As a part of ocean conservancy, the Environment Protection And Awareness Club (EPAC) of BITS-PILANI-K.K.Birla Goa campus in collaboration with US based NGO Ocean Conservancy took the initiative of holding a beach clean-up on the 25th of September,2011 on the occasion of International Coastal Cleanup Day. About 100 enthusiasts took part in this hugely anticipated event.The beach that was cleaned up was the Majorda beach. Goa is known for its majestic beaches and its impeccable marine life. Hence conserving the ocean is of umpteen importance.

At sharp 7:30am, the students assembled near the main gate. With sleep in many eyes,the bus journey for the most enriching experience began. After the the half hour ride,refreshments were served and then began the main task of cleaning the beach. The pristine waters of the majorda beach under the sparkling sun greeted us and lifted our spirits. The cleanup lasted for three hours where the students collected enough trash to fill 24 garbage bags weighing upto 80 kgs in all. Even the scorching sun could not act as a deterrent to our enthusiasm. Joining us in the novel and noble work were a few faculty members of BITS GOA. Materials collected included majorly plastic,beverage bottles,fishing nets,cigarettes and plastic lids.

The drive wound up by about 12 noon. A large portion of the beachline was cleared. The filled garbage bags and the by now exhausted students bore testimony to this. This was followed by a round of well deserved refreshing lime juice.

Truly this experience strengthened the feeling of global environmental awareness in all of us. It was a feeling of pride and honour for all of us to have participated in such a drive. We at EPAC clearly appreciate and endorse such drives. So people think twice before you litter anywhere anytime..

--Swati Humbad

Save the Earth, in style :)

Many of us think its too boring to just blab blab and blab while doing nothing. Also, there are some who think that saving environment is “uncool” and not the “in” thing. This post would be very useful for them. Because what I m about to share with you are the ulti-cool gizmos and gadgets to save our environment in style.

The ASUS Ecobook-The cover is made of bamboo and is truly a decent way of getting your compute power while lowering your electricity costs. All of the plastic inside this Ecobook is labeled and recyclable. The components are lined with cardboard and there are no paints, sprays or even electroplating used on its components.

These sunglasses will trap the solar energy and convert it into electric energy so that it can power your small devices through the power jack at the back of the frame. This gadget would be useful when you are sun tanning, listening to your iPod and the batteries run out. Just Zap these glasses on and start charging your iPod

I almost felt in love when I found this. It has a combination of water and salt and the clock electrodes generate an electric current sufficient to power the clock for a few days after which you need to change the water. Cool! Isn’t it?

The Freeloader Solar Charger we mentioned below is really good for charging small gadgets but for those prople that would like to charge their laptops on the go too, here is a better option. This Voltaic Generator Solar Laptop Charger is the first solar bag powerful enough to charge a laptop. It has high-efficiency cells and includes a battery pack that is custom designed to store and convert the electricity generated more efficiently. Apart from charging laptops, it will also charge cell phones and most other hand held electronics.

People that love environment and at the same time just can’t live without music will love to own one of these Eco Cube Speakers. These Eco Cube speakers are made out from 70% recycled material and you will not even need batteries for them to work as they’re powered by your MP3 player or Audio Source. They are compatible with any device that has a 3.5 mm Speaker jack

And now!! For the coolest of all, I want to present the Hummer O2 concept(also fondly known as the Algae concept). The HUMMER O2 concept features a revolutionary phototropic body shell that produces pure oxygen throughout the lifespan of the vehicle. It’s actually quite simple, algae-filled body panels transform harmful CO2 into pure oxygen that is subsequently released back into the environment. To further reduce environmental impact, the O2’s construction specifies the use of 100% post consumer materials like aluminum (frame), VOC-free finishes (seats) and PETE (glazing).. Oil changes are replaced by annual algae replacement. The used algae are then recycled as biomass for the production of energy. A central aluminum “tree” creates a perfect hexagonal structure that both protects the central hydrogen tank and supports the external structural body panels.

Over the years that I have been observing the actions and awareness campaigns for saving our Earth, I have found out that people won’t listen to you unless you yourself are following it. Leading by example, that is. That’s the best way to influence people. Ramdev baba does it, and you know the rest. Being an EPAC has made me more conscious about the threat that we as humans pose to our own selves. We have done so much damage in so little time that they seem irreversible. Yet, we are still turning a blind eye towards it. Maybe it’s that way because either we are too busy improving our lives or just too lazy to take a step forward. Whatever the cause maybe, it’s the earth that’s paying the price of our negligence. No fancy slogans, no touchy lines. Just a simple statement. Move your legs and pick up the stick. This hope will not be always there. It’s now or never!!

CAN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION HELP YOUR NATION PROGRESS?

The question in consideration surely stimulates the reader’s grey cells to think out of the box. Whenever one contemplates about a nation’s progress, he/she attributes it to various factors, viz. education, infrastructure, health facilities etc. But hardly does anyone ever think that caring for your environment can actually go a long way in determining the fate of your country.

With the advent of the industrial revolution, the rate of consumption of natural resources saw a gigantic leap. The nations who had plenty of natural resources combined with requisite technical know-how, redefined the industrial map of the world. In the present day world, these lines become even more meaningful. Take for example the middle-east countries. Our nation is one of those who depend heavily on them to fulfil our oil needs. If people don’t care for the environment and continue wasting petrol and diesel carelessly, then that day is not far away when India will be completely dependent on these nations for its fuel requirements which could even lead to a financial crisis. So, next time you land up in a long traffic jam, please don’t keep your vehicle’s engine on.

A large part of a nation’s budget is spent on satisfying its energy needs. Our country is largely dependent on fossil fuels, which not only affect the environment adversely but also are being depleted rapidly. Reports say that most of these fuels would be over by 2040. Thus there is an urgent need to shift to greener renewable energy sources with a faster pace so as to make India energy efficient.

Apart from these issues, we also need to use our natural resources more wisely and sustainably. Gandhiji too understood the vitality of this and that’s why he said:

“There is enough for everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed”

As responsible citizens, we need to ensure that we don’t pollute the environment around us by any of our activities. Our country spends so much money to mitigate the after effects of environmental degradation of rivers, air etc. in a span of ten years that the same amount could have helped to eradicate more than half of India’s poverty. But reading and spreading awareness alone does not serve the purpose. Words are and always will be the way to perdition. It does not matter that at what level we are trying to do good for environment. Even small efforts by each and everyone of us can bring a sea of change. Buy eco- friendly and energy efficient products. Try reducing or atleast minimising pollution in water, land and the air around you. If you don’t even care for the environment, atleast care for your nation. Care for the people who inhabit it and the people who will live here in the coming generations. Remember:

“WE HAVE NOT INHERITED THE EARTH FROM OUR FOREFATHERS,

BUT WE HAVE BORROWED IT FROM OUR COMING GENERATIONS”

By Ankit Vikrant

The comeback of Wind-powered ships

Sailing ships once carried much of the world’s cargo across the seas, until canvas sheets were replaced by low-grade “bunker” oil. Now it appears that wind power is about to make a comeback, with many companies vying to create such a system. The dream of a high tech, sustainable energy cargo ship has been percolating for a number of years now, but it hasn’t caught on in a big way. . At first, wind power for today’s ultra-huge cargo ships looks like a nice idea, but just not possible. The scale alone makes it seem impractical. However, that hasn’t stopped anyone from trying.

A German company, SkySails, has come up with a parachute-like design for cargo ships, which involves connecting giant parasail-like kites to ships via rope and allowing them to generate enough propulsion to cut down on fuel use (by 35%, in ideal conditions). The kites are controlled by computers that steer their flight path for maximum wind benefits. Each sail is about the size of a football field.

One of the cargo ships fitted with SkySails technology.

Another British company has developed a more traditionally styled, rigging-free sail system for smaller cargo ships.

Another solution comes in the form of rigid “sails” that double as solar panels. The patent-pending technology, called the Aquarius Solar and Wind Marine Power System, is being developed by a company called Eco Marine Power.

Eco Marine’s solution is a bit of a twofer. Instead of flexible fabric sails it uses an array of rigid “sail panels” that double as solar collectors. The incorporation of solar technology means that the ship can continue to harvest energy while in berth. If the technology proves itself, it gives rise to the potential for berthed cargo ships to contribute energy to the land grid, helping to cut down on the use of fossil fuels at ports. Eco Marine expects a prototype to be tested early in 2012.

The Eco-Sails concept

The shipping industry is set to spew up to 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 if no action is taken. With such high emissions, it’s necessary to encourage alternate ways to generate energy, and these technologies may help in reducing emissions tremendously.

By Saksham Bhatla