The Great Power Race ends

The race finally comes to an end. The projects have been completed and the final reports submitted. The winner gets crowned at the COP16 in Cancun, Mexico. We are among the top 10 green campuses of the world with others from India, China and the US.
Irrespective of the result, everyone emerges a winner. Each campus and each student who participated in the race, through their registrations and the completion of projects have shown their commitment towards the environment and towards building a greener future.

For us, this was a unique opportunity to showcase our continuing efforts to make our campus green. It was a medium to network with other people working towards the same goal and mutually share our resources and ideas. We completed 50 projects through the course of the competition. We studied the current systems, management plans, conducted eco-audits, energy tours, plantatons, clean-up drives, awareness campaigns, competitions, exhibitions, celebrated green diwali, saved a beach, etc. among other activities. We thank everyone for their support and dedication!

The race may have ended, but our efforts won't. Giving way to the next big plan on our agenda for this year.

This Quark, we introduce for the first time, a dedicated panel of green events focusing sectors like Clean Energy, Green Buildings, Agricultural Efficiency, Rural Electrification and Urban Waste Management.
This Quark, we GO GREEN!

Quark 2011 - Initiatives

This will provide a perfect platform for the participants, professionals and policy makers to come together and deliberate on the solutions to the chronic problems of the society and the world today. It also creates an ideal environment for spreading awareness about the development sector and usage of clean and efficient energy. We plan to organise guest lectures, exhibitions and workshops on renewable energy, environment protection and sustainability. Apart from these events, we will aim at making the festival sustainable, spread awareness and reduce the environmental impact as far as possible.
The events include GanGreen, Eco-Architect and Bhagirath.

We invite everyone to indulge in this technical extravaganza. Registrations now open!

Let us GO GREEN !!

Green Diwali

Diwali is meant for new beginnings so we, the students at BITS Pilani- K.K.Birla Goa Campus pledge to celebrate a Green Diwali. Diyas lit on the moonless Diwali night signifies the end of darkness, ignorance and the beginning of light that enlightens all. This Diwali, we choose to enlighten all about the hazards posed to the environment by the boisterous celebrations of Diwali.

Eco friendly crackers

One can, of course, try and burst fewer crackers or none at all. But if you’re one of those who just can’t celebrate Diwali without sending a few rockets into the sky, then opt for the eco-friendly variety. These crackers are made up of recycled paper and the sound produced by these crackers is under the decibel limit defined by the Pollution Board. These crackers produce paper fluffers and different color lights instead of sound on bursting.

Get the traditional feel

Light diyas in the true spirit of Diwali, rather than opting for electric illumination which will only use up electricity. Though earthen lamps need oil, the quantity required is very less and it burns for at least 3-4 hours.

This will help you save electricity and also add a traditional stroke with social responsibility in the festival.

Gifts go organic

Go green this Diwali and gift your family and friend from an organic store.These days there are plenty of options in organic gifts from exotic food items to cosmetics and personal use items to bags and clothes. Go one step ahead and wrap your gifts in handmade or recycled paper, jute or cloth bags.

Decorate the eco-friendly way

Opt for natural decorative items like flowers and leaves instead plastic decorations which are detrimental for the environment. Fresh flowers, foliage and floating candles can be used to decorate the house. Rangolis and alpanas are more traditional ways to decorate the courtyard.

Reduce Energy Consumption

The festival of lights puts a considerably heavy load on electrical energy sources that are already overloaded. The use of electric lights to adorn homes, business establishments, monuments and roads requires a huge amount of electricity. The older tradition of burning oil lamps is a possible alternative to electric lights - even though it does use oil, the duration of the lamps is shorter.

Be generous and donate

Diwali can be a great time for recycling and donating unused items lying around the house. Often there are a lot of clothes and toys that are no longer in use.

It is hoped that this articles will encourage you to celebrate a green Diwali, where there will be an explosion of joy without crackers!

Wishing all readers a Happy Diwali and a Prosperous new Year!!!

Great Power Race

The Great Power Race is a clean energy competition between students in China, India and the United States. This spring we're seeing which country can sign up the most teams to take part in the official competition starting this September, when campuses will win points for achieving climate solutions. The race to a clean energy future is the greatest challenge of our time and young people are ready to lead the way. Together, we'll make our campuses models of sustainability and spur our nations to create whole new industries.

India already emerged as a winner in the first stage. We signed up way more teams than the other two countries!
We plan to win the next stage of the competition!

With just a month left.....let us gear up...to GO GREEN!

Visit our campus page at: http://www.greatpowerrace.org/node/1765

Like our Facebook Page: Click here!
Show your Support!

Thanks!

10/10/10 BITS Work Party!

at BITS-Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus

So finally it's here ! Just two more days to go!
The programmes are confirmed and there is something for everyone.
The list of events is as follows:-

• Campus wide clean-up drive and Tree plantation by the students and faculty members from 8.30 AM to 12 PM.

• Street Play performance by Manzil, a group from Delhi at Library Lawns at 12 PM, followed by 350 photo session.

• Environmental Quiz for students at 5 PM.

• Screening of the award winning documentary "The 11th Hour" at 6 PM.

• Screening of the popular documentary "The Story of Stuff" at 8 PM.

• Launch of E-Waste collection center in BITS in collaboration with Attero. E-Waste such as computers, laptops, printers, keyboards, mouse, mobile phones, peripherals, batteries and other electronic accessories will be collected from all the hostels. Marked boxes will be placed near common room in all the hostels for collection.

• Nature Photography Exhibition in front of B-Dome.
  

• 15% OFF on PHILIPS CFL Lights on Saturday (9th) and Sunday (10th) at ALL Philips stores across Goa.

• 17% OFF on MRP only on OSRAM CFL Lighting products on Saturday, 9th October at Armazem Pradip, opp. National Pharmacy (Vasco) only.

LET'S GET TO WORK !

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10.10.10 BITS Work Party!

“We live in a breakable, takeable world…an ever available possible world” sang Ani Difranco and quite uncannily summarized the sentiment that the realists of the world support. However in the context of the environment, this very sentiment rings true and has been the subject of much speculation over the past decade. With ‘global warming’ and its offsetting element ‘sustainable development’ becoming keywords in inspirational speeches and award-winning essays, it’s safe to say that there is a satisfactory level of awareness about them today. But how much work in this direction can we as informed individuals take credit for?

Well, here’s our chance to put a dent in that record. The 10/10/10 Global Work Party, a global event being held on 10^th Oct, 2010 to create global awareness and send the leaders of the world a clear message “We’re getting to work--what about you?”. With 5943 events being organized in 183 countries and extensive online media publicity, the initiative promises to present a clear view of climate solutions. There has been an enthusiastic response the world over and millions of people have volunteered to come forward and participate on 10.10.10.While Sumo wrestlers in Japan will cycle to prove their point, the Maldivian president of the country will climb up on his rooftop to install solar panels. In Rajasthan a cycle rally through 35 villages will stop and do plantation of 350 neem trees along the way. Also, in Mumbai a clean- up drive is being organized by Mumbai Chakachak followed by a musical show powered by solar lights.

Goa too has taken a resolve and organized a slew of events. Cycle rallies, bird-watching trips, Eco-treks, tree plantations, recycling initiatives, cleanup drives, street plays and screening a selection of Environmental Movies simultaneously at a number of places in Goa are some events in the pipeline. With big plans of it’s own, which will be posted up shortly, BITS shall be a part of 10.10.10 and (hopefully) make a success of this unprecedented event! So in accordance with the mood of the hour- “Let’s get to work!”

-SHIVI ANAND

International Coastal Clean-up Day

This Saturday morning, i.e., 25^th Sep 2010, opened with an early wake-up call by the EPAC coordinator to assemble at the campus main gate by 7:30 a.m. As around eleven of us sleepy EPAC members trooped into the waiting cabs, we had not the slightest idea as to the novel experience that awaited us at the other end of the half an hour long cab drive to Majorda. The Majorda beach looked pristine with its sparkling white sands and magnificent breakers. But that day it wore a slightly different look, as the crowd of people in white and banners proclaiming “International Coastal Clean-up Day” came into view. We, the volunteer team of BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus were welcomed to help out with the event organized by the Indian Coast Guard in collaboration with the Directorate of Tourism, Goa. The major beaches to be covered in the cleanliness drive were Calangute, Sinquerim, Vainguinim and Miramar in North Goa and Baina, Bogmalo, Arossim, Majorda, Benaulim and Varca in South Goa.

Refreshments, courtesy the Majorda Beach Resort were passed around before starting off with the cleanliness drive. Members of the Indian Coast Guard briefed us on the kind of trash to be picked up and the safety measures which were to be observed. Then, each one of us, now kitted out with a black garbage bag, baseball cap and plastic gloves spanned out across the beach and inner shore area. The variety of items, mostly plastic, that came our way was surprisingly large. In addition to the regular polythene bags and plastic wrappers were syringes and glass bottles (which quite evidently contained alcohol at some point of time!).

It was back breaking work and the harsh sun didn’t help matters! But one hour and several full garbage bags later, another round of refreshments courtesy the Kenilworth, was provided. This was followed by a photo-session where we were joined by the Indian Coast Guard chopper which took aerial photos of the team of volunteers. We then continued with the clean-up, this time joined by a few of the enthusiastic hotel staff. The drive wound up around 10:30 a.m. A large portion of the beach right from the life-guard watch tower and all along the resorts had been cleared; a pile of filled up garbage bags and sweaty, content volunteers bore testimony to it.

More than the immediate gratification received from the activities of the morning, it was the sense of national pride and global environmental awareness that had been strengthened in us. It is my sincere hope that such endeavors whether undertaken by public or private organizations continue to gather wider participation and spread greater awareness. In conclusion it can be said that EPAC, BITS Goa will actively endorse and initiate such awareness drives with an ever growing zest.

- SHIVI ANAND