The Earth's Lungs - Rainforests

Tropical rainforests have been called the "Earth's lungs". Now I don't think I need to emphasis either on explaining their importance or on why to save our lungs. So the question is here not why to save them or what are they, everybody knows. The question is HOW? WHO??,WHEN???, WHERE????

Individuals at their levels, and the level they can take it to; even though the other person thinks you are crazy, make him/her one too ;)

Same holds for Groups/Communities/Government/etc...

If you are unable to do so directly, then you can contribute indirectly by assisting others who are already working for saving Rainforests.

At individual level you can still help by not supporting goods and services that have been produced by causing harm to the Rainforests or animals inhibiting them. For instance there was news very some 2 years back all over stating that KFC had been using product packaging supplied by Asia Pulp and Paper (AAP). AAP's packaging products sourced their raw material from Rainforest of Indonesia, which is the homeland of endangered Sumatran Tigers and Orang-utans. Such big brands are pushing the endangered wildlife on the verge of extinction. KFC is been accused of much more destruction to other rainforests too including Amazon, as exposed by Greenpeace. 

More than 60 companies around the world had suspended purchases from APP including Kraft, Adidas, Hasbro, Mattel, Staples, Unilever, and Nestle. Now that comes for some celebration to Rainforest's well wishers. In Feb, 2013 AAP promised that it will stop cutting down rainforests of Indonesia and has adopted Forest Conservation Policy.

It's not about just flora and fauna, it’s about the humans too living in such forests. They are another group threatened with extinction for example the ethnic Awa people of Amazon Rainforest. Amazon has been a prey to illegal logging. Here only the government intervention will make the real difference with new forest codes/rules/regulations. But the government is alike all over the world, they don't really even think over an issue, till the issue is raised by someone and the government is forced to take some action. So rise, make groups and make them aware of the situation to bring them into action. They should bring more land under protection.

An interesting idea given by Eugene Linden, Thomas Lovejoy, and J. Daniel Phillips (who work for environment conservation) was of dividing natural areas into blocks and then soliciting funding commitments from international environmental groups, development institutions, corporations, and other credible donors. Then there would be a bidding process, after which an entity would take responsibility for maintaining forest cover and forest health in each block of the entire forest system. Sounds great to me, at least something that can be given a thought or at least a feasibility test. This will involve Corp-orates too in conservation in the name of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). A fund can be created where a percentage of the proceeds can be put and later can be used for other conservation/development programs. But in this too, there has to be a combined effort made by government, corp-orates, people and NGOs to make sure any one group is not exploiting the natural block secretively.

I would like to share basic steps professed by "MangoBay”:

·         Teach others about the importance of the environment and how they can help save rainforests.

·         Restore damaged ecosystems by planting trees on land where forests have been cut down.

·         Encourage people to live in a way that doesn't hurt the environment.

·         Establish parks to protect rainforests and wildlife.

·         Support companies that operate in ways that minimize damage to the environment.

Kids are probably the greatest impact on elders. So Kids what are you waiting for (if any of you really reading this!), as you are good at demanding things. Let’s demand for the sake of our "lungs". So Kids and their parents, there are few steps that you can take up at your level. Ask your school/parents to buy environmentally friendly paper. Ask your school fundraiser to raise money for donation to an organization that works for wildlife conservation. Try to read about other children who live in and near rainforests and try to figure out how they and their families depend on the plants and animals in the rainforest. Use less paper – re-use paper instead of throwing it out. Develop curiosity and ask your parents and teacher how paper is recycled. Do projects/skit/story to learn about rainforests and its ecological system. If you know of any organization or company working to protect rainforests, let them know that they are doing a great job! Think of things around you that originate from rainforests and what if they are no longer around. Try to learn of extinct species that our wonderful Earth uses to have and make sure the current endangered species don't fall in this category sooner or later. 

To my surprise, Indian paper & pulp industry is doing great job by reducing its dependency on forests. 80% of total requirement of the wood based segment of the industry comes from farm produced woods. Over the last decade the industry has brought about 0.5 million hectares under pulp wood plantations, mainly degraded marginal lands of farmers. Indian Paper Manufacturers Association has recommended that if paper mills are permitted to grow pulpable wood in the radius of 150-200 kms to their facilities on the available degraded forest land as well, it will help mills to achieve greater cost competitiveness in terms of wood and freight, generate employment and create wealth for rural and lend protection to environment.

Too much of Masterchef!!!!

Watching too much of Masterchef on my stay at home for more than 15 days makes me crave for those deliciously delicious looking dishes... hope they taste gorgeous too as the judges say !! I know it would be wrong to say without tasting such food but till now I believed that Indian cuisine is the best in the whole universe but looking at the Masterchef dishes... I think I have to change my mind. But to have such dishes I need to be there, those big 5 star restaurants, hotels where such Master Chefs show their skills with various food items. God knows how much money I need to spend for that!!! Not to mention have to earn it too. .. :(. Thanks to the tastiest food available on earth (for me) at home :), and at Dhabas when I am away from home, will not end up crying any sooner or start saving for the love of masterchef dishes ;). Was thinking just now, how cool is the world of my doggies Charger n Charlie, they don’t have any cravings for good food; they just eat anything n everything, that to bilkul free free free!!! Just a few hrs ago I fed them uncooked leftover Cauliflowers that we generally don’t include for cooking; n they were ready to do anything for that!!! N that was the whole idea ;). Let’s get back to Masterchef for now :)

Ghane..r!!! Is it?? really !! what is that?????

Today I saw a completely different kind of bird that cannot be seen at least in MP. It was something like ones that I have seen on Discovery or National Geographic channel filmed on some African forests. I should consider myself lucky!!! I was simply spending some time with my Bullmastiff after getting up in the morning (not early morning :p), and I heard this peculiar voice of the bird sitting on a Tendu tree at my house. For those who don't know what Tendu is... it’s the most spread tree in Forests of MP and Chattisgarh and its leaves are used to prepare Bidi. So I saw this bird and my mouth dropped as I haven't seen such kind of bird in my life before. So I got my cell phone out... I did not have a camera with me and so decided to capture the bird on my mobile camera... but wasn't so clear so I took the video and then I saw a group of similar birds... on different trees near my home. Tourists come from far of places just to see such kind of birds (and Tigers of course) to my neighbouring national park, Bandhavgarh National Park, just 30 kms from Umaria. No wonder I got to see such a huge bird although I couldn't manage to get its right name. As termed locally, it is called "Ghaner". I came home on the occasion of Diwali not really though... as Umaria isn't my home but currently it is, since my father is posted here... a very peaceful and small place except for a temple close to my house, the loud bhajan, kirtan and temple bells distracts me from the voice of mother nature. It feels so great when you listen to such sounds of birds, squirrels, monkeys at times... especially when you are living in metros for quite some time.

its hard to be alone ,its hard to be in the crowd

i was a lone person
who use to enjoy the loneliness then anybody can
then from somewhere u came n never let me be alone
even if i use to walk alone, it felt like you are walking along
i was assured that you are there evrytime i need you,
and made me forget what lonliness was...........
you became my mentor, my adviser and my guardian
no day went widout thinking of you even once....
then suddenly i realized you are not there
i see you going far very far from me
now i don't see you walking along when i walk alone
i was reminded of the forgotten loneliness once again
the difference is only that now it bites me
you are not there, you are gone
i cannot stand being alone,
it reminds me of you and feel sad that i have lost you
so i go out and walk with the crowd
still it feels like i am walking alone between the crowd
now the loneliness walks along... even whn i am not alone
its hard!

The lost Land Of White Tiger & famous singer Tansen

As I belong to this place and as I started blogging, I thought of starting it by scribbling a few words about REWA (M.P.), my home town.

Rewa is another name for Narmada River, Bichiya is the main river that flows in the heart of the city, and also there are two tributaries of Ganga, Tamas and Son that flow through the city which forms many waterfalls as they proceed. Most part of the district was held by the Maurya dynasty which ruled in the 3rd century B.C. After our country became independent, the Rewa ruler acceded to the Union of India. The present Rewa district came into existence in 1950. Raja Ramachandra Singh Baghela maintained a musically talented court, including the legendary TANSEN. The district is bordered by Allahabad (U.P.), on the north. Sher Shah Suri, died while fighting with the Ruler of Rewa Vir Singh at Fort of Kalinjar. Akbar The Great grew up in Rewa after his father, Humayun was in exile. Akbar received same education and upbringing that prince Ram Singh received and both stayed friends. Two of the Navratnas of Akbar, Tansen and Birbal (original name Mahesh Das, born in Sidhi district of Rewa.) were sent from Rewa by Maharaja Ramchandra singh once Akbar became the Emperor of India. Sitar Virtuoso Ravi Shankar Sharma studied music from Alauddin Khan of Maihar, also in Rewa.

Rewa is also famous for its white tigers; the first captive white tiger was named Mohan which was caught in 1951 in the forests of Rewa by Maharaja of Rewa (Bandhavgarh, the hunting capital of King of Rewa now better known as Bandhavgarh National Park). It is believed that the first white tigers of Asia were found in Rewa Kingdom. Most white tigers in captivity today are descendants of a Mohan. Bandhavgarah National Park is a world famous tiger reserve in India. It is a common saying "U r lucky if u gets to spot a tiger in a national park, but u r very unlucky if u could not spot a tiger in Bandhavgarh National Park". 

The people over here (Rewa) are very fond of suparis (Betel nut) and paan (Betel); it is also known for supari made toys. Rewa has a belt of limestone and also blessed with coal, so various cement factories have developed in and around the district like Jaypee group in Naubasta, Bela (dist. Satna) and Bhagwar (dist.Sidhi) and The JAYPEE group has made a township known as Jaypee Nagar in Rewa. Asia's biggest cement factory Prism cement (prev. Rasi Cement) produces near Rewa at Satna Distt. Most of the population belong to traders group; few are into government jobs, lecturers/teachers in school/colleges/university.

So that was a small snapshot of Rewa, my hometown... :)