Did you know that food costing more when you shop? Here's why -- we're plunging headlong into a world food crisis. Rocketing prices are squeezing billions and triggering food riots from Bangladesh to South Africa. Aid agencies say 100 million more people are at risk of starvation right now[1].
In Sierra Leone alone the price of a bag of rice has doubled, becoming unaffordable for 90% of
In line with its strong commitment towards preserving the environment, the philanthropic arm of GE, the GE Volunteers India launched a tree plantation drive "Green Environment" in partnership with the Defense Services.
More than 20 volunteers from the Delhi chapter of GE Volunteers India actively participated in the drive flagged off by Mr. William Blair, the Country Director of GE Aviation, India and Chairman, Delhi Chapter, GE Volunteers India. Around 2,000 saplings of different trees like Ashoka, Silver Oak, Arjuna, Bottle Brush, Alistonia and Jamun were planted across the Army Cantonment area.
Elaborating on GE’s commitment towards environmental conservation, Mr. Blair said, “This is part of GE’s effort to bring our teams together and give back to the community where we work and live. The tree plantation is an excellent initiative to increase the green cover, which is great for the community and positively impacts our environment”.
The GE Volunteers India comprises of GE employees and retirees who help improve their community by donating time and money to community based projects. More than 4,000 GE volunteers are currently engaged in over 40 on-going projects and 25 one-day events across the country.
Each region has a separate council of people dedicated to GE’s CSR projects. These teams of four to six people work with various project leaders to arrange funding from the business. Focusing on areas like education, environment and healthcare, the project activities range from cleaning, painting schools, blood donations and tree plantations to visiting visually challenged institutes and orphanages and donating toys and books.
The amendments will be made to the tax law upon the passing of a Revenue Bill by the Legislative Council, the HKSAR government said in a statement.
Environmental protection machinery includes low noise construction machinery or plant registered under the Quality Powered Mechanical Equipment system, certain waste treatment, wastewater treatment and air pollution control machinery or plant.
A deduction under profits tax for 20 percent of the capital expenditure incurred on the construction of eligible installations will be provided in each of the five years starting from the year of acquisition.
Environmental protection installations, mainly renewable energy installations, include solar photovoltaic installations, wind turbine installations, thermal waste treatment installations, and certain energy efficient building installations.
The reductions will also be available to those who own or have been using environmental protection machinery or installations before implementation of the proposal, according to the HKSAR government statement.
The Indian Government considers proper management of plant and animal genetic resources integral to sustainable development of agriculture. A number of steps have been taken to conserve the country’s rich genetic diversity and many more are in the offing.
This came out in the discussions in the Indian Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting held earlier this week. Parliamentarians and Government officials discussed the issues relating to genetic resource management in the changing global context.
Introducing the subject to the Members of Parliament, Agriculture Minister, Shri Sharad Pawar emphaised that it was imperative to conserve the vast genetic diversity available in the country for sustainable development of crop production and animal husbandry, phyto-pharmaceuticals and overall human well being.
On the importance of genetic resources in addressing ecological issues, Shri Pawar said: ‘Today, global climate change and loss of natural habitats through human activities have become solemn issues world wide. Ecological implications of climate change and of agricultural intensification are major constraints to sustainable development of agriculture-based systems. So far, there is little awareness among professionals of the close relationship between climate change and food security and the role genetic resource has to play. It is imperative to manage these resources in a sustainable way. Climate change-induced environmental stress may in fact go beyond the reach of adaptation and in situ approach of genetic resource conservation offers a great chance to shape a future worth living.’
Shri Pawar also highlighted the role of traditional farming practices in conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources in India. He advocated a judicious mix of traditional wisdom and modern technologies to harness the genetic wealth. He elaborated: ‘Deployment of greater genetic diversity in traditional production systems is expected to take care of both their sustainable use and conservation. Conservation of traditional crops and animal breeds could succeed when these are linked with the economic development of farmers/rural poor. Pragmatic multi-disciplinary research and policy support are needed to evolve farming systems which can provide enough quality food and economic security to the local people. In situ conservation on-farm and crop and breed improvement can complement one another in traditional production systems. Breeding programmes that evaluate farmers’ landraces and breeds and use them in local improvement efforts are expected to produce material of direct value for marginal agroclimatic zones as well as achieve significant local conservation. By including decentralized breeding as part of an in situ programme, farmers and scientists can become partners in local improvement efforts. This ‘grassroot breeding’ can build upon existing knowledge and skills of farmers and link farmers from different regions through the exchange of information and genetic resources.
‘Further, a blend of modern science and indigenous knowledge will be required to face the challenges of increasing agricultural production in decades ahead. We should be especially concerned with incorporating greater diversity within agricultural production systems. New approaches to agricultural research and development are being tried in various places around the world, and virtually all of them emphasize a much better harnessing and management of biological resources than has prevailed in the past.’
India is one of the twelve world mega-biodiversity centers. Three of the 34 hot-spots of biodiversity are present in India. Of the world’s total known species, 8.25% belong to India. Interestingly, over 10% of the world’s microbial bio-diversity exists in this country.
India has set up four Bureaus for conservation of genetic resources relating to plants, animals, fish and micro-organisms. The national seed gene bank has over 3.6 lakh accessions. Besides other things, the Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources maintains frozen semen, somatic cells and DNA samples of indigenous animal breeds. ICAR is establishing a Genomic Resource Centre to conserve DNA of indigenous life forms, especially the rare and endangered species. A Bureau for Conservation of Genetic Resources of Agriculturally Important Insects is also being established.
Playtex Infant Care, a division of Energizer Personal Care, the leader in infant care, continues to address growing public confusion about plastics used in baby bottles containing bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used to manufacture polycarbonate plastic products, by announcing that the balance of the product line will be converted to BPA-free material by year end. In addition, the company will immediately suspend distribution to its Canadian retail partners of all Avance and Cherubs infant feeding bottles and the sip & discover 9 oz Spill-Proof "character" cup.
Playtex currently provides consumers with a BPA-free line of baby bottles with its Playtex Drop-Ins Original Nurser System. To respond to increased consumer demand for BPA-free products, Playtex will distribute one million free samples of the Playtex Drop-Ins Original Nurser System across North America. For information on how to obtain a sample, please visit www.playtexbaby.com/bpafree/info.html.
Playtex currently offers 43 SKUs in Canada of feeding and soothing products that are BPA-free. BPA is used in only a few Playtex products; the company offers a broad selection of BPA-free infant bottles, pacifiers and cups. In bottles, the Playtex Drop-Ins Nurser system uses disposable Playtex Drop-Ins liners that are made of polyethylene and are BPA-free. All Playtex bottle nipples and pacifiers (including OrthoPro(TM)) are BPA-free. In cups, the First Sipster, Sipster, Insulator, Coolster, are all BPA-free.
For a complete list of BPA-free alternatives in the Playtex product portfolio please visit www.playtexbaby.com/bpafree/info.html.
Parents or caregivers who wish to receive a free Playtex Drop-Ins Original Nurser System should visit us online at www.playtexbaby.com/bpafree/info.html.
Elected officials, environmental organizations as well as ordinary Canadians of all political backgrounds should take note of the lifetime achievements of recently-deceased U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day. Nelson's work prompted the head of the Washington-based Wilderness Society to describe Nelson as "the founding father of the modern environmental community". Earth Day,
If all people around the world consume as we do in the west, we would need 5 earths to support it.
So we are domed, as our market economy is based on use consuming more. Our business and government is not going to change this, it comes down to us the individuals to do something about it.
Are you ready to something to stop the climate changes?
What can you do?
For instance, you could change your light
DOG DIARY:
8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite
When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her. Sacha Guitry
By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one , you'll become a philosopher. Socrates
Woman inspires us to great things, and prevents us from achieving them. Dumas
The great question... which I have not been able to answer... is, "What does a woman want?
Sigmund Freud
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