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C
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Green Grammar |
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In economics, the term informal
economy refers to the general market income category (or
sector) wherin certain types of income and the means of
their generation are “unregulated by the institutions of
society, in a legal and social environment in which
similar activities are regulated” |
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In India
In a book titled India Working: Essays on Society and
Economy by Barbara Harriss-White, Indian informal
economy is called ‘the economy of the India of the 88
per cent’, as more than 74 per cent of the population is
rural and another 14 per cent lives in towns with a
population below 200,000. The informal economy generates
90.3 per cent of all livelihoods and 60 per cent of
India’s net domestic product. |
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An informal economic activity may be defined as any exchange of goods or
services involving economic value in which the act escapes regulation of
similar such acts. An informal economy is the combination of small-scale
capitalist class, agrarian and local agribusiness elites, and local
state officials.
It is often associated with developing countries. This generalisation
owes to the fact that up to 60 per cent of the labour force works here.
But, all economic systems contain an informal economy in some
proportion.
The English idiom ‘under the table’ typically refers to this type of
economy. And the term black market refers to its specific subset in
which smuggled goods is traded. But, crime and domestic labour is
excluded from the category.
For example, street vendors and garbage recyclers (kabari walas) fall
under the informal economy sector. Then there are garment workers
working from their homes and informally employed personnel. And the
majority of Informal economy workers are women. They all are a part of
informal economy.
Ecological literacy is a
morally and experientially engaged way of knowing,
involving a sense of wonder and respect for life and the
realization that all human activities have consequences
for the larger ecosystem-Ecological
Literacy by David Orr |
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"Environmental literature being generated for
school children is, with some exceptions, in the
genre of nature education. It is very important
to expose young children to the beauties and
wonders of nature. But as they grow older, it is
important they begin to understand how human
beings and human societies interact with their
environment for their survival and their growth,
how these human interactions become a part of a
society's culture, and why it is important to
rationalise our relationship with our
environment."
Anil Agarwal
Founder editor, Down To Earth |
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Ecological literacy is more than just environment education, a part of
our curriculum. It is a deeper knowledge of partnering ecological
systems with mutual benefits. It involves radical educational, economic,
political and cultural transformation.
It is not simply learning about the environment, but being a part of the
natural world and the local community. The learner engages in
conversation, in dialogue with the surrounding environment. Ecological
literacy is most concerned with connection and relationship, rather than
looking at things as separate from each other.
So an "environmentally literate" person will have the knowledge, tools,
and sensitivity to properly address an environmental problem in their
professional capacity, and to include the environment as one of the
considerations in their work and daily living. In other words,
ecological literacy is what Gobar Times is all about.
Just as reading becomes second nature to those who are literate,
interpreting and acting for the environment ideally would become second
nature to the environmentally literate citizen.
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