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 !

-

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