World Heart Day 2010 - "I Work with Heart"

1. Healthy food intake - Eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day and avoid saturated fat. Beware of processed foods, which often contain high levels of salt.

2. Get active & take heart - Even 30 minutes of activity can help to prevent heart attacks and strokes and your work will benefit too.

3. Say no to tobacco - Your risk of coronary heart disease will be halved within a year and will return to a normal level over time.

4. Maintain a healthy weight - Weight loss, especially together with lower ed salt intake, leads to lower blood pressure. High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major factor for approximately half of all heart disease and stroke.

5. Know your numbers - Visit a healthcare professional who can measure your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, together with waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index (bmi). Once you know your overall risk,you can develop a specific plan of action to improve your heart health.

6. Limit your alcohol intake - Restrict the amount of alcoholic drinks that you consume. Excessive alcohol intake can cause your blood pressure to rise and your weight to increase.

 

7. Insist on a smoke-free environmentDemand a tobacco ban - ensure your workplace is 100% smoke-free Support the adoption of smoking - cessation services encourage your employer to provide help to those wanting to quit tobacco

8. Bring exercise to the workplace - Include physical activity in your working schedule - cycle to work if this is possible, take the stairs, exercise or go for a walk during your lunch breaks, and encourage others to do so too

9. Choose healthy food options- Ask for healthy food at your work canteen, or find nearby cafes or restaurants that serve healthy meals

10. Encourage stress-free moments -whilst stress has not been shown to be a direct risk fact or for heart disease and stroke, it is related to smoking, excessive drinking and unhealthy eating, which are risk factors for heart disease.
- Take time for lunch away from your workplace to get some fresh air
- Have regular breaks during the day - try stretching or exercising for 5 minutes twice a day

World Water Day 2010

International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.

As you can see, this year's theme is "Clean Water for Healthy World". The UN Water has released few posters on this theme, emphasizing "Water Quality". they are,

Water Quality = Wellbeing

Three Steps to Water Quality

The Challenge of Change

Water Quality = Health

Few water quality facts and statistics 

Global water pollution

• Every day, 2 million tons of sewage and industrial and agricultural waste are discharged into the world’s water. (UN WWAP 2003)
• The UN estimates that the amount of wastewater “produced” annually is about 1,500 km3. (UN WWAP 2003)

Human waste

• ¦ Lack of adequate sanitation contaminates watercourses worldwide and is one of the most significant forms of water pollution. Worldwide, 2.5 billion people live without adequate sanitation. (UNICEF WHO 2008)
• ¦ 70% of the people who lack sanitation worldwide, i.e. 1.8 billion people, live in Asia. (UNICEF WHO 2008)
• ¦ Sub-Saharan Africa is the slowest of the world’s regions to achieve improved sanitation: only 31% of residents had access to improved sanitation in 2006. (UNICEF WHO 2008)
• ¦ 18% of the world’s population, or 1.2 billion people (1 out of 3 in rural areas), defecate in the open. Open defecation significantly compromises quality in nearby water bodies and poses an extreme human health risk. (UNICEF WHO 2008)
• ¦ In Southern Asia, 63% of rural people – 778 million people – practice open defecation. (UNICEF WHO 2008)

Human health impacts

• ¦ Worldwide, infectious diseases such as waterborne diseases are the number one killer of children under five years old. More people die from unsafe water annually than from all forms of violence, including war. (WHO 2002)
• ¦ Unsafe or inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene cause approximately 3.1% of all deaths worldwide and 3.7 % of DALYs (disability adjusted life years) worldwide. (WHO 2002)
• ¦ Unsafe water causes 4 billion cases of diarrhoea each year, and results in 2.2 million deaths, mostly of children under five. This means that 15% of child deaths each year are attributable to diarrhoea – a child dying every 15 seconds. In India alone, the single largest cause of ill health and death among children is diarrhoea, which kills nearly half a million children each year. (WHO and UNICEF 2000)

Impacts on the environment

• ¦ There has been a widespread decline in biological health in inland (non-coastal) waters. Globally, 24% of mammals and 12% of birds connected to inland waters are considered threatened. (UN WWAP 2003)
• ¦ In some regions, like the Mediterranean and Madagascar and other island groups in the western Indian Ocean, more than 50% of native freshwater fish species are at risk of extinction,and nearly one-third of the world’s amphibians are at risk of extinction. (Vié et al. 2009)
• ¦ Freshwater species have faced an estimated extinction rate five times greater than that of terrestrial species. (Ricciardi and Rasmussen 1999)
• ¦ Freshwater ecosystems sustain a large number of identified species, including a quarter of known vertebrates. Such systems provide more than US$75 billion in goods and ecosystem services for people, but are increasingly threatened by a host of water quality problems. (Vié et al. 2009)

Drinking water quality

• ¦ Point-of- use drinking water treatment through chlorine and safe storage of water could result in 122.2 million avoided DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years, a measure of morbidity), at a total cost of US$ 11.4 billion. (UN WWAP 2003)
• ¦ Nearly 70 million people living in Bangladesh are exposed to groundwater with arsenic above WHO recommended limits of 10 ug/L. (UN WWAP 2009)
• ¦ Naturally occurring arsenic pollution in groundwater now affects nearly 140 million people in 70 countries on all continents. (UN WWAP 2009)

Costs and benefits of water quality

• ¦ With the Millennium Development Goals, the international community committed to halving the proportion of people without access to safe water and sanitation by 2015. Meeting this goal would mean an extra 322 million working days per year gained, at a value of nearly US$ 750 million (SIWI 2005), and an annual health sector cost saving of US$ 7 billion. Overall, the total economic benefits of meeting this MDG target are estimated at US$84 billion. (SIWI 2005)
• ¦ Poor countries with access to clean water and sanitation services experienced faster economic growth than those without: one study found the annual economic growth rate was 3.7 % among poor countries with better access to improved water and sanitation services, while similarly poor countries without access had an annual growth of just 0.1 %. (Sachs 2001)
• ¦ Sanitation and drinking water investments have high rates of return: for every $1 invested, there is a projected $3-$34 economic development return. (UN WWAP 2009)
• ¦ Economic losses, due to the lack of water and sanitation in Africa as a result of the mortality and morbidity impacts, are estimated at $28.4 billion or about 5% of GDP. (UN WWAP 2009)

Pollution from industry and mining

• ¦ 70% of untreated industrial wastes in developing countries are disposed into water where they contaminate existing water supplies. (UN-Water 2009)
• ¦ An estimated 500,000 abandoned mines in the U.S. will cost $20 billion in management and remediation of pollution; many of these sites will require management in perpetuity. (Septoff 2006)
• ¦ In the U.S. state of Colorado alone, some 23,000 abandoned mines have polluted 2,300 km of streams. (Banks, et al. 1997)
• ¦ Chlorinated solvents were found in 30 % of groundwater supplies in 15 Japanese cities, sometimes ending up as much as 10 km from the source of pollution. (UNEP 1996)
• ¦ Roughly one unit of mercury is emitted into the environment for every unit of gold produced by small-scale miners. A total of as much as 1000 tons of mercury is emitted each year. (UNEP/GRIDArendal 2004)

Pollution from agriculture

• ¦ In a comparison of domestic, industrial, and agricultural sources of pollution from the coastal zone of Mediterranean countries, agriculture was the leading source of phosphorus compounds and sediment. (UNEP 1996) Nutrient enrichment, most often associated with nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural runoff, can deplete oxygen levels and eliminate species with higher oxygen requirements, affecting the structure and diversity of ecosystems. 
• ¦ Nitrate1 is the most common chemical contaminant in the world’s groundwater aquifers. (Spalding and Exner, 1993) Mean nitrate levels have risen globally by an estimated 36% in global waterways since 1990, with the most dramatic increases seen in the Eastern Mediterranean and Africa, where nitrate contamination has more than doubled. (GEMS 2004)
• ¦ According to various surveys in India and Africa, 20-50% of wells contain nitrate1 levels greater than 50 milligrams/litre and in some cases, as high as several hundred milligrams per litre. (cited in FAO 1996)

Groundwater impacts

• ¦ In Chennai, India, over-extraction of groundwater has resulted in saline groundwater nearly 10 km inland from the sea and similar problems can be found in populated coastal areas around the world. (UNEP 1996)

Infrastructure affects water quality

• ¦ 60 % of the world’s 227 biggest rivers have interrupted stream flows due to dams and other infrastructure. Interruptions in stream-flow dramatically decrease sediment and nutrient transport to downstream stretches, reducing water quality and impairing ecosystem health.(UN WWAP 2003)

Thanks to : http://www.unwater.org, http://www.worldwaterday.org

Oracle OpenWorld 2009 Keynotes - Sneak Preview http://ping.fm/n8wmc ooworld

Greenwashing

What is Greenwashing?

Everyone’s heard the expression “whitewashing” — it’s defined as “a coordinated attempt to hide unpleasant facts, especially in a political context.”

“Greenwashing” is the same premise, but in an environmental context.

It’s greenwashing when a company or organization spends more time and money claiming to be “green” through advertising and marketing than actually implementing business practices that minimize environmental impact. It’s whitewashing, but with a green brush.

Example please...

A classic example might be an energy company that runs an advertising campaign touting a “green” technology they’re working on — but that “green” technology represents only a sliver of the company’s otherwise not-so-green business, or may be marketed on the heels of an oil spill or plant explosion.

Or a hotel chain that calls itself “green” because it allows guests to choose to sleep on the same sheets and reuse towels, but actually does very little to save water and energy where it counts — on its grounds, with its appliances and lighting, in its kitchens and with its vehicle fleet.

Or a bank that’s suddenly “green” because you can conduct your finances online, or a grocery store that’s “green” because they’ll take back your plastic grocery bags, or …

Why is Greenwashing a Problem?

Seems like anything and everything has “gone green” these days. Airlines, car companies, retailers, restaurants — heck, even networks and stadiums. Thankfully, more often than not, that’s a good thing. It‘s only bad if it’s greenwashing — that’s bad for the environment, consumers and, ultimately, for the very businesses doing the greenwashing — whether they mean to or not.

* Environment: At its very worst, greenwashing is bad for the environment because it can encourage consumers en masse to do the opposite of what’s good for the environment. At its most benign, greenwashing makes claims that are neither good nor bad for the environment — it’s just making green claims to sell more stuff.
* Consumers: We’ve all heard of lemon laws and bait-and-switch. Nobody likes to be taken advantage of, especially when it comes to money. So, the next time you see an environmental claim, ask yourself about “The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth” before you buy. The last thing you want to do is spend money on a product or service you believe is doing right by the environment, but in reality is not — or not as much as the ad might lead you to believe.
* Businesses:Smart businesses are finding out that doing right by the environment actually does increase profitability in many cases. With so many easy ways for businesses to reduce their environmental impact or improve their products and processes, it’s just sad when they don’t. It’s even worse when they don’t make changes and claim to be a green company just to push their agenda. When properly trained, consumers see right through this “green screen.” Then greenwashing backfires, hurting the company’s reputation and, ultimately, their sales.

How Do I Spot It?

There are plenty of good companies telling their environmental stories to the world, and even some who aren’t but should be. Some do it well, others don’t know where to begin. So what is considered good green marketing?

Here are a few tips on what to look for so you don’t get greenwashed, or if you’re a company, so you’re not greenwashing yourselves:

1. Truth: If you see a green ad, take a look at the company as a whole. Can you easily find more information about their sustainable business practices on their Web site? Do they have a comprehensive environmental story? Is there believable information to substantiate the green claims you saw in the ad? If not, buyer beware.
2. The Whole Truth: Next, try this. Google the company name plus the word “environment” and see what pops up. This is far from scientific, but if consumers or environmental advocates have a beef with the company's track record, something’s bound to pop up.
3. And Nothing But The Truth: “I know it when I see it.” Those are the words of Supreme Court Justice Warren Potter in a ruling on hard-core pornography in 1964. As weird as it may seem, those are words to live by for the consumer and green marketing claims. If you spot a green ad, how does it strike your gut? Does it ring true and authentic, or is it obviously hype? Smart shoppers abound globally, and your own scrutiny of green marketing claims is one more item to throw into your shopping cart.

What can we do for it?

1. Keep supporting greener products. As consumers, we have enormous power to shape the marketplace. The worst result of greenwashing would be to give up.
2. Look for, and choose, products with reliable eco-labels. (www.ecologo.org)
3. In the absence of a reliable eco-label, choose the product that offers transparency, information and education.

Once we all keep following this, we can ensure that
> Only Genuinely ‘greener’ products excel
> Competitive pressure from illegitimate green claims is diminished
> Marketers employ environmental concerns to establish honest, trustworthy, and long-lasting dialogue with their customers.

And all these can be done only through public awareness. So, spread this message to your family, friends, colleagues, neighbours and everyone you come across.

Lets start our journey towards a truely Green Environment.

References:
www.terrachoice.com , www.greenwashingindex.com , en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwash

Five Steps of First Aid

1. PPP
P - PRESERVE - Precious Life
P - PREVENT - Things becoming worse
P - PROMOTE - Recovery

2. DTD
D - DIAGNOSIS - to know the problem - Look, Listen, Feel & Smell
T - TREATMENT - before taking to the doctor
D - DISPOSAL - to the hospital

3. FOUR LACKS
During diagnosis check for
A.LACK OF BREATHING (15 - 20 per minute)
B.LACK OF HEART BEAT (60 - 80 per minute)
C.LACK OF BLOOD (4 to 5 litres)
D.LACK OF CONSCIOUSNESS (shake & shout)

4. ABC
Keep brain supplied with oxygen by follwing ABC of Resusciation
A - AIRWAY - Open the airway
B - BREATHING - Maintain Breathing
C - CIRCULATION - Maintain Circulation

5. RECOVERY POSITION / TRANSPORT

Helpful Stretches for Your Mini Work Break

It is recommended that you should take a mini-break every 45 to 60 minutes. While you are on your break, try some of these stretches. It will help you relax those tense muscles.

Whole Body Stretch: Stand and stretch your arms overhead for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
	Shoulder-Blade Pinch: With your fingers interlaced behind your head, pinch your shoulder blades together for 8 to 10 seconds. Repeat several times.
Shoulder Rolls: Slowly roll your shoulders 5 times, forward, then 5 times backward.
	Triceps Stretches: Holding your left elbow with your right hand, gently pull your left elbow behind your head until you feel a stretch (your left hand should rest gently on the base of your neck). Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat in the opposite direction. (If it’s too hard to start with a 30 second stretch, do 3 sets of 10-second stretches or 2 at 15 seconds.)
Hug Stretches: Grasp your right elbow in the palm of your left hand. Pull your arm across your body, as if you are bugging someone. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds. Repeat in the opposite direction.
	Chin Tucks: Keep your head level and pull your chin down as if you were making a double chin. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
Arm and Hand Shakes: With your arms hanging loosely at your sides, shake your arms gently for 5 to 10 seconds.
	Trapezius Stretches: Sit on both hands, palms up. Tiltyour head to one shoulder and hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times for each shoulder.
Hand Stretch: Make a fist with each hand, but don’t squeeze. With your fingers bent, straighten your hand only to the first set of knuckles. Hold for 3 seconds, then straighten your fingers. Repeat 3 times.
	Wrist Circles: Without moving your arms,slowly circle your hands, 3 times in each direction.
Wrist Raises: Without moving your arms, slowly raise and lower your hands 5 times.
	Slow and Fast Blinks: Blink slowly, allowing your eyes to stay closed for a few seconds. Repeat 10 times. Then blink lightly and quickly 10 times. End with a relaxing temple massage.
Shift Focus: Find the object that is farthest away from you and focus on it for 5 to 10 seconds. Blink and breath deeply. Then look back at your screen. Repeat 3 times.
	Close Your Eyes: close your eyes and cover them the palms of your hand for to 30 seconds. Take long, slow, deep breathes. Relax your face, brow and Don’t squeeze your eyes shut.

ALL INDIA TOLL-FREE Terror Help-line "1090"

In case you come across any suspicious activity, any suspicious movement or have any information to tell to the Anti-Terror Squad, please take a note of the new ALL INDIA TOLL-FREE Terror Help-line "1090". Your city's Police or Anti-Terror squad will take action as quickly as possible.

Remember that this single number 1090 is valid all over India.

This is a toll free number and can be dialed from mobile phones. Moreover, the identity of the caller will be kept a secret.

Please try to aware every citizen of India about this facility.