Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) - Gobar Times (Down To Earth's Supplement)

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Students as teachers
logforgt.jpg (6144 bytes) Last year, In November the UN got 600 children from 60 countries meet in Nairobi, Kenya for the 2nd UNEP International Children’s Conference on Environment. Because Chapter 25 of Agenda 21 says that the UN should pay greater attention to the concerns, opinions and involvement of children and youth in sustainable development processes.

From India, 4 students from the Delhi Environment Action Network (DEAN) Programme participated in the Conference. Around 600 students shared their ideas and experiences on the themes of Wildlife in Danger, Waste and Recycling, and Media and the Environment.

Taking part in different workshops, going for field trips, having heated discussions and messing about in poster-making sessions may sound like loads of fun. But it was hard work as well. How exciting can collecting waste from the Jomo Kenyatta market for composting be, or participating in sessions from from 8 am to 8 pm, for that matter? Very exciting, say the 4 Indian participants who are from Delhi Public School, Ramjas School and Kendriya Vidyalaya, it’s terrific to learn about what children in other countries are doing to change the environment.

They created quite a sensation by presenting their role in environment protection through a nukkad natak or street-play, which was a new concept to many of the foreign participants.

The highlight was the Charter of Challenges that was presented to the UN, and the governments and people of the world urging them take definite steps towards a sustainable tomorrow.

We hope the governments and people of the world are listening.

For more information, contact
Maneesha G, Coordinator - DEAN
B-26,Tara Crescent, Qutub Institutional Area
New Mehrauli Road,
New Delhi 110016
Tel: 6851158

MUCK-MAIL

Gobar Times online: www.cseindia.org

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Well!! the fact that all you guys are able to put in so much, so effectively in a few leaflets is appreciable. I think all the articles are such that they leave an impact on someone or the other. Please convey my congratulations to the Eco-friends from kanpur ontheir effort to make the river Ganga, dead body-free. I read about it in the November issue of Gobar Times. It was worth a footage of a full hour on TV.

Your wonderful efforts are worth being on the Internet. Is Gobar times available on the net?

Varun
Patancheru

We would like to draw your attention to the cartoon strip "Peeco peeks at Ecology" Gobar Times, Issue #4, November 1998. Peeco mentions that " A ‘terminator’ gene kills the plant after it has grown fully. You cannot get seeds from it for future use". This statement is factually incorrect. The (engineered) plant does produce seeds, but these seeds are not viable. This is why, the farmer has to go back to the seed company for the seeds each season. The mature plant is not killed, as mentioned.

Raghu and Shyla
New Delhi

Iam a mother trying to raise eco-senstive children. I think your Gobar Times is doing a great job in creating awareness about ecology and environment issues. Awareness has to followed by action. Why not have a coloumn in Gobar Times which says " what I did for environment today". The entry could win a prize or a special mention.

Shyamala Sanyal
Lonavala

I liked the Gobar Times of 4th Nov.1998. I went through the magazine and liked Panditji’s paper recycling as it savesmanpower and energy.

Tanmoy Sinha
Calcutta

I am a professor of anthropology at a US University. My speciality is the study of consumption and its environmental impact. Your excellent publication, Gobar Times is by far the finest publication of the kind I have seen. Keep up the good work!

Richard Wilk
USA

EYE OPENERS

Facts Of Life

The total wealth of theworld’s three richest individuals is greater than the combined income of the 48 poorest countries — a quarter of all the world’s states.

The world’s population has doubled in the last 50 years and its appetite for meat has grown 4 times. To produce more than 200 million tonnes of meat a year, livestock are fed about 40% of all grain harvested worldwide.