An electronic newsletter to promote sustainable consumption as depicted in the Chapter 4 of Agenda 21 of Rio Earth Summit, 1992

  Issue 2, July, 2002

CHAPTER-4 No.1

CHAPTER-4 No.2

CHAPTER-4 No.3

CHAPTER-4 No.4

CHAPTER-4 No.5

CHAPTER-4 No.6

C O N T E N T S 

EDITOR’S NOTE
NEWS ROUND UP
EVENT REPORT
PUBLICATION

EDITOR’S NOTE 

Countdown has begun for the start of the World Summit on Sustainable Development(WSSD) to be held at Johannesburg from August 25-September 4, 2002. WSSD is not just a sequel to the Earth Summit which was held at Rio de Janeiro ten years ago, nor is it just a follow-up of the WTO Ministerial at Doha or the recent International Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey. It builds upon the achievements of both and also seeks to implement the goals agreed at many other conferences including those adopted by world leaders at the Millennium Summit. For more on the WSSD visit: www.johannesburgsummit.org

CUTS has been working on trade, environment and development issues for over a decade. It has represented at Rio and subsequent meetings on these issues. At the WSSD, five representatives from CUTS will be participating as speakers/moderators in events organised jointly with our partners. Among the events CUTS would be organising at the WSSD, the launch of Jubilee 2010 Campaign will form the main focus. The campaign is basically advocating for the dismantling of protectionism in international trade. The themes of other events are: Investment and Development, Competition and Development and Contribution of Southern Civil Society Organisations for MEA implementation. Subsequent mailers on these events will follow.

Editor

CUTS-CSPAC

NEWS ROUND UP

Food-for-greening programme proposed in India

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Food Supplies of India have recently proposed to use food grains for environment conservation through afforestation. According to the Union food minister Shanta Kumar, the objective of the new approach was to use food for greening India by taking up tree planting drives involving poor people. Part of their wages could be paid in the form of food grains. The Centre would provide food grains for this purpose.

More: http://www.business-standard.com/archives/2002/jun/50060602.004.asp

Water from Mars 

A huge sea of ice lies just under the surface of Mars, ready to be tapped by future explorers as a source of fuel and maybe even drinking water. According to Bill Feldman, the research director of Los Alamos National Laboratory, the amount of water on Mars is sufficiently large to support future human exploration activities.

More: http://www.abc.net.au/news/indepth/featureitems/mars.htm

Ecofriendly ways to make microchips

University of Arizona engineers are developing new, ecofriendly processes for making microchips. These processes soon will be used to build faster, smaller and sophisticated electronics at lower cost, says the university's press release. Microchips are found in everything from medical imaging equipment to coffee makers, from computers to automobile engines.

Source: http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/seta/2002/06/06/stories/2002060600020200.htm

Flywheel batteries  

Unlike coal and oil, which are easily stockpiled, electricity is very difficult to store. Therefore electricity has to be generated where and when it is needed. But the situation is changing with advances in composite materials and magnetic bearings that have enabled the use of flywheel batteries in variety of applications like high-speed trains, hybrid buses, stealth planes, orbiting space stations and reliable electric power.

Flywheel batteries can help improve power quality by storing energy near the load, ready to take up the slack anytime the main power feed is temporarily interrupted. Such a battery can carry the load for the time needed to get an emergency generator going. The result is uninterrupted power and relief from the maddening frustration of computer crashes caused by brief power outages.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/seta/2002/05/16/stories/2002051600130200.htm

Fly ash offers adequate protection against chewing and sucking pests

According to Professor P. Narayanasamy of Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, lignite and coal fly ash are potential and eco-friendly insecticide. Prof Narayanasamy has established that fly ash can be effectively used to manage the serious rice pests such as leaf folder, yellow caterpillar, spiny beetle, ear head bug, brown bug, black bug and grasshoppers. Even sucking pests such as brown plant hopper and green leafhopper are eliminated when fly ash liquid diet is fed. 

Scientists from other research centres have also proved that the fly ash could be effectively used to ward off pests of vegetables such as brinjal, bhendi, tomato and cauliflower. Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura, which are pests of cotton, are also controlled by the application of fly ash.

Source: http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/seta/2002/05/23/stories/2002052300150300.htm

EVENT REPORT 

World Environment Day

CUTS Centre for Sustainable Production and Consumption organised a symposium titled “Montreal Protocol: Industry Obligation and Response” on the occasion of World Environment Day, i.e. on June 5, 2002.

Ranges of issues like the role of government and industry in awareness generation, registration procedures and government policies, response of industry to ODS Rule 2000 were discussed during the symposium. During the symposium a core committee on the implementation of ODS Rules 2000 was formed, where CUTS was requested to play the role of the convener. CUTS has accepted it and three meetings of the core committee have been commenced till June.

More: http://cuts-international.org/cspac-event-environmentday.htm

PUBLICATION 

EcoConsumer, Issue 1, 2002 and EcoConsumer Issue 2, 2002

This quarterly newsletter is published by CUTS to report and discuss developments in relation to sustainable production and consumption globally. It covers issues such as sustainable production, climate watch, basic needs, affluence, energy issues, ozone watch, environment, Adwatch, CSPAC Watch and Book watch.

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.

Please do let us know to make the necessary amendments.

For additional information please contact: Arjun Dutta/ Soumi Ghosh

Materials from this e-newsletter may be freely cited subject to proper attribution

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

3 Suren Tagore Road, 2^nd Floor, Calcutta-700019, India

Telefax: 91-33-24601424, Fax: 91-33-24407669

Email: cuts-calcutta@cuts.org