Keep our forests safe.

Are you a Fool yet?

Over 15,000 of us have become Fools for Forests to keep our forests safe.

Our government plans to mine coal in the last remaining forests of Central and Eastern India.^[1] Those who want to save the forests are being called 'fools'. In the past few months a Group of Ministers (GoM),^[2] has met twiceto decide if our forests will be destroyed for coal. Today they will meet, probably for the last time^[3], to make a choice - forests or dirty coal.

The government must realise thatrenewable energy and energy efficiency measures can meet our power demands.^[4] As the 'smart' GoM meets today, we need to show them that the 'fools' will not allow their forests to be destroyed. Darsheel Safary, a budding child artist has signed up to be a Fool for Forests.

See what he has to say and become a Fool for Forests by asking the government to protect our forests.

The growing support for forests will be communicated to the government to show them that the public wants their forests protected. Last year, massive public opposition helped get a moratorium on genetically modified Bt brinjal.^[5] We must do this again to keep our forests safe.

These forests support thousands of communities and are home to wildlife like tigers and elephants. All these will be impacted if the government goes ahead with its plan to destroy the forests for the coal beneath them.

Research by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shows that renewable energy can power the world.^[6] The government needs to invest in renewable energy instead of coal. Become a Fool for Forests now and tell them.

News Source:

1. Allow mining in 90% no-go zones', Hindusthan Times, October 29 2010
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Allow-mining-in-90-no-go-zones/Article1-619206.aspx

2. GoM to look into no-go areas for mining, Times of India, January 14, 2011
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-01-14/india/28371239_1_environment-ministry-finance-minister-gom

3. GoM on coal to now meet on June 9, Business standard, June 6, 2011
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/gomcoal-to-now-meetjune-9/137592/on

4. Greenpeace provides an alternate energy vision for India, Greenpeace, March 24, 2009
http://www.greenpeace.org/india/en/news/greenpeace-provides-an-alterna/

5. It's moratorium on Bt brinjal: Jairam, The Hindu, February 10, 2010
It’s moratorium on Bt brinjal: Jairam, The Hindu, February 10, 2010http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/10/stories/2010021058000100.htm

6. Renewable energy can power the world, says landmark IPCC study, Guardian, May 9, 2011
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/09/ipcc-renewable-energy-power-world

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Switch off diesel...Switch to renewable energy..

Issue-:Social.

Airtel is ignoring the voice of over 30,000 people asking the company to go renewable. The telecom giant, like others in the sector, burns lakhs of liters of climate change-causing diesel to run its mobile network tower.

The telecom sector uses diesel at a subsidised price, which results in the government losing Rs 2600 crores.^[1] So they are acceleratingthe climate change crisis and robbing people’s hard-earned money at the same time. Their unsustainable practices are also making us talk dirty.

As the market leader, Airtel alone controls lakhs of mobile towers and enjoys the biggest portion of the subsidised diesel. The company can set an example by switching to renewable energy which is cheap and clean.^[2] Over 30,000 current and potential customers have already asked them to go renewable.^[3] We need to put more pressure.
More and more current and potential Airtel subscribers, asking them to switch to renewable energy will help increase pressure on them to act. The company is bound to provide good service to its subscribers and will find it difficult to ignore the increasing number of people asking them to switch off diesel.

Like coal and nuclear, oil too is an unsustainable energy option. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill last year showed the dangers of our addiction to oil. ^[4]

Studies conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have shown that renewable energy is capable of powering the world.^[5] Airtel needs to realise this and quit dirty energy.

Can you add your signature to the petition asking Airtel to switch to renewable energy.

News Sources:

1. Telecom industry's "diesel exploitation" exposed, Business Standard, May 25, 2011
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/telecom-industrys-diesel-exploitation-exposed-/435975/

2. Dirty Talking - A case for telecom to shift from diesel to renewable, Greenpeace India, May 21, 2011
http://www.greenpeace.org/india/en/What-We-Do/Stop-Climate-Change/Green-Electronics/switch-off-diesel/report-switch-off-diesel/

3. Over 22,000 customers ask Airtel to go green, www.ciol.com, May 23, 2011
http://www.ciol.com/News/News/News-Reports/Over-22000-customers-ask-Airtel-to-go-green/150237/0/

4. BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill likely to cost more than Exxon Valdez, Guardian, April 30, 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/apr/30/bp-cost-deepwater-horizon-spill?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

5. Renewable energy can power the world, says landmark IPCC study, Guardian, May 9, 2011
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/09/ipcc-renewable-energy-power-world