In response to growing environmental risk created by rapidly rising consumption patterns round the world, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has recently launched a new way to make production processes and products cleaner at the start of 7^th International High-Level Seminar on Cleaner Production (CP-7) at Prague.

The “Life-Cycle Initiative” is collaboration between UNEP and the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). This initiative will help governments, businesses and consumers to adopt more environment friendly policies, practices and life-styles.

Life-Cycle Initiative will take the cleaner production concept to a new level. Based on the “cradle to grave”, or “cradle to cradle” approach, it will look at the whole product life cycle both in a strategic as well from a practical point of view. This initiative will help to address problems such as finding alternatives to hazardous substances in various products like lead. It is expected to provide better systems of eco-labelling and product design.

The new Life-Cycle Initiative is on the table as a practical, proactive partnership between UNEP, the scientific community and business. CP-7 will provide a key input to the World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held at Johannesburg from August 26 to September 4, 2002.

More: http://www.uneptie.org/pc/cp7/

Editor, CUTS-CSPAC

NEWS ROUNDUP

Doctors call for health warnings on PC games

British doctors have recently informed that computer games with vibrating hand-held control devices should carry statutory health warnings to advise users and parents, because they can cause damage to hands. The doctors think parents and children should be aware of potential health problems that could be caused by prolonged use of the devices.

Doctors called for the health warnings in a letter to the British Medical Journal after a 15 year old boy developed symptoms similar to hand-arm vibration syndrome, which is caused by using industrial tools for long periods of time. The syndrome was classified as an industrial disease in 1985 and sufferers receive disability benefits and compensation.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=607157877&sType=1

SPV for green issues related to power soon

The Indian government is working towards the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for looking into issues of environment in power generation. This would be undertaken with participation of NGOs, Union minister for power Suresh Prabhu said. While releasing a report on the preliminary ranking study of hydro electric schemes, he stressed that efforts should be to attain a 50:50 parity with respect to installed capacity of non fossil fuel and fossil fuel source of power generation.

More: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=466171127&sType=1

Salt tolerant rice invented by Kolkata scientist

A Kolkata based scientist has discovered a gene responsible for salt tolerance of mangroves and mimicked the mechanism to produce a wonder rice variety capable of surviving salinity. The scientist working on a department of biotechnology sponsored project at the Bose Institute has successfully cloned a gene from a wide rice variety that grows in the Sundarban mangrove delta. The gene, which has already been submitted to the international gene bank, is undergoing the process of patenting.

The salt tolerant gene is responsible for producing an enzyme that catalyses a reaction to trigger the production of a compound inositol, one of the several chemicals that contribute to salt tolerance in the mangrove trees. (CUTS Internal file)

Britons top league of organic consumers

A survey has shown that Britons are the biggest consumers of organic produce in Europe. According to research findings of Datamonitor, a market analysis firm, last year 29 million adults regularly ate or drank products certified as meeting organic standards of production.

Shoppers said they were more likely to choose organic food for its health benefits rather than the reason that it might help to sustain the environment. A spokeswoman for the Soil Association, the gatekeeper of organic food standards in Britain has stated that the health benefits of organic are well known.

More: http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=020322001126&query=sustainable+consumption

Sustainable homes

A fortnightly Sustainable Households course to save the environment at home is expected to start at Mairehau High School in April. The aim of the Sustainable Households education programme is to teach people how to care for the environment and live a healthy lifestyle at the same time.

It is quite easy to reduce the amount of chemicals used in homes. If many people make little changes, an impact can be felt by actions such as buying recycled goods and reducing fuel consumption. Sustainable Households is a joint project between eight local and regional authorities, including the Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury.

More: http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=020325007150&query=sustainable+consumption

EVENT REPORT

World Water Day

The looming water crisis is one of the most critical challenges facing the world today. Global demand for this precious resource has increased more than six-fold over the past century compared with a three-fold increase in world population. With this as background this year the theme for World Water Day is Water for Development.

To commemorate the occasion, Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS), Calcutta organised a panel discussion titled “Management of Surface Water in West Bengal.”

The objective of the discussion was to focus on the success and failures of management of surface water and the problems with underground water in West Bengal. Representatives from different consumer groups and media participated in the above discussion.

More: www.cuts-international.org/cspac-event-waterday.htm

Earth Day Lecture:

To celebrate the occasion of Earth Day on April 22, 2002 CUTS Centre for Sustainable Production and Consumption organised an Earth Day Lecture titled ‘‘Kyoto Protocol: Options Before India’’. Prof Sujoy Basu, Director, School of Energy Studies, Jadavpur University delivered the Lecture. The lecture was followed by a panel discussion on the above topic.

As environmental issues are increasingly influencing our production and consumption patterns, a balanced and fruitful debate on contentious issues like Kyoto declaration was essential before the government ratifies the same. The objective of the discussion was to get an idea about the views of the distinguished panellists on the above topic.

More: www.cuts-international.org/cspac-event-earthday.htm

PUBLICATIONS

EcoConsumer, Issue 4, 2001

This quarterly newsletter is published by CUTS Centre for Sustainable Production and Consumption to report and discuss developments in relation to sustainable production and consumption globally. It covers current international and national news on issues such as global warming, ozone depletion, environment friendly technologies and products, eco-labelling, pollution, consumption, development, biotechnology and misleading advertisements.

Annual subscription: US$20/Rs. 150
Payments will be accepted in demand drafts only drawn in favour of Consumer Unity & Trust Society payable at Calcutta

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CUTS Centre for Sustainable Production & Consumption (CUTS-CSPAC)

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