Vasudha, 4 issue

Vasudha The producer and giver of wealth,

go ng green

our Mother Earth

Thursday Issue

4th year of the Taylor & Francis India’s Green Week is about to finish. Yesterday, we followed our tradition of “Create from Waste” while reading the special issue on “Waste Not Water”. Today through this newsletter, we are going to reiterate the mantra “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle”. Our partner JAAGRUTI will deliver a speech today on “Paper Conservation” and a “Green Skit” will be presented by the Green Heroes.

I believe most of the Indian Households unconsciously reduce, reuse and recycle things. Our mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers have given us a legacy of methods for saving, reusing and recycling natural resources. Even if your household is not one of them, be the creator of this legacy for your future generations, as “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”.

I hope this issue will help you in this endeavor.

Namita Singh, BIS Content Editor

Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves. ~ Edwin Way Teale

My Family Environment I had never heard of Green Week till a year ago when I encountered its advent in the suppressed excitement tinged with apprehension of the Green Week Brigade at T&F India, last September. Living green or being environmentally conscious has however been part of my life for as far back as I can remember and long before it became both fashionable and imperative.

When my brother and I were little we, along with our cousins, would spend the long summer holidays at our grandparents’ house. It was a time of early morning walks, long lazy afternoon and gaming and squabbling in equal measure. Needless to say, saving electricity or water was hardly something that entered our sphere of thought let alone practice. All that changed one afternoon when my Grandmother, a great admirer of Nehru, said to us, ‘Every time you leave a fan or light on when no one is around, it’s like hanging a bag of coins upside down: the money is continuously falling out.’ So evocative was this image that to this day, every time I encounter a light or fan which should be switched off I see an inverted money bag with the coins falling out. And it’s not just I. Some years ago, one of nieces, then about 6 years old admonished me for not switching off the light in the bathroom when I exited. ‘You know’, she said, ‘Papa says that when you waste electricity, it’s like holding a money bag upside down and losing all the coins.’ So the story goes on and the extended Devasar family has amongst the lowest electricity bills in any neighborhood we live in.

Besides the ‘reduce’ lesson I learned as a kid, the other significant part of my childhood was the ‘reuse’ mantra. Long before it came in vogue my mother and aunts were converting worn bed sheets into pillow lining; discarded frilly tops and kurtas in bathroom curtains; sarees into dupattas and scarves; and almost anything that didn’t have any conceivable use into kitchen/ dusting rags. As a teenager these reinventions drove me crazy (don’t we throw anything in this house! was a frequent refrain), almost as much as our maids who never got any ‘old’ stuff passed on to them.

Things have not changed much over the years and today, this creativity (yes! that’s what it’s called now!) manifests itself in a myriad of lovely hues. Last Valentine’s Day the gift that made me feel most cherished was a heart-shaped picture frame made from an old cereal box, using a discarded wine cork as a stand, gifted to me by my 9-year old niece. ‘It’s because I don’t have any money bua’, she said, ‘and because I wanted to give you something useful, that I made myself. Also, it’s recycling you know, which is good for all of us!’

So as you can see, in my family’s case living in an environmentally conscious way is just the way we are and are growing up to be, even though the message passed down generations has not always been an overtly environmental one.

Nitasha Devasar

The House Wisdom Whenever I buy new clothes, grocery items or any household products, I make sure that I don’t ask for a plastic carry bag at the shop. The idea is to not use plastic at the source level as it cannot be recycled. Green living is about looking at resources critically and making responsible choices.

Even the sofa in our drawing room has been remodeled using scrap wood and old clothes.

After sundown we use only LED lights, which consume less energy and last five times longer than the normal incandescent bulbs and saves money too.

We keep our food fresh and avoid wasting energy by having the refrigerator set at the right temperature—between 3 and 4 degrees Celsius for the fridge and between minus 15 and minus 18 degrees Celsius for the freezer. We also use a fridge thermometer to check (it really helps). Airtight containers are great for keeping leftovers, plus they make good reusable sandwich boxes.

Debottam Bhattacharjee 2

GREEN – that is how we would like the world to be

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REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE – THE MANTRA FOR LIFE PRECYCLING IS THE KEY Precycling is the practice of consuming, while keeping waste reduction in mind. In other words, it takes into account the amount of waste a product will produce before purchasing and choosing the product with the smaller impact.

Think of it as preventative medicine for the landfills. Some alternatives of plastics are given below, think of others: Common Plastics Used:

Alternatives to Plastic:

Bags, shopping

Canvas or reusable shopping bags (homemade or bought)

Beverage container, storebought

Drink water instead; Homemade beverages stored in glass carafes; buy milk in glass containers

Brush, scrub or bottle

Tampico fiber or Horsehair brushes

Carpet (much of it is plasticbased)

Natural wool carpet, real wood floors, sealed concrete

Cooking utensils (spatulas, spoons, etc)

Invest in wood (naturally antibacterial!), stainless steel or silicone when necessary

Lunchbox

Fabric lunch bags or stainless steel

Razors, disposable

All-metal razors and blades (non-disposable)

Skin care containers

Use coconut oil, essential oils, homemade sunscreen, and other homemade skin care options

Yoga mat

Bamboo, hemp, jute, or natural rubber

CAN YOU BELIEVE? The amount of water on Earth is constant, and continually recycled over time: some of the water you drink will have passed through a dinosaur.

27,000 trees are felled each day for toilet paper. Paper can be recycled only six times. After that, the fibers are too weak to hold together.

Up to 60% of the rubbish that ends up in the dustbin could be recycled. The unreleased energy contained in the average dustbin each year could power a television for 5,000 hours.

On an average, 16% of the money you spend on a product is paid for the packaging, which ultimately ends up as rubbish.

TYRE ART, “BE AN ARTIST, AND REUSE OTHER THINGS”

EVEN CROWS REUSE. WHY CAN’T WE? The crows that live in Tokyo use clothes hangers to make nests. In such a large city, there are few trees, so the natural materials that crows need to make their nests are scarce. As a result, the crows occasionally take hangers from the people who live in apartments nearby, and carefully assemble them into nests.

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Taylor & Francis India | Green Week 2014 | 15-19 September 2014

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HOW TO RECOGNISE ECO-FRIENDLY AND RECYCLED PRODUCTS? As well as recycling, it is important to buy products made from recycled material. This will increase the demand for recycled products as well as create a good recycling loop. Recycled products are widely available; use this table to become familiar with the different eco-friendly labels you might find on these products.

MOBIUS LOOP This indicates whether the product can be recycled.

MOBIUS LOOP WITH PERCENTAGE This indicates how much of the product is made from recycled materials.

TIDYMAN SYMBOL Implies that you should dispose of the product carefully, do not litter.

GREEN DOT Indicating that the recovery of packaging material in some European countries has been paid for.

GREEN SEAL A symbol used by the USA to show that a product has been produced in an environmentally friendly manor.

GLASS This symbol indicates to recycle glass in bottle banks.

ALUMINIUM This symbol indicates that the product is made from recyclable aluminium.

STEEL This symbol indicates that the product is made from recyclable steel.

EUROPEAN ECOLABEL A European symbol that shows the product has been produced in an environmentally friendly manner.

Some Useful Tips to Save Our “Vasudha” • Buy as little as possible and avoid items that come in lots of packaging. Support local growers and producers of food and products - these don’t have to travel as far and so reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• Prefer paperless communication instead of using paper.

Make use of Internet and mobile phones to promote paperless communication. Try to use 1 multi-tasking gadget, as Gopakumar Nair correctly mentioned that using multiple gadgets leads to wastage of energy and • Hold a clothing swap. This can be a fun, free way for friends, resources. relatives, co-workers, neighbors, and the like to find new wardrobe finds.

• Minimize the use of paper towel. In place of paper towel, one can use cloth towel or hankie reducing the • Get your children involved. By giving their old toys and consumption of products made from trees (e.g. paper) games to other children who could make use of them, older children learn two lessons: One is about giving to others, • Behind every paper bag, there are destroyed trees. Don’t and the second is about reusing and recycling instead of use paperbacks. Reuse plastic bags, or get recycled carry throwing things away. totes for grocery shopping and put lunch sandwiches into reusable containers.

• Buy or make Earth-friendly cleaning products. Try making up a simple vinegar-and-water counter cleaner, or swapping out your bleach cleaner for a less-toxic orange-based one.

Just try it. You don’t necessarily have to give up your heavyduty cleaners--just try using them when you really need to disinfect, rather than simply clean

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GREEN – that is how we would like the world to be

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Law of Nature

We’ve Been Working

Just understand the law of nature, We are not the ones, who dare to command the nature, We are here to obey the law of nature.

We’ve been working on recycling everything we can,

It doesn’t judge us on our performance and results, It embraces everyone.

Keep three things in mind, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Separate your glass and paper, your plastic and your tin.

We’ve been working on recycling, it’s a very simple plan.

Take the trash that you’ve recycled to your recycling bin.

We’ve been working on reducing everything we can.

Praveen Dewal

We’ve been working on reducing, it’s a very simple plan.

Disillusioned minds The birds fly on to different horizons The ships sails on to lands yet undiscovered Like moths to a dying flame, they edge on With disdain ebbing in their hearts And caution thrown to the winds flight Paths built on different plains Maps drawn on the same stars Lights wane, gales rage, rising fears A tandem of flight, erst never found

Don’t buy things in extra wrapping; reduce and you’ll succeed!

We’ve been working on reusing everything we can.

We’ve been working on reusing, it’s a very simple plan.

If it’s a bag you’re using, make sure you use it twice.

The golden sands and green plains beckon Blissful abandon and peace all around Two paths end finally A long lost journey reaches its destination Poojya Trivedi

Don’t get things if you won’t use them; get only what you need.

Give away old toys and clothes; reusing is so nice!

(Tune: I’ve Been Working on the Railroad) Source:http://www.canteach.ca/ elementary/songspoems51.html

EK CUP CHAI? My morning begins with tea. I usually have around 4–5 cups every day, which kind of stops short of addiction (I think). Even while I write this, I have a cup of chai next to me. A couple of years ago, I visited a tea factory at Munnar, Kerala. Apart from the really bad tea they served, there were some takeaways: 1. You can use a tea bag about 2–3 times — especially if you drink green tea.

2. Used tea leaves can be used as a natural fertilizer for your garden/potted plants 3. You can use dried, used tea leaves to wash your face 4. For those looking for a natural moisture absorbents, used dry tea leaves are perfect. What’s more the silica gel available in the market is not biodegradable.

I am sure you’ll find more uses for used tea leaves on the Net, and if this short piece ‘inspires’ you to know what more you can do with tea, it will have done its job!

Aakash Chakrabarty

Taylor & Francis India | Green Week 2014 | 15-19 September 2014

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Warding Off Stress...

Driving to work on Delhi roads is enough to give you ten times the recommended daily dose of stress levels. Metro rides are slightly better. You get off cheap if you do not have a pole-dancing kid, a wailing baby, a complaining daughter-inlaw, a loving couple, a stinking hunk, etc. Going through the day at work, getting back home, handling our various chores, and dealing with life’s regular demands can be quite taxing and straining. Is it any wonder then that we end up being stressed at times, for no fault of ours?

Now there are the conventionally wise ways of dealing with stress. Digging a hole and disappearing into it and staying there till the end of time is by far the best method. But if you can’t afford this and need your monthly salary for rent, the child’s school fees or the more frivolous pass time of watching ‘Dabangg’ or ‘Skyfall’, go out to dinners with friends, or save up for medical care in your old age because of the ‘high life’ you are leading now . . . then you have to deal with daily life and the world.

The next best option of dealing with stress is living a clean life, meditating, remembering to breathe deep, exercising, eating well, taking breaks and relaxing holidays, not letting stress get to you.

But as we all know, many of these are not possible on a regular basis. What is possible though, is adding a few wonder foods to our diet to manage stress by giving a boost to the chemicals in our body that fight the free radicals and stress releasing hormones. I can vouch for most of them – either from first-hand experience or from very close shaves.

Green Tea – the miracle drink, green tea is loaded with antioxidants and has many health benefits. It calms the body and mind and reduces stress. Agreed, you might not savour the taste at first, but persist a bit; the benefits are far too many to ignore this wonder beverage. Try flavoured ones – lemon, orange, Darjeeling etc. and you will find them much more palatable. And it will grow on you with time. The tea, not the tea plant. Added incentive? It also helps in weight loss.

Spinach – rich source of Vitamins A, C and B. It also packs a healthy dose of potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium which help bring down stress hormones, stabilize our mood and make us feel better. One cup of spinach a day is sure to help. Watch the tummy though! We don’t want loosies in search of happiness.

Milk – rich in calcium, vitamins A, D, protein and antioxidants, all of which help to combat the free radicals in the body. A daily glass of milk can fix a lot of unseen ailments and malnourishment in the body – fix that pimply skin, stop hair loss, make your hair shine, bring down general aches and pains, make you feel happier, etc. etc. A glass of warm milk before going to bed at night will help you fall asleep more easily. If you are lactose intolerant, consider having yogurt or almond/soy milk.

Almonds – no wonder our ancestors, especially those of us who are from the north, swore by Doodh-Badaam! Almonds contain vitamins B2, E, zinc, magnesium and healthy oils. Snack on raw almonds – they will help you lose stress and weight. Walnuts too are a great source of Omega-3 and antioxidants. Try and make these two nuts your daily companions (check for allergies first).

Salmon – like all oil-rich fish, salmon is a super-nutritious food. The omega-3 fatty acids present in salmon increase happy brain chemicals such as serotonin and regulate stress hormones (e.g., adrenaline and cortisol). Other oily fish like Tuna and sardines can also be tried.

Brown Rice – a very good source of B-vitamins, essential for the proper function of all tissues, cells, and organs. This vitamin also promotes brain health as well as healthy mood.

Avocado – this is a great source of vitamin E, vitamin C, protein and essential minerals. It also contains potassium, fibre and healthy fat.

Avocado helps keep the nerve cells and the brain cells healthy and helps to reduce stress levels. Add it to salads and smoothies or make that wonderful Mexican dip – Guacamole and hit it with your nachos!

Blueberries – rich in vitamins E and C, manganese and magnesium, these help in keeping stress levels low. They are also excellent antioxidants. They are high in fibre content and low in calories so can be used for weight loss programmes as well. Have them with your breakfast cereals or just plain yoghurt as post-meal desserts.

Oranges – another fruit packed with vitamins C, A and B. The saviour of the sailors, these also fight the free radicals in the body and help against stress and heart disease. Fresh orange juice is best, as the packed variety often has loads of sugar and preservatives added. Of course, as most of you would know, an orange soufflé lifts the mood like magic.

Dark Chocolate – this should be a favourite!

Dark chocolate is rich in magnesium which is an important mineral hat helps fight stress, fatigue, irritability and even depression. So go ahead … indulge. What’s stopping you?

Shoma Choudhury Information presented here is based on personal experience and research 2

GREEN – that is how we would like the world to be

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Nature’s Gallery

Disha Lakhanpal

Ankur Krishnan

Anindita Mondal

Poojya Trivedi

Anindita Pandey

Arsheen Kaur

Anushree Sharma Abhishek Bhardwaj

Pankaj Bhardwaj 2

This newsletter has been put together by Namita Singh, Ramaswamy Seshadri and Anjali Maggon. Design by Deepak 2 Chhabra.