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World Environment Day is celebrated on the 5th of June every year and is the United Nation’s principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of our environment. Ever since its conceptions, World Environment Day had a theme for each year. The theme for 2018 was “Beat Plastic Pollution”. With the focus on beating plastic pollution, plastics can be recycled and avoided in most cases with alternatives which in turn lessen the load of toxic entering the SWM Cycle.

In honour of our Environment, APD Foundation began its day by participating in a clean-up drive conducted by Mangaluru City Corporation held at Panambur Beach in the morning.

APD Foundation along with the Mangaluru Central Railway Station-Palakkad Division of Southern Railway celebrated the “World Environment Day, 2018”. The program commenced at 11 am at the Mangaluru Central Railway Station with an aim of spreading awareness among the public regarding waste segregation and a plastic pollution free society. The program began with Sri Sayed Muhammed, health inspector of the Mangaluru Central Railway Station, addressing the gathering about the aim of World Environment Day and its theme for this year ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’.  Dr Shiv Shankara Murthy the divisional medical officer welcomed the gathering and spoke about how the modernization of the society affects the environment. He also brought forward the recent issues faced by the Mangalorean people due to heavy rains and stressed how it is the duty of every citizen to fight against pollution. The station manager, Sri Ramkumar spoke about the importance of waste segregation and its role in protecting the environment. Abdullah A. Rehman, Founder and CEO of APD Foundation, engaged the public on the theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’.  As a token of initiation and commemoration of the program, APD Foundation members provided to the Railway Station labels to be used at the various trash bins in and around the Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction Railway Stations. Students of Shree Gujarati Mahajan Association English Medium School, Mangalore, performed two skits raising the concerns of waste management and the effect of environment on peace in the society. Inspector of railway protection force Mr Feroze thanked the organizers, the Students and the gathering for their support throughout the program. Over a hundred people from Mangaluru and surrounding areas were present for the program.

As a part of the Eco Day celebration, we also took part in the program conducted by Yenepoya Medical College, Deralakatte and he had a chance to speak with their students, this exchange brought forth several questions that were related to the handling of solid waste in the medical sector.

“RecycleIndia.org” is an initiative taken by APD Foundation,  which is one of its kind in the city of Mangaluru and the first ever waste contractor supported feature for the for the city and its constituents. Based on a model focused on a similar concept used in London which had a wide coverage and gained attention in India, the website aimed to inspire and advocate people to take action and reduce the waste from daily lives by maximizing their recycling habits and lower the production of waste.

Recycling is the method of converting the waste materials into new usable materials and thus saving it from returning to landfills. When done in maximum quantity, it can save tons of materials filling the landfill and contaminating the environment. The intent of setting up a website is for it to be a portal for dissemination of holistic information and therefore a natural step towards ensuring the sustainability of adopting waste segregation at source by individuals or organizations. In addition to this, the digitization process will enable making them more interactive, accessible and easily updatable.

Most Citizens want to recycle waste and cooperate with such efforts, yet they are unable to do so because they lack the right guidance. This website will help people recycle more things, more often and achieve a zero waste lifecycle. The website will educate people and give a roadmap for waste generators about what to do with each of the 200+ waste materials that are listed on the website. The website will also connect the people to the local recycling centres in the city and help them to dispose of any kind of waste through a proper and sustainable channel. Using the website effectively will help protect the environment from pollution and preserve natural resources as well as help in reducing the landfill space that is growing exponentially. The project will help create a better economy and job opportunities through processing and management of waste. The website initiative comes as part of APD Foundations Smart Swacch Mangaluru (SSM) project that aims to achieve segregation at source, a key step towards the success of Mangaluru’s Solid Waste Management system.

So what are you waiting for, use our website to get information on recycling shops near your location and start recycling

World Water Day, on 22 March every year, is about focusing attention on the importance of water, to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle water and sanitation issues. The theme for World Water Day 2018 is ‘Nature for Water’ – exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21st century.

Damaged ecosystems affect the quantity and quality of water available for human consumption. Today, 2.1 billion people live without safe drinking water at home; affecting their health, education and livelihoods. Today, 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio. Environmental damage, together with climate change, is driving the water-related crises we see around the world. Floods, drought and water pollution are all made worse by degraded vegetation, soil, rivers and lakes. When we neglect our ecosystems, we make it harder to provide everyone with the water we need to survive and thrive.

Nature-based solutions have the potential to solve many of our water challenges. We need to do so much more with ‘green’ infrastructure and harmonize it with ‘grey’ infrastructure wherever possible. Planting new forests, reconnecting rivers to floodplains, and restoring wetlands will rebalance the water cycle and improve human health and livelihoods.

Every year, UN-Water proposes a theme for World Water Day corresponding to a current or future challenge. World Water Day 2018 ’Nature for Water’ will show the potential of nature-based solutions for water and how they can be considered for water management policy and practice. This year’s theme explores how we can use nature to overcome the water challenges of the 21st century.

Introduction

Yenepoya Institute of technology , Moodbidri in association with APD Foundation and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board celebrated World Water Day 2078 March 22nd 2018 at YIT campus

Dr Maheshwari Singh,  Assistant Environment Officer, KSPCB, Mangaluru and Sri Madhu S Manohar. Environmental engineer, Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), Mangaluru inaugurated the event by planting a sapling.

Principal of YIT Rajesh G. D’souza and Bharat Raj of Bharat Corporation were present. Various competitions on the theme ‘ Nature for Water ‘ were conducted for Students.

In his keynote address, Mr Madhu Manohar said , “India has been getting highest rainfall and we have more than two thousand rivers. Still we hear states fighting over water. Rather than preserving the water sources , our generation is misusing them . Bangalore city has 266 lakes in 1950s but now has only 33 or less and they too are getting polluted.  We are selling water for Rs. 20 to Rs. 60 and even more, something which our previous generations would have laughed at. It is glaring that we see water bottles and no water everywhere.”

He urged the students to invest their time and knowledge to develop technologies for rain water harvesting and water conversation.

Chief guest Dr, Maheswari Singh said , Our ancestors  saw it in rivers , we see it in wells and our future generation will have to see it in their tears ,” She advised the students regarding simple practices to save waste water.

Dr Rajesh G D’souza, the Principal of YIT , Moodbidri observed that the solutions to many problems the planet and environment face lie in the young engineers .

A short film made on the subject by the students of YIT was screened at the venue.

Students from various departments participated in competitions conducted on the theme Nature for water. Hamza and Mohd Rauf were the winners of the quiz which was conducted by Abdul Ahad. Sumanth and team from fourth semester won the Script and Act. Ms Susmitha V of fourth semester and Rohith Krishnan of second semester bagged the first and second prize for elocution competition. First and second prizes of pick and speak was won by Ms Hafisa Haris and Ms Pavithra  Hegde  of fourth semester respectively . Nithesh Rao of fourth semester won the drawing competition As Karthik D Naik  of fourth semester bagged the second prize .

Forests are one of nature’s great providers. A source of water and food security, they also give us everything from paper and medicine to renewable energy, low-tech air conditioning and air cleansers. They also protect and enrich biodiversity and are a major tool in the fight against climate change.

Ask several people what a forest is and their answers will probably differ. This is because forests are busy and complex living worlds. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests (IDF) in 2012. The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. The theme for each International Day of Forests is chosen by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests. The theme for 2018 is Forests and Sustainable Cities.

This global celebration of forests provides a platform to raise awareness of the importance of all types of woodlands and trees, and celebrate the ways in which they sustain and protect us. This year we highlight the importance of forests in powering sustainable cities, improving people’s lives and mitigating climate change.

Introduction

Forests and trees store carbon, which helps mitigate the impacts of climate change in and around urban areas; Trees also improve the local climate, helping to save energy used for heating by 20-50 percent; Urban trees are excellent air filters, removing harmful pollutants in the air and fine particulates; Trees reduce noise pollution, as they shield homes from nearby roads and industrial areas; Forests in and around urban areas help to filter and regulate water, contributing to high-quality freshwater supplies for hundreds of millions of people.

Well-managed forests and trees in and around cities provide habitats, food and protection for many plants and animals, helping to maintain and increase biodiversity; Forests in cities and surrounding areas generate tourism, create tens of thousands of jobs and encourage city beautification schemes, building dynamic, energetic and prosperous green economies; Urban green spaces, including forests, encourage active and healthy lifestyles, improve mental health, prevent disease, and provide a place for people to socialize.

Keeping all that mind and in order to bring awareness about the importance of trees and forests, the Karnataka State Forest Department along with Anti-Pollution Drive Foundation- Mangaluru and Antony Waste Handling Cell Pvt Ltd (the company that handles disposal of waste/garbage for Mangaluru City Corporation} organized “International Forest Day” on 21 March 2018 at Tree Park-Tannibavi, Mangaluru. Nearly 100 students participated in the programme, who also took part in the Debate, Drawing, Poster Making and Quiz.

This is part of APD Foundation’s yearlong resolution to celebrate all the eco-friendly days. Although the theme for International Forest Day 2018 is “Forests and Sustainable Cities”, but the organizers have decided to have a local theme “Trees Over Hoardings”. ‘Hence APD team has decided to promote ‘Trees over Hoardings’ concept to highlight the need to reverse the growing trend of trees being cut or felled to accommodate the rising numbers of advertisement hoardings in Mangalore city,” said Abdullah A Rehman-Chief Executive & founder of APD Foundation. The Day was inaugurated by planting a sapling in the Tree Park vicinity by chief guest Mahesh Nayak- Proprietor of Iris Design/Advisory Board Member of APD, along with guest of honor-P. Sridhar, Range Forest Officer, Mangaluru; Abdullah A Rehman, founder of the APD Foundation; Venkateshwara- Deputy Range Officer; and Rekha Sachin-Forest Guard.

Addressing the gathering chief guest Mahesh Nayak said, “If we look around the City, many trees or trees branches are being cut to make way for advertisement hoardings. This is illegal to cut trees without permission from the concerned authorities, but still people do it. Also if you look around the city due to infrastructure, the high raises stand taller than the trees, thereby taking away the natural beauty of the city. Mangaluru which was once a green city has turned into a concrete city, with high rise buildings, apartments etc, thereby killing the clean and green environment. Through programmes like these we need to bring awareness among the people that they should not cut trees, instead protect them for a clean and green environment”

“Nobody would be able to escape adverse effect of this destruction. The disappearance of forests results in changing rainfall pattern and causing drought conditions in large areas. There is a report that about 25 per cent of all the drugs are derived from trees. Trees also yield vital industrial oils, resins and dyes. Now we understand the importance of forests in the country’s economy. We also realize their value in maintaining the ecological balance. Now the government tries to save the forest land and reserve forest in the country. But the destruction of forests continues lakh of fresh trees are planted every year in India but they perish, for lack of care. While we celebrate International Forest day, we should see that we care for the trees and not cut them unnecessarily. I encourage and advise all you students to tour around this Tree Park and learn more about various Trees and also visit the information centre and get more details about forests and trees”added Shridhar.

Participant’s students took part in various contests like Debate, Quiz, Drawing and Poster Making- and won prizes for their talents. There was also An interaction between the students and dignitaries on topics pertaining to Trees and Forests. It was indeed a great day for all these students to enjoy the beauty of nature at the lush and green Tree Park, situated very close to the sea. Kudos to APD and its volunteers namely Karl D’cunha, Crystal  Ria Pinto, Danush Desai, Anusha, Swadhik Masoor- and Ms Neha Shenoy- the Foundation Operation Manager who compered and handled the proceedings.