered lying in a blood-stained bed. After being rescued by Blue Cross Chennai and People for Animals Chennai, a veterinary exam revealed that Lakshmi was paralysed. She died a short time later.
6. The Gemini Circus prevented horses, camels and elephants from moving by tying the animals' hind legs. Dogs were forced to live in cramped wooden enclosures, and all the cages and food dishes were filthy.
7. At the Jumbo Circus, inspectors found a chained chimpanzee frantically jerking and pulling on the chain in a desperate attempt to escape. They also discovered that a hippopotamus was suffering from an eye disease and that Indian parrots kept by the circus did not have proper ownership certificates.

INADEQUATE ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS

Laws designed to protect animals in India have been enacted, including the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 (PCA Act), the Performing Animals (Registration) Rules of 2001 under the PCA Act, the Wild Life Protection Act of 1972, as amended in 1991 (WLPA), the International C.I.T.E.S. (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) treaty and provisions under the Indian constitution. However, these laws are not always enforced. Officials often turn a blind eye to abusive treatment of animals and other violations of the law when circuses come to town.

Although former Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Maneka Gandhi implemented a ban on circus's use of bears, monkeys, tigers, lions and panthers in October 1998, circuses have largely disregarded the regulation. 

What We Can Do:

• If want your children to learn about animals, then the best thing to do is to show them documentaries, read books, look in the internet and even take them in the animal's natural environment (wildlife sanctuaries and national parks) when it's not disturbing the animal itself.
• Never pay to see performances by circuses that use animals.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, detailing the cruelty inherent in animal-based circuses.
• Call your local radio and television stations and ask them to air messages about circus cruelty. 
• When a circus comes to your town, find out if it using banned animals (ie, lions, tigers, panthers or bears). PETA can provide advice and guidance on what actions to take if you discover that a circus is using these animals.
• Organise a demonstration to educate circusgoers about how animals are treated behind the scenes. PETA India can supply posters and leaflets and advise you on inviting the media.
• Another solution is to visit the centres where people work in order to recover animals.

DEFEND THE TIGER – 10 THINGS YOU CAN DO

” Considering your own duty too, you ought not to hesitate, for there is no better engagement that exists (for a Kshatriya) than fighting for righteousness” - The Bhagavat Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 31


Passion or concern without action is of little use. Even if a small fraction of the millions of well-meaning people in the world decide to actually do something, it could make a huge difference. So what can we, the citizens of this country, do to help save the tiger? 


Well, if it were as simple as writing out a doctor’s prescription, we could make the problems vanish overnight! But it’s a bit more complex than that. However, contrary to popular belief, ‘ordinary’ people can make an extraordinary difference. Here are some ways all of us can help create the necessary political and bureaucratic will to ensure that our national animal continues to burn bright in our forests. 

1. Be well informed. No problem can be solved without a good understanding of its nuances. Most of us grow up with cinema, cricket and politics all around us and are ‘experts’ in these subjects. Nature and the problems of conservation are not only much more complex, but require interest and some effort to understand. The film ‘The Truth About Tigers’ by Shekar Dattatri explains the ecology of the tiger, the reasons for its decline and some of the solutions to these problems. If you haven’t seen the film, please do so! The only condition is that you should share it with as many people as you can. Two books can help greatly further your understanding of tigers and their conservation: The Way of the Tiger by K. Ullas Karanth andTiger: The Ultimate Guide by Valmik Thapar. These are available at all major bookstores in India


Here is the film in 3 parts:

The truth about tigers part 1

The truth about tigers part 2

The truth about tigers part 3

2. Be an ambassador for tigers: Once you’ve acquired a good understanding of the basic issues, spread the word. It can be as simple as directing people to this website and share the film. Or, if you want to do more, post a comment, share via facebook, twitter. We need intelligent, caring and articulate volunteers who can take the film and show it to a variety of audiences. 


3. Understand the roles of the Central and State Governments: Protecting forests and tigers is the joint responsibility of both the Central Government and State Governments. While the Centre provides a considerable amount of funding for the running of Tiger Reserves, the responsibility of on-ground protection rests squarely with the respective State Governments. At present, most State Governments give this task extremely low priority. Unless capable and committed Forest Officers are posted to these reserves and given the authority to do their jobs without fear or favour, nothing much will change. 


4. Be a watchdog: If you live near a forest and are in the habit of visiting it, find a few like-minded friends and form a watchdog group. The group need not be a formal or registered organization. The idea of forming such a group is to keep an eye on the forest to make sure that it is being properly cared for by the authorities. Sometimes a good officer will require the support of civil society groups to perform his duties diligently. Find out how you can assist such an officer. At other times, a corrupt or inept officer may have to be stopped in his or her tracks. Today the Right To Information Act enables any citizen of the country to ask for information and receive it. Often, getting information, analyzing it, pin pointing the problem and alerting higher authorities may be all that is required. If this fails one can take the help of the media. If that too fails, one can approach the courts. Remember however that courts don’t take kindly to frivolous petitions. So before a matter goes to court, it must be diligently researched. Get a good lawyer on your side! You can also be an individual watchdog. When you go on a holiday to a wildlife reserve the next time, don’t just look at the wildlife. Try to find out exactly what the Forest Department is doing about protecting the Forest and its wildlife. Talk to as many of the Forest Department personnel as you can, at different levels of the hierarchy, to find out what’s going on.  Also keep an eye out for any construction or earth moving activities in the forest and document these with clear photographs. Note down the date and location and send us the pictures. Often, money that should go into protecting a reserve is wastefully spent on unnecessary constructions or so-called
‘habitat management’ activities which may have no scientific basis. Remember, this is precious tax payer’s money, which should not be frittered away.


5. Use your social network: All of us have a social circle, which may also include people in influential positions in Government, industry or politics. It is our job as tiger ambassadors to take every opportunity we get to speak to these people about the need and importance of protecting forests and wildlife. Almost every person has an empathy for nature deep inside, which may need some kindling. Of course, an important question people may ask is, whether we should halt India’s development plans in order to conserve wildlife. The answer is, no. Wildlife reserves in India constitute a mere 5 % of our vast land area, yet they provide water and other ecosystem services that make our life and economic growth possible in the other 95%. By preserving these natural assets we can ensure our ecological security and preserve a priceless heritage that enriches our country. It is imperative that we zealously protect this tiny percentage from human pressures. By destroying them further, we will not solve any of India’s many problems, but only exacerbate them. Let us make the best use of the land area that is already under development through sensible land use planning. rather than destroy that which we can never recreate. India’s economic growth can only be sustained if we have healthy forests. And for forests to be healthy, we need intact communities of plants, insects, birds and animals, including the top predator, the tiger. 


6. Support conservation NGOs: Many people may not have the time to do much conservation work themselves. In such cases, one can support the work done by good conservation organizations with a credible track record. Not all NGOs or organizations may be genuinely effective at the ground level. Sometimes it is far better to support a small but active and effective grassroots group than a top-heavy mega NGO, who may not be doing what really matters. A bit of research will enable you to find a suitable organization. You can either contribute to their work financially, or provide them with useful services. 


7. Start a school outreach programme: If, 20 years ago, our education system had inculcated a strong sense of importance for conservation, we may have had better decision makers today and less destruction of our forests. Education and awareness-creation are, unfortunately, highly underrated even by most conservation NGOs, because they don’t often produce immediate, tangible gains. However, if we start even today with our youth, the future may see an increase in forests and wildlife. So, if you have the ability to reach out to students and teachers, you can screen ‘The Truth About Tigers’ and develop other programmes around the film. Don’t expect immediate miracles as a result of these efforts. Growing awareness is like growing a tree. It will take time for efforts to bear fruit. But if the seed itself is not planted, there will never be a tree!


8. Use your core skills: Most people imagine that wildlife conservation entails giving up one’s life and staying in a forest. Obviously there are people who devote themselves exclusively to conservation every day of their lives. Most other people however have nine to five jobs or families to take care of. That does not mean that you cannot achieve anything. The most important thing is to understand what your core skills are and then make this skill available to good NGOs so they can do their jobs better. For instance, if you are a lawyer, you can help an NGO or citizen’s group fight a case to protect forests and wildlife. If you are a journalist, you can write well-researched stories to inspire and educate people. If you are an MLA, MP. Minister or bureaucrat, you can ensure good policies and the implementation of those policies. If you are a web designer, you can help create knowledge portals on conservation. If you are an event manager, you can use your core skills to create and manage events that bring people together for conservation. So, no matter who you are or what you do for a living, there is a tangible way for you to make a difference. It’s just a matter of taking the first step. The rest will follow. 


9. Write letters to the editor: Adding one’s name to an email petition or signature campaign may feel good, but it may not always achieve something. If one wants to really contribute towards conservation, such an act alone will not help. However, even writing a one-paragraph response to a newspaper article on wildlife or conservation can be extremely valuable. Even if the letter is not published, it will send a message to the editor that such stories are being read by people and are worthwhile for the paper to report. 


10. Follow up: Perseverance and tenacity are extremely important qualities for a conservationist. There are no magic bullets to achieve results and little instant gratification. Sometimes it can take months or even years of patient lobbying, persuasion and follow up for good things to happen. Be patient and never give up. Don’t allow temporary setbacks to hold you back. Conservation is often an uphill battle that requires knowledge, strategy, good communication skills and persistence.




“Do not cut down the forest with its tigers and do not banish the tigers from the forest; the tiger perishes without the forest and the forest perishes without its tigers” - Mahabharata, 400 BCE, Udyogaparva.

Hello Friends,


This is the first post on this blog. So, here I'll be explaining what you should expect as forthcoming. I created this blog to write about the things that continuously stir my mind (and I'm sure these things must have hit you too).


India is a great country, full of diversity and blessed by nature. as its citizens, it is our duty to uphold the nation. But I've seen that the reality is different. We expect a lot but fail to give. This blog will discuss how to make changes.


As for myself, I'm very much interested in protecting the wildlife of our great nation. India is the only country in the world which has all the geographical terrains. The mountains, deserts, plains, rain forests, plateau, sea coast, India has it all. And thus it is implied that we have all kinds of animals living with us sharing the nation with us. We can't ignore them.


Increasing population pressures on nation's land and resources have created a big danger for the wildlife. But, I believe there are people out there who wish to re-establish the balance. Who wish to see the green over the glitter. And for them, is this blog.


Here, we will discuss what we can do in our nearby areas, our homes and how we can bring changes.


Don't worry though, apart from wildlife (which is so close to my heart), I have other matters upon which I would like to share ideas with you....So, keep a track, follow the blog, post comments and maybe some day, you might find something that touches your heart.


Saurabh Singh