How to live sustainably every day (Part 7) - The Minus Touch

Building or renovating a home takes a huge toll on the environment, sometimes unnecessarily. But for every couple who put up an entire outbuilding to keep their unwanted things, we can find a couple who live elegantly in an 18 x 18 foot cottage. Next time we’re yearning to renovate, let’s remember that happy austerity in a cottage. A family that re-does its floor dumps a huge quantity of rubble and broken tile somewhere. The same goes for replacing wooden cabinets and wardrobes or, worse, discarding synthetic materials that will never degrade.

How to live sustainably every day (Part 6) - There will be mud

A garden in a city or suburb is more than just a show piece. It buffers us from a harsh climate. It soothes our concrete-assaulted eyes. It shelters birds, butterflies and small animals. It absorbs rain water. It supplies fruits, vegetables and herbs.All that seems logical, but many gardens are far from green. Householders buy tractor-loads of nutrient-poor soil to dump in the compound. We overwater plants. We remove and discard precious topsoil along with weeds. We often pave over the area because we can’t tolerate what we consider “garbage”, which is simply the leaves, flowers and branches that naturally fall off a living organism.

How to live sustainably every day (Part 5) - More power to you

When it comes to saving energy, people mostly talk about solar gadgets. Solar heaters, lamps and cookers are popular and increasingly better designed, but they have to be installed and operated judiciously if we are to benefit from them, and they certainly aren’t the whole story.Apart from a few rural homes off the grid, almost all of us use conventional energy sources — electricity and gas. We can all take immediate steps to reduce our consumption. Turning off lights and fans when we leave the room is a simple habit most of us have lost. We often forget that when we need more light or air, we can take our work to the window or sit where the breeze is instead of turning on more lights and fans.Fortunately, we no longer hear the silly idea that keeping appliances and computers on standby day and night “makes more sense” than turning them off when they’re not needed. If a gadget on standby is warm to the touch, it is clearly drawing power.

How to live sustainably every day (Part 4) - Hole in the bucket

Of all the environmental issues we discuss, water raises the gloomiest predictions. Whether or not we believe in the water wars to come, we’ve at least seen spats in front of street taps. In most Indian cities, we ought to conserve water in our homes and gardens.“But we have no water problem!” say many householders. Yes, if you live in a privileged neighbourhood, there may always be water coming out of your taps. But what middle class families pay for water does not reflect the actual cost of purifying it and piping it into our houses.Poorer neighbourhoods may get what looks like ‘free’ water from street taps and lorries. But a woman who spends half her day waiting with her pot loses time she might spend caring for her family and earning a living. A girl appointed to carry water for the family’s needs usually misses school to do the job.

National Service Scheme (NSS) to Focus on Skill Development to be Transformed into National Service and Skill Development Scheme (NSSD)

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has decided to reposition the National Service Scheme (NSS) by adding a new Skill Development dimension to the scheme. The new focus of the scheme would be on students attaining employable skills while undertaking work with the community to bring about sustainable social change and equity. A pilot project to this effect would be undertaking in the current financial year.

Renewable Energy an Important Source - Opinion

Electricity is one of the prime requirements for any country to develop. Without it, infrastructural bottlenecks accentuate, causing hurdles in growth across the board. Industries, Agriculture, services and in fact every walk of life need electricity to move forward. With this in view, India has been making all efforts to generate as much electricity as possible from different sources. These include Hydro, thermal, nuclear and even non- conventional sources like solar and wind energy.

Big ideas for micro units

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) play a pivotal role in India’s industrial development, as they help hone and nurture the talent and skills of entrepreneurs. The MSME sector contributes 8 per cent to the country’s GDP, 45 per cent to the manufactured output, and 40 per cent to exports, and provides employment to 60 million people through 28.5 million enterprises.