Wanting answer to your environmental questions ? Ask me! Use snail mail or email me at this address: panditji@cseindia.org I am being too much happy for giving answerings to your good questioning. I promise to really wreck my brains. Write me in Gobar Times. I am impatient waiting. For environmental questions, your thinkings. Pandit Gobar Ganesh

Ritwick Ghosh, New Delhi

 Dear Ritwick
Congratulations! What a wonderfooool idea. Your own newsletter on the environment! Here are some ideas and tips on making your newsletter more effective and successful:

• When thinking about any editorial matter, always keep your readers (target audience) in mind. What do they want? How will they respond to what you write? In what form would they like to read the information.
• The name of your product is important. ECOBUZZ is interesting. How about a ‘humble bee’ as a mascot?

• Fundung

  You can divide up your newsletter into different parts: Feature/cover story, news and events, editor’s comments, etc. You could have separate sections on the environmental issues/activities of your school, your city or country and an international section if you so desire. You can possibly start with a report on how eco-friendly your school is. Suggest ways and means on how you can make your school "greener". Not by planting trees only but by reducing the use of energy, water, paper, etc. Read the accompanying article in this issue of GT. Feature news items of local environmental issues in your cities. As they say "Think globally, act locally".

• People like to be entertained. So keep your writing informative yet interesting and fun to read. Use short and easy sentences. Use pictures and illustrations wherever possible. Cartoons would be great. Always explain terms and phrases. Environmental jargon like sustainability, climate change, biodiversity may not be familiar to many. Keep the word length of your articles short and sweet.
• Try and get your readers to contribute and participate in your efforts. Have a letters’ column. Things-to-do like crosswords, contests may help. Keep your eyes and ears open. Scan newspapers and magazines to get articles and stories that you might want to share with your readers.