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Echoes of Eco
September, 2017 Vivekananda Kendra- nardep Newsletter Vol:9 No:7

Extracts from our book “Green Pathfinders – Part1” In this issue:

• Extracts from our book “Green
Pathfinders – Part 1”

• The Happenings
Climate Change - Green Solutions
• Visions of Wisdom:
Shri.N.Krishnamoorthy
➢ The hidden life of trees
Prelude ➢ Alternative technologies
➢ Spiritual attitude towards work
Smt. Annapurna Duval: Having succeeded to a great extent in
vandalizing the earth, now we have set our sights on the sky, the
atmosphere and the higher reaches, it seems.

Prof Shri. Krish Phidal: The rains fail, or fall when I want them
the least, like the harvesting season. There are floods.

Jnani Noval: These are what you as a farmer see as matters of

immediate consequence. There have been more problems, ozone
depletion, global warming, melting of the ice -caps in the polar and
mountainous regions, receding of glaciers, drying up of rivers. People
living near the poles, have suffered skin diseases. Sea-levels rise
flooding low-lying areas along the beaches.

Our dreams are for the earth not

heaven
Cause heaven is here to make not
on cloud seven.
What is heaven but the earth
beautiful.
What is God but
Rejoicing nature in full.

Muni Mehta

Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra – nardep, September 2017, Vol.9 No: 7
 “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of
others”
Annapurna Duval: Are Scientists and Technologists
doing something about all this?
Jnani Noval : We have to ask ourselves whether
Technology will solve all our prob lems. There are
people who say that inappropriate technology is the
culprit that has caused global-warming. The measures
suggested for facing the problem are adap tation and
mitigation. Our people will have to be taught how to
adapt to changes and this problem of climate change
is going to be around for decades, even if we start
today, taking the steps for mitigation. In the
meantime, pressure is building up in the at mosphere,
impacting virtually all aspects of life. We have to learn
our lessons.
Krish Phidol: Disasters are perhaps going to wait until
we complete our panel discussions, blame-games and
hair-splitting arguments.
Annapoorna Duval: Already we have lost six out of the
seven temples to sea-incursions at Mahabalipuram.
Jnani Noval: Climate change is a border less problem.
Everybody is going to suffer until everyone learns
his/her lessons.
Krish Phidol: The global village has been well and truly
set on fire with no fire-engines around.
Jnani Noval: There are no simple or quick11" solutions.
The habitual use of fossil-fuels in transport systems
and chemical/petro products in fertilizers has been
deeply ingrained in our minds. We cannot undo it in a
day and put new systems in place.
Annapoorna Duval: But you scholars sounded so
confident when you introduced new fertilizers just
one generation ago and fossil -fueled transport only
two or three generations back. Your cures for our
rustic stupidity were so simple! Now what pre vents you
from effecting simple reversals of your steps?
Jnani Noval: (Looking down) Apportioning blame is
Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra – nardep, September 2017, Vol.9 No: 7
- Mahatma Gandhi
not going to solve problems. Tightening the belt in
fossil-fuel emission, bracing ourselves to use more
and more of renewable fuels, are needed urgently.
There are people who would say "Do not blow up the
size of the problems. The technology is already
there; only the fuel is to be replaced. The Agro -bio-
technology - has been place. Only ammonia and
Phosphorus to replace by new chemicals."
Krish Phidol: No. Your mind-set has change. Your
solutions are like pump Oxygen into a dead body to
bring it b to life.
Jnani Noval: Our very ideas of energy its
applications in domestic and industri al appliances
are changing. Nano technology and better
instrument design, are some the trends.
Fossil Fuel Emissions
Annapoorna Duval: India has done so good work in
the field of wind, gobar-gas and hydro-power
sections. These resource enable us to go for
decentralized production and compels the user to
apply energy in a decentralized manner.
Jnani Noval: True. But the total energy needs are
mind-boggling in their quantity
Krish Phidol: How long are we going to postpone the
application of life-energy. cattle-energy, human
energy? These are the most renewable forms.
Jnani Noval: It is going to be very difficult to go
back to pastoral life. There is going to be much
suffering, frustration before man returns to
Mother Earth's lap for a nature friendly life-style.
 “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live
forever”
Annapoorna Duval: Even simple elements of Nature
are being bought and sold. Water has become a
commodity to be traded. Some people, say the sup ply
of animal draught-power, agriculture, cattle-breeding
all have improved after the introduction of industrial
culture and market-culture. But God save me from
these markets. The role of markets in improving the
quality of life of animals and birds is illusory. I hear
that in poultry farms the owners do not allow the
birds to sleep, so that the chicks can be kept awake,
made to eat more grains and would improve their
body-weight.
We were talking about the trend of com modification
of water, earth, energy, space and air!
Jnani Noval: As a side show-of Kyoto conference,
there was a meet on the water - related problems as
a facet of global warming. The scholars said that
international grain-trade is actually camouflaged
water trade. When you buy or sell a kilogram of meat
or grain, you trade in all the water that goes to
produce the grain! Dominant traders persuade the
poor producers to divert their water supply to
cultivate the grain the buyer needs or feed the grain
to cattle/poultry and sell meat. This ultimately
affects the water supply of the producer society and
the global grain price.
Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra – nardep, September 2017, Vol.9 No: 7
- Mahatma Gandhi
Krish Phidol: As they do in the soft-drink industry!
Let the farms dry so that townsmen can have fizzy
drinks.
Jnani Noval: Yes. The man-power, land wealth,
water-wealth all can be pressed into producing what
the buyer wants. For colonizing the poor countries,
the invader need not go and sit there now. He can
simply direct the production processes in the poor
countries. And he can always claim that the
employment opportunities have improved; that
production and GDP have climbed the growth -
ladder.
Krish Phidol: It will be interesting to watch what
global warming does to society at large.
Jnani Noval: The disruptive effects on hu man
settlements, human societies caused by global
warming is being studied. They say sea -water
inundating low-lying areas will disloc ate nearly one
third of the world's population. Climate change,
disturbance of the weather -cycle, crop-cycle will
impact food production. Regional disparities will
show up as political consequences. Migration of
human, animal population will reach unaccep table
levels.
Annapoorna Duval: I am afraid warm days will
make human beings more and more short -
tempered. We will become quarrel some, perhaps
wage more wars.
Jnani Noval: Governments, voluntary bod ies,
individuals and corporations are making valiant
efforts to face the problems and adapt themselves
to new times!
Annapoorna Duval: What is carbon credit - trading?
Jnani Noval: The industrialized countries pollute
the air much more than other countries. The rich
countries purchase fuels, oilseeds that pollute the
atmosphere less. The industrialized countries can
use so much of fossil - fuel, if they use certain
 “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you,
then you win”
– Mahatma Gandhi

quantity of non-polluting or less polluting fuels, (re- emissions, our diaries are recast to save carbon.
newable ones at that). The rich countries can also pay Indian Scientists are discovering new refrigeration
to the poor, non-polluting countries to buy-off their methods to save the ozone layer.
carbon-credits.

Jnani Noval: Simpler living, l ess travel, sharing

Krish Phidol: Hey Rama! We have a five thousand
auto-rides with fellow passengers, tightening the
years old story of Yayati who tried to sell off his old -
belt, substituting vegetable fuel, animal power,
age and his senility to buy from his son some of the
human hands for fossil -fuels, slowing down, taking
latter's youthfulness, so that Yayati can enjoy the
more time to live, more time to love, interact with
sensual pleasures for a longer period. Your story is
people, with nature! Embracing voluntary poverty.
like that!

Jnani Noval: But pollution has no borders. Whether
America burns fossil fuel or Spain pu rchases carbon-
credit, the global warming cannot be stopped as long
as burning of fossil fuel continues unabated anywhere
in the world. The Earth as whole is a single entity
suffering along with its inhabitants.
Krish Phidol: Is there a technological scientific, or
political or economic alternative to creating simple
good human beings?
Jnani Noval: No! These perceived solutions can
facilitate/help good human beings to face his
problems. Technology per-se cannot help unless man
learns to tighten his belt! And learn to be good
human beings!

The Global village has been well and truly set on

fire with no fire engines around

Annapoorna Duval: There is an old joke of a boatman

trying to shift forward and backward the cargo in an
overloaded boat. The boat sinks just because it is
overloaded, not because of its imbalance! What is the
ultimate solution to the problem? On our part we are
also improving the agro- technology to reduce carbon

Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra – nardep, September 2017, Vol.9 No: 7
 “When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon,
my soul expands in the worship of the creator”
– Mahatma Gandhi

Happenings this month: Happenings this

Happenings this month:
Sustainable Agriculture month:
Sustainable Agriculture
Networking

Training programme on “Enhanced Fish Green health home worked for 3 days
Training
amino programme
for "Cost effective
increasing Bio-
Agricultural and treated 100 patients.
manure" was held at Technology Resource
Productivity” was held at Technology
Center on 24th May. 21th participants
Resource Center on 5 and 6th Workshop on “Traditional Siddha Varma
attended the training. Shri.S.Rajamony
September.
was 20 person.
the resource farmers attended the Bone Setting Practices” was held at TRC,
training. Smt.S.Premalatha and Kalluvilai on 11th and 12th September. 37
Shri.S.Rajamony were the resource trainees attended the programme.
Dr.V.Ganapathy and his team acted as a
persons. The programme was sponsored by
resource person.
NABARD, Chennai

Camp participants at the Azolla field

Training programme on “Azolla cattle feed

cultivation” was held at Technology Resource
Center on 19th September. 15 members
attended. Shri.S.Rajamony was the
resource person.
Fish Amino preparation is on …….
Practical demonstration during Varma Bone
setting workshop
Training programme on “Organic farming
practices” was held at J.C.Bose Nursery One-day awareness programme on
on 9th Sept. 05 farmers attended the “Traditional Water Bodies” was held at
training. Shri.S.Rajamony was the TRC on 13th September. 43 members
resource person. attended. Shri.V.Ramakrishnan was the
resource person.

Participants eagerly discussing among

themselves at the terrace garden

Training programme on “Terrace Gardening”

was held at Technology Resource Center on
23rd September. 20 members attended. ShriAyyappan, Secretary, Rural
Camp participants purchasing seeds and Smt.S.Premalatha and Shri.S.Rajamony Development, Vivekananda Kendra
other garden materials were the resource persons. interacting with the participants

Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra – nardep, September 2017, Vol.9 No: 7
 “There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's
greed”
- Mahatma Gandhi

Happenings this month: Happenings this

Happenings this month:
Renewable Energy month:
Renewable Energy
Networking

As part of exposure visit, 40 farmers

One day Training programme on “Shakti
Training programme "Cost effective Bio- from ATMA, Kallikudi, Madurai visited
Surbahi Bio-methanation plant” was held
manure" was held at Technology Resource our J.C.Bose nursery on 28th September.
at Technology Resource Center on 23rd
Center on 24th May. 21 participants They learned about Azolla and
Sept. 02 members attended.
attended the training. Shri.S.Rajamony Sustainable agricultural farming
Sri.V.Ramakrishnan was the resource
was the resource person. technologies.
person.

Beneficiary proudly standing near the Shakti

Surabhi Bio-methanation Plant

Shri.Muneeswaran, Supervisor interacting

with the trainees
One day Training programme on “Shakti
Surbahi Bio-methanation plant” was held
at Arumanai, Extension Center of Govt.
Polytechnic on 25th Sept. 60 members
attended. Sri.V.Ramakrishnan was the
resource person.
Construction of Biogas Plant
Portable type 1 cum – 1 no.
Fixed type
IFAD, Kanyakumari 1 cum – 10 nos.
IFAD, Kanchipuram 1 cum – 20 nos.
Farmers standing round the Azolla bed
while understanding the benefits
55 Students from AVC College of
Engineering, Mayiladuthurai visited
Gramodaya Park on 28th September.
They learned Low cost construction and
Bio-methanation technologies.

Shri.V.Ramakrishnan interacting with the

Shri.V.Ramakrishnan explaining about Construction of fixed type Bio-methanation students about Shakti Surabhi Bio-
Shakti Surabhi Bio-methanation plant plant work is going on at Chennai methanation plant

Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra – nardep, September 2017, Vol.9 No: 7
 “We may stumble and fall but shall rise again; it should be enough if we
did not run away from the battle”
The Hidden Life of
Trees
Trees can also taste, touch, smell, hear
and feel. And they exhibit these
characteristics just the way animals do.
The vibration of the tree trunk is
effected with the help of water
molecules, just like animals use water
molecules to vibrate their vocal chords.
And how do we know they can hear? The
author, Peter Wohlleben, cites an
experiment where roots of grain
seedlings moved in the direction of the
ultrasonic sound waves coming from the
crackling of roots of other seedlings in
the vicinity. The proof that they can
taste comes from the way their defence
mechanism is triggered. When nibbled on
by an insect, the leaf "tastes" the
insect's saliva to release pheromones
that attracts predators feeding on that
insect. Leaves of beeches, spruce and
oaks feel pain when they are chewed on
and send electrical impulses, just like
animals. Experiments on mimosas plants
that fold their leaves when touched -
showed that they could "learn" that
water droplets are harmless and stop
folding to their touch. They could even
"remember" and exhibited the same
behaviour when the experiment was
repeated weeks later.
Peter Wohlleben
Author of the famous
book – “The Hidden
Life of Trees”
Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra – nardep, September 2017, Vol.9 No: 7
Vivekananda Kendra – nardep, Kanyakumari-629702 Phone:91-4652-246296 www.vknardep.org
Visions of Wisdom
Alternative
Technologies
The scientific civilization of the
West has scarcely any technologies
on offer truly suited to the future –
that is, humane and appropriate over
the long term to nature. That is why
the hopes of some in the West came
to be focused on a solution from
quite another direction. After it
became clear in the 1970s, with the
collapse of the initial euphoria over
technology transfer, that the import
of Western technologies into Third
World countries resulted primarily in
monocultures, large-scale slums,
devastation of nature, the
destruction of cultures and human
ruination, there were, especially in
India, initiatives to pursue an
independent technological
development more intensively.
Otto Ulrich
An Engineer and
Sociologist and
contributor to The
Development
Dictionary
– Mahatma Gandhi
Spiritual Attitude
Towards Work
The spiritual attitude towards work is
the ideal set by the Bhagavad Gita -
karmanyevadhikaraste, ma phaleshu
kadachana - "your right is only in the
effort and not in its result". For,
after all, rarely is the result
dependent on our efforts alone. There
is always a complex play of forces
behind the scenes over which we have
no control at all. Once we recognise
that all results are the play of
innumerable forces of which we are
only one, the illusion that we 'are the.
cause of the outcome begins to fade
and we recognise our foolishness in
expecting specific results. If we can
then shift our focus to the effort
alone, disappointment ceases to exist
and all tension disappears. Whether
the result comes through successfully
or not, we accept the outcome with
equanimity. If we had put our best in
the effort, there was nothing more
that we could have done; if we did not
put our best into it, we have no one to
blame in any case.
Sraddhalu Ranade
Scientist, Educator and
Scholar at the Sri
Aurobindo Ashram,
Pondicherry