iCertified: Kettle Chips

I thought I would use my rudimentary photography skills and my rudimentary blogging skills to market certain organic products that I think are genuinely good and have a great sustainability story behind them.

At the risk of sounding cheesy and possibly sued by Apple(or Cisco), I am going to call these posts "iCertified". I Certified ...get it ? :)

First in this series is sea salt & pepper seasoned, organic Kettle chips.More after the fold.

I have to say these particular organic chips are my favorite. At times, I just can't stop eating them. Mind you, these chips do come with a good helping of calories (150 calories per serving). But they have 0 trans fat and 0 cholesterol and are tasty as hell!

The makers of these chips, Oregon based Kettle Foods have a great story too. They operate their fleet vehicles on bio-diesel made from their own cooking oils. Solar arrays mounted over their factory rooftops provide for a portion of their electricity. They have partnered with Renewable Choice Energy to buy wind energy credits to offset the rest of their electricity consumption. (via treehugger.com)

The chips taste great and the company that makes them sound great. Hence my photograph and my little pitch :)

Disclaimer / Disclosure
I am NOT getting paid by any one to say all this. I am only vouching for the sea salt & pepper seasoned organic version. It is not my intention to encourage rabid consumerism. I cannot be held liable/responsible for anything good, bad or otherwise that might happen by your purchase of this product.

President Kalam and Siruthuli

It is always refreshing to listen to President Kalam. Last year, in his Republic day address he spoke at length about India's energy dependence and the way towards energy independence. This year he touches on a wider variety of developmental issues. Two things caught my attention this time.





First is the project Siruthuli -Clean Kovai, Green Kovai. A grassroots project started by Coimbatoreans to help the city be green again. Plans include large scale rain water harvesting, reconnecting canals created during the Chera period, waste management and afforestation. Present day Coimbatore suffers from water shortage and ground water contamination. Friends of mine from Coimbatore will surely find this effort very encouraging. For those not familiar with Coimbatore, it is a city in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India. Once known for its pleasant climate and sweet water.

Secondly, President's take on the environment. He says,

Environment can become clean and upgraded only through the country wide active participation of citizens. People as a team can participate in cleaning the environment
..
Industrialists should follow the prescribed norms for environmental standards in all their institutions and make the buildings friendly to differently challenged people. Government employees should keep their offices and their environment clean as they would like to keep their homes. Parents and teachers should teach about the need for environmental friendly requirements to the younger citizens. Citizens can plant trees and nurture them in their neighborhood every year as a mission.
...
It is the responsibility of all the stakeholders including the citizens to promote cleanliness in all these public facilities.

I agree every Indian needs to be involved, but isn't it a little naive to leave everything to good intentions? I feel India needs a powerful Environment Protection agency. Not the Bush diluted version of US EPA. But an agency with teeth. The kind that can take on industrialists, politicians and citizens alike. IndiaTogether.org recently reported of an Indian Railways effort to extend railway lines into sensitive ecological areas without proper environment clearance. Such things happen because people know they can get away with it.

If all of India is to come together to improve our environment, there first needs to a strong and transparent regulatory framework.

Having said that, one cannot ignore the power of grassroots. It is estimated that India has about 1 - 2 million NGOs. I came across Project Green Hands recently (Hat tip: Anand). ISHA foundation planted over 7 lakh saplings across Tamil Nadu over a period of 3 days. Possibly setting a Guinness record. They plan to break that record this year in October.

You can read President's entire speech here

Victoria's Dirty Secret. Not so dirty anymore!

Some really good news! Victoria's Secret is not so dirty anymore.

I have mentioned Victoria's Dirty Secret before. ForestEthics.org was trying to stop Victoria from using virgin paper for their catalogs. Canada's ancient Boreal forest's bore the brunt of their procurement.

Victoria's parent company, Limited Brand, has finally decided to clean up their act. They will start using 80% post consumer recycled (PCR) paper for their clearance catalogs. They will also start using 10% PCR paper for their regular catalogs and will work with paper suppliers to get rid of virgin pulp in their supply chain. Kudos to the folks at ForestEthics for a campaign well executed. It might have taken two years to get through, but it was/is a cause worth fighting for. A clear example of consumer awareness and its power.

Hat tip: Shweta

Now only if we could get Kleenex to change as well. Check out KleerCut.net





















As always, there are alternatives.
Stop buying Kleenex. Buy SeventhGeneration products instead. Get rid of junk mail. Give Greendimes a try.

Here in the US (probably in Europe also), it is getting easier to buy low footprint products. I am worried about India though. Can entry of green retailers like Whole Foods help India ?

Hariyali Express. Green Advertising

It has been a long time since the last Hariyali Express. This edition of the express is inspired by the NY Times article, "Looking Green Is Looking Good"

It was probably inevitable that some enterprising advertising agency would figure that there is equally good money to be made from specializing in ads that promote greenness.And, in fact, agencies with a green specialty are sprouting like alfalfa

I have to say green advertising has come a long way. It is not about granola bars anymore. Serious, strong, provocative, slick and sometimes funny. Let us take a look shall we ?


Organization: Environmental Defense. Ad Agency: Ad Council

While Ad Council remains the green ad power house, there is not dearth of creativity and passion. Plenty more after the fold



Organization: NRDC


Robert Redford and NRDC



Earth Justice. Ad Agency: Big Think Studios



Nothing like humor to drive home the point. Anti-SUV ad from Greenpeace


Organization: Undoit.org Ad Agency: Green Team USA



About half of the oxygen we breathe comes from our oceans. Breathe from oceans.greenpeace.org



Protecting our rainforests. Greenpeace



Of course then there is the greenmyapple.org campaign

Fascinating! Let those green creative ideas keep flowing.

CEOs & Treehuggers join forces

It is not everyday that CEOs and Treehuggers join forces. 10 US Companies and 4 environmental groups are jointly calling for immediate action to address climate change.

Alcoa, BP America, Caterpillar, DuPont, General Electric, Lehman Brothers, Duke Energy, FPL Group, PG&E, PNM Resources, Environmental Defense, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and the World Resources Institute have formed what is being called U.S. Climate Action Partnership. They are recommending a mandatory reduction in CO2 emissions using a cap and trade mechanism. The aim is a 10-30% reduction in CO2 emission in the next 15 years.

Will 2007 finally be the tipping point ?

via GreenBiz.com:: via CSRWire:: via MSNBC

Environment and Poverty: two worlds or one ?

focus on the poor brings us solidly into one of the most important connections -that between poverty and the environment - which deserve much greater attention right now. Central to this linkage is the question that I have tried to capture -very imperfectly I am afraid, for it is a hugely complex connection - in the title of my talk, environment and poverty: two worlds or one?

That was Nobel laureate Amartya Sen speaking at the International Conference on Energy Environment & Development held in Bangalore last month, organized by TERI, Veolio Environment Institute & IDDRI.

The proponents of poverty reduction through economic development have always been squared off against the greens who rally for environment and conservation. The greens are seen as anti development. The vast majority of blog spats these days are just that. Dr Sen says there is no reason to fight.

This extraordinarily confrontational view is I believe, fundamentally erroneous and misconceived. This becomes particularly clear if one sees development in adequately broad terms, seeing it foundationally as the expansion of human freedom. In this broader perspective, the assessment of development cannot be divorced from the lives that people can lead and the real freedoms that they can enjoy.

Development can scarcely be seen merely in terms of enhancement of inanimate objects of convenience, such as a rise in the GNP (or in personal incomes), or industrialisation, or technological advance, or social modernization. These are no doubt valuable - often critically important -accomplishments, but their value must depend on what they do to the lives and freedoms of the people involved. We have reason to distinguish between what, ultimately, we have reason to esteem and what we derivatively value as being helpful for what we have reason to esteem

[..]

If we are ready to recognise the need for seeing the world in this broader perspective, it becomes immediately clear that development cannot be divorced from ecological and environmental concerns. For example, since we have reasons to value the freedom to lead a pollution-free life, the preservation of a pollution-free atmosphere must be an important part of the objectives of development. Seeing development as enhancement of human freedom involves diverse concerns, but incorporating expansion of social opportunities and the quality of life, which are integrally dependent on ecology and environmental preservation, must be among the central
concerns in development thinking.

The part above was probably for the bottom-line minded free market economists. The part below is aimed at the purist greens.

The environment is sometimes seen – I believe over-simply – as the state of “nature,” including such measures as the extent of forest cover, the depth of the ground water table, the number of living species, and so on. To the extent that it is assumed that this pre-existing nature will stay intact unless we add impurities and pollutants to it, it might, therefore, appear superficially plausible that environment is best protected if we interfere with it as little as possible. This understanding is, however, deeply defective for two extremely important reasons.

First, the value of environment cannot be just a matter of what there is, but also of what opportunities they actually offer. The impact of the environment on human lives must inter alia be among the relevant considerations in assessing the richness of the environment. To take an extreme example, in understanding why the eradication of small pox is not viewed as an impoverishment of nature ("the environment is poorer since small pox viruses have disappeared!”), in the way, say, the destruction of useful and lovely forests would be, the connection with lives in general and human lives in particular has to be brought into the understanding.

[..]

Second, the environment is not only a matter of passive preservation, but also one 0f active pursuit. Even though many human activities that accompany the process of development may have destructive consequences, it is also within human power to enhance and improve the environment in which we live. In thinking about the steps that may be taken to halt environmental destruction, we have to search for constructive human intervention. Our power to intervene with effectiveness and reasoning can be substantially enhanced by the process of development itself.

For example, greater female education and women's employment can help to reduce fertility rates, which in the long run can reduce the pressure on global warming and the increasing destruction of natural habitats. Similarly, the spread of school education and improvements in its quality can make us more environment conscious. Better communication and a richer media can make us more aware of the need for environment-oriented, thinking. It is easy to find many other examples of interconnection. In general, seeing development in terms of increasing the effective freedom of human beings brings the constructive agency of people in environment-friendly activities directly within the domain of developmental achievements. Development is fundamentally an empowering process, and this power can be used to preserve and enrich the environment, and not just to decimate it.

I don't find this concept of interconnectivity hard to understand. One can only hope that enough people come together in time to avoid irreversible environmental damage. Read his entire speech here.

The conference had several interesting research papers presented. You can find the entire listing here. I haven't gone through all of them yet. One in particular, caught my attention. A proposal to shift to using yearlong daylight saving time in India, by Prof. Dilip Ahuja and Prof. D P Sen Gupta of National Institute of Advanced Studies, India

To shift IST from 82.5ºE (Jarwa, UP) to 90ºE (Dhuburi, Assam), i.e., from being 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of UTC (=GMT) to being 6 hours ahead of UTC; Will provide an extra half hour of daylight in the evenings, when it is more useful, all year long for the entire country. Annually 1.7 billion units, @ Rs. 5 per unit, the estimate of electricity savings is ~Rs. 850 crores per year

Read the full proposal here.

I was a little disappointed to see very few presentations from the Indian Industry. There was one from Coal India and there was one from a startup company called SuryaBijlee.com. That was about it.

Before you buy that iPhone

If the recent blog buzz is any indication, Apple's iPhone looks all set to be a success. Although people have expressed disappointment at the lack of 3G support, the iPhone will most likely fly off the shelf in June. I may even bid adieu to my dinoursarly old phone of 6 years.

Even if just 1 percent of the US market were to shift to the new iPhone, close to 2 million cell phones will get discarded. It needs no mention that these gadgets have some nasty stuff like Mercury & Lead in them.

Forgive me while I preach a little :)

Folks, don't just throw your old phones away. Turn them in for some cash and let it get recycled. RIPMobile will take your old phones and might even pay you. A Motorola RAZR might get you $30. They will pay for shipping as long as your old phone works. Newer models might get resold while the older ones are recycled as per EPA regulations. The Gold in these phones are recycled which reduces the need for destructive mining. Terrapass has partnered with RIPMobile. The cash from selling your old phone can be used to buy carbon credits from Terrapass.

End of preaching. Now on to some things I would like Apple to incorporate into the iPhone.
1) How about Cradle to Cradle certification ?
Everytime you release a better version, and I know you will, I can give it back to you for an upgrade. Material reuse for you. Cooler phone and less guilt for me. Happy campers we all.

2) How about integrated battery charging ?

Modelabs design uses body movements to charge phone. A sleek yoyo of sorts. via TreeHugger.com:: via Esato.com



Or a device integrated solar charger as designed by the Fraunhofer Institute: via Treehugger.com

Mr Jobs, Hope you are listening!

Mailamma

"It is with great sorrow that we announce that Ms. Mailamma, the leader of the anti-Coca-Cola struggle in Plachimada in Kerala, passed away on January 6, 2007.

Mailamma was a central figure in the campaign to hold Coca-Cola accountable for water shortages and pollution in the area" via IndiaResource.org

I sincerely hope that her efforts bring about a positive change. Increase awareness on water issues and sustainability. Help create a sound public policy. And not get lost in petty politics. IndiaTogether has an excellent article here

"Why is the LDF keen to confine the legal arguments to medical issues, when clearly there are other considerations? The party isn't saying, but it is not to be forgotten that it was the previous LDF government which, in 1999, welcomed the Coke factory to Plachimada. Making political capital out of the CSE report but turning a blind eye to the core issues may have given the party an opportunity to appear energetic in its opposition to the bottling plants, but also quietly backtrack in court.
...

The task before the government is quite clear cut," says Brahmaputran, of the Plachimada Pathana Samithy. He wants loopholes in laws that govern the environment, water resources, and health to be plugged, and more importantly, he wants decisions that affect local communities in a big way to be made by them, not in the state capital or in New Delhi"

REVA. The electriCity Car

The blog world was buzzing yesterday about GM's latest electric concept car Volt, unveiled at the Detroit international auto show. WorldChanging has an excellent review here

Anyway...that is not what this post is about. This is about "REVA, The electriCity Car". India's version of the electric car. It has been getting a lot of press. It attracted a $20 million venture capital investment recently. Forbes calls it an "exotic car".

I am a little embarrassed to know about all this, this late.


The company claims that it can go upto 80KM on a single charge. The operational cost is said to be 1/10th that of a conventional Petrol (Gasoline) car. Dealer and service networks available in Bangalore, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune.

Can this be India's answer to zero emission and oil independence?

Here is a thought.....What if the car comes with a collapsible solar cell array? Even better if the car is painted with embedded solar cells. Plug into the Sun when you are parked.

Water Water Water

The 2006 UN Human Development Report (HDR) , documents some really disturbing trends when it comes to water. This chart in particular.

India's military spending is several times higher compared to spending on water and sanitation. I can understand the need for security, but what is life without water ?

Read the entire report here

It goes without saying that the Indian government needs to set its priorities straight. Set up clear guidelines and regulations on civil and industrial water usage.

It is refreshing however to see that the private sector better understands the extent and urgency of the crisis. Dow Chemicals has created a $350 million water solutions business unit. GE Water is not far behind. Then there are several startups exploring the use of Nanotechnology & Solar Energy to provide cost effective desalination solutions. Check out NanoH2O , Seawater Greenhouse & Suncone (to name a few).

Here is a thought......What if cash rich companies like Coca Cola India, Pepsi India & others spent their money adopting these new technologies instead of bashing CSE ? What if they were to become leaders in water conservation and desalination? What if the Indian government adopted these technologies in its thermal power plants (the most water intensive industry).

Many ifs . A win win for all

Laurie Baker's Mud

Laurie Baker needs no introduction. The master Indian architect is well known for his design simplicity and harmony with nature. I have always wanted to live in a house designed by him. His designs are like a breath of fresh air in the otherwise stifling jungle of concrete matchbox houses. I remember Laurie Baker from my school days in Thiruvanthapuram, India. He was my neighbor for a little while. I remember him taking his regular evening walks. Smiling at us kids playing street cricket. We would stop our game and intently watch this very tall English man pass us by.

He has written several books. They are published by Center for Science and Technology for Rural Development (COSTFORD). His books are very much like his designs, simple, sensible and elegant. First in the series, is this book titled "Laurie Baker's Mud".

[N]ational census will show you that numerically, there are more houses in India made of mud than of any other material. So why have we stopped using it? Actually, we have not stopped using it.Many rural families and many of our poorer people still build with mud-but official or Government housing schemes rarely use it and our growing 'Middle Class' also rarely uses it.

[W]e seem now to be much more class conscious and mud is connected in peoples minds with "the poor", with "Poverty", with cowsheds and pigsties, with Rural EWS Schemes and so on. Who will marry my daughter if I live in a mud house ?

So I wanted to show that mud may be old fashioned. (that to me is a plus point - it has been tested and tried over thousands of years whereas concrete has been in circulation for less than a hundred years), but it could be successfully used even for the best houses, and indeed, if all of us are to go into the 21st century with a roof over our 700-800-900 million heads we will only be able to do it if we put mud back into its rightful status. So this book is to see how we can go about it.

Laurie Baker certainly knows his mud. He explains how mud can be used effectively to build elegant houses. His explanations are simple and are often accompanied by sketches. Provides scientific explanations where needed. Before you know it you are at the last page.

One of the wonderful and endearing things about mud is that there is a vast wide range of muds and every single one has its own individual characteristics. All of it is God made and not machine made. So it is not standardized, and it is almost limitless is quantity. Therefore to many, especially to the engineering world, it is maddening rather endearing because you have to get to know your own mud and how to handle it. all ladies have beautiful eyes and bewitching hair and shapely lips but ideally you have to learn to live with, love, cherish and understand your own particular woman.

Treat your mud as you should treat your wife and you will have a wonderful house for life!

Class consciousness makes us shortsighted many a times. In Kerala, sand mining the river beds to build our monstrous socially acceptable concrete houses are drying our rivers dead. We build our concrete houses and end up buying energy hogging air conditioners to cool these concrete ovens we call houses.

Isn't it high time we strengthened our basics? Harmony with nature and building with locally available and sustainable material. Mud certainly can be part of that equation.

Top Green Business Stories of 2006

GreenBiz.com looks back at the best green business stories of 2006. Makes 2007 a year to be hopeful about.

To turn a greener shade

My new year resolution....To turn a greener shade :)