Coral Reefs: The Rainforests of the Sea Are Dying — Can We Save Them?

Imagine a city beneath the sea — a sprawling, three-dimensional metropolis of intricate architecture, blazing with colour, teeming with life, every surface occupied by a different organism going about its own intricate life. This is what a healthy coral reef looks like. It is one of the most complex, diverse, and beautiful ecosystems on Earth, the product of millions of years of co-evolution between thousands of species. And it is dying before our eyes. 

Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, yet they are home to more than 25% of all marine species. Approximately 4,000 species of fish depend on coral reefs. They support over 1 million species of plants and animals in total. For comparison, tropical rainforests — widely recognized as the most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystems — cover about 6% of land but support only slightly more species than reefs cover from their much smaller area. Coral reefs are, hectare for hectare, the most biodiverse places on Earth. 

Corals are extraordinary organisms. Each coral 'head' is actually a colony of thousands of tiny animals called polyps, living in a calcium carbonate skeleton they secrete themselves. Inside each polyp live microscopic algae called zooxanthellae, which use photosynthesis to produce most of the coral's food. This partnership between animal and algae is one of the most important and ancient symbioses in nature — but it is also extremely fragile. 

When water temperatures rise even slightly above the coral's normal range — by as little as 1°C for an extended period — the coral becomes stressed and expels its zooxanthellae. Without its algal partners, the coral turns white (a process called bleaching) and begins to starve. If temperatures return to normal quickly, corals can recover. But if the heat stress persists, or if bleaching events happen too frequently for the coral to recover between them, the coral dies. 

Climate change is making bleaching events more frequent, more severe, and more widespread. The Great Barrier Reef — the world's largest coral reef system, stretching 2,300 kilometres along Australia's northeastern coast — has experienced five mass bleaching events since 1998, the last three in consecutive years. Each event kills corals that took decades or centuries to grow. The reef that exists today is measurably smaller and less diverse than the reef of fifty years ago, and scientists are openly discussing whether it can survive the coming decades. 

India's coral reefs face the same existential threats, plus several additional local ones. The coral reefs of the Gulf of Mannar, Lakshadweep, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are all showing signs of bleaching and degradation. Coastal pollution from urban sewage and agricultural runoff fuels algae growth that smothers corals. Destructive fishing practices — dynamite fishing, bottom trawling, the collection of ornamental fish using cyanide — cause direct physical damage. Unsustainable coastal tourism introduces anchor damage and pollution. And the coral mining that once destroyed large areas of reef in the Gulf of Mannar, though now banned, has left lasting scars. 

Can coral reefs be saved? The answer depends almost entirely on how quickly and decisively humanity acts to address climate change. Even the most ambitious reef restoration projects — coral gardening, coral transplantation, assisted evolution to develop heat-resistant coral strains — cannot outpace bleaching if global temperatures continue to rise. The single most important action for coral reef survival is reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero as rapidly as possible. 

But in parallel with climate action, protecting reefs from local stressors can buy them time and increase their resilience. Establishing well-enforced marine protected areas, eliminating destructive fishing practices, reducing coastal pollution, and managing tourism sustainably all help reefs cope better with climate stress. India must do more in all of these areas. The coral reefs off our coasts are a national treasure, a source of biodiversity, food security, tourism income, and coastal protection. Losing them would be an irreversible catastrophe.

Content Courtesy: Inspired by NOAA Coral Reef Watch reports

India's Forests: Priceless Treasures Fighting for Survival

India's forests are among the most biologically rich and culturally significant ecosystems on the planet. They are home to the Royal Bengal Tiger, the Asian Elephant, the Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros, the Snow Leopard, the Clouded Leopard, the Wild Water Buffalo, the Indian Gaur, and thousands of other species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians found nowhere else on Earth. They shelter an estimated 47,000 species of plants, 16,000 species of flowering plants, and over 89,000 species of animals. India's forests are a living library of evolution that took millions of years to write. 

India has the tenth-largest forest area in the world, covering approximately 21.7% of its geographical area according to the Forest Survey of India. This falls short of the national policy target of 33% but represents significant forest wealth nonetheless. In recent years, India has reported modest net increases in forest and tree cover — a trend worth acknowledging, even as questions remain about the methodology used to measure it and the quality of the new forest cover. 

The quality distinction is crucial. India's forests are not all equal. The biodiversity-rich, old-growth tropical evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, the North-East, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands — irreplaceable in terms of the species they shelter and the ecosystem services they provide — are fundamentally different from the monoculture commercial timber plantations or the degraded scrubland that often replaces them after clearance. Much of the 'increase' in forest cover measured in official surveys represents plantation cover rather than natural forest recovery. 

The Western Ghats and the North-Eastern states together constitute two of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots — regions of extraordinary species richness and endemism. The Western Ghats are home to over 5,000 species of flowering plants, 139 species of mammals, 508 species of birds, and 179 species of amphibians — many of them found nowhere else on Earth. This mountain range stretching from Gujarat to Kerala is also the source of several of India's most important rivers, including the Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, and Periyar. The forests that cloak these mountains are not merely beautiful — they are the water towers of peninsular India. 

The threats to India's forests are multiple and intensifying. Mining — for coal, iron ore, bauxite, and other minerals — is one of the most destructive. Some of the most biodiverse forests in India, particularly in Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh, sit atop coal deposits. The battle between conservation and development is fought most fiercely in these forest-covered mineral zones. Infrastructure development — highways, railways, hydroelectric dams, and transmission lines — fragments forest habitat, creating barriers to the movement of wide-ranging species like tigers and elephants. Agricultural encroachment, illegal logging, and forest fires further reduce and degrade India's forest estate. 

Climate change adds another layer of threat. As temperatures rise and rainfalThe Forest Rightsl patterns shift, many forest species will find their habitat becoming unsuitable. Species will need to move — uphill to cooler elevations, or toward the poles — to track their climate niches. But forests fragmented by agriculture and development create barriers to this movement, trapping species that may have survived climate change in an intact, connected landscape. 

The Forest Rights Act of 2006 was a landmark piece of legislation that recognized the rights of adivasi and forest-dwelling communities who had been managing forests sustainably for centuries, often without legal recognition of their relationship with the land. When communities have secure rights over their forests, they have both the incentive and the authority to protect them. Community forest management in India and around the world consistently outperforms state forest management in biodiversity conservation. 

Protecting India's forests is not just an environmental imperative — it is an economic, social, and cultural one. The forests provide livelihoods for over 200 million people who depend on them for food, medicine, fuel, water, and cultural identity. They protect the water security of hundreds of millions more. They are the physical and spiritual foundation of Indian civilization. They deserve not just protection but the deep reverence that India's own traditions have always accorded them.

Content Courtesy: Inspired by Forest Survey of India (FSI) State of Forest Report

Women and the Environment: Why Gender Equality Is a Climate Solution

Today, on International Women's Day, the Green World blog wants to celebrate a truth that the mainstream environmental movement has been too slow to acknowledge: women are not just victims of environmental degradation — they are the most powerful environmental stewards on Earth. From the forests of Kenya to the rivers of India, from the fields of Bangladesh to the fishing villages of Tamil Nadu, women are the frontline defenders of the natural world, and empowering them is one of the most effective climate solutions available to humanity. 

The connection between women and the natural environment runs deep and is not merely metaphorical. In rural communities across the developing world, women are the primary users and managers of natural resources at the household level. They collect water — often walking several kilometres to and from wells or rivers. They gather firewood for cooking and heating. They tend kitchen gardens that supplement family nutrition and income. They manage household waste. They make the daily decisions that determine how much water, energy, and food a household consumes. 

This intimate, practical relationship with natural resources gives women both a profound stake in environmental health and a wealth of ecological knowledge that formal science is only beginning to document. Indigenous and rural women have accumulated detailed knowledge of local plant species, seasonal patterns, water sources, and land management practices over generations. This knowledge is irreplaceable — and it is at risk of being lost as traditional practices are eroded by urbanization and cultural change. 

When the environment degrades — when wells dry up, forests disappear, soils fail, and fish populations collapse — it is women who bear the first and heaviest burden. As water sources move farther away, it is women and girls who walk farther to fetch water. As fuelwood becomes scarce, women spend more time gathering it and more time cooking over smoky, inefficient fires that damage their health. As crop yields fall due to climate change and soil degradation, it is often women — who do most of the farming in rural India and across the developing world — who must work harder for less return. 

The Chipko movement of the 1970s is the most celebrated example of women's environmental leadership in India, but it is far from unique. Women in Uttarakhand's villages locked arms around trees to prevent commercial loggers from felling them, understanding intuitively that the forests were the source of the water, fuel, and fodder their families depended on. The movement gave birth to India's modern environmental consciousness and inspired conservation movements around the world. 

Research consistently demonstrates that when women have secure land rights, access to credit and technology, and participation in environmental governance, the results are better outcomes for forests, water bodies, and biodiversity. Community forest management groups with significant female participation in Nepal, Malawi, and India consistently achieve better conservation outcomes than male-dominated groups. Women-led water management committees in rural Rajasthan have restored springs, revived degraded watersheds, and improved water security for entire villages. 

Climate change and gender inequality are also deeply intertwined. Climate change makes the work that women do — growing food, managing water, caring for families — harder and less certain. And women, because they have less access to information, early warning systems, financial resources, and mobility, are more vulnerable to climate disasters. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami killed disproportionately more women than men; so did the 2019 and 2020 cyclones in Odisha. 

Empowering women — through education, economic opportunity, land rights, participation in governance, and access to technology — is therefore one of the highest-leverage investments a society can make in its environmental future. Project Drawdown, which has ranked climate solutions by their potential impact, identifies education for girls and women's empowerment as among the top climate solutions globally. On this International Women's Day, let us commit to recognizing, supporting, and amplifying women's environmental leadership at every level, from the village to the global summit.

Content Courtesy: Inspired by IUCN and UN Women reports

Zero Waste Living: A Practical Guide to Reducing Your Environmental Footprint

 

The average Indian urban resident generates about half a kilogram of solid waste every single day. Multiply that by India's 500 million urban dwellers, and you get a staggering 250,000 tonnes of garbage generated in cities every day. Most of this waste ends up in overflowing landfills on the outskirts of our cities, in rivers and water bodies, burned in open dumps releasing toxic smoke, or simply littered across the landscape. Our relationship with waste is broken — and it is costing us enormously, in environmental health, in public health, and in economic productivity. 

The zero-waste movement offers a fundamentally different vision: a world where waste is seen not as an inevitable byproduct of modern life, but as a design failure — something that can and should be designed out of our systems entirely. In a zero-waste world, everything we make, buy, and use can eventually be safely reused, repaired, recycled, or returned to the earth as compost. Nothing is discarded because nothing needs to be. 

This vision may sound utopian, but communities and cities around the world are already moving toward it. Kamikatsu, a small town in Japan, achieved a 99% recycling rate by creating 45 different waste categories and eliminating most landfill use. Several municipalities in the Indian state of Kerala have achieved dramatic waste reduction through community composting and segregation programs. Bengaluru's network of dry waste collection centres has demonstrated that urban recycling can be economically viable and socially beneficial. 

For individuals and households, zero-waste living starts with a shift in mindset: from 'how do I dispose of this?' to 'how do I avoid producing it in the first place?' The five R's — Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot (compost) — provide a practical framework, prioritized in that order. The most powerful action is refusing what you do not need, because waste that is never created cannot pollute. 

Practical zero-waste swaps are easier than most people imagine. A reusable stainless steel or glass water bottle eliminates thousands of disposable plastic bottles over a lifetime. A cloth shopping bag eliminates hundreds of plastic bags a year. A safety razor with replaceable blades eliminates the plastic waste of dozens of disposable razors annually. Shampoo and conditioner bars eliminate plastic bottles. Beeswax wraps or silicone food covers replace cling film. Loose-leaf tea replaces individually packaged tea bags. Each swap is small; collectively, they transform a household's waste footprint. 

Composting is one of the highest-impact zero-waste practices available to Indian households. Organic waste — vegetable and fruit peels, food scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells — makes up 50-60% of Indian household waste by weight. When composted, this material becomes a valuable soil amendment rather than methane-generating landfill. Urban apartment dwellers can compost in balcony bins or with vermicomposting (earthworm composting) setups that are compact, odour-free, and surprisingly low-maintenance. 

Beyond individual choices, zero-waste living requires systemic change. Manufacturers must be made responsible for the waste their products generate through extended producer responsibility policies. Plastic packaging must be taxed, regulated, and ultimately phased out. Cities must invest in segregation, collection, and processing infrastructure for different waste streams. And informal waste collectors — the kabadiwalas who already divert enormous quantities of recyclable material from the waste stream — must be recognized, formalized, and supported. 

Zero waste is not about perfection. It is about progress and intention — making more thoughtful choices, reducing harm where we can, and working collectively toward a world where nothing is wasted because everything has value. Begin where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. Every action, however small, matters. 

India's kabadiwalas — those informal collectors who walk through neighbourhoods calling for old newspapers, bottles, and metal — already run one of the most efficient urban recycling systems in the world, largely invisible and unrecognized. Supporting them, ensuring they are paid fair prices, and protecting their role in the waste economy is itself a zero-waste action. Zero-waste living in India does not need to import Western solutions — it needs to recognize, formalize, and build on the remarkable waste wisdom that already exists in Indian society and tradition.

Content Courtesy: Original content for Green World

Wetlands: Earth's Most Undervalued Superheroes Are Disappearing

If you were to design the perfect ecosystem — one that cleaned water, prevented floods, stored carbon, supported extraordinary biodiversity, regulated rainfall, provided food and livelihoods to millions of people, and protected coastlines from storms and sea level rise — you would design a wetland. These remarkable ecosystems, often dismissed as muddy wastelands or breeding grounds for mosquitoes, are in fact among the most valuable and productive habitats on the planet. 

Wetlands — a broad category that includes marshes, swamps, bogs, peatlands, floodplains, estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs, and shallow coastal waters — cover only about 6% of Earth's land surface. Yet they support nearly 40% of all the world's known species. They are extraordinarily rich in life: a single hectare of wetland may contain more species of insects than an entire square kilometre of farmland. 

India is blessed with exceptional wetland wealth. The country has over 750,000 wetlands covering nearly 4.7% of its geographical area. These range from the magnificent Chilika Lake in Odisha — Asia's largest coastal lagoon and a globally important bird wintering ground — to the Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir, the Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan, the flamingo habitats of the Rann of Kutch, and the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans. India has 75 Ramsar sites — wetlands recognized under the international Ramsar Convention as being of global importance. 

The ecosystem services that wetlands provide to humanity are staggering in their value. Wetlands act as natural water purifiers, filtering out pollutants, sediments, and pathogens as water flows through them. They act as giant sponges, absorbing excess rainfall and slowly releasing it, reducing both the severity of floods and the severity of droughts. In a single monsoon season, a large wetland can absorb billions of litres of water that would otherwise flood fields, roads, and homes. 

Wetlands store enormous amounts of carbon — particularly peat bogs, which have been accumulating organic material for thousands of years. When wetlands are drained or degraded, this stored carbon is released into the atmosphere as CO2 and methane, significantly worsening climate change. Protecting intact wetlands is therefore one of the most cost-effective climate solutions available — no technology required, just the wisdom to leave them alone. 

Wetlands are also among the most important fisheries in the world. Approximately two-thirds of all commercially important marine fish species spend part of their life cycle in coastal wetlands, using mangroves and estuaries as nurseries for their young. The livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people — particularly coastal fishing communities in India — depend directly on healthy, productive wetlands. 

Yet we are destroying wetlands at three times the rate at which we are losing forests. Since 1970, the world has lost approximately 35% of its wetlands. In India, rapid urbanization is swallowing coastal and inland wetlands. Agricultural drainage converts marshes and floodplains into farmland. Industrial effluents and sewage pollute and degrade wetland ecosystems. Invasive aquatic plants like water hyacinth choke thousands of water bodies. And climate change is altering the hydrology of wetlands across the country.

The loss of wetlands is not inevitable. Communities across India are demonstrating that with the right support and policies, wetlands can be restored and protected. The revival of traditional community pond management systems, the restoration of degraded mangroves, and the removal of invasive species are all yielding results. World Wetlands Day on February 2 each year is an opportunity to remember what we stand to lose — and to renew our commitment to protecting Earth's blue-green heart. 

India has a powerful opportunity to demonstrate global wetland leadership. The country's 75 Ramsar sites, its vibrant community conservation tradition, and its ancient cultural reverence for water bodies provide a strong foundation. What is needed is sustained political commitment, adequate funding for wetland monitoring and restoration, and a shift in public consciousness that sees wetlands not as wastelands but as the irreplaceable natural infrastructure they truly are. A nation that protects its wetlands protects its water, its food, its coasts, its climate, and its extraordinary natural heritage.

Content Courtesy: Inspired by Ramsar Convention and WWF India

Air Pollution: India's Silent Killer Hiding in Plain Sight

 

Of the world's 30 most polluted cities, 22 are in India. Let that number sink in. Not two or three — twenty-two. In a country that has achieved remarkable progress in reducing poverty, expanding education, and building infrastructure, air pollution remains a crisis of staggering proportions, killing over 1.6 million Indians every year, making it the second-leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease. 

Air pollution is often called a silent killer because it acts slowly and invisibly. Unlike a flood or earthquake, it does not make the front pages. But the cumulative toll — years of life lost, chronic respiratory and cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment in children, increased cancer risk — is devastating and entirely preventable. The air we breathe is making us sick, and we are only now beginning to fully reckon with the scale of this crisis. 

What is in the air? Particulate matter — PM2.5, tiny particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter — is the most dangerous component of air pollution. These microscopic particles penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, damaging blood vessels, triggering inflammation, and reaching the brain. Ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and a cocktail of toxic chemicals from industrial emissions round out the toxic brew that millions of Indians inhale every day. 

The sources of India's air pollution are multiple and overlapping. Vehicle exhaust is a major contributor, particularly in cities where the number of vehicles has grown explosively and emission standards have lagged behind. Industrial emissions from power plants, factories, and brick kilns add significantly to the burden, especially in northern and central India. Agricultural residue burning in Punjab, Haryana, and neighbouring states creates massive smoke events every post-harvest season that blanket Delhi and the entire Indo-Gangetic Plain for weeks. 

Construction dust is an often-overlooked source that is particularly significant in India's rapidly urbanizing cities. Open garbage burning — still common in many cities and towns — releases a toxic mix of chemicals including dioxins and furans. And in winter, temperature inversions trap all these pollutants close to the ground, creating the thick, acrid haze that makes Indian winters increasingly grim, particularly in the north. 

The human cost is not evenly distributed. The poorest Indians — who live closest to industrial zones, breathe air polluted by cooking fires in poorly ventilated homes, and spend long hours outdoors in polluted environments — suffer the most. Children growing up in highly polluted Indian cities have measurably smaller lung capacity than those in cleaner environments — a deficit they carry for life. Pregnant women in polluted environments are at higher risk of premature birth and low-birthweight babies. The air pollution crisis is not just an environmental crisis — it is a public health injustice. 

But progress is possible, and there are genuine reasons for hope. India's transition to BS-VI vehicle emission standards (equivalent to Euro-VI) has dramatically reduced emissions from new vehicles. The rapid adoption of CNG buses and electric vehicles in cities like Delhi is yielding measurable air quality improvements. The government's Ujjwala Scheme, which has connected over 90 million rural households to clean LPG cooking gas, has dramatically reduced indoor air pollution — a major health burden for rural women. Several Indian cities are now operating real-time air quality monitoring networks with public dashboards, creating accountability and enabling data-driven interventions. 

What more must be done? Stricter industrial emission standards and rigorous enforcement. A serious, funded solution to agricultural residue burning that supports farmers in transitioning away from the practice. Rapid expansion of public transport. Aggressive urban greening. And a shift in how we think about air quality — not as a technical problem to be managed, but as a fundamental right that every Indian deserves, regardless of where they live or how much they earn. Clean air is not a luxury. It is life itself.

Content Courtesy: Inspired by WHO and IQAir World Air Quality Report

Trees: Nature's Air Conditioners, Water Managers, and Climate Heroes

 

A single mature tree can absorb up to 22 kilograms of carbon dioxide every year, release enough oxygen to support two human beings, intercept thousands of litres of rainfall, provide a home for dozens of species of birds, insects, and other creatures, lower the surrounding air temperature by several degrees through evapotranspiration, and reduce stress and improve mental health in the people who walk or sit beneath it. All of this, for free, powered by nothing but sunlight and water. Trees may be the single most extraordinary living things on Earth. 

Yet we are destroying them at a rate that future generations will struggle to comprehend. Global deforestation claims approximately 15 billion trees every year — that is nearly 2 million trees every hour. The world has lost approximately 46% of its tree cover since the dawn of human civilization. In India, urban tree cover is declining rapidly as cities expand, construction booms, and road widening projects claim century-old trees. In rural areas, agricultural expansion, fuelwood collection, and infrastructure development are shrinking forests and tree cover continuously. 

The consequences are far-reaching and deeply interconnected. Trees are the primary mechanism by which terrestrial ecosystems cycle water. When a tree absorbs water through its roots and releases it as vapour through its leaves, it contributes to local rainfall patterns and moisture availability. Large forests like the Amazon and the Himalayan foothills essentially generate their own weather — removing them disrupts rainfall patterns across entire continents. The declining forests of the Western Ghats are already affecting the monsoon patterns of peninsular India. 

Trees are also the lungs of cities. Urban trees absorb pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter, making city air measurably cleaner and healthier. Studies have shown that urban areas with high tree cover have lower rates of respiratory disease, lower hospital admission rates during heat waves, and lower rates of stress and anxiety among residents. Trees are not an aesthetic luxury in cities — they are critical public health infrastructure. 

The importance of trees in regulating temperature cannot be overstated. A shaded area under a mature tree can be 5–10°C cooler than an adjacent unshaded area on a hot summer day. In Indian cities, where summer temperatures regularly exceed 40°C, this is not a trivial difference — it can be the difference between life and death for the elderly, the very young, and outdoor workers. As climate change intensifies heat waves, urban trees will become increasingly vital. 

India's relationship with trees is ancient and profound. The Bodhi tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment, the banyan tree sacred to Vishnu, the neem tree whose medicinal properties have been recognized for millennia, the peepal tree at the heart of every village — trees are woven into the spiritual and cultural fabric of Indian life. India also pioneered some of the world's most powerful tree protection movements, including the Chipko movement of the 1970s and the ongoing battles against destructive highway projects. 

The Miyawaki method of intensive native forest planting is gaining exciting momentum in Indian cities. By planting dozens of native tree species together in a small area, Miyawaki forests grow ten times faster than conventional plantations, become self-sustaining within two to three years, and provide far richer biodiversity than monoculture plantings. Urban Miyawaki forests have been successfully created in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, and dozens of other cities. 

This monsoon season — and every monsoon season — let us commit not just to planting trees, but to caring for them. Planting is easy; nurturing a sapling to a mature tree takes years of watering, protection, and patience. Let us also commit to protecting the trees that already stand — especially the old, large trees that took decades to grow and provide irreplaceable benefits. Every tree that stands is a gift to the generations that come after us. Let us give generously.

Content Courtesy: Original content for Green World

Plastic Pollution: The Ocean's Invisible Enemy

 

Every year, approximately 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enter our oceans. That is the equivalent of dumping one garbage truck of plastic into the sea every single minute. By 2050, if we do not act, there could be more plastic in our oceans than fish.

Plastic never truly disappears. It breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics, which are now found in the deepest ocean trenches, the highest mountain snowfields, and even inside the human body. Scientists have detected microplastics in human blood, lungs, and breast milk.

Marine animals suffer terribly. Sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish. Seabirds feed plastic fragments to their chicks. Whales wash ashore with stomachs full of plastic bags and nets.

The solution starts with us. Refuse single-use plastics. Carry a cloth bag. Say no to plastic straws. Support brands that use sustainable packaging. And demand stronger government policies to hold manufacturers accountable.

The ocean is not a dumping ground. It is the cradle of all life on Earth. Let us protect it.

Content Courtesy: Inspired by UNEP and Ocean Conservancy reports

Our Rivers Are Dying

Ganga, Krishna, Narmada, Kaveri – many of our great rivers are depleting fast. If we do not act now, the legacy we hand over to the next generation will be one of conflict and deprivation. These rivers nurtured and nourished us for thousands of years. It is time we nurture and nourish them back to health.

Saving Our Rivers

The simplest solution to rejuvenate India’s rivers is to maintain a minimum of one kilometer tree cover on riversides.

Forest trees can be planted on government land and tree-based agriculture brought in on farm land. This will ensure our rivers are fed throughout the year by the moist soil. This will also reduce floods, drought and soil loss, and increase farmers’ incomes. Learn More

What you can do…

Your missed call will help in the creation of a positive river policy to revive our rivers. Find out how

Send Us Your Ideas

We welcome all environmental scientists, experts and practitioners to contribute their knowledge and expertise towards creating a roadmap to rejuvenate our depleting rivers and save our country’s lifelines.

We look forward to receiving your suggestions at Ideas@RallyForRivers.org

content courtesy : sadhguru.org

Pope Francis stresses 'right to environment' in UN speech

Pope Francis has urged a large gathering of world leaders at the United Nations in New York to respect humanity's "right to the environment".

He also called on financial agencies not to subject countries to "oppressive lending systems" that worsen poverty.

In an allusion to the Church's teachings on sexual minorities, he called for respect for the "natural difference between man and woman".

He went on to visit the 11 September memorial for a multi-faith service.

After a silent prayer, the pontiff met relatives of some of the victims of the attack in 2001.

Pope Francis later visited a Catholic school in the heavily Hispanic New York neighbourhood of East Harlem.

The crowd in the gym of Our Lady Queen of Angels School included more than 100 immigrants, who greeted Francis with songs.

One eyewitness wrote on Twitter: "He's (Pope) having a blast in Harlem. Big smile. #PopeinNYC".

'Ideological colonisation'

In a wide-ranging speech at the UN, the Pope said the universe was "the fruit of a loving decision by the Creator" and that humanity "is not authorised to abuse it, much less to destroy it."

He said he hoped a forthcoming summit on climate change in Paris would produce a "fundamental and effective agreement".

He addressed topics including girls' education and drug trafficking. He welcomed the deal between Iran and world powers on its nuclear deal, calling it "proof of the potential of political goodwill".

He also condemned "ideological colonisation by the imposition of anomalous models and lifestyles which are alien to people's identity" in what was understood as a reference to Western support for gay and transgender rights in other countries.

At a memorial service at the September 11 Memorial Museum, he prayed for those killed in the attacks and for healing for their relatives.

Catholics in America:

• 80 million baptised as Catholics

• Six of the nine Supreme Court justices are Catholic

• 31% of the US Congress (22% general population)

• One Catholic president (JFK) and one vice-president (Joe Biden) in the history of the US

• Six Catholic Republicans running for 2016 presidential nomination, the most ever

Source: New York Times

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About 80,000 people are expected to watch the procession as he makes his way to Mass at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.

Nearly 20,000 are set to attend the service at the major sporting and concert arena.

Thousands lined Fifth Avenue on Thursday evening as the Argentine pontiff made his way to St Patrick's Cathedral for evening prayers.

The Pope arrived in New York from Washington, where he delivered the first-ever papal address to the US Congress.

In the speech, he urged a humane response to migrants, an end to the death penalty and better treatment of the poor and disadvantaged.

Next he will go to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he will speak in front of Independence Hall and celebrate Mass at a Catholic families' rally.

content courtesy : BBC

How reusable bags change shopping decisions

Taking reusable bags to the supermarket can help identify the environmentally friendly shopper but a new study has now discovered the products they are more likely to buy.

New research in the Journal of Marketing reveals unsurprisingly that shoppers who take their own bags are more likely to purchase organic food – and more surprisingly, junk food as well.

The study describes: "Grocery store shoppers who bring their own bags are more likely to purchase healthy food. But those same shoppers often feel virtuous, because they are acting in an environmentally responsible way.

“That feeling easily persuades them that, because they are being good to the environment, they should treat themselves to cookies or potato chips or some other product with lots of fat, salt, or sugar."

The study by Uma R. Karmarkar of Harvard University and Bryan Bollinger of Duke University is one of the first to demonstrate that bringing reusable grocery bags causes significant changes in food purchasing behaviour.

The authors collected loyalty cardholder data from a single location of a major grocery chain in California between May 2005 and March 2007. They compared the same shoppers on trips for which they brought their own bags with trips for which they did not.

Participants were also recruited online from a national pool and were randomly assigned one of two situations: bringing their own bags or not bringing their own bags. Depending on the situation, participants were presented with a certain scenario and a floorplan of the grocery store and were asked to list the ten items they were most likely to purchase on the trip.

The researchers found that when shoppers brought their own bags, they were more likely to purchase organic foods. At the same time, bringing one's own bags also increased the likelihood that the shopper would purchase junk food. And both results were slightly less likely when the shopper had young children: parents have to balance their own purchasing preferences with competing motivations arising from their role as parents.

Content Courtecy :enn

Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification

Heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium), pesticides and herbicides (such as DDT) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (PCB’s and BPA’s) do not readily biodegrade. These are fat-soluble substances that are stored in organisms and are not quickly broken down by bacteria or other decomposers. Bioaccumulation is the process by which persistent pollutants accumulate in the fatty tissues of organisms. These pollutants are absorbed at a greater rate than they are released and therefore build up within the individual organism. Biomagnification is the process by which persistent pollutants increase in concentration up a food chain. So secondary and tertiary consumers have higher concentrations than producers and primary consumers.

This phenomena has been observed with DDT, causing the thinning of eggshells in raptors, such as the threatened Peregrine Falcon. Rachel Carson, a marine biologist and conservationist,  made the American public aware of the environmental problems caused by synthetic pesticides, such as DDT, in her famous book, “Silent Spring”. DDT is now prohibited in most developed countries.

Mercury has been shown to bioaccumulate in marine food webs, affecting higher order consumers, such as dolphins, sharks and swordfish. As such, Food Standards of Australia and New Zealand recommend that the intake of certain types of fish is limited.

Content Courtesy : vceenviroscience

Safeguarding Our Future Water & Energy Systems-INFOGRAPHIC

As the Energy Department pursues our important mission areas of climate change, energy security and environmental responsibility, we must take into account dynamic interactions among our energy system, the population, the economy, other infrastructure systems and natural resources. One crucial interaction is that between our present-day energy and water systems, reports the DOE.

The interdependencies between our water and energy systems are clear — and becoming more prominent. Water is used in all phases of energy production and electricity generation, and energy is required to extract, convey and deliver water, and to treat wastewaters prior to their return to the environment.

The Energy Department’s new report – The Water-Energy Nexus: Challenges and Opportunities – examines this interaction, and lays out several technical and operational challenges at local, regional and national scales. The report notes that water scarcity, variability and uncertainty are becoming more prevalent, potentially leading to vulnerabilities within the U.S. energy system. Changes brought on by population growth, technological advances and policy developments are increasing the urgency for informed action.

When severe drought affected more than a third of the United States in 2012, limited water availability constrained the operation of some power plants and other energy production infrastructure. When Hurricane Sandy struck that same year, we saw firsthand the major problems that arise when vital water infrastructure and facilities lose power.

And the recent boom in domestic unconventional oil and gas development, brought on by hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, has added complexity to the national dialogue about the relationship between energy and water resources.

What’s more, the effects of climate change only amplify the need to manage our interdependent water and energy systems more mindfully. As the release of the third U.S. National Climate Assessment made clear last month, climate change is affecting every region of the United States and key sectors across our economy.

Even as the Energy Department is taking strong steps to cut carbon pollution and work with our international partners to build a more sustainable energy future, we must prepare for the effects of climate change we are already seeing.

The Energy Department’s longstanding leadership in modeling and technology research and development makes it uniquely suited to meet the national need for data-driven and empirical solutions to address these challenges. This report is just the beginning.

The Department of Energy looks forward to working with our partners, including other federal agencies, state and local governments, members of Congress, foreign governments, private industry, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and citizens, to develop and pursue a shared vision of more resilient coupled energy-water systems.

This integration and collaboration will enable more effective research, development and deployment of key technologies, harmonization of policies where warranted, shared datasets, informed decision-making, and robust public dialogue.

A key part of that dialogue is our ongoing meetings to gather public comment on the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER), a four-year process to identify key threats, risks and opportunities for U.S. energy and climate security.

 Last week in San Francisco, Dr. John Holdren — Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy — led a discussion with regional stakeholders about the water-energy nexus and lessons learned that could be applied broadly across this issue area. Future opportunities to provide input to the QER process remain.

Content Courtesy: energy.gov