Desicritics Category: BizTech: Environment

Tarbela Dam & Karkoram Highway Threatened in Pakistan

C N Anand — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:09:57 EST

In 1840, upstream of the Indus, in the Shyok tributary, an ice bridge collapsed to form a dam resulting in the creation of a lake 19 Kms long, 800 meters wide, and 120 meters deep. When the dam breached, a 20 meter high wall of water and mud barreled down the gorges of the Indus, and burst into the plains at Tarbela, and reached Attock in two days time. The massive flash flood of mud devastated the Sikh army camping on the banks of the Indus near Attock! History would have taken a different course if the Sikh army had not been devastated!

In 1858, a similar landslide on the Hunza river (tributary of the Indus) created a reservoir. This also burst. Cultivated land was scoured out and villages flattened. When the flood waters reached the confluence of the Kabul river and the Indus, a reverse flow up the Kabul river, up to 50 kms, was created.

Coming to very recent times, two months ago, on 04 January, 2010, a portion of a mountain gave way to block the Hunza river at Atabad, in the Gilgit-Baltistan area. After hitting the lowest portion of the valley, the land-slide climbed up the opposite hill side and damaged the Karakoram Highway (KKH). Trade with China on the KKH remains disrupted since then. Fortunately, the water flow in the river is low in January, but the flow picks up as temperature rises and snow starts melting. By 27 February, 43 days after the landslide, the longest Bridge over the Hunza, 11 Kms upstream of the landslide area, got submerged. The water level is expected to rise another 30 meters above the bridge. The Karkoram Highway hugs the banks of the Indus and Hunza, crossing over at regular intervals to the opposite bank and back on bridges. Upstream of Atabad, the KKH is now submerged for a length of 15 Kms.

The final size of the lake is expected to be bigger than the lakes formed in 1840 and 1858.

The block in the valley at Atabad is long but narrow like the cork of a champagne bottle. It is 3000 meters long along the valley, and 200 meters wide. On top of the block, earth moving equipment has been placed to doze down the height to meet the rising waters at the earliest. The narrowness of the block restricts the number of dozers that can be deployed. Snow melt and water seepage has made the top of the earth block slushy and boggy, hindering the functioning of the earth moving equipment. The water flow is increasing day by day as temperature rises, resulting in the water level rising faster. In the race against time, the Pakistani engineers seem to be loosing. When the water level reaches the top of the landslide and starts spilling over, erosion will occur. Hopefully, the dam will be washed out slowly and not burst.

The difference between the earlier two situations of 1841 and 1858 and now is that Pakistan has created a lot of assets in the form of the Karkoram Highway (KKH) with many bridges, and the world's largest earth and rock-fill dam, the Tarbela dam. If the dam at Atabad bursts, the wall of mud will rip the KKH along the entire length of the Hunza and the Indus, till Tarbela. Bridges will be devastated. If the Tarbela reservoir is at the dead level as it is now, the wall of mud will push the sand delta over to overwhelm the off take tunnels, and clog up the turbines. The Tarbela dam will have to be written off, which will spell economic disaster to Pakistan.

Pakistan is advised to stop letting out water at the Tarbela dam immediately, and store water to a height of 30 meters above the dead level. The cushion of water in the reservoir will absorb the wall of mud well upstream of the dam and not allow the existing delta to be nudged forward and spill. The catch is that the Rabi crop will have to be allowed to wither away. Unfortunately, Pakistan is facing a drought.

The question that should be boggling every Indian's mind is how can India help? In the impending chaos, what will happen to the nukes? How will China be effected? Will history take another wrenching turn?

The Filth That We Are Comfortable With

Priyank Chandra — Wed, 3 Mar 2010 02:43:27 EST

There is beauty in all things. What could be filth and garbage to me could be beautiful to others. I concede this point and therefore I try my best to not judge the world. So without delay, I present to you two photographs I took this morning.

The readers are now invited to share their analysis of the aesthetic beauty inherent in these photographs. And do not pretend that you fail to see it. Why else would this be allowed to exist in the midst of one of the most active IT hubs of Bangalore.

A litte background about these photographs. These were taken right next to Bagmane Tech Park, C V Raman Nagar, Bangalore. The lake is adjacent to the tech park and used to be beautiful a long time ago. This tech park is "an eco-friendly tech park". How these mammoth air conditioned buildings, bereft of vegetation, generating massive amounts of wastes and energy needs are eco-friendly is beyond me but that point is irrelevant at the moment. I want to direct the attention of the reader to the plastic that decorates the lake.

This tech park houses some of the biggest companies in the world - HP, Oracle, Samsung and a lot more. So the people working here are extremely well-educated folks - the engineers and the MBAs. Most drive their air-conditioned cars to the offices and then cocoon themselves in the air-conditioned sanitized worlds of cubicles and work. At regular intervals they take breaks to litter the outside world with tea-cups and cigarette buds, before returning to the cocoons of bliss and indifference.

I work in this tech park. I am a part of the indifference. I see the massive amounts of time and resources invested by every company to keep the workplace hygienic. Corporate responsibility dictates that the companies publicly invest money in a lot of noble causes. And yet the surroundings have remained this dirty for many years now. The foreign clients arrive in tinted cars and leave in them, and the employees walk past the garbage without any notice.

This is why I claim that what I see every morning as filth and garbage MUST be beautiful. How else could we the educated and well-off people bear to be pass by it everyday and not feel a sense of repulsion. And kudos to the corporations in playing their part in the indifference that defines the new Bangalore.

Change, or the Climate Will Change You!

jay — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:44:56 EST

It is going to be hot in Copenhagen this winter. That is because the United Nations Climate Change conference is beginning in that city on December 7. There is a lot at stake for many nations in this conference as time has come to reach a deal on climate change after postponing the problem for several decades. The Kyoto Protocol adopted in 1997 and effective from 2005 has been patchy in its effects. The situation has changed considerably in the past decade and awareness about the problem has risen significantly in the past few years. It is no longer beneficial for any nation to behave like an ostrich with its head in the sand when it comes to climate change.

India is one of the more significant players on the field here. The minister for Environment Mr. Jairam Ramesh has been twisting and turning to find the appropriate stance that is palatable to all. As a rising power it is extremely important for India to be seen as a part of the solution rather than as a part of the problem. To be fair, this is the dilemma that all the major nations face. The level of discussions have reached a point where it is no longer fashionable to engage in shouting matches looking to pin the blame for this problem on developed nations anymore. The need of the hour is concerted action from all corners.

It is a battle between the developing and developed nations with China and India assuming leadership of the former while the US and EU are ranged on the latter's side. In my opinion, India needs to act as a bridge between the two sides to play a constructive role in this bargain. The fact of the matter is, whether you like it or not, China is not a reliable partner in this endeavour. China has many strategic aspects to consider including its enhanced role in the world. They can ditch the coalition to appease the crowd in the opposite camp. This is a major cause of worry for India while coming up with its nuanced position.

What is even more critical in my opinion, whether the climate change negotiations bring about legally binding commitments or not, is to start working on implementing the solutions. On this front, China is a leader both on the ground in implementing and at the negotiation table scoring brownie points.

Consider this:

China passed a renewable energy law in 2005 which mandates feed-in power from renewable resources into the energy grid. The aim is to meet 10% of the power needs of the country through renewable sources by 2020. India does not have a law nor a plan of this nature.

More than 10% of the homes in China have solar water heaters installed. India's number is much less.

On Electric cars, China is well ahead in the game compared to the rest of the world. Several companies like Lishen, Coda, SAIC, BYD, Chery have specific plans to make electric cars with several models already on the street. India only has Reva. Also, China is far ahead even compared to the US when it comes to battery technology for electric cars - the most important piece in the electric car jigsaw puzzle. Combined with its manufacturing prowess, this gives China a tremendous advantage in the coming years.

To its embarrassment, China is a world leader in using carbon generating energy sources like coal (India is third). It is quite clear though that the country has taken a decisive turn to address its problems and to move towards a carbon-mitigating future. And when China makes a decision, it sticks to it. It is up to India to make similar moves as soon as possible to jostle for leadership in this space. Even though we may have several constraints including finding the funds for it, it is quite clear that alternative energy is the future.

India needs to gain the strategic and the moral high ground in this game to be a recognized leader of the world. Can we do it?

Climate Change App For the iPhone

DeeptiA — Sun, 4 Oct 2009 08:08:18 EDT

The iPhone is a great commercial success for Apple. The phone has mesmerized users all over the world, and become the corner-store for a smartphone that is well designed, provides what users want, and most noticeably, provides a platform for 3rd party apps that can extend the various functions available to users. The App Store allows developers to create apps and have them in front of users, whether these Apps be free or purchasable, and the number of apps that have been downloaded is an ever increasing number. The Apps cover a huge gamut of areas, whether these be news, business usage, games, cool gadgets, useless stuff, sports, and so on.

A different topic; that of global warming. Global warming is a phenomenon that is progressing at a rapid pace, and human efforts to put a brake on emissions are really not up to the mark; developed countries that have contributed to the problems in the most significant ways do not want to take measures that will harm their economies, unless developing countries take similar steps.

Developing countries want to make sure that the contributor pays the maximum, and do not want to get strung by tough climate norms without exacting all the possible help they can (even though it is developing countries that will be hit harder by the impacts of global warming).

Some of the impacts of global warming are:
- Glaciers receding and carrying less water
- Water levels rising due to melting of polar and Greenland ice caps
- Atmospheric temperatures rising
These are just an indicative list.

Well, visitors to the Swiss Alps can now get to evaluate the results of global warming on an iPhone (link to article):

As these rivers of ice retreat back up the valleys they carved out, so scientists' knowledge of climate change advances, in turn helping us recognize the signs of a warming world. Now a new iPhone app is helping visitors to the Swiss Alps understand how climate change is altering the landscape. Developed by the Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research at the University of Bern in Switzerland and Swiss software company, Texetera, the Jungfrau Climate Guide is an interactive guide to glaciers and climate change.

For a fee of 20 CHF (around $19) visitors to the Jungfrau Alpine region can hire an iPhone loaded with the app. "For example," Meuli explained, "if you are standing in front of a glacier you will be told why it is no longer as big and provided with images of what it looked like 100 years ago, and what it might look like in the future."

Such an App can be very interesting to the user. They provide information that a tourist seeks in terms of tourists tracks, information about flora and fauna, and also provides information about how global warming has changed the levels of glaciers. As you get more Apps that cover changes in weather patters, track storm patterns and sea levels, people will be more aware.

Book Review: Living Green - The Missing Manual

Sunil — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:24:38 EDT

Over the past few years "sustainable living" has suddenly grown in importance in the more developed and affluent countries of the world, and most people are at least curious about it. Yet it isn't always easy for people to know if their lifestyles are green or not. An easily readable yet comprehensive and enjoyable resource for green living would be of great value to everyone, from the die hard eco-warrior to the gently curious citizen. Nancy Conner's Living Green is just that much required reference to fill that void.

A well written book that can be read as a serious reference or a quick pointer for specific questions, this book (from O'Reilly's Missing Manual series) addresses most questions anyone could have about living green, and what all it involves. Living green isn't just about replacing a few light bulbs or occasionally bicycling to work, but is about a comprehensive lifestyle change where the consequences of all our actions are considered from an earth perspective. The book also does well in suggesting that we do have choices, and by living green we do not have to abandon all the comforts we have become accustomed to.

This book is organised in chapters that deal with changes we can make in our homes, all the way through green business and getting involved towards sustaining a greener planet. If you are just starting with small changes in your life, and want to see what little things you can easily do around the house, the first section addresses these questions. You will easily be surprised by the number of toxins you are exposed to routinely, from harsh detergents to cleaners and solutions commonly used in bathrooms or kitchens. Importantly, the book provides low cost, simple alternatives that are far less harmful to our own health as well as the health of the planet. Taking just one example, it was most useful to hear that the ultimate all purpose natural cleaner is white vinegar and boric acid powder, which can be used to scour sinks, clean bathtubs, wipe countertops and clean floors. With a few modifications, it can also be used as a garden pesticide. The book then builds towards reducing unnecessary consumption (going for quality over inexpensive quantity is an easy first step), and reusing and recycling. It then goes a level higher, and provides outstanding resources and ideas towards building houses that are green as well as energy saving, talking about everything from simple design solutions to LEED certification for buildings.

The next section talks about a complete lifestyle change, from raising a green family (ever thought about how many landfills a baby's diapers could fill up?), green eating and cooking, raising kids who are sensitive towards the environment, through responsible shopping, and another big cause of pollution to the earth, daily transportation. The book provides a handy reminder of the different transportation options (from walking and biking to car pooling) to the costs of air travel or hotel stay, and how easy it can be to offset these effects for little or no extra cost. There are excellent resources for example on hotels or automobiles that take their environmental costs seriously, and are trying hard to improve energy efficiency and environmental stewardship. So, given a choice between two hotels or two cars of similar quality, this book makes it easy to choose the one that does a better job in protecting the environment.

The final section goes in depth into green business, and how it is possible to actually make a profit or create substantial savings by actually being green. Much of it is just simple improvements in efficiency. Using less paper or office recycling programs are low cost efforts that result in big "green" savings. There are significant energy savings offices can obtain by simply allowing more natural light in, or opening windows (as opposed to cranking up the air conditioners all the time). There are choices that can be made for the source of energy (and the differences between renewable and non-renewable energy choices, as well as how one can buy and use more renewable energy resources). Finally, the book goes into different ways by which one can be involved, from activism to socially responsible investing.

There is little doubt that the book is comprehensive, and provides information to someone curious about green living at every level. Yet, there are some caveats or limitations in this book.

For one, it is certainly true that many people have tried various eco-friendly/green choices around the house, and it just didn't "work as well" as the regular choice. This book, while providing excellent choices for green options around the house, does not acknowledge that there can be some limitations with green products. From my own personal example, we've tried just about every single green dishwashing solution out there. But none of them work as well as conventional dishwashing gels (which do have phosphates in them) while cleaning dishes that have been used for spicy, sometimes greasy, and often heavily cooked Indian or Thai food, though they do work satisfactorily for more standard "American" cooking. So, after much trial and error, we had to go back to conventional dishwasher detergents, after experimenting with a dozen natural ones that claimed to be just as "hard on dirt" but gentle on the environment. On the other hand, many other green products work satisfactorily (green laundry detergent with a little bit of hydrogen peroxide added to it works fine for lightly soiled clothes, but perhaps not as well for the rare, heavily soiled garment). Future editions of the book would do well to acknowledge some limitations of green products, and perhaps compare the two, saying where the green product is perfectly adequate, but where it might fall short. Acknowledging some limitations of green products is not necessarily a weakness, and makes it easier for the average person to make better choices while stepping towards green living.

Then, there is an extensive (and overall good) chapter on food, which oversimplifies the "organic is good" mantra, unequivocally casting all fertilisers, pesticides and genetically modified food as the great evil. However, the argument is far from that simple, since it is a very complex area that is grey and not black or white. Yes, pesticides can be harmful, and overuse of fertilisers has ruined land. But it is also true that careful and controlled use of fertiliser (along with suitable crop rotation and mixed cropping) can yield more food (at no nutritional disadvantage) than simple organic mono-cropping alone. Nor are all genetically modified foods dangerous. It remains a fact that every single food crop we eat today has been modified, over years of crossing and creating "hybrids", except that the methods used have been different. There certainly are issues with proprietary seeds and over aggressive patents, but casting all genetically modified food as bad is simplistic at best and false at worst. There is no doubt that sustainable (including organic) food practices are excellent for the earth, but by avoiding nuance, this book might put away some people who aren't blindly gung ho yet about everything green.

The book has been written from the perspective of a person living green. So, perhaps, the tone does not fully reach out to people across the aisle. Living in Texas has taught me that direct confrontation (about lifestyle) rarely works. In a place where say people often leave their lawn sprinklers on during three hour thunderstorms, or where cities still don't have recycling programs (and where one has to collect and cart recyclables to a recycling center oneself), finding middle ground is a starting first step. Perhaps this book can do more to address that.

However, overall the book is superbly written, and provides a single stop for the reader to find out anything about living green. A more than useful manual, it should be the book of choice should one want any reference towards green living. It is a worthy addition to any household, and lets you start making those small steps towards green living.

Beyond Words

Golden Boy — Mon, 7 Sep 2009 07:26:23 EDT

Words!

In religions across the world, Messengers are given the title of Angels! Angels are the messengers of God!

I read once that Words are like Messengers! They bring messages to us of sadness, joy, anger, inspiration, and love!

Yet there is so much that words cannot express. Beyond a certain limit one finds that one is crippled for want of words, for one's feelings that one cannot convey within the limited framework of words.

This is because words come from the realm of the Mind. The mind is the master of our five senses! And all that is, in this world, cannot be comprehended by Mind alone!

A good Example is beauty, colours... try to explain these to a blind person! Is it possible? Words then are a great handicap for us to relate with eachother beyond a certain limit. That is the limitation of the Cyber Space then!

Many people, in their personal lives, just cannot transcend beyond words. Their minds go round and round in loops, reading stuff that one has chosen, and believing what one wants to believe.

I believe that when words rule us, we end up turning them into swords! There is nothing evil in this. Because the person ruled by words are bereft of the sixth sense, the sphere beyond the mind. He looks through the coloured glasses of his beliefs, and goes around expressing himself, unable to understand how others cannot be convinced!

Somebody told me a couple of days ago that a Literate man is more wise than an illiterate person! I don't agree!

Words, the kind of chatter of our Minds and the knowledge from books, Media, between countries and communities.. have led to the current state of affairs- Wars, Communalism, Terrorism, Global warming!

One needs to know that even beyond words and the alphabet, there is an immense Intelligence that keeps the Planets moving in their spheres, takes care that our heart pumps blood, air is pumped into our lungs, food is digested! This Intelligence of the Body and Nature is beyond the realm of the Mind.

How to reach there, how to tap into that Intelligence for answers to redeem Mankind of the problems we face today in our relationships and the environment?

I don't claim to know the perfect way to transcend beyond the limited knowledge of words, in order to tap into that Infinite Intelligence. For even I, am on the road towards reaching that plane that lies beyond words but is full of natural Intelligence!

Perhaps one of the ways to reach there is to develop our extra-sensory faculties!? Perhaps Meditation for a non-believer, and prayers for a believer maybe a good start!

But the best start of all is to understand that words are not the Ultimate Truth. Words just cannot help us to reach there. One has to tread beyond words.

Silence and looking within helps!

When Humanity will learn to tap this Intelligence that lies beyond the scope of the Mind and of words, there will be peace between individuals, neighbourhoods, communities and nations! That is the next level of evolution for Mankind.

Dying Rivers: Global Thirst

Harold Bergsma — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:36:50 EDT

Imagine a river that runs from the world's highest mountains to the sea in an fairly straight line. Let us call it the Indus. This river, one of the most vital and vibrant in the world flowed through India (and later Pakistan) to the coastal areas near Karachi and created a huge delta with the deposits of sand, silt and rich earth. Here, in ancient times, various dwellers reaped its bounty, red rice grew in profusion, tamarisk forests were harvested by the Jat people who made charcoal, but upon the slow decline of the river they turned to catching shrimp and fish, plying the shallow and earth colored waters with their small shallow fishing dhows, crude crafts made of logs or stitched together, made of teak planks; a verdant area with animals of every kind which lived in, on, under and above the Indus waters that flowed to the Arabian Sea.

It was my unusual job as consultant with the On Farm Water Management Project of Pakistan's Department of Agriculture, during 1984-1986 that gave me the opportunity to travel the river systems of Pakistan, and the Indus in particular. The vast irrigation system of Pakistan, one of the largest in the world with hundreds of thousands of miles of canals and irrigation ditches that were built, attached to the rivers in that part of the Punjab which sustained the country. My work took me from the Tarbela Reservoir all the way to the Kalri Lake just above the mouth of the Indus; the Ravi River to see the irrigation systems fed by the Upper Bari Doab, to the Sutlej to meet with the farmers' water user associations of the Sirhind, to the Ravi and the Sidhnai, the Chenab and its Upper Chenab Canal, the Ravi and the Lower Bari Doab, Swat and its Upper Swat Canal and the Indus at Sukkur with its vast barrage canal system, my favorite place, the locus of my novel, One Way to Pakistan; the Thal Canal, the Kotri Barrage project, and on the Indus the Taunsa Barrage and the Guddu Barrage Project of the lower Indus. These canals were the life-blood support system to farmers; but these canals became the destruction of the lower Indus River. The earliest of the canals, the Upper Bari Doab was built in 1859, and one of the most recent, the Guddy Barrage Project on the Indus, was constructed in 1962.

Arif Hasan, in 1992, published a fine review in "India Environmental Portal: Knowledge for Change" entitled, Death of the Indus delta. He says, "Starved of fresh water and no longer able to withstand the encroaching Arabian Sea, the Indus is dying a slow death. The channels of this mighty and historic river are running dry, while salt water is destroying the lush tamarisk forests which once lined the river, the estuarine timmar, or mangrove swamps, and the red rice paddies."

'Where has all the water gone, one time passing?' Where have so many people come from?

The Indus is the lifeblood of the agricultural system in Pakistan. Its barrages and canals have bled the river dry, but have nourished a new civilization that is expanding at an ever increasing rate. (Pakistan has one of the highest birth rates in the world) The human condition, overpopulation and need for ever- increasing resources are taxing the systems of support severely, but though the Indus is dying as a river that flows to the sea its annual renewal system flows instead to the 'veins' of the people through irrigated crops of sugar cane, millet, rice and mustard seed. The evolution of mankind is such that in its inexorable growth, it taxes natural systems that once seemed inexhaustible.

So long ago, so far away! So here I sit in San Diego and read in the San Diego Union Tribune that we must all conserve water, that we are facing a crisis unless we can change our civilization with its myriad needs for water. The San Diego River is a mere trickle through a swamp and our ground water supply is getting brackish. But, thank Allah or other powers that be; we have a distant river that is our constant transfusion by canals that bring the water, but the signs of extreme water scarcity already exist. I sit here and read about the water needs of Mumbai, which are short supply; some 100 million liters short daily and I feel better, misery loves company. They even turn off the water in Mumbai for hours on end. Oh dear! Quick, build a dam, divert water. At least San Diego will never have water rationing. I am crossing my fingers.

The Colorado River is the life-blood of western United States. But water shortage in California where I live in San Diego, is at a critical stage. State and municipal regulations now limit the water that can be applied to our parks, our lush green lawns and huge golf courses, to the hundreds of thousands of swimming pools which need filling, so that people can live the good life in this desert area. But the water in the river must first run the gauntlet of Las Vegas, literally floating that city's needs so it can maintain the vitally important gambling and showbiz industry which enervates that state. The mighty Colorado River struggles to flow to the ocean because it is being bled dry by the voracious needs of the seven states through which it flows toward Mexico and Tijuana to the south near to where I live. At its very end live Indians, (the non-Asian type) the Cucapa fishermen, who have traditionally fished corvine in the rich waters near the coast, but who now face restrictions and regulations that threaten their livelihood. These few, a handful, a couple of hundred people, are clinging to an area that is fresh water starved. Once, perhaps a hundred years ago, large "... thirty ton steamboats made their way up the mouth of the Colorado. Now, at low tide, there is no longer enough water flowing downriver to float the Cucapa's 20-foot-long pangas and their cargo. ...they ended the day mired in the nearly dry riverbed, a mile short of ... destination." (In: Colorado River Delta, waters--and prospects - are drying up), by Frank Clifford, May 25, 2008, Special to the Times) The waters now reaching the Mexican border have traversed seven of the most arid of these United States which rely on it, in large part, water from the Colorado River. International treaties allow Mexico ten percent of its flow, which seems to diminish at the border.

Water, the lifeblood of nations is being squandered. In California, citizens go on with their lives and life styles and waste precious water on precious projects which support industry, their recreational and domestic needs. Even water to the bread basket of the nation, the vast Imperial Valley area where vegetables and fruits are grown for the nation, water is being rationed so that ten million toilets can be flushed daily, more lawns watered, a million cars cleaned in car washes. Water use is part of the social life and is now a political issue. We are massive consumers of earth's resources and waste water outrageously. But it takes an outrageous amount of water to keep an economy vibrant, to restart the economic engine so that we move out of a recession.

Oh yes, the Mumbai water problem. But that is far away from me now. I am more preoccupied about the water for our daily use, that now we can only water our lawns on certain days for a short period of time and that the water costs to consumers have risen dramatically. Of course I do my share of being more 'green' and now catch the water when I shower in a large bucket so it can be reused, you know where. We try to remember to flush only when absolutely necessary.

On Farm Water Management is an on-going issue in Pakistan where salt residues are building up in the soils because of inadequate drainage and over watering. Water management globally may become a bigger issue than oil-use management. Dying rivers wherever they are located indicate something as ominous as global warming; global drying, global overpopulation. (We, the consumers of more than two thirds of the world's natural resources to keep this American civilization going avoid talking about the over population issue which seems all but impossible to control, particularly in those developing countries) Global thirst, may yet outdo the global need for oil. Ask any who live in the Sindh, the Sahara or southern California. A small, half pint bottle of drinking water only costs me $1.50. Let me see what is the exchange rate for that in Pakistan? PR 120 = $1.45, which is about their average daily wage. So what would a 44 gallon barrel of drinking water cost me at that rate? Do you remember the time when it was predicted that drinking water would be more costly than crude oil? I need a drink.

The Obsession with Cleanliness

Vinod Joseph — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:04:52 EDT

The other day while travelling by train, a lady sitting next to me started complaining (to the man she was travelling with) how dirty the train was. ‘Why don’t the cleaners do a better job?’ she asked.

To me, the train didn’t seem to be particularly dirty. True there were a few specks of dust on the windows and the seats, but there wasn’t any dirt that was visible to my eye. The bins were not overflowing, rather they had just been emptied, and there was no litter scattered on the floor. Did the lady expect the cleaners to vacuum the windows and the seats during the thirty minutes or so when the train rested at London Waterloo before starting its journey back to Bournemouth? I wondered.

The lady supplied the answer to my thoughts when she told her travel companion, ‘they ought to spray everything with disinfectant at least every alternate day.’

I think the woman’s travel companion was as much fussed about cleanliness as I was, and he gave the woman a tolerant and amused smile. I had visions of travelling in a train where everything was spotlessly clean and smelt of anti-bacterial disinfectant, like a hospital ward. I shook my head to get rid of that image. I much rather have a little bit of dust and dirt around me rather than the smell of disinfectant in my nostrils. Surely not all bacteria are harmful? Some of the microbes that are killed off by spraying disinfectants are bound to be the useful ones.

The woman’s comments had me thinking. Are we, at least in parts of the world which have achieved a relative degree of economic prosperity, moving towards unnecessary cleanliness? The sort of nitpicky and fussy cleanliness that only damages the environment and causes global warming? No, I am not a scientist and don’t have technical knowledge of chemicals, but I do know that spraying disinfectants causes global warming. No, don’t ask me how, but I know.

I have friends (mainly English) who will not drink water from a tap, even though tap water is potable almost everywhere here. In the almost seven years I have lived in England, I have always drunk tap water and have never suffered as a result of it. If it were up to me, I’d ban bottled water wherever potable water is freely available, as Bundanoon, a rural Australian town has recently done.

I know of people who will always carry tissues with them just in case they are in a ‘dirty’ place. I know of one chap who avoids shaking hands with people as much as he can just in case they pass on something dirty.

There are lot more allergies in the developed world than in the third world. Even in the ‘west’, people have allergies that were unheard of till thirty years ago. ‘Nut allergy’ is so very common in the UK and other western countries that practically all food products contain a warning regarding this. Most people hadn’t heard of this allergy till a few decades ago.

There was this interesting study conducted in what was once East Germany, which showed that prior to unification with West Germany, East Germans had lower rates of allergies. Apparently after the merger, East Germany became cleaner and neater and less polluted and the people living there consequently became a lot more finicky, which caused an increase in allergies.

It is a proven fact that exposing children to dogs, cats and other animals at a young age reduces their chances of developing common allergies.

Within the developed world, the Japanese are supposed to be the fussiest of the lot, when it comes to (unnecessary) cleanliness.

However, there are certain aspects of hygiene and cleanliness where the West ought to be emulated by the developing world, even if it adds to gaia’s burden. For example, in all the ‘developed’ countries, people dispose of their garbage in plastic garbage bags, which aren’t biodegradable. The garbage is collected in special vans or trucks that take them to landfills or in some cases to recycling centres. In most developing countries, garbage is left in the open, is picked up by trucks or manual collectors, who carry it away exposed to the elements and dump in at vacant sites. In the developed world, the use of garbage bags and special collection trucks does add to the damage cause to the environment. However, I would say that such use is justified since it reduces the spread of disease. One only has to see the poor state of garbage collection and disposal in the third world to realise how important it is to collect and dispose of garbage in a hygienic manner. Of course, it would be great if bio-degradable garbage bags that are not too expensive could be made available all over the world.

Fishing Stocks Correlation with Future Trends

DeeptiA — Thu, 4 Jun 2009 14:38:21 EDT

Scientists know that fishing stocks the world over are at risk, both from changes due to global warming, and due to over-fishing (and there have been many reports and articles predicting dire forecasts for the health of the fishing stock in the world's oceans). However, in a more detailed and back-looking approach, researchers are studying historical records to see what fish stocks were like just hundreds of years ago, and try to use that data to correlate into estimates of what the future will hold. They are getting hold of historical tax records and logs maintained by sailors, and studying them to determine the long-term impact.

The research was carried out by Members of the History of Marine Animals Project (HMAP), and they came out with results detailing the change in fish species over the past few hundred years that shocked them, and about which they believe that the level of public awareness is low (link to article):

The scale of humanity's impact has shocked them. "I was surprised by the magnitude of the depletion of species and its universality around the globe," Dr. Andrew Rosenberg, an HMAP project leader told CNN. "The extent of it was really quite dramatic. We've fundamentally changed ecosystems without realizing that was possible." HMAP research has revealed a picture of a remarkable wealth of life in the seas as recently as 200 years ago, which has now largely been lost.

Before whaling began in the waters to the south of New Zealand around 1800, the population of whales was roughly 30 times higher than today. In the 17th century the waters around southwest England were home to blue whales, as well as large numbers of porpoise, dolphins, and blue and thresher sharks. Around the world the inshore regions of our seas are estimated to have on average held 10 times the amount of life two or three hundred years ago than they do today.

The oceans are a fundamental factor in the continuance of the human species, whether that be due to the effect they have on global climate, or due to the fact that many geographical concentrations of humanity are dependent on sea life as a major source of nutrition. For the fisheries around the world to have lost so much correlates with earlier research from a couple of years back that stipulated the dangerous position that many of the world's fishing stocks are in.
We already see this in the restrictions on the amount of fishing allowed in many regions around the Atlantic in order to conserve the fish population.

At the same time, the research also found that there is hope. If scientifically imposed restrictions on fishing are imposed, fish stocks have bounced back, with the example of the regeneration of the North Sea (Atlantic) herring stocks. If Governments have the courage to thwart the short term interests of the commercial fishing industry, then fish stocks (and the larger species such as whales and other larger fish) can come back.

The Power of the Youth

Dr Bhaskar Dasgupta — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:03:35 EDT

Aston University invited me to deliver a lecture, so I thought of using the time to go visit SIFE.

Meet a bunch of very enthusiastic and passionate young people who are members of the SIFE community. Quoting from their website:

Working with leading corporate partners and member universities, SIFE establishes student programs on campuses around the world. With the support and encouragement of their faculty advisors and a local business advisory board, SIFE students apply business concepts to develop community outreach projects that improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need.

SIFE teams’ projects address a variety of topics, such as market economics, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, personal success skills, environmental sustainability and business ethics. Rather than mandating a uniform set of projects, teams are encouraged to work within the framework of these topics while adapting their approach to the diverse needs of people in different communities. The result is a program that is global in scope and purpose with the flexibility and responsiveness of a community-based organization.

Being a sort of a volunteer in this organisation, a representative of the bank sponsoring quite a lot of their work. Hence, I go about the various universities in the world speaking to the students, assisting and guiding them on their projects and generally being a pain in the patootie. I also assist in the judging of competitions and stuff.

The students were really good. I found their eyes alight with enthusiasm. Here’s what the SIFE website says:

SIFE provides university students with the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to their communities while also discovering their potential to achieve an even greater impact as the business leaders of tomorrow. It’s this balance between immediacy of results and the continual development of effective, responsible leaders that defines the SIFE program and is essential to creating truly sustainable change.

By using the business concepts they are learning in the classroom to help others, SIFE students develop stronger business and leadership skills, as well as a sense of service and responsibility to the community and world around them. They’re emerging as leaders who understand the opportunity for business to make a positive economic, social and environmental impact. It’s the reason so many top companies have identified SIFE as a leading source of socially responsible business talent.

And yes, I saw these students. You know what? I find that seeing them fills me with hope for the future. They were smart, enthusiastic, dedicated and have been doing this for the past so many years, passing the torch from student to student, always being engaged and really making a difference to the common person down in society. I met them and listened to their competition presentation, which had some very interesting initiatives. I gave them some hints on how to improve the initiatives and how to better give the presentations. However, what was more important was the initiatives that they are doing. I am liberally borrowing from their presentations with due apologies :)

It's not like that the student were from business studies, but gratifyingly, I saw students from a variety of disciplines, such as management, French, German, International Relations, Strategy, Politics, English language, and international business. A good smattering of subjects.

The first initiative was to work with The Children's Hospital to see,

“How can we motivate these children to become environmentally aware, whilst giving them the courage to succeed in the business world?”

These students are working with the kids to reduce, recycle and reuse. The next initiative is

“How can we encourage young people to learn more about how businesses trade on an international scale, if they have no prior knowledge of the subject? “

Look at the progress they made in terms of understanding complex concepts after the students got engaged with the children?

The next initiative was:

How can we expect disadvantaged young people to survive in an increasingly competitive environment without the essential skills?

Disadvantaged sounds like such a simple non-threatening word, no? But these students are working with Children in Care, children whose family lives have been shattered, completely spoilt by their parents, who are either drug addicts or in prison for sexual assault or what have you. Then we also have the homeless young people, who have run away from home to escape from abusive parents or those who have simply fallen through the cracks. And finally they work with youth offenders, children who have started engaging in criminal activities or have been sentenced to jail terms. How do you fix these issues? These university students are actually doing something about them. They are giving them training and sacrificing valuable time of their own so that they can do some productive work.

They started small, with only 22 young people who had 23 sessions spread over 6 weeks. They learnt about bank accounts, budgeting and budgets and interest rates. Each one of them went through guidance on how to write a CV and cover letters and practiced with mock interviews. And 3 were actually invited to a real interview for a job. Not much, you might think, but I believe that this is a huge improvement. That’s civil society in operation and each took one of them away at least something in terms of knowledge gained.

The next initiative was

With a fall in graduate jobs how can we give graduates another route to success?

They invited 300 graduates and worked with various local firms and banks to arrange for entrepreneurship training and opportunities. Jobs are disappearing these days, but that doesn't mean that the graduates should do nothing. Thankfully the firms assisted in pushing the graduates to think about working through opportunities to start their own business.

But what impressed me most was that these students actually asked a basic question:

How can we expect our projects to have a significant impact without ensuring our own sustainability?

This is crucial! Public service does not mean sucking on government largesse, but should be self sustainable. So the students themselves actually arranged for ticketed events (a gruesome hideous jelly bath event. A picture is shown above.) They are also seeking sponsorships from firms to make sure that their work and funding is sustainable. Very creditable indeed.

I was reminded of Swami Vivekananda’s speech on the wonderful world of youth and I am taking the liberty to quote segments of it:

Supreme value of youth period is incalculable and indescribable. Youth life is the most precious life. Youth is the best time. The way in which you utilize this period will decide the nature of coming years that lie ahead of you. Your happiness, your success, your honour and your good name all depend upon the way in which you live now, in this present period. Remember this. This wonderful period of the first state of your life is related to you as the soft wet clay in the hands of the potter. Skilfully the potter gives it the right and correct shapes and forms, which he intends to give. Even so, you can wisely mould your life, your character, your physical health and strength, in short your entire nature in any way in which you make up your mind to do. And you must do this now.

O fortunate youth, recognize this great duty. Feel this wonderful privilege. Take up this adventure. God watches you graciously, ever ready to help and guide. I wish you to be great. The world has put its faith in you. Your elders keep their hopes in you. Now youth means to place your firm confidence in yourself and exercise your hopeful determination and resolution and willing good intentions in this beautiful task of self-culture. This will truly bring supreme satisfaction and fulfilment not only to you, but also to all concerned. The shaping of your life is indeed in your own hands.

To imagine that a whole host of these teams across the world are working towards similar goals makes me feel alive. What a wonderful collaboration of students helping others! When I saw the enthusiasm and motivation of these young folks, I was humbled and I can only wish them the best.

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