A presentation on making Kerala - Gods own country truly green. Kerala is one of the 10 paradises on earth for its natural beauty, greenery rich cultural heritage and tranquility - National geographical traveler.
2. Kerala is one of the 10
paradises on earth for its
natural beauty, greenery rich
cultural heritage and
tranquility—National
geographical traveler
3.
A green way of life can be defined as one
that results in improved human wellbeing
and social equity while significantly reducing
environmental risk and ecological scarcity.
In its simplest expression, a green way of life
can be thought of as one which is lowcarbon, resource efficient and socially
inclusive-------UNEP
5.
Unchecked pollution on the Periyar
Eloor has been identified as one of the toxic
hotspots in the world by Greenpeace, an
international NGO campaigning against
environmental destruction.
6.
7.
8. Phase 1(0-5): Mitigating current polluting
industries and large run-off areas by establishing
common waste treatment scheme, public
awareness
Phase 2(5-10): Remove garbage, Reclaim
marshlands
Phase 3(10-20): Ecological habitats
Open lands, Forest, Freshwater wetlands, Seawater
Wetlands
Land Use: Policies for existing urban fabric, Public
Open Land, Agriculture and Recreation, Natural
Vegetation, Natural Park
9.
10. Mangrove forests are naturally resilient, having withstood severe
storms and changing tides for many millennia. Mangroves have
specially adapted aerial and salt-filtering roots and salt-excreting
leaves which enable them to occupy the saline wetlands where
other plant life cannot survive.
Mangroves’ protective buffer zone helps shield coastlines from
storm damage and wave action, minimizing damage to property
and losses of life from hurricanes and storms.
Mangroves have been useful in treating effluent, as the plants
absorb excess nitrates and phosphates, thereby preventing
contamination of near-shore waters.
Mangroves absorb carbon dioxide and store carbon in their
sediments, thereby lessening the impacts of global warming; and
help in the protection of associated marine ecosystems
Sea grass beds and coral reefs depend on healthy mangroves to
filter sediments and provide nursery grounds for resident species.
11. Mangrove Forests are largely facing deforestation.
However, mangrove forests are treated as
“wastelands,” or useless swamps. This mistaken
view has made it easier to exploit mangrove
forests as cheap and unprotected sources of land
and water. Mangrove Forests were largely
destroyed in the name of unsustainable
developments like:
Shrimp aquaculture
Charcoal production and logging
Oil exploration and extraction
Tourism
Urbanization and urban expansion
Ports and roads
12.
Continuing heavy loss of mangrove forests
represents a real tragedy for our oceans and the
extensive life-support systems mangroves
engender.
With climate change and sea level rising upon
us, we must look to the mangroves to help turn
the tides which these forests can do through
their ability to control erosion by buffer against
storms, and sequester huge amounts of carbon.
Mangroves may in fact be one of our last
defenses against the perils of climate change and
global warming.
If the authorities stick on to the decision of the
closure of the park, this may well contribute to
the survival of our environment and in turn the
species live inside it.
17.
One of Kerala’s main problems has been the
indiscriminate, unscientific and illegal sand-mining in its
river areas.
Damages the ecosystems of rivers and the safety of
bridges.
Weakening of river beds where social, cultural and
religious activities take place throughout the year.
Destruction of natural habitats of organisms living on the
riverbeds.
Affects fish breeding and migration.
Increases saline water in the river.
Spells disaster for the conservation of many bird species
such as storks, sandpipers and egrets that feed on the
riverbeds.
18.
19.
First, he must reopen the Ministry of to civil
society engagement.
‘Expert’ committees with the crucial role of
advising the MoEF on the viability or otherwise of
development projects, were stocked with yesmen who would not raise uncomfortable
questions.
Engagement with NGOs
Most blatant was how people with clear conflict
of interest were put in key positions
Second, Rescue the Environmental department
from its current status as a willing rubber stamp
for industry.
20.
Review membership of all expert committees and fill them
with people known for their credible, independent
experience and positions on a variety of environmental
issues.
Institute a periodic public dialogue forum, at which
environmental issues can be openly discussed;
importantly, this needs to be accessible to local
communities which are usually the worst hit by ecological
degradation.
Proactively make public decisions and processes leading up
to decisions.
Initiate an annual Kerala Environment Survey report that
mandatorily includes civil society inputs and analysis, to
be presented to Legislature.
Move to include robust sustainability indicators (for
example, forest cover and quality, drinking water
availability, per capita public transport, number of
threatened species, and so on) into economic planning and
assessment procedures.
21.
Initiate a completely revamped EIA and clearance
process that is meaningfully and transparently able
to determine whether a development project
should be allowed, and which puts potentially
affected people at the centre of decision-making.
Bring in sector- and landscape-level EIA processes
that go beyond assessing individual projects,
providing an idea of the overall ecological
implications of, say, the energy or agrochemicals
sector, or, say, the entire series of dams in a river
basin.
National Environment Commission, a statutory
authority with the independence of the Chief
Election Commissioner or the Comptroller and
Auditor General. Such a commission would be
charged with assessing the compliance of
environmental regulations by government agencies
(central and state), and acting as a mediator
between the public and the government.
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23.
The Environmental Literacy requirement is
not a state law, it's a policy decision from
the state Department Of Education, which
allows local school boards the freedom to
select their own criteria, incorporating local
issues into teacher's lessons.
24. “To mould students that possess the
knowledge, intellectual skills, attitudes,
experiences and motivation to make and act
upon responsible environmental decisions as
individuals and as members of their
community.”
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26.
Although coconuts are cultivated on nearly 9
lakh hectares of land, constituting almost
30% of the state’s cropped area, there are
very few large coconut plantations in Kerala.
More than 95% of coconut trees are grown in
the front and back yards of homesteads.
Sharp increase in palm oil imports
Poor brading of coconut products
Diseases like Mandari
Price fluctuation of coconut
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Coconut biodiesel
(Methyl Ester), a
renewable,
biodegradable and
eco friendly fuel of
the future. It emits
less smoke and is
almost sulfur free.
Probably the next big
thing after coconut oil
(currently the
country’s top
agricultural export).
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43.
If you are looking for freedom from jostling
crowds, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala and Uttar
Pradesh are not the states you should be
looking to pitch your tent in. These four are
India’s most crowded states, with population
densities ranging from 1,102 per square km
for Bihar to 828 in Uttar Pradesh. Kerala,
God’s own country, has 859 per sq km.
44.
45.
Green
Architecture
also
known
as
“sustainable
architecture”
or
“green
building” is an approach to architectural
design which emphasizes the place of the
buildings with both local ecosystems & global
environment.
It aims to create environmental friendly and
energy efficient buildings. It entails actively
harnessing renewable natural resources like
solar energy and utilizing materials that
cause the least possible damage to the global
commons—water, soil, forests & air.
46. Super population:
In 1900 world population was 1.25 billion inhabitants.
By 2000, world population reached 6 billion.
Optimistic forecast is that we shall reach 12 billion by 2050.
Ecologically speaking, the
consequences of this evolution
have been the progressive
destruction of vegetation, the
irrationality on energy
consumption and the
deterioration of the environment.
Over the past 100 years, cities have transformed
their urban physiology.
Concentrations of skyscrapers and large
residential low-density areas.
47.
Cities are overcrowded and locked with no available land for
expansion.
In addition to relieving the stress of
overpopulation, the city needs means of alleviating the need
for dependency on fossil fuels and nuclear power by
incorporating the latest in eco-friendly energy generating
technology. It is essential to design a system which will help
alleviate the overpopulation issue, one which is self-sustaining
through its use of eco-friendly means of energy production.
48.
Urbanization has profound effects on the buildup of a city, intensification of energy
consumption and the decline in greenery. As
nature becomes more eroded, people are
increasingly living in a less balanced ecological
system.
Greater environmental awareness and societal
pressures have necessitated the adoption of
countermeasures in the areas of green buildings,
vertical greenery and tree planting campaigns.
A community garden project was chosen because
it contributes to greenery and has greater
potential to closely engage the local community
on a sustained basis.
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51.
To meet the residential, commercial and
industrial needs of the growing population, urban
development has taken place over formerly
green areas.
Green spaces serve ecological and social
functions.
Greenery is important to maintain ecological
sustainability and a balanced ecosystem between
flora and fauna.
The affinity with nature also has a soothing
effect on humans whereby greenery beautifies
and provides a more serene environment.
52. The green areas are considered the lungs of
urban centers. Such green areas in a city
ensures freshness and improves the ambience
of the town, maintain healthier environment
by generating oxygen to the living creatures,
and also function as an agent of recharging
the ground with fresh rain water and
controlling the increasing global warm. In
fact, green areas increase the longevity of
human life.
54.
Expand greenery
Skyrise greenery reduces heat transmitted
through
the
roof,
reduces
ambient
temperature and glare, improves sound
insulation for buildings
With the right use of plants, can increase our
biodiversity.
Rooftop gardens
Sky terraces
Other vertical greening approaches.
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57.
Aesthetic value
Thermal effects
A solution for the scarcity of land by
enhanced use of the limited land
available in urban areas for Greenery.
Better living conditions in urban areas.
Total elimination of congestion .
Making "Sky-villages" in towns and even
in metropolises a reality
Reduce Carbon Foot print
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Provision of Green Buffer Zones / Areas
Between Industrial Sectors and Non Industrial
Sector
Provision of Green Areas Around Sewerage
Treatment Plants And Garbage Disposal Sites.
Development of Hillocks / Rocky / Ridge Areas
As Green Areas.
Provision of Green Areas around Airport,
Radar, Ammunition Depot :- .
Provision of Green Areas in the form city level
and district level parks and stadiums etc. :-
65.
NREGA - initiated in February 2006 as the
government's most ambitious employment
generation scheme for poor people - the
authorities are bound by law to provide a
minimum of 100 days of employment a year
to members of families living below the
poverty line.
Effectively addresses 2 burning issues :
Global warming and Unemployment
66.
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4.
Attitude Change
Adoption of modern technology and standards
Value addition industry
Holistic approach
Thailand Philippines case
Branding Agriculturist as a professional
Proper Orientation in education system
Proper training
Responding to the concerns faced by the sector
Labour shortage
Agricultural diseases
Climatic Fluctuations
Poor marketing
67.
Ecotourism is a new concept in tourism. It is
a purposeful travel to natural areas to
understand the cultural and natural history
of environment, taking care not to alter the
integrity of the ecosystem, while producing
economic
opportunities
that
make
conservation of natural resources beneficial
to local people.
68.
"...as the young spend less and less of their lives in
natural surroundings, their senses narrow,
physiologically and psychologically, and this reduces
the richness of human experience.
Yet, at the very moment that the bond is breaking
between the young and the natural world, a growing
body of research links our mental, physical, and
spiritual health directly to our association with
nature—in positive ways... As one scientist puts it,
we can now assume that just as children need good
nutrition and adequate sleep, they may very well
need contact with nature." - Richard Louv, "Last
Child In The Woods"
69.
70.
back-to-basics approach would do well to get
Kerala back on to its glorious path of
development
The increase in agriculture productivity can be
the trigger for growth and poverty reduction.
The right kind of agriculture can make an
important contribution to poverty alleviation,
food security, development of backward
communities, economic growth and
development, etc..
Reviving agriculture is not the whole of the
answer to rural poverty although it is a big part
of it.
71.
NREGs leads to labour shortage in Kerala agri sector: survey
Thiruvananthapuram : The implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), flag-ship programme of the UPA
Government, has led to shortage of labour and increase in the wages of farm workers in Kerala, according to a survey.
The Kerala University’s field survey conducted in Palakkad District, the largest paddy producing district in the state, has found that the basic
problem faced by farmers was the acute shortage of labour.
As a major share of paddy cultivation depended on hired labour, the implementation of NREGS has led to increase in wage rate and escalation in
cost of cultivation, the survey headed by Head of Economic Department B A Prakesh said.
Withdrawal of young people from agriculture was found to be main reason for shortage of labour. Paddy cultivation involved physical labour and
youth especially those having school education considered the agriculture work a dirty job, the survey report said.
Employment opportunities in non-agriculture sector, chances for migration of labour to other parts of the country and abroad also discouraged
youth from doing agriculture work, the survey report compiled in April 2008 said.
Along with rapid mechanisation of paddy farming and harvesting to solve the labour shortage, the survey wanted the government to suspend the
NREGS during the peak agriculture seasons.
The survey conducted during months of June-July 2007 also asked the centre and other states to follow favourable policies to promote the
mechanisation of agriculture through appropriate initiatives like provision of subsidies, tax exemption, interest waiver and other measures.
The survey also suggested withdrawal of all taxes on farm machinery and other capital stock required for agriculture operations to make paddy
cultivation profitable and economically viable to small and marginal farmers.
On loans of farmers, it said marginal farmers faced more distress and top priority should be given to them in determining norms for giving relief to
farmers.
The survey found that 40% of the sample households had taken loans mainly from co-operative banks and commercial banks.
The amount borrowed ranged from below Rs20,000 to Rs3 lakhs plus. A majority of the farmers who had borrowed belonged to the marginal
category of farmers, the survey said.
The money borrowed was utilised not only for cultivation purpose but also to repair and construct houses, meet expenditures of marriage of
farmily members, medical treatemnt, education of children and purchase of consumer durables.
Regarding loans taken from commercial banks and co-operative banks, the survey found that around 55% of the farmers had not made any
repayment so far.
Another interesting finding was that financial problem was not the sole reason for the repayment of the majority of loans availed from cooperative and commercial banks.
“Majority of the farmers who availed loans are not repaying due to the expectation that the state government or the Farmers Debt Relief
Commission will announce debt relief to them,” the survey said.
72.
Introduction of Techno lodges
Implementation of Green Tax
Linkage between Agricultural Universities,
R&D centers and Farmers
Tourism
Renewable Energy
Forestation
Coordination of Existing Technology
Waste Management
Kerala Green Action PlanCommittee
73.
Transportation Through Water Ways
Community Biogas Plan
Forestation Beyond Road Sides
Food Industry & Food Processing Industry
Upliftment of Traditional Industry like Coir,
Handloom, Bamboo and Textiles
Paper Bags
74. One village one product project
Objective of this project is to build human
dignity and reduce poverty in rural areas of
Kerala by supporting the development of
sustainable, non-farm, rural small and micro
enterprise that creates opportunities for the
rural poor.
75.
Roads are not entirely for vehicles.
Green parks as lungs to our cities.
City planning.
Underground transportation.
Integration of water ways.
76.
Kerala, which has many rivers originating in the
Western Ghats, has some 24 hydroelectric power
stations generating around 1,800 MW. However,
the installed capacity of these stations is 4,300
MW. Indeed, dams erected in heavily forested
areas are often their own worst enemy because
when a reservoir is created, trees are either
extensively felled beforehand or they are
submerged. Without such cover, there can be
widespread erosion of the soil. In effect, the
“life” of a dam is drastically reduced because
the reservoir is silted up. This also plays havoc
with the cost-benefit assessment of a dam which
cites economic returns over a certain period to
get the project sanctioned.
77.
Large dams are less efficient than small scale
dams.
Disastrous, costly, environment side effects,
dislocation of people.
Water harvesting can be resource for
agriculture.
“Water-use it twice whenever possible”.
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