Hello Group, can anyone share e-books on ISO 14001 and 18001? thanx-n-regards, Sheela Mistry 9824054696
From India, Ahmadabad
From India, Ahmadabad
576
sheela,
a) find out the nearest office of Bureau of Indian standards and buy it from there. second since am in delhi, am aware that Delhi BIS has a library where you can go and boorow standards or read them. Fee are nominal.
i got a copy of EMS 14001 for someone, approx 300/-
b) or visit BSI global's website and purchase it online.
www.bsi-global.com/
An advice------
dont copy standards , first its a copyright offence.
secondly its a Non Conformance as per the standards itself.
am certified both on EMS n OHSAS , feel free to ask any operational doubts...
surya vrat
From India, Delhi
a) find out the nearest office of Bureau of Indian standards and buy it from there. second since am in delhi, am aware that Delhi BIS has a library where you can go and boorow standards or read them. Fee are nominal.
i got a copy of EMS 14001 for someone, approx 300/-
b) or visit BSI global's website and purchase it online.
www.bsi-global.com/
An advice------
dont copy standards , first its a copyright offence.
secondly its a Non Conformance as per the standards itself.
am certified both on EMS n OHSAS , feel free to ask any operational doubts...
surya vrat
From India, Delhi
Surya Vrat,
Greetings !
thanks for your input. we, being located in a remote place like Ankleshwar (Gujarat), rich library kind of facilities are rare. buying online is certainly a good thing to do.
my appreciation for your piece of advice too... in any case, i would not have tried any such short cuts tho.
thanx again -n- regards,
Sheela
sheela,
a) find out the nearest office of Bureau of Indian standards and buy it from there. second since am in delhi, am aware that Delhi BIS has a library where you can go and boorow standards or read them. Fee are nominal.
i got a copy of EMS 14001 for someone, approx 300/-
b) or visit BSI global's website and purchase it online.
www.bsi-global.com/
An advice------
dont copy standards , first its a copyright offence.
secondly its a Non Conformance as per the standards itself.
am certified both on EMS n OHSAS , feel free to ask any operational doubts...
surya vrat
From India, Ahmadabad
Greetings !
thanks for your input. we, being located in a remote place like Ankleshwar (Gujarat), rich library kind of facilities are rare. buying online is certainly a good thing to do.
my appreciation for your piece of advice too... in any case, i would not have tried any such short cuts tho.
thanx again -n- regards,
Sheela
sheela,
a) find out the nearest office of Bureau of Indian standards and buy it from there. second since am in delhi, am aware that Delhi BIS has a library where you can go and boorow standards or read them. Fee are nominal.
i got a copy of EMS 14001 for someone, approx 300/-
b) or visit BSI global's website and purchase it online.
www.bsi-global.com/
An advice------
dont copy standards , first its a copyright offence.
secondly its a Non Conformance as per the standards itself.
am certified both on EMS n OHSAS , feel free to ask any operational doubts...
surya vrat
From India, Ahmadabad
sheela,
Do visit the website of DGFASLI (part of central labour institute, mumbai).
they have recently started INDOSHNET, an institutional membership based organisation. They bring out a quarterly journal too at a nominal price of 100/- pa
If you want to see the original standards based on which we have derivatives out here then check NIOSH and their canadian counterpart ie CCOSH.
which are your interest/ focus areas in environment/ health n safety ?
surya
From India, Delhi
Do visit the website of DGFASLI (part of central labour institute, mumbai).
they have recently started INDOSHNET, an institutional membership based organisation. They bring out a quarterly journal too at a nominal price of 100/- pa
If you want to see the original standards based on which we have derivatives out here then check NIOSH and their canadian counterpart ie CCOSH.
which are your interest/ focus areas in environment/ health n safety ?
surya
From India, Delhi
Hope you are aware about Centre for Sceince and Environment.
I picked 2 trainings from there namely "rain water harvesting" and water pollution".
The course duration is approx 5 days and normal fee is 9K. however you can save 50% fee discount meant for NGOs OR SELF SPONSORED candidates.
if your work/ family obligations do not permit you to attend the courses then the best part would be to buy their "manuals" on the above two topics online. the cost of both manuls shouldnt exceed 500/-.
read them and feel free to ask questions.
give me time till end of the week, i did an EIA certification from United Nations university. I would give you the name of the UN recommended manual, should cost couple of thouand but worth it. The manul is so exhaustve that one finds it hard to come across EIA reports which satisfy its criterion. eg what should be the location/ footfalls on a nature trail... it may happen there is a species which nests in a sep, its tolerance during mating time shouldnt exceed 10 isolated disturbances otherwise the species shall not procreate.
Then we have Cumulative Impact Assessment, this is critical nowdays. why give clearance to individal units when their combined effects may be catastrophic..
do read a few publicly available reports of CEA on the CCOSH website..
surya vrat
9999645755
Training programmes at AAGC
=================================
CSE's Anil Agarwal Green Centre (AAGC) seeks to make knowledge
investments in society through education and training programmes.
Courses help participants better understand issues that lie at the
interface of environment and development policy,
science, technology, poverty, democracy and equity.
1. Agenda for survival: Two-month certificate course on policies,
politics and practices of environmental management in India
(October 23-December 14, 2007)
The two-month certificate course for students and young professionals
will -- through lectures, readings, debates, weekly outings, reportage
and a five-day field tour to rural India -- explore the complexities
underlying the environment-development debate in the country. Several
fellowships are available to support students.
Register online >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
For more information contact:
Aditya Batra <aagc@cseindia.org>
----------------------------------
2. Training programme for students: Urban Rainwater Harvesting
(September 24-27, 2007)
This popular course is open for students of architecture and planning,
engineering and environmental studies.
For more information >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
----------------------------------
3. Understanding EIA: From screening to decision making
(September 24-28, 2007)
This programme empowers communities, industry representatives and
regulators with tools and technical know-how to actively scrutinise and
participate in the environmental clearance processes of industrial
projects.
Apply online >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
----------------------------------
4. City water and waste management: Alternative paradigms
(October 16-19, 2007)
The unique workshop will discuss the urgent need to switch from the
current paradigm of capital, water and material intensive processes of
waste management to a more cost effective, non-sewerage paradigm of
human waste disposal.
For more information >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
From India, Delhi
I picked 2 trainings from there namely "rain water harvesting" and water pollution".
The course duration is approx 5 days and normal fee is 9K. however you can save 50% fee discount meant for NGOs OR SELF SPONSORED candidates.
if your work/ family obligations do not permit you to attend the courses then the best part would be to buy their "manuals" on the above two topics online. the cost of both manuls shouldnt exceed 500/-.
read them and feel free to ask questions.
give me time till end of the week, i did an EIA certification from United Nations university. I would give you the name of the UN recommended manual, should cost couple of thouand but worth it. The manul is so exhaustve that one finds it hard to come across EIA reports which satisfy its criterion. eg what should be the location/ footfalls on a nature trail... it may happen there is a species which nests in a sep, its tolerance during mating time shouldnt exceed 10 isolated disturbances otherwise the species shall not procreate.
Then we have Cumulative Impact Assessment, this is critical nowdays. why give clearance to individal units when their combined effects may be catastrophic..
do read a few publicly available reports of CEA on the CCOSH website..
surya vrat
9999645755
Training programmes at AAGC
=================================
CSE's Anil Agarwal Green Centre (AAGC) seeks to make knowledge
investments in society through education and training programmes.
Courses help participants better understand issues that lie at the
interface of environment and development policy,
science, technology, poverty, democracy and equity.
1. Agenda for survival: Two-month certificate course on policies,
politics and practices of environmental management in India
(October 23-December 14, 2007)
The two-month certificate course for students and young professionals
will -- through lectures, readings, debates, weekly outings, reportage
and a five-day field tour to rural India -- explore the complexities
underlying the environment-development debate in the country. Several
fellowships are available to support students.
Register online >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
For more information contact:
Aditya Batra <aagc@cseindia.org>
----------------------------------
2. Training programme for students: Urban Rainwater Harvesting
(September 24-27, 2007)
This popular course is open for students of architecture and planning,
engineering and environmental studies.
For more information >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
----------------------------------
3. Understanding EIA: From screening to decision making
(September 24-28, 2007)
This programme empowers communities, industry representatives and
regulators with tools and technical know-how to actively scrutinise and
participate in the environmental clearance processes of industrial
projects.
Apply online >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
----------------------------------
4. City water and waste management: Alternative paradigms
(October 16-19, 2007)
The unique workshop will discuss the urgent need to switch from the
current paradigm of capital, water and material intensive processes of
waste management to a more cost effective, non-sewerage paradigm of
human waste disposal.
For more information >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
From India, Delhi
Though this is not the correct reply hope this will be useful
What is ISO 9000?
The ISO 9000 series of international quality management standards and guidelines has earned a global reputation as the basis for establishing quality management systems. ISO 9000 is a generic system that specifies, in very broad terms, the necessary components of a quality management system. Rather than being specific to any one industry, it details the basic requirements of the quality function for all industries.
Developed and issued in 1987, by Technical Committee (TC) 176 of ISO, ISO 9000 is a series of voluntary international standards that serve as a method for establishing and maintaining a quality management system (QMS) for organisations involved in manufacturing products or providing services.
The series is revised every five years to ensure that standards keep pace with management practices and technological advances. The last revision came out in the year 2000. The standard is called ISO 9001:2000.
The family of 20 standards in the ISO 9000 series was reduced to 4 Quality Management systems during the December 2000 revision. They are:
*ISO 9000: Fundamentals and vocabulary
*ISO 9001: Requirements
*ISO 9004: Guidelines for performance improvements
*ISO 19011: Guidelines for auditing Management Systems (intended to be applicable to both environmental system and quality system auditing)
*ISO 9001:2000 specifies requirements for a quality management system for any organization that needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products that meets customer and applicable regulatory requirements and aims to enhance customer satisfaction. ISO 9001:2000 has been organised in a user-friendly format with terms that are easily recognised by all business sectors. The standard is used for certification/registration and contractual purposes by organisations seeking recognition of their quality management system.
ISO 9001: 2000 is based on eight Quality Management principles:
*Customer focused organization
*Leadership
*Involvement of people
*Process approach
*System approach to management
*Continual improvement
*Factual approach to decision
*Mutually beneficial supplier relationships
*These eight principles manifest themselves through the four main clauses:
*Management Responsibility – defining requirements
*Resource Management – determine and establish necessary resources
*Product Realization – establish and implement processes
*Measurement, Analysis And Improvement – of results
These main clauses are structured around the plan-do-check-act cycle.
Most new users obtain measurable benefits early in the process of deploying the standard requirements in their operations. These initial benefits are generally due to improvements in their organization and internal communication. The benefits must be strengthened through effective internal auditing and management review of system performance. Like all systems, it either improves or becomes less effective. It does not remain static for long.
When you adopt ISO 9001:2000, you strive for the satisfaction of your customers and the continual improvement of your quality management system. Continual improvement is a process of increasing the effectiveness of your organization to fulfill your quality policy and your quality objectives. ISO 9001:2000 necessitates that you plan and manage the processes necessary for the continual improvement of your quality management system.
Benefits of ISO 9000
Many businesses in the past few years began the journey toward ISO 9000 certification because they were worried that if they weren't certified they would have trouble doing business in the EU. Others faced the prospect of losing key customers in North America. But as those companies developed a quality management system to fulfill requirements of the ISO 9000 standards, they discovered a wide range of internal benefits that they hadn't anticipated. Among the most commonly cited were these:
*Operating costs drop as rework is reduced
*Warranty and after-sales support costs fall, and efficiencies increase
*Employee training processes improve as databases of the necessary skills and procedures for getting jobs done properly are developed
*Employees become more responsive to customer needs and requirements
*Business procedures and processes finally become standardised
*People communicate better because organizational boundaries tend to break down as people work together across functions and levels
*Increased productivity occurs as the correct information; equipment, tools and documentation are put into place
*The sales force gains greater confidence
*Operations become more efficient
*Customer satisfaction grows, increasing job security for your employees and profitability for your company
These are just a few of the powerful benefits gained by businesses that have built a solid foundation for business excellence through the ISO 9000 series of quality management and quality assurance standards.
In short, ISO 9000 gives you the tools to grow a better business. And it really works. Businesses both large and small have discovered that the ISO 9000 series is a powerful strategic tool for achieving new opportunities and improved competitiveness. But you don't have to be a multinational corporation or have business overseas to benefit from implementing these standards. It's for businesses large and small, wherever they may be. If you want to improve your business internally and seek marketplace recognition of your product or service quality, ISO 9000 is a valuable tool you won't want to be without.
From India, Tiruppur
What is ISO 9000?
The ISO 9000 series of international quality management standards and guidelines has earned a global reputation as the basis for establishing quality management systems. ISO 9000 is a generic system that specifies, in very broad terms, the necessary components of a quality management system. Rather than being specific to any one industry, it details the basic requirements of the quality function for all industries.
Developed and issued in 1987, by Technical Committee (TC) 176 of ISO, ISO 9000 is a series of voluntary international standards that serve as a method for establishing and maintaining a quality management system (QMS) for organisations involved in manufacturing products or providing services.
The series is revised every five years to ensure that standards keep pace with management practices and technological advances. The last revision came out in the year 2000. The standard is called ISO 9001:2000.
The family of 20 standards in the ISO 9000 series was reduced to 4 Quality Management systems during the December 2000 revision. They are:
*ISO 9000: Fundamentals and vocabulary
*ISO 9001: Requirements
*ISO 9004: Guidelines for performance improvements
*ISO 19011: Guidelines for auditing Management Systems (intended to be applicable to both environmental system and quality system auditing)
*ISO 9001:2000 specifies requirements for a quality management system for any organization that needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products that meets customer and applicable regulatory requirements and aims to enhance customer satisfaction. ISO 9001:2000 has been organised in a user-friendly format with terms that are easily recognised by all business sectors. The standard is used for certification/registration and contractual purposes by organisations seeking recognition of their quality management system.
ISO 9001: 2000 is based on eight Quality Management principles:
*Customer focused organization
*Leadership
*Involvement of people
*Process approach
*System approach to management
*Continual improvement
*Factual approach to decision
*Mutually beneficial supplier relationships
*These eight principles manifest themselves through the four main clauses:
*Management Responsibility – defining requirements
*Resource Management – determine and establish necessary resources
*Product Realization – establish and implement processes
*Measurement, Analysis And Improvement – of results
These main clauses are structured around the plan-do-check-act cycle.
Most new users obtain measurable benefits early in the process of deploying the standard requirements in their operations. These initial benefits are generally due to improvements in their organization and internal communication. The benefits must be strengthened through effective internal auditing and management review of system performance. Like all systems, it either improves or becomes less effective. It does not remain static for long.
When you adopt ISO 9001:2000, you strive for the satisfaction of your customers and the continual improvement of your quality management system. Continual improvement is a process of increasing the effectiveness of your organization to fulfill your quality policy and your quality objectives. ISO 9001:2000 necessitates that you plan and manage the processes necessary for the continual improvement of your quality management system.
Benefits of ISO 9000
Many businesses in the past few years began the journey toward ISO 9000 certification because they were worried that if they weren't certified they would have trouble doing business in the EU. Others faced the prospect of losing key customers in North America. But as those companies developed a quality management system to fulfill requirements of the ISO 9000 standards, they discovered a wide range of internal benefits that they hadn't anticipated. Among the most commonly cited were these:
*Operating costs drop as rework is reduced
*Warranty and after-sales support costs fall, and efficiencies increase
*Employee training processes improve as databases of the necessary skills and procedures for getting jobs done properly are developed
*Employees become more responsive to customer needs and requirements
*Business procedures and processes finally become standardised
*People communicate better because organizational boundaries tend to break down as people work together across functions and levels
*Increased productivity occurs as the correct information; equipment, tools and documentation are put into place
*The sales force gains greater confidence
*Operations become more efficient
*Customer satisfaction grows, increasing job security for your employees and profitability for your company
These are just a few of the powerful benefits gained by businesses that have built a solid foundation for business excellence through the ISO 9000 series of quality management and quality assurance standards.
In short, ISO 9000 gives you the tools to grow a better business. And it really works. Businesses both large and small have discovered that the ISO 9000 series is a powerful strategic tool for achieving new opportunities and improved competitiveness. But you don't have to be a multinational corporation or have business overseas to benefit from implementing these standards. It's for businesses large and small, wherever they may be. If you want to improve your business internally and seek marketplace recognition of your product or service quality, ISO 9000 is a valuable tool you won't want to be without.
From India, Tiruppur
CSE brings out a magazine named "Down to Earth", avl at a nominal price..
i've been reading it for the last 5-6 yrs, good articles on the environmental aspect.
surya
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CSE's Fortnightly News Bulletin [August 10, 2007]
=============================
An e-bulletin from CSE, India, to our network of friends and
professionals interested in environmental issues. Scroll to the bottom
of this page for information on how to unsubscribe.
INSIDE:
- Editorial: Climate science and the Indian scientist
- Webcast: CSE director Sunita Narain speaks on climate change at the UN
General Assembly
- Cover Story: Rising popularity of artificial vanilla puts Kerala
farmers in distress
- News: Sulphur deficiency in Madhya Pradesh soil leads to poor harvest
- News: Dow Chemical asked to clean up contaminated spots in the US
- News: Meghalaya limestone quarries closed
- Feature: Cherrapunjee: Now a wet desert
- Science: First Indian study on species discovery pattern
- Gobar Times Green Schools Awards 2007
- Training programmes at AAGC
- CSE speaks: Bus crisis a result of mismanaged mobility
- Questionnaire: Rate your pollution control board
- Job openings: Designers needed for Down To Earth magazine
=================================
Editorial: Climate science and the Indian scientist
=================================
By Sunita Narain
Will Indian scientists measure up to the challenge of climate change? I
ask this question because of the nature of the science as well as the
nature of our scientists.
Climate change science is young, being tutored and evolving. We know
much more today about what the future will hold if we do not reduce
emissions drastically. Yet our knowledge is still probabilistic. It
concerns changes we can model for climate sensitivity, using the best
evidence we have today. But all models are victims of their assumptions.
And all predictions are villains of their times. The challenge is that
even if we know little about how the accumulation of greenhouse gases
will impact us, we cannot afford to wait until we have all the answers.
We can't afford to be uncertain in our actions, even if we are uncertain
about our science.
Take glaciers. We know that glaciers melt. It is because of this melt
that we get water. But are these glaciers melting at an unnatural pace
today? Will such melting lead to more water in our rivers to begin with,
leading to floods, and then less, leading to water scarcity? The
answers, after much scientific skulduggery, are just beginning to
crystallise.
Western scientists agree that something is afoot. They know because they
can physically map the glaciers to see the pace of the recession. They
can also measure the mass-average ice thickness-to check for reduction.
In addition, complex statistical models-which combine evidence from
several observational datasets-are confirming the probability of this
rapid recession.
These models had initially not predicted that melt water would seep into
the crevices of the glaciers, lubricate them and so accelerate melting.
When this was physically noticed, it was factored into the models for
greater reliability. But there are many unanswered questions. For
instance, will there be a collapse of the Antarctic ice sheet? There are
huge uncertainties regarding critical thresholds of collapse. But in all
this, uncertain science cannot afford to breed complacency. It has to
reveal what it knows, with what measure of reliability and also discuss
what it does not know, as yet, because of its own limitations of data or
understanding. It is growing, but after all, it is a young science.
In India, we are just beginning to map impacts on our glaciers because
of human-induced climate change. We can draw inferences from the changes
that are being observed and predicted in the rest of the world. But we
will have to do our own leg work-to understand both what is happening
and what the receding glaciers will do to our water security. The
question is: can we do this?
I ask this because in many ways climate change science, because of its
many variables and very many scenarios, is a game of chess which can
only be played by investigative and highly inquisitive minds. The
scientist will get clues and the answers will have to be tweaked: from
scientific evidence, from plain common sense and from what can be
observed in the real world.
It is not in the nature of our science to do this kind of imaginative,
investigative research. It is certainly not in the manner of our science
to draw inferences when there is uncertainty. In the easiest of times,
our scientists find it against their nature to cross over the threshold,
from what is already established science to what is emerging science.
They prefer to play safe with what they know. In the case of climate
science, they prefer to be cautious in their words, very conservative in
their assessment and take refuge in the inherent uncertainty of science.
For instance, it will be easy for 'safe' science to say that even if
glaciers are receding at a rapid pace, it is nothing new or surprising.
They are simply passing through a phase of recession as a natural cyclic
process. It will also be possible to say (and I have heard this said
very recently) that even if we know glaciers are melting, there is no
evidence to say that this melt will lead to any significant changes in
our hydrological systems. Why? Because our ongoing research does not
show anything deviant. It is another matter that the data or method used
for the research might be insufficient. Or that the scientist may not
have investigated the slim leads that nature was disclosing about herself.
Let's accept that there is a problem. The Indian scientific
establishment has been for far too long just that, an establishment. It
has chosen only to work with established science that is peer-reviewed,
empirical and unchallenged. Worse, because of the nature of its
institutions-which are closed to outsiders on the one hand but
subservient to officialdom on the other-it will not engage in any public
discourse.
But climate science demands new approaches. It demands breaking away
from what is already known to discover what needs to be known and how.
It will require crossing the line so that inferences can be drawn,
however tentative. It will require, most of all, active engagement with
the 'outside' world of ordinary people. It will need to pay careful heed
to everyday events and meticulous observation of scientific processes as
they play out in our gardens, in our agricultural fields and in our
glaciers.
Finally, if I can say (without offence), Indian science, to respond to
climate change, will have to get a little less male and perhaps even a
little less old. 'Male' science (if we can allow for some
generalisation) is not interested in soft issues like the environment or
nature. These are non-issues in a world of nuclear, space or rocket
technologies. Why young? Because climate change science (and the world)
needs all the impatience and the desperation of the young.
Read editorial online >>
downtoearth.org.in
To comment, write to >>
===============================
Webcast: CSE director speaks on climate change at the UN General Assembly
===============================
CSE Director Sunita Narain recently spoke on 'Climate change as a global
challenge' at the UN General Assembly in New York.
To watch the webcast of the debate, click here >>
http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/ga/61/ga070731am.rm
Watch the press conference >>
http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/pressco...ce/pc070731.rm
===============================
Cover Story: Rising popularity of artificial vanilla puts Kerala farmers
in distress
===============================
Vanilla, the world's most popular flavour, is associated with all things
nice. However, this is a view that most vanilla farmers in India,
especially the ones in Kerala, will disagree with. Once a profitable
venture, cultivation of vanilla has been declining rapidly in Kerala.
The crop, farmers say, is labour-intensive, and takes time to flower.
The seeds take even longer to cure. Manual pollination of the vanilla
flowers makes the cultivation more cumbersome. Add to this a highly
volatile international market, and you have a recipe for disaster. But
what has been worrying farmers most is the widespread use of synthetic
vanillin -- an artificial extract, which has copied the smell and
flavour of vanilla -- in food, beverages and cosmetics. Artificial
vanillin is harvested from effluent of paper mills and coal tar, and is
much cheaper than the real vanilla extract. Clearly, vanilla farmers
need the government's support. Will the state deliver?
Read online >>
downtoearth.org.in
=================================
More in Down To Earth magazine
=================================
News: Sulphur deficiency in Madhya Pradesh soil leads to poor harvest
Farmers in Madhya Pradesh have been grappling with a poor harvest this
season. According to experts, the low output has been triggered by a
mild to severe sulphur deficiency in the soil. Over the decades, the
intensive farming method of rotational cropping has depleted sulphur in
the soil. This has been topped by the excessive use of sulphur-free
fertilisers like urea, and by little or no replenishment of sulphur in
the soil. To check the trend, the state government has made available
sulphur-rich fertilisers, and is promoting its use. It is also training
farmers on the use of nutrient-rich fertilisers and related farming
practices.
Read complete article >>
downtoearth.org.in
----------------------------------
News: Dow Chemical asked to clean up contaminated spots in the US
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has asked Dow Chemical to
clean up three dioxide contaminated spots located along almost 10 km
downstream of its plant in Midland, Michigan, by the Tittabawassee
river. Dow has operated the plant for numerous years and manufactured a
number of chemicals and pesticides there. Numerous studies have
confirmed the presence of dioxin in the soil and water of the area.
According to experts, the spots need to be cleaned urgently as they are
prone to erosion and floods, which can spread the contamination further.
Read online >>
downtoearth.org.in
----------------------------------
News: Meghalaya limestone quarries closed
French MNC Lafarge's limestone quarries in Shella-Nongtrai in
Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district have been shut down by the
government. The quarries were supplying raw material to Lafarge Surma
Cement in Chhatak, Bangladesh. The closure comes a year after an MoEF
official found out that the mining lease area was forestland, and that
environmental consultants and a local forest official had given false
information about the nature of the land to ensure clearance of the
project.
Read online >>
downtoearth.org.in
----------------------------------
Feature: Cherrapunjee: Now a wet desert
For many years Cherrapunjee (now Sohra), Meghalaya, was considered the
wettest place on earth. Not anymore. Rainfall has been declining rapidly
in the last couple of years due to rampant deforestation. Sohra is a wet
desert now. With no trees or reservoirs to hold it back, rainwater runs
down the mountains. Sohra faces acute water shortage, especially during
winter. People have to walk miles to collect drinking water. To make
matters worse, the rain washes away the top soil, hampering farming and
reforestation efforts. As a result, people have started working as daily
labourers in mines and lime kilns. Can Sohra ever go back to the good
old days?
Read online >>
http://downtoearth.org.in <link updated to site home>
----------------------------------
Science: First Indian study on species discovery pattern
A team of Indian researchers has classified the patterns of species
discovery of eight important animal and plant groups in the Western
Ghats. The study will help scientists strategise the species discovery
process in the country, and fix the groups of species to be explored.
Read online >>
http://downtoearth.org.in <link updated to site home>
===============================
Gobar Times Green Schools Awards 2007
===============================
Entries are now open for the second Gobar Times Green Schools Awards to
be held in New Delhi later this year. The awards -- given by CSE
annually -- acknowledge the most environmentally responsible schools of
the country. The winners are judged on the basis of the self-assessment
of environmental practices carried out by schools.
The awards hold a commitment towards continuously improving
environmental management in schools.
Date: Monday, December 17, 2007
Venue: Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre,
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003
For more information >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
Read latest Gobar Times cover story 'Death by drowning' >>
http://www.gobartimes.org/20070731/gt_covfeature.asp
=================================
Training programmes at AAGC
=================================
CSE's Anil Agarwal Green Centre (AAGC) seeks to make knowledge
investments in society through education and training programmes.
Courses help participants better understand issues that lie at the
interface of environment and development policy,
science, technology, poverty, democracy and equity.
1. Agenda for survival: Two-month certificate course on policies,
politics and practices of environmental management in India
(October 23-December 14, 2007)
The two-month certificate course for students and young professionals
will -- through lectures, readings, debates, weekly outings, reportage
and a five-day field tour to rural India -- explore the complexities
underlying the environment-development debate in the country. Several
fellowships are available to support students.
Register online >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
For more information contact:
Aditya Batra <aagc@cseindia.org>
----------------------------------
2. Training programme for students: Urban Rainwater Harvesting
(September 24-27, 2007)
This popular course is open for students of architecture and planning,
engineering and environmental studies.
For more information >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
----------------------------------
3. Understanding EIA: From screening to decision making
(September 24-28, 2007)
This programme empowers communities, industry representatives and
regulators with tools and technical know-how to actively scrutinise and
participate in the environmental clearance processes of industrial
projects.
Apply online >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
----------------------------------
4. City water and waste management: Alternative paradigms
(October 16-19, 2007)
The unique workshop will discuss the urgent need to switch from the
current paradigm of capital, water and material intensive processes of
waste management to a more cost effective, non-sewerage paradigm of
human waste disposal.
For more information >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
===============================
CSE speaks: Bus crisis a result of mismanaged mobility
===============================
The current bus crisis in Delhi is symptomatic of a policy failure to
recognise the role of buses in making cities clean and liveable, says
CSE. The situation can be improved if the institutional and management
systems of the bus service are restructured, bus numbers are augmented,
dedicated bus corridors are built, tax policies related to transport are
reviewed and buses are integrated with other public and mass
transportation systems like the metro.
Read more >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
=================================
Questionnaire: Rate your pollution control board
=================================
India's economic development is causing severe environmental problems.
To make matters worse, the country's long-standing policies,
regulations and regulatory institutions, which control environmental
pollution and natural resource degradation, are proving to be ineffective.
Keeping this in mind, CSE has launched a research project, 'Rate your
pollution control board', which seeks to identify strengths, weaknesses
and gaps in the country's existing environmental regulatory regime.
We request all industries and civil society members who work or interact
with pollution control boards to share their views and experiences with
us by filling a questionnaire.
Fill online questionnaire >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
==============================
Job openings: Designers needed for Down To Earth magazine
==============================
CSE needs designers/senior designers for Down To Earth magazine.
Candidates should be adept at transforming hardcore research information
into friendly packages, and must be familiar with QuarkXpress and
Photoshop. Should also be comfortable working in a Macintosh
environment. Work experience of atleast three years is a must.
E-mail resume to
==============================
About this e-mail
===============================
You are receiving this newsletter because you have asked to be included
in our list, attended a CSE event or requested information. To stop
receiving this e-bulletin, please e-mail:
with the
word 'unsubscribe' in the subject. CSE is an independent, public
interest organisation that was established in 1982 by Anil Agarwal, a
pioneer of India's environmental movement. CSE's mandate is to research,
communicate and promote sustainable development with equity,
participation and democracy.
Contact CSE: http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
E-mail: <cse@cseindia.org>
Privacy policy: http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
Address: 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110062
Tell us if you know a colleague or friend who might enjoy this ne
From India, Delhi
i've been reading it for the last 5-6 yrs, good articles on the environmental aspect.
surya
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CSE's Fortnightly News Bulletin [August 10, 2007]
=============================
An e-bulletin from CSE, India, to our network of friends and
professionals interested in environmental issues. Scroll to the bottom
of this page for information on how to unsubscribe.
INSIDE:
- Editorial: Climate science and the Indian scientist
- Webcast: CSE director Sunita Narain speaks on climate change at the UN
General Assembly
- Cover Story: Rising popularity of artificial vanilla puts Kerala
farmers in distress
- News: Sulphur deficiency in Madhya Pradesh soil leads to poor harvest
- News: Dow Chemical asked to clean up contaminated spots in the US
- News: Meghalaya limestone quarries closed
- Feature: Cherrapunjee: Now a wet desert
- Science: First Indian study on species discovery pattern
- Gobar Times Green Schools Awards 2007
- Training programmes at AAGC
- CSE speaks: Bus crisis a result of mismanaged mobility
- Questionnaire: Rate your pollution control board
- Job openings: Designers needed for Down To Earth magazine
=================================
Editorial: Climate science and the Indian scientist
=================================
By Sunita Narain
Will Indian scientists measure up to the challenge of climate change? I
ask this question because of the nature of the science as well as the
nature of our scientists.
Climate change science is young, being tutored and evolving. We know
much more today about what the future will hold if we do not reduce
emissions drastically. Yet our knowledge is still probabilistic. It
concerns changes we can model for climate sensitivity, using the best
evidence we have today. But all models are victims of their assumptions.
And all predictions are villains of their times. The challenge is that
even if we know little about how the accumulation of greenhouse gases
will impact us, we cannot afford to wait until we have all the answers.
We can't afford to be uncertain in our actions, even if we are uncertain
about our science.
Take glaciers. We know that glaciers melt. It is because of this melt
that we get water. But are these glaciers melting at an unnatural pace
today? Will such melting lead to more water in our rivers to begin with,
leading to floods, and then less, leading to water scarcity? The
answers, after much scientific skulduggery, are just beginning to
crystallise.
Western scientists agree that something is afoot. They know because they
can physically map the glaciers to see the pace of the recession. They
can also measure the mass-average ice thickness-to check for reduction.
In addition, complex statistical models-which combine evidence from
several observational datasets-are confirming the probability of this
rapid recession.
These models had initially not predicted that melt water would seep into
the crevices of the glaciers, lubricate them and so accelerate melting.
When this was physically noticed, it was factored into the models for
greater reliability. But there are many unanswered questions. For
instance, will there be a collapse of the Antarctic ice sheet? There are
huge uncertainties regarding critical thresholds of collapse. But in all
this, uncertain science cannot afford to breed complacency. It has to
reveal what it knows, with what measure of reliability and also discuss
what it does not know, as yet, because of its own limitations of data or
understanding. It is growing, but after all, it is a young science.
In India, we are just beginning to map impacts on our glaciers because
of human-induced climate change. We can draw inferences from the changes
that are being observed and predicted in the rest of the world. But we
will have to do our own leg work-to understand both what is happening
and what the receding glaciers will do to our water security. The
question is: can we do this?
I ask this because in many ways climate change science, because of its
many variables and very many scenarios, is a game of chess which can
only be played by investigative and highly inquisitive minds. The
scientist will get clues and the answers will have to be tweaked: from
scientific evidence, from plain common sense and from what can be
observed in the real world.
It is not in the nature of our science to do this kind of imaginative,
investigative research. It is certainly not in the manner of our science
to draw inferences when there is uncertainty. In the easiest of times,
our scientists find it against their nature to cross over the threshold,
from what is already established science to what is emerging science.
They prefer to play safe with what they know. In the case of climate
science, they prefer to be cautious in their words, very conservative in
their assessment and take refuge in the inherent uncertainty of science.
For instance, it will be easy for 'safe' science to say that even if
glaciers are receding at a rapid pace, it is nothing new or surprising.
They are simply passing through a phase of recession as a natural cyclic
process. It will also be possible to say (and I have heard this said
very recently) that even if we know glaciers are melting, there is no
evidence to say that this melt will lead to any significant changes in
our hydrological systems. Why? Because our ongoing research does not
show anything deviant. It is another matter that the data or method used
for the research might be insufficient. Or that the scientist may not
have investigated the slim leads that nature was disclosing about herself.
Let's accept that there is a problem. The Indian scientific
establishment has been for far too long just that, an establishment. It
has chosen only to work with established science that is peer-reviewed,
empirical and unchallenged. Worse, because of the nature of its
institutions-which are closed to outsiders on the one hand but
subservient to officialdom on the other-it will not engage in any public
discourse.
But climate science demands new approaches. It demands breaking away
from what is already known to discover what needs to be known and how.
It will require crossing the line so that inferences can be drawn,
however tentative. It will require, most of all, active engagement with
the 'outside' world of ordinary people. It will need to pay careful heed
to everyday events and meticulous observation of scientific processes as
they play out in our gardens, in our agricultural fields and in our
glaciers.
Finally, if I can say (without offence), Indian science, to respond to
climate change, will have to get a little less male and perhaps even a
little less old. 'Male' science (if we can allow for some
generalisation) is not interested in soft issues like the environment or
nature. These are non-issues in a world of nuclear, space or rocket
technologies. Why young? Because climate change science (and the world)
needs all the impatience and the desperation of the young.
Read editorial online >>
downtoearth.org.in
To comment, write to >>
===============================
Webcast: CSE director speaks on climate change at the UN General Assembly
===============================
CSE Director Sunita Narain recently spoke on 'Climate change as a global
challenge' at the UN General Assembly in New York.
To watch the webcast of the debate, click here >>
http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/ga/61/ga070731am.rm
Watch the press conference >>
http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/pressco...ce/pc070731.rm
===============================
Cover Story: Rising popularity of artificial vanilla puts Kerala farmers
in distress
===============================
Vanilla, the world's most popular flavour, is associated with all things
nice. However, this is a view that most vanilla farmers in India,
especially the ones in Kerala, will disagree with. Once a profitable
venture, cultivation of vanilla has been declining rapidly in Kerala.
The crop, farmers say, is labour-intensive, and takes time to flower.
The seeds take even longer to cure. Manual pollination of the vanilla
flowers makes the cultivation more cumbersome. Add to this a highly
volatile international market, and you have a recipe for disaster. But
what has been worrying farmers most is the widespread use of synthetic
vanillin -- an artificial extract, which has copied the smell and
flavour of vanilla -- in food, beverages and cosmetics. Artificial
vanillin is harvested from effluent of paper mills and coal tar, and is
much cheaper than the real vanilla extract. Clearly, vanilla farmers
need the government's support. Will the state deliver?
Read online >>
downtoearth.org.in
=================================
More in Down To Earth magazine
=================================
News: Sulphur deficiency in Madhya Pradesh soil leads to poor harvest
Farmers in Madhya Pradesh have been grappling with a poor harvest this
season. According to experts, the low output has been triggered by a
mild to severe sulphur deficiency in the soil. Over the decades, the
intensive farming method of rotational cropping has depleted sulphur in
the soil. This has been topped by the excessive use of sulphur-free
fertilisers like urea, and by little or no replenishment of sulphur in
the soil. To check the trend, the state government has made available
sulphur-rich fertilisers, and is promoting its use. It is also training
farmers on the use of nutrient-rich fertilisers and related farming
practices.
Read complete article >>
downtoearth.org.in
----------------------------------
News: Dow Chemical asked to clean up contaminated spots in the US
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has asked Dow Chemical to
clean up three dioxide contaminated spots located along almost 10 km
downstream of its plant in Midland, Michigan, by the Tittabawassee
river. Dow has operated the plant for numerous years and manufactured a
number of chemicals and pesticides there. Numerous studies have
confirmed the presence of dioxin in the soil and water of the area.
According to experts, the spots need to be cleaned urgently as they are
prone to erosion and floods, which can spread the contamination further.
Read online >>
downtoearth.org.in
----------------------------------
News: Meghalaya limestone quarries closed
French MNC Lafarge's limestone quarries in Shella-Nongtrai in
Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district have been shut down by the
government. The quarries were supplying raw material to Lafarge Surma
Cement in Chhatak, Bangladesh. The closure comes a year after an MoEF
official found out that the mining lease area was forestland, and that
environmental consultants and a local forest official had given false
information about the nature of the land to ensure clearance of the
project.
Read online >>
downtoearth.org.in
----------------------------------
Feature: Cherrapunjee: Now a wet desert
For many years Cherrapunjee (now Sohra), Meghalaya, was considered the
wettest place on earth. Not anymore. Rainfall has been declining rapidly
in the last couple of years due to rampant deforestation. Sohra is a wet
desert now. With no trees or reservoirs to hold it back, rainwater runs
down the mountains. Sohra faces acute water shortage, especially during
winter. People have to walk miles to collect drinking water. To make
matters worse, the rain washes away the top soil, hampering farming and
reforestation efforts. As a result, people have started working as daily
labourers in mines and lime kilns. Can Sohra ever go back to the good
old days?
Read online >>
http://downtoearth.org.in <link updated to site home>
----------------------------------
Science: First Indian study on species discovery pattern
A team of Indian researchers has classified the patterns of species
discovery of eight important animal and plant groups in the Western
Ghats. The study will help scientists strategise the species discovery
process in the country, and fix the groups of species to be explored.
Read online >>
http://downtoearth.org.in <link updated to site home>
===============================
Gobar Times Green Schools Awards 2007
===============================
Entries are now open for the second Gobar Times Green Schools Awards to
be held in New Delhi later this year. The awards -- given by CSE
annually -- acknowledge the most environmentally responsible schools of
the country. The winners are judged on the basis of the self-assessment
of environmental practices carried out by schools.
The awards hold a commitment towards continuously improving
environmental management in schools.
Date: Monday, December 17, 2007
Venue: Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre,
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003
For more information >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
Read latest Gobar Times cover story 'Death by drowning' >>
http://www.gobartimes.org/20070731/gt_covfeature.asp
=================================
Training programmes at AAGC
=================================
CSE's Anil Agarwal Green Centre (AAGC) seeks to make knowledge
investments in society through education and training programmes.
Courses help participants better understand issues that lie at the
interface of environment and development policy,
science, technology, poverty, democracy and equity.
1. Agenda for survival: Two-month certificate course on policies,
politics and practices of environmental management in India
(October 23-December 14, 2007)
The two-month certificate course for students and young professionals
will -- through lectures, readings, debates, weekly outings, reportage
and a five-day field tour to rural India -- explore the complexities
underlying the environment-development debate in the country. Several
fellowships are available to support students.
Register online >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
For more information contact:
Aditya Batra <aagc@cseindia.org>
----------------------------------
2. Training programme for students: Urban Rainwater Harvesting
(September 24-27, 2007)
This popular course is open for students of architecture and planning,
engineering and environmental studies.
For more information >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
----------------------------------
3. Understanding EIA: From screening to decision making
(September 24-28, 2007)
This programme empowers communities, industry representatives and
regulators with tools and technical know-how to actively scrutinise and
participate in the environmental clearance processes of industrial
projects.
Apply online >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
----------------------------------
4. City water and waste management: Alternative paradigms
(October 16-19, 2007)
The unique workshop will discuss the urgent need to switch from the
current paradigm of capital, water and material intensive processes of
waste management to a more cost effective, non-sewerage paradigm of
human waste disposal.
For more information >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
===============================
CSE speaks: Bus crisis a result of mismanaged mobility
===============================
The current bus crisis in Delhi is symptomatic of a policy failure to
recognise the role of buses in making cities clean and liveable, says
CSE. The situation can be improved if the institutional and management
systems of the bus service are restructured, bus numbers are augmented,
dedicated bus corridors are built, tax policies related to transport are
reviewed and buses are integrated with other public and mass
transportation systems like the metro.
Read more >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
=================================
Questionnaire: Rate your pollution control board
=================================
India's economic development is causing severe environmental problems.
To make matters worse, the country's long-standing policies,
regulations and regulatory institutions, which control environmental
pollution and natural resource degradation, are proving to be ineffective.
Keeping this in mind, CSE has launched a research project, 'Rate your
pollution control board', which seeks to identify strengths, weaknesses
and gaps in the country's existing environmental regulatory regime.
We request all industries and civil society members who work or interact
with pollution control boards to share their views and experiences with
us by filling a questionnaire.
Fill online questionnaire >>
http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
==============================
Job openings: Designers needed for Down To Earth magazine
==============================
CSE needs designers/senior designers for Down To Earth magazine.
Candidates should be adept at transforming hardcore research information
into friendly packages, and must be familiar with QuarkXpress and
Photoshop. Should also be comfortable working in a Macintosh
environment. Work experience of atleast three years is a must.
E-mail resume to
==============================
About this e-mail
===============================
You are receiving this newsletter because you have asked to be included
in our list, attended a CSE event or requested information. To stop
receiving this e-bulletin, please e-mail:
word 'unsubscribe' in the subject. CSE is an independent, public
interest organisation that was established in 1982 by Anil Agarwal, a
pioneer of India's environmental movement. CSE's mandate is to research,
communicate and promote sustainable development with equity,
participation and democracy.
Contact CSE: http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
E-mail: <cse@cseindia.org>
Privacy policy: http://cseindia.org <link updated to site home>
Address: 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110062
Tell us if you know a colleague or friend who might enjoy this ne
From India, Delhi
Hi Everyone,
what is light pollution ?
any excess light is a pollution. most of you would be having parents/ grandparents who would recollect the beauty of a night sky twinkling with a million stars.
today due to excessive lighting, the lives of nocturnal flora and fauna are being highy disturbed.
Lot of you would not be aware that there is an association named "International Dark Sky Association" which is dedicated to preserve the nocturnal species by reducimg light pollution.
am encl their journal, hope all of you benefit from the same and start on a journey of ecofriendliness atleast on the home front.
surya
9999645755
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From India, Delhi
what is light pollution ?
any excess light is a pollution. most of you would be having parents/ grandparents who would recollect the beauty of a night sky twinkling with a million stars.
today due to excessive lighting, the lives of nocturnal flora and fauna are being highy disturbed.
Lot of you would not be aware that there is an association named "International Dark Sky Association" which is dedicated to preserve the nocturnal species by reducimg light pollution.
am encl their journal, hope all of you benefit from the same and start on a journey of ecofriendliness atleast on the home front.
surya
9999645755
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From India, Delhi
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