Sanrakshan celebrates EARTH DAY 2014

Sanrakshan, The Nature Conservation Program of DJJS, undertook a PAN- India “Save the Mother Earth” initiative on the occasion of Earth day, marked annually on 22 April across the globe to emphasize and motivate action towards protection of our planet earth.

The initiative furthered Sanrakshan’s motto of rebuilding human- nature relationship and focused on reconnecting men, women and children with mother earth. A range of events, each with its unique innovation were organised in various parts of country.  Here is an insight into these.

Jalandhar, Punjab 

Under “Save the Mother Earth” initiative, Jalandhar branch of DJJS undertook a tree plantation drive in the village town of Bidhipur. Tree plantation is single most efficient solution to deal with the mounting environmental crisis. A single tree planted supports an entire life system. It fixes carbon dioxide and helps deal with the Climate change threat; in addition it is the only source of life sustaining oxygen. Trees are home to several birds, animals and insect species and are major regulators of local environment indicators like climate conditions and water resource availability. Thus DJJS is persistently sensitizing masses on importance of tree plantation and motivating the civil society to take a lead in caring for the earth by re- foresting the denuded covers of earth.

In the same process on the occasion of Earth Day 2014, around 1000 plants were sown at Bidhipur. To ensure the sustenance of the effort and maintenance of the plantation, Jalandhar branch DJJS motivated of some eminent local entrepreneurs, Dr. Abhishek, Mr. Naveen Walia, Mr. Surinder Kumar, Mr. Resham Kumar, & Mr. Palwinder to support the initiative . With the support of these environmentally sensitive locals, Swami Sadanand & Swami Sajjananand, devoted preachers and young volunteers of His Holiness Shri Ashutosh Maharaj Ji successfully planted the saplings in the area and motivated the local population to act pro-actively towards saving mother earth.

Stay tuned for @ DJJS for more events from various parts of the country on EARTH DAY 2014.

…to be continued.

Environment.................what is it?

Do we know what environment is??

A word that is taking rounds across the national and international dailies, and is the top agenda on international forums working out development strategies, seems to be the least understood term by common man. You can try this for yourself, ask at random, anyone as to what environment is?? And you will get variety of interesting answers.

Environment…ummmmmmmmm….trees…………emmmmmmm…water………….ahhhhhh…animals…and………climate change…


Some words partially correct but delivered with great uncertainty!! None of them is able to explain the meaning of environment in its complete sense. Infact each of these things is a part of environment but not environment singly.


In such a situation where people are unaware about the complete meaning of the term environment, expecting them to protect and conserve it remains far from reality. This is the most basic reason the global efforts to conserve the environment doesn’t reach the determined results.


Environment in reality is not just one thing out of these various things but environment is anything living or non- living that surrounds a centre of focus. The centre of focus, here is humans, considering their ability to instigate change in their surroundings. In the same sense, the protection of environment today is also relative to human survival and needs.


We define environment based on our immediate needs and requirement, at best we include natural actors visible to us in defining our environment. For example, water from the tap, sofa we sit on, plate in which we eat food, my pet dog, my house form part of my environment and I strive hard to keep it at best. But what we forget is our innate relationship with the far and wide spread environment inclusive of natural environment and man- made environment.


Thus, each individual has an immediate environment and an extended environment which may not be directly visible but forms the basis of immediate environment. Like we can’t see the river but water from the tap is essential for our survival and forms an important part of our immediate environment. By way of this water we are connected to the river and hence equally impacted by river pollution and responsible for water conservation. However, there is disconnect between our immediate and extended environment, borne in our short- sightedness.


You can easily draw the connections between immediate and natural environment, just by taking a closer and deeper look at your material comforts, all be it your couch or your bed or your car is drawn or driven on a resource provided from the natural environment.

This latent disconnect between material environment and natural environment, leaves the centre of focus- the human being ignorant of his actions on the natural environment, thereby letting loose the very cord of his own survival.


Hence we gradually work for the betterment of our immediate environment, our so- called “comfort zone” and a simultaneously contribute to decay of our natural environment owing to our ignorance.


Thus, to ensure conservation of environment, the first and the most essential step is to make each individual understand what exactly environment is?. Only after which he/ she can draw the connections between his/ her immediate/ material environment and extended/ natural environment. Only then can he head towards conservation and protection of the same.


So know your environment to protect it!!

inverter

Do you ever think about the good old modest inverter at your home. I some times do. It makes me feel as though my inverter defines my energy usage pattern. Here's how:

Scene 1: No power cut

My TV is on, my DTH machine is on (although I am playing games on my Play station). I want the convenience  of sitting on my bed and switching between my game and TV. The light of the other room is on and so is that of the loo. I forgot to switch them off and now I don't want to get up.

Earlier I was using my laptop and it is still plugged to the power. The computer is on too (a movie is getting downloaded). 

Scene 2: Oh shit! there's a power cut

Suddenly all comfort has vanished. I spring up from my bed and....

Hey the light in the other room is on. Switch it off.

Do I have to tell you about the loo too. switch it off.

I think that will be enough. The power will be back soon.

Scene 3: Half an hour later. Beep Beep. Inverter is not taking all the load

I jump again. 

Unplug the laptop from power.

Beep stops. Thank God

That's enough. The power will be back soon.

Scene 4: Half an hour later. Beep Beep Beep. Inverter is low on battery

Another jump

Turn off the Play station.

Turned off

Still beeping, still beeping

Turn off the computer

Beeping stops

That's enough. The power will be back soon.

Scene 5: Half an hour later. Beep Beep Beep Beep. Inverter is not taking any load, low on battery

Another spring, another jump

Turn off the TV.

Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep

The inverter is dead. 

Now we must sit in the heat

Well it was not enough. The power will not be back soon.

If only we had switched off all the unnecessary equipments earlier, it could have lasted longer.

This inverter teaches me something. It is trying to give me some sign. If only I switch off all the unnecessary equipments when there is power too, all of us will have more power. Our power system will not be low on power and won't beep to say low battery.

We get so alert when our home is on inverter, why not get alert other wise also as our earth is on inverter?

Lets try to remember the inverter always and switch off the unnecessary switches to let the inverter last longer.

Earth Hour@ Sanrakhan, in news: अर्थ आवर@ संरक्षण, ख़बरों मै

Sanrakshan's Aditi Mehandiratta was widely quoted in media, just before the Earth Hour, for her comments on the need for individual awareness and human incentives for combating climate change. 

 संरक्षण की अदिति मेहंदिरत्ता के द्वारा अर्थ आवर के पहले दिया गया कथन मीडिया द्वारा कवर किया गया। 

 Here are excerpts of the news:
 However, several other groups in India have also shown a keen interest on the occasion in creating awareness in the masses regarding the dire need to preserve natural resources.
"Climate change is a discrepancy created by persistent human exploitation. Hence, its cure lies only in a consistent and united human initiative...individual awareness and action is the key to combat climate change," says Aditi Mehndiratta, head 'Sanrakshan', nature conservation initiative of an NGO.
"The NGO has inspired lakhs of beneficiaries not only in India but across the globe to switch all their lights and electrical appliances. Along with this our followers would also sit in divine meditation on Earth Hour and pray for the strength of Mother Earth," adds Mehndiratta.

The news piece:
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/earth-hour-2010-aims-to-surpass-last-years-target-18509.php

http://www.zeenews.com/news614400.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/global-warming/Earth-Hour-2010-aims-to-surpass-last-years-target-WWF/articleshow/5730327.cms

http://news.outlookindia.com/printitem.aspx?677915

http://www.moneylife.in/article/8/4437.html
http://sify.com/news/earth-hour-2010-aims-to-surpass-last-year-s-target-wwf-news-national-kd0rkgecifc.html?tag=Earth
http://meghalayatimes.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9910:millions-to-go-dark-for-earth-hour-today&catid=46:cfm&Itemid=60
http://punenvis.nic.in/News_2010/March/Mar38.htm
http://flashnewstoday.com/?p=19685
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_earth-hour-2010-aims-to-surpass-last-year-s-target-wwf_1363690
http://www.udayavani.com/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=755627&lang=1
http://www.etrendsmag.com/earth-hour-2010-aims-to-surpass-last-years-target-wwf/
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=71792808816
http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=351047447032&share_id=389613630338&comments=1

world water day@ sanrakshan in news: विश्व जल दिवस@ संरक्षण, अखबारों में चर्चा

Sanrakshan had organised events all across India on the World Water Day 2010 all across India. Here are some clippings of the event picked up by the media.
विश्व जल दिवस पर संरक्षण द्वारा आयोजित देश व्यापी समारोहों की अखबारों में चर्चा।
World Water Day 2010: विश्व जल दिवस, २०१०

When thousands switched off their lights and meditated for mother earth....

27th March 2010, some 120 cities dimmed down for an hour, with the pledge of enlightening our common future. Struggling to find solution to global climate change, once again global community raised a common voice to stand united against the most crucial environment discrepancy.

Going with the WWF mantra of switching off lights to mark support against climate change, Sanrakshan, DJJS also extended its support to this global call, in our own unique way.

Climate change an environmental discrepancy created by prolonged indiscriminate and unforeseen human action. Fading human- nature relationship of mutualism and growing disconnect with environment stand as major road blocks in finding sustainable solutions to this raging issue. Realizing the philosophy of Sanrakshan, we supported earth hour to reiterate the gravity of the issue and re- ignite compassion for nature, prompting individual action against climate change.

Building upon the traditional science of dhyan complementary to the modern science of energy, we contributed to the initiative by observing an hour of meditation across its centers in India. An hour of silence, an hour of introspection, an hour of prayer for mother earth....across India millions of DJJS followers and associates sat in silence, practicing the eternal technology of consciousness to re- energize the element of divinity running across the creation and heal the world.

an hour of introspection:come join us

We welcome and request everyone to join us at the Earth hour for an hour of self-reflection.

Date: 27th March 2010

Time: 8:30 to 9:30 PM

Location: your home and mine

celebrating life: world water day

Hey everyone. Have you been noticing the blue World Water Day logo on the blog.

We hope that you are aware of its meaning. Here is some information for those of us who still do not know about it.

Water or the growing scarcity of its usable for is becoming a bigger concern day by day. But then why care? We need to care because water is the single most important entity that makes life possible on Earth (even more important than oxygen). That is so because even if you don't have oxygen on the planet, you can extract it from water (H2O), considering water is there. Keeping this in mind presence of water on this great planet is somthing that we should celebrate (and appriciate).

United Nations has decided to celebrate the 22nd of March' 2010 as World Water Day. Lets at least keep one day to bring change in our lives for the long term benifit of our mother (Earth) and its sons/daughters (Us). Keeping the busy life schedulde of most of us Sanrakshan has thought of celebrating water on 21st of March (Funday-Sunday). We request and invite you to join us to celebrate somthing that has made our life on Earth possible.

See you all there.

footprint.......why should i be bothered

As promised in the earlier post, here we are with some information on 'how does foot printing help the environmental cause and how you can get involved'.

Remember how we talked about standing on a beach in Goa and seeing the size of our feet. Just imagine how you would have been able to choose those beautiful and stylish shoes if you didn't know what size your feet were. So, what you will do is that you will buy random shoes and test them out at home. Some will be useful and some useless. What happens to the useless? The are just junked.

Same analogy can be employed in case of 'environmental footprint'. If you don't know your 'environmental foot' what kind of resources will you use? You will use (or at least try to use) random resources that catch your fancy. Some of them can be categorised 'can't do without' some 'can do without but like it'. Basically, some resources we need and some we don't (or don't need as much). So, what happens to the resources that we don't need? They are junked. This may be food, water, electricity, heat or any other resource that we use. Some of use run water through a pipe while we can wash our car with a bucket (or a couple of) of water. We run our ACs at minimum temperature and sleep in a blanket. We travel on SUVs (with 2Km/l average) while we have small cars (with 16-18 Km/l) average. In fact we travel in a car while we have the world's best metro trains.

Anyway, if we knew the effect that our resource consumption is having on the environment, we might think and act in a more sensible manner. So, by calculating our footprint we can understand how much water we use, what effect our energy use is having on the environment and other similar issues. So, sum it all its very important that we chose only the right size shoes (the one that we buy out of need and not greed) and to choose those we need to know the size of our feet (our footprint).

Now, to the next question. how can you get involved?
Simply by living a sustainable lifestyle. Each one of us can assess our footprints and try to keep it (or reduce it) to a minimum level of need. There are several websites which can help you do that. All of them may have a different methodology and hence your footprint may vary in each one but the may help you get an indication about you lifestyle and the need of reduction.
Here are a few websites (we will try to add a good widget for the purpose on the blog in the coming days):

• http://ecoguru.panda.org/#/home
• http://www.myfootprint.org/
• http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/home

If you take the help of 'google god' you will be able to find many more such sites. Please let us know if you stumble upon something good.

Meanwhile, lets get our sizes measures and buy only the right shoes. Lets not leave behind us a junk pile of shoes for our kids to figure out.

footprint.....whatever is that !!!!!

'Footprint' is a word that is now being popularly used by environmentalists working in all the various fields. While this has become a common usage in the academic circles, the common man (and woman) is slowly getting the hang of the word.

So, to answer the query, 'what is footprint' that came to us, we are writing this post.

Imagine standing on a beach in Goa......

As you step away from the location

You can see what you have left behind. A pair of feet on the sand. This footprint on the sand signifies the amount of land that you used to stand. It is the amount of land resource that you need.

What does that mean in the perspective of the environment? It simply means that your 'environmental footprint' signifies the amount of resources that you use during the course of your daily lifestyle. This is the print of your feet on the environment or the nature around you.

Now a days footprints are being taken into account for all the various resources we use. So, you can have a 'carbon footprint' for the amount of Green House Gases that you emit due to your activities like power usage, travelling, cooking etc. You can have a 'water footprint' for the amount of water you use in your daily life. 'Footprints' can be calculated for Industries, Households and even Individuals.

How does foot printing help the environmental cause and how you can get involved will be taken up in the subsequent posts.

an hour for the Earth

You must have noticed the 60 EARTH HOUR banner on the blog. Let me take a moment to talk about that. Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change. Only a year later and Earth Hour emerged as a bigger movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The CN Tower in Toronto, The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.

What is the cause? Its the one recent cause that binds us all, one recent threat that threatens us all, its Climate Change. Earth Hour signifies a stand against the energy wastage (in my view), which is one of the biggest causes of increase in green house gasses and thus Climate Change. If we only use as much as we need, the Earth can be a better place.



This year Earth Hour is is being organised globally on the 27th of March Saturday (a holiday after that). A little effort from all of us can go a long way in changing a lot of things.

Lets get together and organise Earth Hour in our localities and Vote for Earth. Sanrakshan is also planning to get some events together for the Earth Hour. Please let us know of your thoughts, ideas, suggestions on that.

Save Water, Save Holi!!!

As we eagerly await the Indian Festival of Colors - Holi, we would like to share a bad news and a good news with you.

Bad News: Our very beloved festival also stands threatened from us the humans.

How???
Indiscriminate exploitation of the natural resources and an unending interference with natural systems have left our human evolved systems threatened by our own actions. Nature is the common element threading the diverse beads of cultures and traditions across societies. However, today this natural element stands disrupted by our modification. Today we stand amidst a water crisis which threatens existence of life. Over 1.1 billion people in this world live without clean drinking water. And yes our very own festival Holi, an occasion which marks the turn of seasons stands threatened of losing its existence.

Though colors form the attraction of the festival but water adds the element of wit in the festival. All the fun and energy of this festival is now at stake of our own actions. If we continue to be ignorant about our usage of water and don't use it judiously then we may be responsible for depriving our future generations from the culture and fun we inherited from our ancestors.

Ignorance today can lead to an endless guilt and dis-satisfaction. Choice is ours and need to be made today.

Good News: We can still make a difference

'You' can Save Holi and have all the fun by simply making a green choice of using edible/ herbal colors over the commonplace chemical colors.

3 ways in which edible colors help you save water:

1. Preparation of these colors involve minimal direct usage of water and often rely on physical processes of mechanical powdering and mixing of ingredients like dried flowers, arrowroot, turmeric etc.
2. Unlike the chemical colors which demand use of water, these colors can be used in the dry form to leave you with colorful and natural impressions of Holi
3. Buckets of water which you drain in the bathroom struggling to get rid of the chemical colors can be saved by using these natural colors which are fun while playing and even after Holi is over.

Hence, to relive the fun of Holi year after year, make a difference by playing a water neutral holi. It doesn't costs you much but draws you an endless satisfaction of doing your bit for your fellow beings and your own planet.

Story of Environmental Crisis Part I- Human Malfunction

Earth is home to over 1.5 million species. These diverse species are webbed together intricately within the laws of nature to sustain the cycle of life. Waste of one kingdom is food for another, resources of nature a positioned in a manner to sustain and satiate the distinct and vital needs of each species. Today this innate balance of life has been disrupted by single most powerful species on this earth – The Humans. Resources which were once abundant and sufficient for sustaining all forms of life are now delimited by increasing human demand. Consequently, humanity today is faced by serious water crisis, ever growing air pollution, massive deforestation, an overall ecosystem disruption and encompassing issues like climate change.

Not only this, the human created systems which form yardsticks of development also stand vulnerable as a consequence of disruption of natural systems and limiting resources.

Though we may not acknowledge, the impact of these disruptions on our daily living but certainly each of us is at the receiving end of these environmental disruptions. However, a linkage more vital than this is, the causal influence of human action that has lead humanity to this day. Humans have shared a close relationship with nature since time immemorial, sometimes, getting influenced by nature and at the same time influencing it in turn. Over the years this relationship has underwent a dramatic change from a symbiotic to that of an exploitative, consequence being the fading harmony and balance between human systems and natural systems.

The systems which we have evolved and the development which we take pride in are built upon the extensive services drawn from natural ecosystems. The questions which we have reached in this ignorant process of resource consumption, find answers in our actions. Self – centered and consumerist approach of man has led to an unprecedented resource crunch which can lead to complete devastation of life. We have proven our ability to change the face of earth, though in a negative sense, in the past and today again we need to bring a change in our own attitude and actions to see a conducive, sustainable change.

The human malfunction and its consequences can only reach a positive end if we the humans awaken to our responsibility to take care of our very own planet.

Only we can make a difference!