The Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary is a forest garden in the Western Ghat mountains of Kerala, India, dedicated to conservation and education. This mountain system is bordered by the Arabian Sea on one side and vast arid areas on others. It supports a unique and endangered flora, and has been identified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of the 25 centres of biodiversity in the world.

Founded in 1981, the Sanctuary is a garden of wild plant species grown at the edge of a large rainforest reserve. Our central intention is to restore endangered species and habitats in a highly fragmented landscape, in which only a fraction of original forest remains and much of the native flora is extracted for human use.

The Sanctuary is run by a small group of resident gardeners, naturalists and educators, and supported by a wide circle of well-wishers. Together we offer an approach that is connected to the climate, landscape, ecosystems, plants, animals and people of the Western Ghats.

The work at the Sanctuary includes:

• Conservation of native (rainforest) plants.
• Education and public outreach.
• Developing horticultural and conservation skills in local young women.
• Habitat restoration in degraded areas of the Western Ghats
• Supporting recovery of natural forest within our lands.
• Research in biodiversity and conservation.
• Sustainable agriculture and integrated land use: growing the forest farm.

Economic Policy Instruments for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Awaaz.De

Now, armed with latest technology and collaborations with whale shark experts from around the world, WTI with TCL’s support, is assisting the Gujarat Forest Department, to unravel the mysteries surrounding this fish.

“There must be something in the water of Gujarat that attracts them here,” says Manoj Matwal, Field Officer, WTI. “Perhaps it is the productivity which allows for flourishing of micro-organisms that predominantly make up the diet of this fish.”

Read more at the link

http://www.wti.org.in/current-news/110819_why_do_whale_sharks_visit_gujarat.html

CAMUS‐SBT  is an  oxygenation  engine that outperforms  conventional  technologies

likeActivated Sludge Process (ASP), Sequential Batch  Reactor (SBR),  Membrane  Bio Reactor

(MBR)and Moving Bed Bio‐reactor (MBBR). Our technology harnesses a  special set  of

 bio‐chemical reactions  to deliver  the  oxygenation required for effluent treatment. 

In  conventional technologies,  aeration isachieved mechanically, which is very energy

intensive.  At higher ambient  temperatures (like inIndia) the solubility of oxygen in water

is  low, therefore  energy  requirements of mechanical  aeration  used by  conventional

technologyincreases.  Moreover, air contains only20% oxygen, the rest being nitrogen that

ispassed into water wastefully, further adding to process inefficiency.

CAMUS‐SBTresolves this problem  using a  bio‐chemical method  of  oxygenation, which

notonly uses the atmospheric oxygen, but also uses the  nitrogen  from the  atmosphere  in  a

specially  engineered natural  ecology  to achieve the desired level of purity.

In  addition conventional  technologiesgenerate  large  amount of  sludge  for which

additional  disposal facilities  have  to  becreated.  CAMUS‐SBT  does not  face  any such

problems.Theschematic of the process is shown below.  

Featuresof our technology:

• ·         Low‐energy consumption

• ·         All green natural process

• ·         No moving  parts  apart from pumps

• ·        No bio‐sludgeformation

• ·         Efficient removal  of  COD and nitrogen

• ·         Near drinking  water  quality after treatment

• ·        Treatment  cost Rs  3‐5  per 1000L

• ·        Garden likeambiance

• ·         Bio‐tower designs  available for spaceconstrained areas.

• ·        One time mediainstallation

• ·         Long life

• ·         Unskilled personnel  sufficient to operate

• ·        No foul Odor

Varioususes of the technology

·        Sewage treatment plant(STP)  and industrial effluent treatment plant (ETP)applications.

·        Retrofit ofpre-existing STP/ETPs with SBT/CAMUS-SBT systems. 

·        Laundry EffluentTreatment for total water reuse. 

·        Distilleryspent-wash treatment. 

·        Coffee Effluenttreatment.

·        Hospitals waste water ,Hotels waste water,Municipal waste water can all be treated using SBT.

·        Design of zerodischarge air scrubbers for removal of waste noxious gases (Sulphur, NOx  

              and organic pollutants from Industrialprocesses). 

Common Mancan help

Currentlyaverage consumption of an individual per day is around 135 Liters per day (mayvary with climatic conditions) and it is increasing with the increasingstandards of living and to add to it our fresh water source are continuouslydepleting. Out of this 135 liters around 50% is being used for secondarypurposes like toilet flushing and bathing etc. which can easily be treated andrecycled which will save a lot of fresh water It’s high time now that we throwour water in the municipal sewer lines and depend on the government to takecare of it which is extremely difficult. The better approach can be to treatthe water locally at our housing complex or bungalows or your commercialcomplexes and reuse it for secondary purposes which doesn’t really requirefresh water sources .The recycled water can be used for gardening and flushingby providing a separate lines but people have a mental block for using therecycled water.

To Take aninitiative to recycle waste water in there facilities one has to do following

1.)   Assess the water consumption which can be doneby the total number of residents and multiplying by average water consumption.

2.)   Decide an area for the STP. Preferably itshould be an open area but not accessible to children

3.)   IF you wish to install SBT units the pleasemail us at vec@visionearthcare.com with theabove details .

4.)   It generally takes 2-3 months for a new SBTunit to be installed and get functional.

5.)   If you already have an STP working and if youwant to retrofit it then also please mail us and we will retrofit your existingplant using SBT

6.)   Typically SBT unit require 1-1.5 m2 per KLD(can be included under garden area and design is flexible)of sewage to treat withan operating cost of 3-4 Rs. Per KL

7.)   Various designs are available for spaceconstraint area and for hilly regions where laying of sewerage pipelines isdifficult.

Why Is America's Youth Staying Indoors?

•80 percent said it was uncomfortable to be outdoors due to things like bugs and heat
•62 percent said they did not have transportation to natural areas, and
•61 percent said there were not natural areas near their homes.

Read an interesting article at the link

http://www.nature.org/newsfeatures/kids-in-nature/kids-in-nature-poll.xml?src=gp