Category Archives: Green Initiatives / Environment

Puttur Students to take Green Ink Forward

Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Science & Technology, , , , , , , ,

MANGALORE:

If green is the way forward, award-winning-students  N V Pramoda and C S Bhargava have inked a success story by bagging international award for developing eco-ink without any chemical or toxic substances.
Two students of Sri Ramakrishna High School in Puttur, bagged the third place in environment category at the  Intel  International Science and Engineering Fair (IISEF) held in Los Angeles, California, earlier this month.

This third place, which comes with a prize amount of $1,000, has the boys awash with idea on taking their project to the next level. “We want to continue our experiment and have plans to prepare ink for ballpoint pens, printing press and hair dyes,” Pramoda and Bhargava told TOI.

“We have already applied for patent for our innovation and will not part with the formula for the eco-ink,” Pramoda said.

The ink was developed from seeds of alale kayi (Chebulic myrobalan or Terminalia chebula), a tropical herb with properties to treat multiple diseases. The eco-ink is waterproof, cheaper and will not spread while used on paper. Just 60ml of this eco-ink will cost Rs 6 to manufacture, he said. The ink was developed using powdered Terminalia chebula seeds, water, glycerine, vinegar, acetone and seeds of semicarpus anacardium.

Principal H Shridhar Rai said: “There were 12,500 participants from 15 nations at IISEF. It is a commendable achievement that our students could bag an international award competing with participants from 15 nations,” Shridhar noted.

After participating in the state-level Science Congress, Pramoda and Bhargava were selected to participate in Initiative for Research and Innovation in Science National Science Fair, hosted by the department of science and technology, Intel and Confederation of Indian Industry at  Mumbai in November last year. The team was selected as one among top six teams from India in the event to participate in the IISEF.

Pramoda and Bhargava recall that it was Dinesh Nayak, green belt adviser to Mangalore Special Economic Zone Limited (MSEZL), who inspired them to invent the eco-ink. They have not forgetten the constant support extended by their teacher and guide Vasanthi. “It was a great experience because I had never dreamt of participating in ISEF,” said Pramoda.

 

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / by Vinobha K T / TNN / May 30th, 2011

Waste-Energy Plant to Tackle Garbage, Generate Power

Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology, , ,

MANGALORE:

With inefficiency in garbage disposal, the world is walking towards a dead end, said K S Siva Prasad , chairman, Bangalore Blended Fuels (Pvt) Ltd, who has designed a waste-energy plant to tackle this problem. The plant that converts municipal solid waste into clean burning refuse derived fuel (RDF), could handle 700 tonnes of waste per day and generate 8MW of power.

Delivering a talk on `Green power from municipal waste,’ organized by Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Thursday, Siva Prasad said net savings in the capital utilization in an RDF plant is more than that of a thermal plant. The audio-visual presentation in the talk explained the different stages of waste treatment in the plant.

The garbage received at site undergoes three phases namely pre-combustion, combustion and post-combustion phase, by appropriate pollution abatement systems incorporated in the plan. With the installation of the RDF plant, there will be no waste accumulation, ground water contamination and there will be a decline in health hazards, he said.

Siva Prasad, later answering technical queries, explained the various stages of waste management of homogenizing waste products by passing it through various stages of combustion and abating harmful substance in waste including plastic, glass, metals and so on. Another question raised was how this waste plant is adaptable to Indian conditions, as the waste generated in Malaysia,  where the plant was successfully tested, is different form waste generated in India.

Another question raised by the audience was comparison of net saving capital utilization in the RDF plant to a thermal plant. Siva Prasad said that though installation cost of the RDF plant is costlier than a thermal plant, in the long run, a lot of energy is saved. Environmentalist and social activists shared their view on waste disposal in Mangalore.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / TNN / Jun 03rd, 2011

PNDS Bags Prestigious Karnataka State Environment Award for the Year

Green Initiatives / Environment, , , , ,

MANGALORE:

The Pilikula Nisarga Dhama Society(PNDS) has bagged the prestigious Karnataka State Environment award for the year 2010-11, for its service in the field of conservation of biodiversity of Western Ghats and Coastal Karnataka. The award consists of Rs 1 lakh cash prize and a certificate.

Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa presented the award to N S Channappa Gowda, chairman, PNDS, also the DK district deputy commissioner and J R Lobo, executive director of the society, on Sunday atBangalore.

Lobo said that the society is developing Pilikula Project in 370 acres. It has developed a botanical garden in 80 acres with rare and endangered species of Western Ghats and also Ashokavana, Bamboo grove with more than 27 species of bamboo, canes, medicinal plants, and a botanical garden of rare and endangered species. It has a zoological garden with rare species of animals and reptiles and birds. Most of the animals and reptiles are breeding.

Pilikula Society has conducted a number of awareness programmes for teachers, students and the public in the conservation of biodiversity and protection of environment

 

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / TNN / June 05th, 2011

Pay 4 paise More , Get Green Energy

Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology, , , , , , , , ,

BANGALORE:

Have a penchant for renewable energy? If you pay four paise per unit more, you will get solar power to your house blended with other forms of energy.
To encourage use of renewable energy, Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has made it mandatory for electricity supply companies (Escoms) to purchase 0.25 per cent of total power consumption from solar energy.

KERC chairman M R Sreenivasa Murthy announced this at 10th Green Power 2011 – a conference and exposition on renewable energy organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry on Tuesday. “Already, it is mandatory for Escoms to purchase 10 per cent of renewable energy. Over and above that, they have to buy 0.25 per cent of solar energy. For instance, Bescom will purchase 125 million units (mu) of solar energy (keeping the energy consumption base as 50,000 mu). Consumers will not know that they are using solar power.”

GREEN TARIFF

Industries who wish to support green energy can pay Re 1 more than the fixed power tariff. This is voluntary and introduced to support renewable energy generation.

Go creative the green way

The US consulate general, Chennai, will hold a series of contests and programmes to promote environmental awareness. It plans to organize a series of events, including blog and video contests, web or video chats, DVCs and a project titled ‘Smart Recycling’ for schoolchildren.

The competitions are open to those in the 18 to 30 age-group and staying in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

For the blog contest, ‘Get set green, my message to world leaders’, participants must submit their blog URL address along with personal details – name, age, email ID or address, mailing address and telephone number – to usconsulatechennaiblogcontest@gmail.com.

For the video contest, ‘Acts of green’, the videos should be three minutes long. To enter, participants must submit their video links and personal details to usconsulatechennaivideocontest@gmail.com

The US consulate’s Facebook page – facebook.com/chennai.usconsulate – has the guidelines and rules for both these contests. Entries have to be submitted by July 10.

 

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / TNN / Jun 08th, 2011

On the Road with Bio-Fuel Power

Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Science & Technology, , , , ,
L-R: Prem and Shiva along with mission lead Avinash with the reactor designed and developed by the group.
L-R: Prem and Shiva along with mission lead Avinash with the reactor designed and developed by the group.

While the country frets and frowns about the fuel price hike and environmental degradation, a group of youngsters are setting out to show the nation that the solution lies within and is not formidable to achieve.

Through their initiative to promote clean energy, they present an opportunity to resolve two issues in one attempt. That of developing clean fuel and a clean environment.

A team of six professionals will begin their journey to show the country not just the need for clean energy resources, but also that achieving it is not merely an attempt on paper.

The team called ‘Momentum From Waste’ will drive through the country on bio-diesel creating awareness on the same. The group comprising an engineer, MBA graduates, biotechnologist and a clean energy technologist will drive over 6,000 kilometres across 21 towns and cities in India on 900 litres of bio-diesel.

Developed by using waste vegetable oil from restaurants across the city, the group will carry the message that India has tremendous potential for clean energy through plants as well as waste such as oil, according to Avinash Narayanaswamy, a Bengaluru-based chemical engineer and a post-graduate in Sustainable Energy Technology from the University of Twente in Netherlands who is leading the mission.

“About 300 to 400 litres of bio-diesel has been developed with plants such as pongamia and Jatropa along with the Karnataka Bio-fuel task force while the remaining 500 litres has been made with waste vegetable oil. The Tata Sumo has been modified to run on this clean fuel that was developed in the reactor designed by us with the help of University of Agricultural sciences (UAS) in the city. The mission across India will include interactions with farmers, civil society and universities,” stated Mr Narayanaswamy.

The 23-day India mission will flag off in Bengaluru on World Environment day on June 5.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / by Madhumitha B / DC / Bengaluru /May 23rd, 2011

Green Crusader Digs into his Pocket

Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature, , , ,
MITTLAKATTE, DAVANGERE :
  • He is a true lover of nature as neither poverty nor protests from his family have deterred him from carrying on with his mission of planting trees and creating awareness about how important they are to the environment.

Sixty-two-year old green crusader Veerachari has nurtured thousands of avenue trees but is in financial trouble as he goes about it with no help from the government. He has had to pawn his wife’s jewellery to pay the loan he took to buy an autorickshaw to drive around villages and speak to the people about caring for the environment.

A blacksmith by profession, Veerachari, who has planted over 3,000 trees of various species, does not have money to repair his dilapidated house in Mittlakatte, Davangere district or get his daughter married. But this does not stop him from eyeing with pride the 2,500 trees he has nurtured along the 10 km stretch between Shamanur and Jarikatte, at bus stands and schools in and around his village.

So committed is Veerachari to the cause that he makes it a point to take part in mass marriages and gift the bridegrooms plants and after a funeral he never fails to plant saplings near the grave. Neither acute poverty nor opposition from his wife, three daughters and a son have been able to stop him from following his green mission.

“Trees are my children. I worship God by planting and nurturing them. But I had to pawn my wife’s jewellery to repay the Rs 2 lakh loan I took to buy an autorickshaw as private financiers threatened to confiscate it and take away the only mode of transport I have to distribute saplings to the people,” Veerachari says.

Over the last three decades, he has explained to children the importance of planting trees in their schools and homes, and gifts books, pencils and pens to those who take the trouble to actually do so.

He even uses the cash awards he receives from various organisations to employ workers to plant more trees and distributes the seeds and saplings which he gets from the forest department free of cost to the people at village fairs.

 

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / By Vittal Shastri / Jun 05th, 2011 / DC / Hubli

 

Award for Tiger Conservationist

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, , , ,
Noted tiger conservationist Sanjay Gubbi has been honoured with the Carl Zeiss Wildlife Conservation Award for 2011.
 

P V Jayakrishnan, Chairman, Central Empowered Committee on forestry matters, which is also investigating the mining issues in Karnataka, presented the award to Gubbi for his exemplary work to save tigers in the Western Ghats of Karnataka for over two decades.

 

Gubbi, who holds a Master’s degree in Wildlife Biology, has been instrumental in several of the important victories for wildlife, especially tigers in Karnataka. He played an active role in the campaign to close highways for night traffic in Nagarhole and Bandipur.

Sanjay, who works for the Wildlife Conservation Society-India Programme as the Assistant Director (Conservation Science and Policy), was also instrumental in halting unscientific harvesting of bamboo from Bhadra Tiger Reserve during the mid-90s.

He had a major contribution to ensure Kudremukh National Park got a breather from the mining activities that were stopped by a Supreme Court judgment. He also works towards improving benefits for lower level field staff of the Forest Department. The award was instituted by Carl Zeiss in 2001.

 

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / April 09th ,DHNS

 

City Gets First Commercial BioDiesel Unit

Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology, , , , , ,

BANGALORE:

The first commercial biodiesel unit owned by Eco Green Fuels Pvt Ltd was launched here on Sunday. Inaugurating the plant, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and BJP national president Nitin Gadkari appreciated the initiative.

Further, Gadkari said, “Starting Monday we are organising a twoday conference on bioenergy. After the conference we will have a better idea about the situation of biofuel in the state and can come up with other propositions. Our country has been importing about 90 per cent of crude oil from other countries, so biodiesel would be a good substitute for diesel.”

Julesh Bantia, director, Eco Green Fuels Pvt Ltd, said, “As of now the unit has a capacity to produce about 5,000 litres of biodiesel per day. The machine is indigenously built inhouse by our technicians and R D team. Depending on the requirement, we are planning to increase the manufacturing capacity

 

source: http://www.expressbuzz.com / Express News Service / Feb 21st, 2011