Tamilnadu on the way to become a green state

Hi all,
I recently read an article about Tamilnadu achieving 33% forest cover for the state. It's a very good news among all the bad news that come about global warming. I think all the states should follow the footsteps and fight the devil of global warming.

Tamil Nadu has almost achieved 33% 'tree cover' and also mitigated the impact of global warming and climate change to some extent, forests minister, N Selvaraj said.
As against the decrease of India's forest cover by 728 sq km, Tamil Nadu's cover has increased by 41 sq km, Selvaraj said in his address on the concluding day of 'International Congress on Global Warming on biodiversity of insects: Management and conservation'.

Chief minister M Karunanidhi had launched a scheme called 'tree cultivation in private land,' in 2007-08 and under the programme, one crore saplings were being planted every year, he said.

Due to this, forest and tree cover in Tamil Nadu has gone up considerably, Selvaraj said, adding as against the reduction of tree cover from 3.05 to 2.79% in India, it had increased in Tamil Nadu from 3.66% to 4.26%, he said.

Increase in temperature would have severe impact on the global hydrological system, sea levels, forest ecosystems, crop production and related processes. The effect of global warming would be very severe in tropical countries like India and other developing countries, he said.

Source : The Times of India - 12th Feb..

Nature's answer to Man's irresponsibility

Hi all,

I received this e-mail about the Australian fire that broke, due to once in a century heat-wave, a week ago. I can safely term it as nature’s answer to our thoughtless activities that have created global warming. It is a very small example how nature can be hard-hitting when it comes to giving punishment.

THE SHEER horror and devastation of the forest fires in the Australian state of Victoria is contained in news that over 300 people probably died in the blazes, thousands were injured and some 7,000 are homeless. An estimated 865,000 acres were affected and nearly 1,000 homes destroyed in four towns and dozens of villages. Attention is now turning to why this happened and what should be done in future to prevent it recurring.

Climate change, hazard reduction burning are but some of the issues involved.

A fire truck moves away from out of control flames from a bushfire in the Bunyip Sate Forest near the township of Tonimbuk, 125 kilometers (78 miles) west of Melbourne, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. Walls of flame roared across southeastern Australia, razing scores of homes, forests and farmland in the sunburned country's worst wildfire disaster in a quarter century.

Flames and smoke rise from a bushfire in the Bunyip Sate Forest west of Melbourne, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.

A Country Fire Authority (CFA) Sector Commander looks up at a giant fire raging in the Bunyip State Park near Labertouche, Australia, on February 7, 2009. More than 40 blazes raged across two states as a once-in-a-century heatwave pushed the mercury as high as 46 degrees Celsius (115 Fahrenheit) with fire bans in place across much of the south-east.

A general view of the devastation from the Peats Ridge Valley bushfire on February 9, 2009 in Peats Ridge, Australia.

A firefighter tries to contain a bushfire approaching the town of Peats Ridge, north of Sydney, on February 8, 2009.

Small acreage is burned out in Kinglake, northeast of Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009.

Senior Wildlife Officer Geoff McClure looks over the destruction in the main street of Marysville, some 100 kilometres northeast of Melbourne on February 9, 2009. The wildfires have become the deadliest in Australia's history, destroying entire towns and wiping out families and amid the heartache there was also anger as police revealed they suspected some of the fires were started by arsonists.

Family members react after learning that their parents Bill and Faye Walker and disabled brother Geoffrey were killed in wildfires in Marysville, north of Melbourne, Monday, Feb. 9, 2009.

A burnt out house is seen following the bushfires that swept through the region on February 9, 2009 in Christmas Hills, Australia.

The remains of a properties destroyed by bushfires are seen in the town of Kinglake, 55km (34 miles) northeast of Melbourne February 8, 2009.

A bushfire burns through a forest on the outskirts of Labertouche, 90km (56 miles) east of Melbourne February 7, 2009.

Craig Kidd looks at the melted metal of alloy wheels from his burnt out vehicles after a bushfire swept through his property on February 9, 2009 in Bendigo, 160 km from Melbourne, Australia.

A burnt out camera is seen on the ground, following bushfires that swept through the region on February 9, 2009 in Christmas Hills, Australia. Does high cost Materialistic things matter to nature.?

The remains of St. Andrew's church are scattered after it was destroyed by fire in the community of Kinglake, northeast of Melbourne on February 9, 2009. There's no mercy for anything when it comes to punishment in the court of nature.

A single burnt out tree remains standing after a bushfire swept through on February 9, 2009 in Bendigo, 160 km from Melbourne, Australia.

A man surveys the remains of a property after a bushfire swept through it on February 9, 2009 in Bendigo, 160 km north of Melbourne, Australia.

The burnt remains of a house are left standing in the aftermath of a bushfire on February 3, 2009 in Boolarra, approximately 200 kms southeast of Melbourne, Australia.

Biodegradable Plastics- New fad, New innovation

Hi,
Browsing the news papers I was inclined to read further more about Biodegradable plastics that are rapidly getting accepted by all across the globe as a substitute for plastics. One major role that it plays is in waste reduction, which is the primary concern while one uses plastics.

However the use of biodegradable plastics has just starting to get accepted is that initially the cost of manufacturing it was high.
Even the first claims of designing the biodegradable plastics were not fully “biodegradable”; they were starch-filled polyolefins. The starch used to degrade leaving behind the polyolefins, non bio-degradable.
Moreover, the breakdown products of the biodegradation process should be nontoxic and should not build up in the environment at a faster rate than they are being utilised by the microorganisms.
The research and development for an appropriate technology is still in process to create bio degradable plastic. lets hope it does happen fast, till then we can atleast reduce the amount of non-biodegraable plastics being used. Lets Reuse and Recycle.

For detailed article: http://www.prn2.usm.my/mainsite/bulletin/nst/1997/nst35.html

The Corbett National Park - A perfect place

Hello all,
I would like to share information about The Corbett National Park which I visited in the final year of my engineering. Many of you must have heard about it and may have visited it also. It is a beautiful place to see the perfection created by nature. Here you can see and understand that how nature(you can say god also) has created a perfect balance in our ecological system. A lot of people visit this place for various reasons ranging from understanding the environment to decreasing stress levels. Now let's see it more closely.

The Corbett National Park nestles in the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttranchal in North India. It extends over 525 Sq Kms and is crisscrossed with little ridges and ravines. The park is a large valley and the beautiful Ramganga river flows through its entire length. Dense deciduous forests are found throughout the park . It is the grasslands or the chaurs that offer nature lovers a beautiful feel and view of wildlife. The elevations of the park range from 410 meters to 1220 meters and this enables a wide variety of flora and fauna to flourish in these environs.

Over 60 mammals and 30 reptilian species along with a wide variety of flora can be seen in the park There are tigers, leopards, elephants, wild dogs, hog deer, sambhar, spotted deer, chetal, barking deer, Rheus , Langur, Jackal , foxes, Wild Boar , Sloth Bear , Black Bear , crocodiles , Cobras , pythons and more……. The Park is home to almost 600 species of birds . Woodpeckers, fishing eagles, harriers, kites, red jungle fowl, shrikes, cuckoos, drongos, barbets and more can be seen and the tourist can really enjoy the jungle environment in the company of these rare birds. A comparatively new reservoir on the river Ramganga, at Kalagarh ( courtesy a new Dam ) attracts a diverse range of water birds , both local and migratory . This is a must see for all visitors.

The various centres of all tourist activity are:
Dhikala at the heart of the core area is the main attraction for tourists. This picturesquely located area is at the edge of a grassy plateau perched high above the Ramganga flowing river. The grasslands of the Dhikala chaur disappear into the dense Sal forest of the foothills. Tourists can enjoy the beauty of the wildlife and the majestic environs of the Corbett National Park from here. This is the place to be. Tourists can spot tigers , herds of elephants , deer and a wide variety of birds and flora. There are viewing towers , elephant rides and beautiful rest houses all over this part of the jungle. The elephant ride is an ideal way to spot wild animals and enjoy the jungle in comparative comfort and safety. Enjoy wildlife watching in towers which have been specially constructed for tourists. The experience is unforgettable.

Bijrani is another part of the jungle open to tourists .It is accessible from Ramnagar and the distance is approximately 3 kms . This part of the jungle is also beautiful grassland and wild animals and wild birds can be seen a plenty. If the tourist is luck , he/she may spot a rare majestic tiger in the wild. A tourist can enjoy elephant rides and take in the breathtaking beauty in comparative comfort at Bijrani.

Museums at Dhangarhi Gate and the Corbett museum at Kaladhungi are open throughout the year. They are a must see for tourists who want to get a feel of the bygone era when man eating tigers were hunted here and life was much different from what it is today.

Kalagarh Dam is another beautiful scenic spot. The reservoir has a large collection of local and migratory birds . Any nature lover will enjoy the visit to the river side with its lush banks and beautiful water bodies. Crocodiles can be spotted sun bathing and enjoying themselves on the banks of the river.

My exclusive Tips and Useful Information :
Most tourists prefer to stay at private hotels and resorts constructed along the Ramnagar- Gargia- Dhangarhi road. These hotel and guest houses have all creature comforts but are outside the main jungle area. A tourist who stays at these resorts cannot access the beautiful environs of Dhikala during a day excursion.The rules and regulations of the Corbett national park do not allow this access. This tourist has to access the jungle ( national park ) from a separate entry point 3 kms from Ramnagar and can travel to Bijrani for a day excursion.

In order to experience the true jungle and the wild life therein , one must be prepared to rough it out. There are beautiful rest houses and small bungalows all over the Corbett national park but these are owned and operated by the government. These places of stay have basic creature comforts and the tourist must carry his own camping gear and food stuff to enable a comfortable stay. It is necessary to take special permission from the Director of the national park to get access to these rest houses. Permission is given for a stay of 2- 3 days only and is a must for any nature lover. Do contact your Hotel or resort in advance to ask for a booking. Timely request for booking can lead to an enhanced jungle experience.

A excursion may be planned for 3- 4 days to be able to enjoy a wild jungle experience.
Some useful data :
Area of Jungle Reserve : 520 Sq Kms
Altitude :380 – 1120 meters
Nearest Town : Ramnagar
Temperature :Summers : 19 degrees Celsius to 43 degrees Celsius.
Winters : 3 degrees Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius.
The Park is open between 15th November to 15th June.
Nearest airport :Patnagar ( 110 Kms from park ), New Delhi ( 295 Kms from park)
Nearest Railhead : Ramnagar ( 50 Kms from the park)
By Road : Reach Ramnagar , then access the park from the Amdana gate or Dhangarhi gate . Do ensure you have prior permission to stay at Dhikala before picking the gate of entry. Distance from Delhi to Ramnagar is 243 Kms . Road is motorable with average speeds of 40-50 Kms per hour.

The phone no is 05947-51376 & 05947-51489
I hope you found some useful information.

The demon named 'Plastic'

Hi,
In today's world we do not give a thought before we use plastic. We cannot think our lives without plastic as we cannot think our lives without oxygen. But it is very necessary to understand that plastic is a very big monster for environment. It not only stays on earth for 25,000 years but also it takes a hell lot of resources to create just a kg of plastic. And while creating also, it generates a lot of hazardous materials for our mother earth. I've given an account on what it takes to create a kg of plastic. So, from next time think before buying a plastic bottle every time you travel or asking a plastic bag for each item you buy at a store.

Total Gross Energy (in kilowatt-hours) to Produce 1 Kg Plastic

		Average
Fuels	Coal	1.08
	Oil	4.43
	Gas	4.63
	Hydro	.15
	Nuclear	.23
	Other	.03
Feedstocks	Coal	.003
	Oil	9.22
	Gas	3.51
Total Gross Energy (Fuels plus Feedstock)		23.283

Total Raw Materials to Produce 1 Kg Plastic

Raw Materials	Unit	Average
Bauxite	mg	310
Sodium Chloride	mg	4900
Clay	mg	1
Ferromanganese	mg	1
Iron Ore	mg	550
Limestone	mg	270
Manganese	mg	50
Metallurgic Coal	mg	230
Sand	mg	20
Water	mg	17,500,000
Phosphate Rock	mg	30
Total Raw Materials	kg	17.51

As you can see that to just a kilo of plastic it takes a whopping 17.5 kg of raw materials (mostly water). Here we must keep in mind that we cannot use sea water so in a way we are indirectly reducing our water resources by using more and more plastic.

Now let's see the direct impact that can be measured. It includes air emissions, water emissions and solid wastes to produce a kilo of plastic.

Total Air Emissions to Produce 1 Kg Plastic

Air Emissions	Unit	Average
Dust	mg	3,800
Carbon Monoxide	mg	18,000
Carbon Dioxide	mg	2,330,000
Nitrogen oxides	mg	20,200
Sulphur oxides	mg	25,000
Hydrogen Chloride	mg	110
Hydrocarbons	mg	40,000
Organics	mg	9,400
Metals	mg	10
Total Air Emissions	kg	2.45

Total Water Emissions to Produce 1 Kg Plastic

Water Emissions	Unit	Average
COD	mg	3,300
BOD	mg	1,000
Sodium ions	mg	1,500
Acid as H+	mg	180
Metals	mg	120
Chloride Ions	mg	710
Dissolved Organics	mg	13,000
Suspended Solids	mg	600
Detergent/oil	mg	20
HydroCarbons	mg	400
Dissolved Solids	mg	580
Phosphate as P2O5	mg	10
Sulphate ions	mg	40
Other Nitrogen	mg	1
Total Water Emissions	mg	21,461

This way we are not only using precious water but also we are polluting it.

Total Solid Waste to Produce 1 Kg Plastic

Solid Waste	Unit	Average
Mineral Waste	mg	30,000
Stags and Ash	mg	9,600
Mixed Industrial	mg	3,500
Regulated Chemicals	mg	130
Inert Chemicals	mg	1,900
Total Solid Waste	mg	45,130

So friends, we need to reduce our use of plastic drastically. Please do not use any kind of plastic unless it is very necessary. Inculcate the habit of reusing the plastic bottles and bags.
Let's give back our environment something positive.

Some Facts about Endangered Species

There are some interesting facts about endangered species but let us first understand some terms about endangered species. Actually endangered species is just one term out of the terms used for species that face problems. But it is commonly used as a generic term for all. So we'll see first the terms.

Endangered Species Terms

VULNERABLE SPECIES - A species particularly at risk because of low or declining numbers or small range, but not a threatened species.

threatened species – a species whose population is not yet low enough to be in immediate danger of extinction, but who certainly faces serious problems. If the problems affecting these species aren’t resolved, it is probable that the species will become endangered. The eastern indigo snake and the red kangaroo are examples of threatened species.

endangered species – a specie, plant or animal, that is in immediate danger of becoming extinct. Its numbers are usually low, and it needs protection in order to survive. The Siberian tiger, the southern sea otter, the snow leopard, the green pitcher plant, and thousands of other plants and animals are endangered worldwide.

extinct species – an extinct species is one that is no longer living. The passenger pigeon, the dodo, and the Stegosaurus are examples of extinct species. These animals no longer exist on the earth.

Now some interesting (yet shocking) facts about the species

-> According to scientists, more than one and one-half million species exist on the earth today. However, recent estimates state that at least 20 times that many species inhabit the planet.

-> In India, 535 species of plants and 295 species of animals are listed as threatened or endangered.

-> Only a hundred of these listed species have recovery plans currently under development.

-> There are more than 1,000 animal species endangered worldwide.

-> There are more than 3,500 protected areas in existence worldwide. These areas include parks, wildlife refuges and other reserves. They cover a total of nearly 2 million square miles (5 million square km), though the number seems a very big one, it is only 3% of our total land area.

-> Aquatic species, which are often overlooked (because generally we do not see them daily unless we eat some of them), are facing serious trouble. One fifth of the India’s total aquatic species are in trouble.

Man harass nature then nature does the same to him

Hi all,
Most of us believe that we do not create any pain in the neck of nature and even if we do believe we think nature won't reply. But there are plenty of example to prove otherwise. In the following article how plague massacred London city is shown. The reason behind was that people of England superstitiously believed that cats are not good for luck. So they killed them and started creating imbalance in the ecological system. To top it they believed cats and dogs brought plague so they killed more of them and the population of rats exploded.
So we need to pay attention that even for a small bad step we might have to pay a big price. We cannot simply mess with nature.

Black Death. In the year 1665 death came calling on the city of London. Death in the form of plague. People called it the Black Death, black for the colour of the tell-tale lumps that foretold its presence in a victim's body, and death for the inevitable result. The plague germs were carried by fleas which lived as parasites on rats. Although it had first appeared in Britain in 1348, the islands were never totally free of plague, but it was like an unpleasant possibility that people just learned to live with while they got on with their business. This time it was different.

In 1663 plague ravaged Holland. Charles II forbade any trade with the Dutch, partly out of wise concern, and partly because his realm was engaged in a fierce trade war with Holland which eventually erupted into armed conflict. Despite the precautions, the early spring of 1665 brought a sudden rise in the death rate in the poorer sections of London. The authorities ignored it. As spring turned into one of the hottest summers in memory, the number of deaths escalated and panic set in.

The rich flee. The nobility left the city for their estates in the country. They were followed by the merchants, and the lawyers. The Inns of Court were deserted. Most of the clergy suddenly decided they could best minister to their flocks from far, far away. The College of Surgeons fled to the country, which did not stop several of its members from writing learned papers about the disease they had been at such pains to avoid. The court moved to Hampton Court Palace.

The gates are closed. By June the roads were clogged with people desperate to escape London. The Lord Mayor responded by closing the gates to anyone who did not have a certificate of health. These certificates became a currency more valuable than gold, and a thriving market in forged certificates grew up.

Desperate Measures. By mid July over 1,000 deaths per week were reported in the city. It was rumored that dogs and cats spread the disease, so the Lord Mayor ordered all the dogs and cats destroyed. Author Daniel Defoe in his Journal of the Plague Years estimated that 40,000 dogs and 200,000 cats were killed. The real effect of this was that there were fewer natural enemies of the rats who carried the plague fleas, so the germs spread more rapidly.

Anyone in constant contact with plague victims, such as doctors, nurses, inspectors, were compelled to carry coloured staffs outdoors so that they could be easily seen and avoided. When one person in a house caught the plague the house was sealed until 40 days after the victim either recovered or died (usually the latter). Guards were posted at the door to see that no one got out. The guard had to be bribed to allow any food to passed to the inmates. It was not unknown for families to break through the walls of the house to escape, and in several cases they carefully lowered a noose over the guard's head from an attic window and hung him so they could get away.

Lethal letters? Londoners were shunned when they managed to escape the city. Even letters from the capital were treated as if they were poisonous. Letters were variously scraped, heated, soaked, aired, and pressed flat to eliminate "pestilential matter".

The Plague peaks. Throughout the summer the death rate escalated, reaching a high of over 6,000 per week in August. From there the disease slowly, oh so painfully slowly, receded until winter, though it was not until February of 1666 that King Charles thought it safe to return to the city. How many died? It is hard to say, for the official records of that time were patchy at best. The best guess is that over 100,000 people perished in and around London, though the figure may have been much higher.

PLEASE DO NOT MESS WITH NATURE.