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CSE's Fortnightly News Bulletin [August 27, 2007]
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An e-bulletin from CSE, India, to our network of friends and
professionals interested in environmental issues. Scroll to the bottom
of this page for information on how to unsubscribe.
INSIDE:
- Editorial: Bottled water costs us the earth
- CSE director Sunita Narain speaks at the royal colloquium in Sweden
- Cover Story: How green is your building?
- News: Karachi expressway: an expensive ride
- News: Rodents wipe out crops in Mizoram
- Feature: Workers starving due to closure of tea estates in North Bengal
- Science: What ails India's wind pattern study?
- CSE welcomes government's go-ahead to fuel economy standards
- E-pov News: Monthly newsletter on environment and poverty
- Gobar Times: Minerals, myths & mafias
- Seventh CSE Media Fellowships on 'Rivers: Used and abused'
- Courses: Environmental management, rainwater harvesting, sustainable
villages
- New film collection: 'Hands on: Ideas to go'
- Special invitation: freed.in
- Questionnaire: Rate your pollution control board
- Job openings/volunteering opportunities at CSE
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Editorial: Bottled water costs us the earth
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By Sunita Narain
The bottled water industry is global in nature. But it is designed to
sell the same product to two completely different markets: one water
rich and the other water scarce. The question is whether this industry
will have different outcomes in these two worlds. Or will we, for two
opposite reasons, agree that their business costs us the earth and that
it is not good for us?
In the water and economically-rich world, bottled water started as a
luxury-a non-essential item of desire, health and status. The water came
from fancy mountain streams: they were packaged and sold as
mineral-filled sparkling water. It was different from tap water and a
healthy (and snobbish) alternative to sweet and street smart colas. But
soon, the industry grew. In most cases, the companies sold water that
was not sourced from mountain springs but from public water: municipal
water sources. Once the snob habit was formed and the market created,
the companies simply packaged tap water in most cases into plastic
bottles and sold it from supermarkets.
Like nobody said the emperor had no clothes on. Nobody asked why they
were buying water for ten times the municipality's price. Call it a
great advertising success, but this non-essential industry is growing
exponentially. In 2006, Americans paid over US $11 billion to buy 31
billion litres of bottled water, and they are thirsting for more.
But the bubble is bursting. Last month, San Francisco's mayor banned the
use of bottled water in government buildings, incriminating billions of
disposed plastic bottles that filled landfills. In the us, a staggering
60 million plastic bottles are thrown away each day, a miniscule
proportion of them are recycled. Greenhouse gas emission from trucks
which transported the bottles across the state-and often across
countries-was also a reason for the ban.
But equally importantly, the mayor stressed that his city's municipal
water came from pristine sources inside a national park. This was as
good, if not better, than the bottled water sold by companies, he said.
He is not alone. Last year, Salt Lake City's mayor asked public
employees to stop supplying bottled water at official events. New York
has launched a US $1 million campaign to encourage people to drink its
famously clean public water. Another slap has come from top-notch
restaurants, which-in reverse snobbery-are refusing to serve bottled
water. The worst is coming. Last week, junk food giant Pepsi was forced
to admit in the us that Aquafina, its bottled water, is nothing more
than tap water. It has agreed to label its bottles to say what it
doesn't want to: that Aquafina is tap water from a public water source.
The bottled water industry is in damage control mode. But I believe that
this scream could easily become a shout as people realise the
environmental cost of this product and realise the sheer stupidity of
paying dearly for something that is cheaper and readily available.
Bottled water is also growing big time in our world. India is said to be
the 10th largest bottled water consumer in the world. The demand has
increased from two million cases in 1990 to an estimated 68 million
cases by 2006. But in India, bottled water is growing as an item of
necessity: private industry is meeting the drinking water demand that
public utilities don't meet. People are paying prices that they cannot
afford because they have no alternative.
In India, this water does not come from municipal taps but from
groundwater. Companies simply drill a hole in the ground, pump and clean
(some-times) to bottle it and then transport it to cities. Simply put,
this is the privatisation of drinking water.
The business is a rip-off. Take for instance the case of Coca-Cola's
bottling plant in drought-prone Kala Dera near Jaipur. Coca-Cola gets
its water free except for a tiny cess (for discharging wastewater) it
pays to the state pollution control board: a little over Rs 5,000 a year
during 2000-02 and Rs 24,246 in 2003. It extracts half a million litres
of water every day-at a cost of 14 paise per 1,000 litres. In other
words, raw material costs of the Rs 12 per litre Kinley water sold to
you and me is just 0.02-0.03 paise.
Add to it treatment costs. Even with the state-of-the-art treatment
system with reverse osmosis and membranes, the cost of treatment is Rs
0.25 per litre at the most. Plastic bottle is what costs the
company-between Rs 3-4 for a one-litre container. Transportation-from
the bottling plant to our cities and homes-adds significantly to the
costs as does all the sales and advertising pitch. But add up all costs
and it is still a dream business, especially in a country with failing
public water supply.
The fact is that bottled water is no different from water that should
come from our taps. The only difference is it is packed in plastic and
not conveyed in pipelines. But, while the Indian rich can afford to buy
bottled water, the poor cannot. The rich have the choice and they opt
out of the failing municipal systems. What is forgotten is that Indian
water systems are failing because the rich in the country-who can afford
bottled water-are still supplied water at a tenth of what it costs the
municipality. Worse, our wastewater is conveyed and pumped from our
homes and even treated (at times). None of this cost is recovered. In
other words, it is our subsidy which is leading to poorer and poorer
delivery from water agencies. It is the rich, who have options to drink
bottled, who are failing the system.
I am not even talking here of the mountains of plastic waste, the
disposal of which isn't paid for. I am talking here of the imperative
that we should fix water for all in all taps. Water in bottles costs the
earth everywhere.
Read editorial online >>
www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=2
To comment, write to >>
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CSE director Sunita Narain speaks at the royal colloquium in Sweden
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CSE director Sunita Narain recently spoke on 'Water, climate change and
the development of cities' at the royal colloquium in honour of H.M.
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
Read her presentation entitled 'Dreaming the impossible, practicing the
possible: building green cities for our world' >>
http://www.cseindia.org/misc/stockholm.ppt
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Cover Story: How green is your building?
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India's construction industry is growing at a tremendous pace. It is one
of the largest in terms of economic expenditure, use of raw materials
and environmental impact. The industry is now slowly moving towards
green architecture, which aims at cutting down the embodied energy that
is consumed during the construction of buildings as well as their
operational energy. So mud, clay, straw, stone and bamboo are replacing
cement and steel, solar panels are being set up, water harvesting
structures are being installed -- all with the aim of reducing the
ecological footprints of buildings. Amid the activity one thing is
clear: that all buildings --old and new -- are a part of the
environmental problem and solution. Therefore, it is necessary to evolve
an Indian definition and practice of green architecture.
Read online >>
www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=1
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More in Down To Earth magazine
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News: Karachi expressway: an expensive ride
Urban planners and civil society groups in Pakistan have condemned the
government's plan of building a 25-km elevated expressway in Karachi,
which will link the city's airport with its two ports. Opponents of the
US $350 million project say it is financially unviable, unnecessary,
ecologically and aesthetically unfriendly, and has been conceived to
reap political gains. Moreover, countries across the world are
demolishing their expressways and flyovers, and trying to improve basic
infrastructure. The key to development, they say, lies in better
planning and stricter implementation of laws.
Read complete article >>
www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=3
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News: Rodents wipe out crops in Mizoram
Mizoram is facing a famine-like situation following destruction of rice
and maize crops by rodents, which thrive on high protein bamboo flowers.
As a result, the state has been struggling to provide food to all, and
has sought aid from the Centre. Civil society groups say the problem
could have been averted had the government been systematic, and had
disallowed hijacking of relief schemes by contractors, bureaucrats and
politicians.
Read online >>
www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=4
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Feature: Workers starving due to closure of tea estates in North Bengal
Thousands of workers and their families have been suffering for the last
four years since the closure of numerous tea estates in North Bengal.
Most gardens were shut after production fell and profits plummeted due
to low yields from ageing tea bushes. Several estates were abandoned by
their owners, leaving behind large debts and dues in workers' provident
funds. Such is the pitiable situation that around 1,000 people --
workers and their family members -- have died of malnutrition and
related diseases. Most people are now surviving on as little as 200
calories per day and cannot pay for medical problems. Government grants
have failed to reach these distressed families. Is there a way out of
this abyss?
Read online >>
www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=5
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Science: What ails India's wind pattern study?
Cyclone Gonu, which lashed Oman in June this year, delayed monsoons by a
week in India. It also showed the chinks in India's wind pattern
research as due to an inadequate system, the Indian Meteorological
Department (IMD) failed to predict the disturbance on the Persian Gulf
and consequently the delay in rains. Since India relies heavily on the
monsoon for farming, it is high time IMD got serious about recording and
studying wind data.
Read online >>
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/full6....ec_id=12&sid=1
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CSE welcomes government's go-ahead to fuel economy standards
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After a sustained campaign, CSE has welcomed the government's recent
policy decision to set fuel economy standards for vehicles in India. The
Bureau of Energy Efficiency -- mandated under the Energy Conservation
Act, 2001, to reduce energy consumption -- has signed a memorandum of
understanding with the Petroleum Conservation Research Association to
set the standards.
This is an important opportunity to address the energy crisis and the
looming threat of escalating greenhouse gas emissions from the
transportation sector. Vehicle numbers have increased phenomenally over
the years, increasing fuel consumption several times over. While the
world is hoping for large fuel savings in the transport sector from
stepping up fuel economy levels, we are yet to begin.
Read previous press releases on the issue >>
http://www.cseindia.org/AboutUs/pres...s_20070215.htm http://www.cseindia.org/aboutus/pres...ress-index.htm
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E-pov News: Monthly newsletter on environment and poverty
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Leader: Employment for all by 2010?
The Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council has projected full
employment for India by 2010. However, the forecast comes with a
disclaimer. Work for all would not necessarily imply quality employment.
The Economic Outlook for 2007-2008 reports the bulk of increase in
employment has happened in agriculture and in the informal sector where
both wage rates and income growth are lower than most sectors of the
economy.
Read full text online >>
http://www.cseindia.org/programme/nr...r_august07.htm
For complete newsletter visit >>
http://www.cseindia.org/programme/nr...v-august07.htm
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Gobar Times: Environment for beginners
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Minerals, myths & mafias
India's richest mineral-bearing regions are those which hold lush green
forests, along with its poor people. Therefore, any efforts to extract
minerals from these lands results in upheaval in the lives of millions,
causes environmental degradation and generates huge amounts of waste.
Read complete article >>
http://www.gobartimes.org
For more information on the second Gobar Times Green Schools Awards >>
http://www.cseindia.org/programme/eeu/gsp_award2007.htm
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Seventh CSE Media Fellowships on 'Rivers: Used and abused'
October-November, 2007
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India's rivers are in a pitiable state. Around 29,000 million litres per
day (mld) of domestic wastewater and 15,000 mld of industrial waste is
discharged into the country's 12 major river basins. Crores of rupees
have been spent on cleaning up this mess, but the rivers remain dirtier
than ever.
What is the reason behind this monumental failure? How unclean, really,
are our rivers, and what is their present state doing to us? What are
the alternatives and options for cleaning them?
To address these and many other issues revolving around rivers in India,
CSE announces the Seventh CSE Media Fellowships on 'Rivers: Used and
abused', and invites active journalists to apply. Selected Fellows will
be expected to devote time to travel, research and report on the subject.
For more information >>
http://www.cseindia.org/programme/media/rivers.htm
For details contact >>
Souparno Banerjee <souparno@cseindia.org>
Shachi Chaturvedi <shachi@cseindia.org>
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Courses: Environmental management, rainwater harvesting, sustainable
villages
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CSE's Anil Agarwal Green Centre (AAGC) seeks to make knowledge
investments in society through education and training programmes.
Courses help participants better understand issues that lie at the
interface of environment and development policy,
science, technology, poverty, democracy and equity.
1. Agenda for survival: Two-month certificate course on policies,
politics and practices of environmental management in India
(October 23-December 14, 2007)
The two-month certificate course for students and young professionals
will -- through lectures, readings, debates, weekly outings, reportage
and a five-day field tour to rural India -- explore the complexities
underlying the environment-development debate in the country. Several
fellowships are available to support students.
Register online >>
http://www.cseindia.org/aagc/index.htm
For more information contact:
Aditya Batra <aagc@cseindia.org>
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2. Training programme for students: Urban Rainwater Harvesting
(September 24-27, 2007)
This popular course is open for students of architecture and planning,
engineering and environmental studies.
For more information >>
http://www.cseindia.org/misc/pdf/RWH.pdf
Register online >>
http://www.cseindia.org/misc/rwh_coursesept07.htm
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3. City water and waste management: Alternative paradigms
(October 16-19, 2007)
The unique workshop will discuss the urgent need to switch from the
current paradigm of capital, water and material intensive processes of
waste management to a more cost effective, non-sewerage paradigm of
human waste disposal.
For more information >>
http://www.cseindia.org/misc/wastemanagement.htm
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4. Towards green villages
(November 19-23, 2007)
The programme will articulate how the environment can be used for
eradicating poverty in rural areas, and explain how villages can be made
sustainable.
Register online >>
http://www.cseindia.org/misc/tgv_november07.htm
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New film collection: 'Hands on: Ideas to go'
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'Hands on: Ideas to go' is a collection of 25 films, which give
information on what people around the world are doing to meet the
challenges of Agenda 21 -- the Earth Summit's action plan to save the
planet.
The films cover issues like sustainable farming, building, mining,
health, transport, energy, recycling, agro-forestry and innovative
production methods. They encourage critical reflection and promote
collaborative learning and action.
CSE is offering the complete package of 25 films at 20 per cent
discount. So now you pay Rs 15,000 for a set of VCDs, and Rs 19,000 for
the DVDs.
For more information contact >>
Vikas Khanna <vikas@cseindia.org>
For an exhaustive list of films and publications visit >>
http://csestore.cse.org.in
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Special invitation: freed.in
New Delhi, September 28-29, 2007
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freed.in is an annual community event, which promotes freedom in
technology and personal privacy in software and other related fields. It
makes free and open source software more visible to the world, helps
nurture the community and enables networking within and outside the
community.
Experience the freedom and excitement at >>
School of Information Technology, Jawaharlal Nehru University Campus,
New Delhi.
For more information >>
http://freed.in
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Questionnaire: Rate your pollution control board
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India's economic development is causing severe environmental problems.
To make matters worse, the country's long-standing policies, regulations
and regulatory institutions, which control environmental pollution and
natural resource degradation, are proving to be ineffective.
Keeping this in mind, CSE has launched a research project, 'Rate your
pollution control board', which seeks to identify strengths, weaknesses
and gaps in the country's existing environmental regulatory regime.
We request all industries and civil society members who work or interact
with pollution control boards to share their views and experiences with
us by filling a questionnaire.
Fill online questionnaire >>
http://www.cseindia.org/programme/in...estionnair.htm
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Job openings/volunteering opportunities at CSE
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CSE offers numerous interesting career opportunities: from researching
on water, air pollution, livelihood and industry related issues, to
reporting on the environment, and disseminating information with the web
team. To be a part of our organisation -- as an employee or as an
intern/volunteer -- visit our website.
To know more about job openings at CSE >>
http://www.cseindia.org/joinus-index.htm
To intern/volunteer at CSE >>
http://www.cseindia.org/volunteer.htm
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