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Dear Pandit ji,
Can you suggest some poems on preservation of environment for school children, which we can use in different programmmes?
Deepa
UNNATI Organisation for Development Education
Ahmedabad
Via email
Dear Deepa ji,
Poets down the ages, from William Wordsworth to John Greenleaf Whittier, have been inspired by environment. Unforgettable verses have been created on clean skies and green grass, and the beauty of Nature.
For the very young, who dress up as a tree or a flower in fancy dress contests, Nature, again is a great inspiration. Maybe you should find poems that emphasise the value of nature’s resources. Some, like the one mentioned below, can be found on the websites listed.
We all litter every day
in different ways.
Most people don’t care.
My class would not dare!
Once my class put up a sign.
It said, “Please don’t litter. The Earth is mine”.
Everyday is Earth Day,
If it’s cold or wet or hot
Pitch in to save the planet
It’s the only one we’ve got.
But the best option is to urge them to write the poems themselves. You would be surprised to find how creative can they be. And its easy. First ask them to make rhyming slogans, and then get into the creative mood.
Another method is to tell them to come up with full forms of simple words. For example, CUTE – Clean Up The Earth.
It can be a fun activity for the class, and their poems can be displayed on school notice boards or websites.
1. http://www.tooter4kids.com/classroom/earth_day_poems.htm
2. http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems51.html
3. http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multiligual/Default.asp?DocumentID=445&ArticleID=4849&l=en
4. http://www.buzzle.com/chapters/escape-hatch_poetry-bee_nature.asp
5. http://edugreen.teri.res.in/misc/poem/poem.htm
6.http://www.childrenoftheearth.org/seigelman.htm
Dear Pandit ji,
My name is Jyothi. I am in the final semester of post graduation in Environmental Sciences and completed my graduation also in the same field. Should I now pursue “ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM” wholly? Please guide.
Via email
Dear Jyothi,
It is heartening to know that you are keen to work in the field of Environmental journalism. If you see yourself writing for environmental magazines in the future, then it is best if you begin right now. Start looking out for stories around you. How? Let me give you an example. Visit the water bodies in your area, find out their condition.
If it is bad, find out why it is in such a condition. Do a little bit of research to find out who is responsible for taking cae of these water bodies. Now approach and get their comments. Then put all of this down in paper...or the computer screen.
This makes a good report! You can try your luck by sending this off to your local news papers and magazines and of course, us. If you want to understand the functioning of a media house better, try to intern with them. This gives you vital hands on experience.
Journalism per se doesn’t require any qualification or degree, because it is after all about writing as simply as possible. But if you want to hone your skills, then here are some courses you might find interesting:
Agenda for Survival, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)
Xavier Institute of Communications (XIC) – Optional module called ‘Science and Environment Journalism’ –
http://www.xaviercomm.org/
There are institutes abroad you can explore, such as:
Center for Environmental Journalism, University of Colorado at Boulder’s –
http://www.colorado.edu/journalism/cej/
Green University Initiative, George Washington University –
http://www.gwu.edu/~greenu/
Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, Michigan State University –
http://www.ej.msu.edu/index2.php
Dear Pandit ji,
I am an undergraduate student of environment and water management. As part of my studies, I read up the molecular structures of CO2 and CH4, which are greenhouse gases (GHG) and also many non-GHG gases. I am curious, which factors in the molecular structure make a gas behave like a GHG or a non GHG?
Anubhav choudhary,
Patna.
Via email
Dear Anubhav ji,
In general, any molecule or atom can absorb and emit different types of energy:
- Energy from the excitation of electrons;
- Energy from vibrational motion which is lost and gained as a result of the contraction and bending of the bonds between the atoms;
- Energy from rotational motion allowing molecules to rotate upon their centre of gravity.
Each of these kinds of energy relate to different parts of the spectrum.
Electrical energy is most apparent in the ultraviolet and visible parts of the spectrum and would have a typical wavelength of 1 micrometer.
Vibrational energy has a typical wavelength of 3 micrometers and occurs in the infrared and near infrared parts of the spectrum.
Rotational energy has a considerably longer wavelength, in the order of 100 micrometers, and is found in the far infrared and microwave parts of the spectrum.
For any given molecule, its type of atomic grouping and bonding will determine its specific wavelength of absorption and emission.
The gases labelled as ‘greenhouse gases’ have the same infrared vibrational wavelength as thermal radiation that is emitted from Earth into space. This leads to capturing of more thermal radiation.
In case of carbon-hydrogen bond in the CH2 and CH3 (ethyl or methyl) groups,the vibratioanl energy produced is of 3.3 to 3.4 micrometers. This range is similar to that of infrared.
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A visit to Delhi’s World Book Fair.
Venue: Pragati Maidan,
New delhi,
Dates:30 January-7 February, 2010.
Anuj is tired but happy. He has spotted a book on climate change, which will help him prepare for the upcoming inter-house debate in his school. His prolonged searching spree, isn’t irking his mother, who otherwise hates staying in crowded gatherings. She is busy too, and digging out more books for her son. And this year she has ample options with dedicated pavilion for children. There are also special kid’s corners in most of the 2,400 stalls set up by the 1,200 participants, including 35 foreign exhibitors from 15 countries. The message is loud and clear. Children are lucrative customers.
Shantanu Duttagupta of Scholastic India Pvt Ltd, a leading publishing house says, “It’s a misconception that children these days are losing interest in books. We wouldn’t have otherwise published around 80 new children’s books this year. Overall, there are roughly around 1,500—2,000 children’s books published annually in India. This industry is thriving,” The chairman of National Book trust agrees “We have seen a big jump in the number of people registering for our children’s reader’s club over the last few years”
Pandit ji likes this!
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