Nuclear Power – Past Current and Future

Whenever we speak about nuclear power, the first incident that comes to our mind is the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the end of World War II, that killed millions. Even today there are many who are facing the after effects of the incident. This has been the prime cause of opposition for nuclear energy around the world. But the technology in itself is not good or bad. It is only the way the it is used by the human beings that makes it good or bad. Let me give you an example. You can use a match stick to light a stove and cook food. But you can also use the same match stick to burn your house. Now if somebody uses the matchstick to burn the house, then can we blame the matchstick?????????  No – Right??????. Well same is the case with nuclear technology.

Filed under: Nuclear Power - Past Current and Future , chernobyl, enrico fermi, IAEA, leo szilard, nuclear energy, nuclear power, otto hahn fritz strassmann, otto robert frisch

Bio Fuels:- The Facts and Myths

Bio Fuels

Prince Charles has converted his 38 year old Aston Martin (a 21st birthday gift from the queen) to run on biofuel made from surplus wine. Not only that, he has converted his other vehicles which includes several Jaguars, an Audi and a Range Rover to run on biodiesel fuel made from used cooking oil. These steps have helped him to reduce his travel related emissions by 18 per cent [Read the Full story here]

We all know that we have limited energy reserves (what we call as fossil fuels like petrol, diesel etc). They are not renewable (which means that we cannot replace them). Secondly, they add to the greenhouse effects which harms the environment. So it becomes imperative that steps be taken to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and switch over to some other means of fuel that is less polluting and reduces the carbon emissions, like bio fuel

Filed under: Bio Fuels:- The Facts and Myths , alternative fuel, bio fuels, ethanol, gasoline, global warming, price spikes

Green funerals: Taking the eco-friendly way out

No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

People Want To Take Eco-Conscious Ways Of Leaving Earth

Now a days people are becoming more environment friendly. They are becoming more and more green. So much so that they are taking it to the next level by opting for “Green Funerals” when they die. [You can read the full story over here]

Britain has been a world leader in eco-friendly funerals for years and a source of green burial products and ideas for countries like the US, where the trend is just starting
to catch on.

Why Go Green?

There are many reasons why we need to go Green:-

The chemicals that are used to embalm the body like formaldehyde, mercury and arsenic seeps into the soil after the body is cremated. This contaminates the underground water.

The materials used to make coffins like steel, fibreglass, some type of wood donot disintegrate and stay in the soil for years together. This contaminates the soil and makes them unfit.

Cremation is the act of reducing acorpse by burning, generally in a crematorium furnace or crematory fire.The major emissions from crematories are: nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, mercury, hydrogen fluoride (HF), hydrogen chloride (HCl), NMVOCs, and other heavy metals, in addition to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP). According to the United Nations Environment Programme report on POP Emission Inventory Guidebook, emissions from crematoria, although comparatively small on an international scale, are still statistically significant. The POP inventory indicates that crematoria contribute 0.2% of the global emission of dioxins and furans.

The idea is unique one considering the fact that any funeral can be converted into a Green One. The idea that is aimed to save Earth, needs special encouragement as it is quite a noble one

Filed under: Green funerals: Taking the eco-friendly way out , crematorium, ecofriendly, funerals, green

Education for All – A dream or a Reality?

The Right to Education Bill, which aims to ensure that all children upto to the age of 14 receive quality education atleast upto the secondary level, comparable to that of Kendriya Vidyalayas under the CBSE pattern and ensure that they don’t drop out. [Source Times of India dtd 21-04-08]. The Literacy rate in India according to 2001 Census stands at 64.84 percent. [Source:- Wikipedia the free encyclopedia].

Parliament has passed the Constitution 86th Amendment Act, 2002, to make elementary education a Fundamental Right for children in the age group of 6-14 years and has also introduced a 2 percent educational cess on all direct and indirect central taxes through the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2004. [Source:- Wikipedia the free encyclopedia].

Filed under: Education for All - A dream or a Reality , education bill 2005, education in india, midday meal scheme

The Tragic Story of Khushi

On 19th of April, 2008 Mumbai Mirror had carried the report of Khushi – the girl child abandoned by her parents at the Sion hospital. The parents claim that theirs was a boy and the hospital had swapped their child with a girl child. DNA tests conducted on the child proved conclusively that the child was indeed theirs.

[Read The full story over here]

Filed under: The Tragic Story of Khushi , dna tests, female infanticides, Khushi, male female ratios

Olympics 2008 — Should We or Not????

The 2008 Olympics will be officially held in China from 08th August 2008 to 24th August 2008. While the Summer Olympics is an eagerly awaited event, this time around it has been marred with controversies. There has been several calls for boycott of Olympics. So what makes this Olympics games so controversial? Is this the first time that a boycott call has been made? . First, let us examine the history of Olympics

Filed under: Olympics 2008 -- Should We or Not???? , boycott olympics, china, olympics 2008, tibet issue