This pandemic has forced us to switch onto the online mode of work, since going to office is a near impossible task during these difficult times. Most of the corporate offices have adapted to the WFH trend. But the major question arises is the environment benefited from this choice.
For the roughly 20% to 40% of employees who can work from home, many companies are announcing that post-pandemic work won’t necessarily take place at work – at least not five days a week. Microsoft, Spotify, Salesforce, Google, Facebook, Nationwide insurance, Capital One and Citigroup, among others, have embraced hybrid configurations combining remote work and time in the office. There soon could be four times as many people working from home as did pre-Covid.
Shopify’s CEO declared in May of last year that remote work would become a permanent fixture. Accounting for the energy consumption of its nearly 6,000 employees working from home in 2020, Shopify’s emissions dropped 29%, according to Kauk. But “last year isn’t typical remote work,” she said. “It’s remote work during Covid.” What happens when the world opens back up?
Kauk posed the dilemma to Watershed, a software outfit that helps companies track and reduce their carbon footprints.
When workers’ homes become their offices, commutes may fall out of the carbon equation, but what’s happening inside those homes must be added in. How much energy is being used to run the air conditioner or heater? Is that energy coming from clean sources? In some parts of the country during lockdown, average home electricity consumption rose more than 20% on weekdays, according to the International Energy Agency. IEA’s analysis suggests workers who use public transport or drive less than four miles each way could actually increase their total emissions by working from home.
The cities are continuously experiencing extreme flooding events which requires attention and proper solution before it gets converted to a deadly disaster. URBAN FLOODING is a chronic process which is caused due because the city landscapes fail yo absorb or manage the rainfall. Urban Flooding is separate and different from coastal and riverine flooding and are more frequent and localized.
What is Urban Flooding ?
Urban Flooding is the flooding happening in urban areas due to excessive runoff in urban areas and because the runoff doesn’t get managed properly. This phenomenon can be caused during heavy rainfalls as well as in small amount of rainfall. Even small amount of rain can deteriorate or cause flooding due to inadequate infrastructure and actions taken by neighborhood or city to manage the storm water, especially in impoverished, neglected and socio-economic isolated urban communities. Urban flooding has three components: (i) caused by rainfall; (ii) falls on impervious surfaces; and (iii) increases the level of local storm water drainage capacity. These components along with heavy rainfall or precipitation, climate change, outdated drainage infrastructure and storm water management infrastructures and increased urbanization can cause major challenge and disaster in urban areas. Urban Flooding is caused due to the climate change and extreme weather conditions of the cities. The phenomenon becomes more and more frequent and common in urban areas these days. While untimely heave rains can be seen as a consequence of climate change, the urban flooding can be seen as the consequence of unplanned urbanization.
URBAN FLOODING
Urban Flooding in India
The rate of urban flooding has been increasing in India and it is severely affecting the major cities. Some of the most disastrous urban flooding were found in Mumbai (2005), Kolkata (2007), Delhi (2009), Bangalore (2015) and Hyderabad (2020) the most recent doubt. Flooding in India is mostly found in its peak in monsoons seasons and many times when the storm surges at coastal cities urban flooding is caused. There are many other causes of urban flooding also, like failure to release water from dams, increasing proportion of built up area etc. In addition to these causes, Urban Heat Island effect has also resulted in an increase in rainfall over urban areas. Global climate changes results in extreme weather patterns and increased incidences of heavy rainfall occurring over shorter periods of time. This phenomenon is also increasing sea level and threatening all the coastal cities.
URBAN FLOODING IN INDIA
URBAN FLOODING IN NEW DELHI, INDIA
Factors behind Urban Flooding
There are number of factors behind the phenomenon and some of the major factors behind this phenomenon are
Inadequate Drainage Facilities: There are many cities in the country who are relying on age old drainage systems which are efficient in carrying the rainfall when heave rainfall happens. These drains don’t have adequate capacity for carrying them.
Alteration of Natural Drains: Cities have been built and developed by flattening the natural terrain and altering and manipulating the natural drainage routes.
Increasing Imperviousness and Reducing Seepage: With increasing urbanization, the proportion of impervious areas is also increasing. With this the seepage of rainwater decreases and leads to flooding.
Encroachment over Natural Spaces: The developments are encroaching the green spaces, water bodies, open spaces etc. which are natural areas and have the ability to seep water.
HOW URBANIZATION CAUSES URBAN FLOODING
HOW INCREASING BUILT UP AREA CAUSE URBAN FLOODING ?
With the increasing rate of urbanization the capacity of natural drains has decreases and results in flooding. Improper solid waste disposal and dumping of construction debris into the drains which also contributes significantly to the reduction in capacity of the natural drains. This problem will keep on increasing with increasing population because the demand of living spaces and infrastructures are met by encroaching over floodplains and green spaces. Hence, it is important to manage and regulate the developmental works taking place in the city.
The term neighborhood is often used to describe the sub divisions of urban or rural settlements. In its purest definition, a neighborhood is the vicinity in which people live. Neighbourhood unit idea was proposed by Clarence Perry in 1929. Neighborhoods have some particular physical or social characteristics that distinguish them from the rest of the settlement. The clustering of these neighborhoods has formed towns, villages, and cities. The Neighbourhood unit plan in brief is the effort to create a residential neighbourhood to meet the needs of family life in a unit related to the larger whole but possessing a distinct entity.
Perry described the neighborhood unit as that populated area which would require and support an elementary school with an enrolment of between 1,000 and 1,200 pupils. This would mean a population of between 5,000 and 6,000 people. Developed as a low density dwelling district with a population of 10 families per acre, the neighborhood unit would occupy about 160 acres and have a shape which would render it unnecessary for any child to walk a distance of more than one-quarter mile to school.
About 10% of the area would be allocated to recreation, and through traffic arteries would be confined to the surrounding streets, internal streets being limited to service access for residents of the neighborhood. The unit would be served by shopping facilities, churches, library and a community center, the latter being located in conjunction with the school. Perry outlined six basic principles of good neighborhood design. As may be understood, these core principles were organized around several institutional, social and physical design ideals.
Major arterials and through traffic routes should not pass through residential neighborhoods. Instead these streets should provide boundaries of the neighborhood
Interior street patterns should be designed and constructed through use of cul-de-sacs, curved layout and light duty surfacing so as to encourage a quiet, safe and low volume traffic movement and preservation of the residential atmosphere
The population of the neighborhood should be that which is required to support its elementary school
The neighborhood focal point should be the elementary school centrally located on a common or green, along with other institutions that have service areas coincident with the neighborhood boundaries
The radius of the neighborhood should be a maximum of one quarter mile thus precluding a walk of more than that distance for any elementary school child
Shopping districts should be sited at the edge of neighborhoods preferably at major street intersections.
Neighbourhood unit
Principles of Neighbourhood Planning
1) Size
The town is divided into selfcontained units or sectors of 10,000 populations. This is further divided into smaller units called neighbourhood unit with 2,000 to 5,000 based on the requirement of one primary school. The size of the unit is therefore limited to about 1 to 1.5 sq km i.e. within walkable distance of 10 to 15 minutes.
2) Boundaries
The unit should be bounded on all its sides by main road, wide enough for traffic.
3) Protective Strips
These are necessary to protect the neighbourhood from annoyance of traffic and to provide suitable facilities for developing parks, playgrounds and road widening scheme in future. These are also called Minor Green Belts.
4) Internal Streets
The internal streets are designed to ensure safety to the people and the school going children in particular, since the mothers are anxious every day till the safe return of the child. The internal streets should circulate throughout the unit with easy access to shops and community centres.
5) Layout of Buildings
To encourage neighbourhood relation and secure social stability and balance, houses to suit the different income group should be provided such as single family houses, double family houses, cottages, flats, etc.
6) Shopping Centres
Each shop should be located on the circumference of the unit, preferably at traffic junctions and adjacent to the neighbourhood units.
7) Community Centres
Each community will have its centre with social, cultural and recreational amenities.
8) Facilities
All public facilities required for the family for their comfort and convenience should be within easy reach. These include the primary school, temple, club, retail shop, sport centre, etc. These should be located within 1km in the central place so as to form a nucleus to develop social life of the unit.
Neighborhood in the Contemporary Urban Context
The concept of neighborhood unit in traditional built environments and rural settlements constituted a strong sense of attachment, identity, admittance and belonging for inhabitants. Neighborhood feeling in contemporary urban environments is less dependent on the sharing of common close physical residential environment. Impacts of urbanization, rise of mass society, modernization, improved inter connectivity and the consequent increased socio-spatial mobility in the neighborhood has been highly destructive. Increasing mobility and transportation facilities have opened up new possibilities, thereby disregarding the benefits expected of a neighborhood.
Remote activities and changed lifestyles of dwelling occupants thus become the basic factors that shape the social environment. This issue causes segregation of the social environment from the immediate physical environment. Most of the current housing approaches concentrate on the physical attributes of single dwelling units and exclude the fact that the dwelling units rarely stand alone in a given physical space. The high-rise settlement blocks with inadequately planned physical environment characterize most of the contemporary developments. This however does not diminish the importance of the neighborhood unit.
In the times of increasing dependency on digital technology, digital literacy plays a vital role for learning or working in this virtual world. Digital literacy refers to the skills and knowledge to access and use the digital technology responsibly.It is also called the survival skill in this digital world.
It does not only mean the knowledge to use digital platforms, it also includes other skills such as critical thinking, practical and functional skills, efficient communication, curating information, collaboration, creativity, E-safety, cultural and social understanding, required while operating a digital platform. Digital literacy is extremely important to overcome the obstacles while learning or working in the digital era.
It does not refer to just a technical know-how or the ability to read content online. It includes the understanding of basic rules, social practices and ethics while using cyberspace. The digital world is filled with information on various topics. It becomes imperative to know how to access and consume credible information. Awareness about the fact that every piece of information received online may not be true is extremely important.
Most of the content online is shareable. Therefore it is important to check the credibility of the information and know the impact that the shared information can have on others. The content is also searchable. So it is important to know how to search for relevant information. Not every information we see online may be the latest one, its relevance needs to be checked before consuming or sharing it further.
The cyberspace is interconnected with each other, people can connect here easily. Digital communication is always two-way. Most of the content has the option to receive feedback. So it is an important aspect of digital literacy to learn effective communication skills for the digital platform. Communication can be both formal or informal in cyberspace. Nowadays, a number of career options require online collaboration and digital communication skills.
The online behaviour of users also plays an important role. Often people do not realise the consequence of their actions online and take their digital presence for granted. Digital literacy makes people aware to make a safe cyberspace and avoid cyber bullying, abuse and harassment. It is crucial to know about the basic internet safety measures like setting a strong password, maintaining password secrecy, privacy settings in social media, reporting fake accounts etc.
Digital literacy is being promoted in educational institutions so that the students can find and consume accurate information. The students can access diverse learning content from the digital space, especially from the facilities like the digital library.
In this constantly changing world of technology, Digital Literacy is a lifelong learning process. The basic knowledge of functioning digitally and constantly learning about the latest updates and features of cyberspace has become essential in today’s world.
The Indian government has launched an electronic voucher based digital payment system e-RUPI.
What is e-Rupi ?
It is a cashless and contactless method for digital payment. It is a Quick Response (QR) code or SMS string-based e-voucher, which is delivered to the mobile of the users.
The users will be able to redeem the voucher without needing a card, digital payments app, or internet banking access, at the service provider.
It connects the sponsors of the services with the beneficiaries and service providers in a digital mode without any physical interface.
The mechanism also ensures that the payment to the service provider is made only after the transaction is completed.
The system is pre-paid in nature and hence, assures timely payment to the service provider without the involvement of any intermediary.
How is it different from Digital Currency?
e-RUPI is backed by the existing Indian rupee as the underlying asset and specificity of its purpose makes it different to a virtual currency and puts it closer to a voucher-based payment system.
Issuing Entities & Beneficiary Identification
The one-time payment mechanism has been developed by the National Payments Corporation of India on its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform, in collaboration with the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, and National Health Authority.
It has boarded banks that will be the issuing entities. Any corporate or government agency will have to approach the partner banks, which are both private and public-sector lenders, with the details of specific persons and the purpose for which payments have to be made.
The beneficiaries will be identified using their mobile number and a voucher allocated by a bank to the service provider in the name of a given person would only be delivered to that person.
What are its uses?
For the Government
It is expected to ensure a leak-proof delivery of welfare services and can also be used for delivering services under schemes meant for providing drugs and nutritional support under Mother and Child welfare schemes, drugs & diagnostics under schemes like Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, fertiliser subsidies etc.
For the Private entities
Even the private sector can leverage these digital vouchers as part of their employee welfare and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.
What is the significance of e-Rupi?
The government is already working on developing a Central Bank Digital Currency and the launch of e-RUPI could potentially highlight the gaps in digital payments infrastructure that will be necessary for the success of the future digital currency.
Will this workout for India?
According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), there are at least four reasons why digital currencies are expected to do well in India
Increasing Penetration: There is increasing penetration of digital payments in the country that exists alongside sustained interest in cash usage, especially for small value transactions.
High Currency to GDP Ratio: India’s high currency to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio holds out another benefit of CBDCs.
Cash-to-GDP Ratio or Currency in Circulation (CIC) to GDP Ratio or simply currency-to-GDP ratio shows the value of cash in circulation as a ratio of GDP.
Spread of Virtual Currencies: The spread of private virtual currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum may be yet another reason why CBDCs become important from the point of view of the central bank.
Will Act as a Cushion: Central bank digital currencies might also cushion the general public in an environment of volatile private virtual currencies.
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It was only after the cash crunch of November 2016 that digital payments had received their booster shot into the mainstream Indian economy. Moreover, the increased penetration of internet and smartphone usage with government programs like Digital India have paved the way for electronic payments in India. The digital payment instrument that has gained exponential popularity among both the merchants and consumers however is the mobile wallet/e wallet.
A mobile wallet is a virtual place to carry your credit and debit card information in a secure digital form on your mobile device. Instead of using your physical plastic card to make purchases, a mobile wallet allows you to pay with your smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch in stores, in apps, or on the web. All it requires is to download these digital wallet apps from the app store or play store. Some of the leading players in this space are PayTm, Mobikwik, PhonePe, Google Pay among others.
There were multiple factors that contributed to the rapid adoption rate of mobile wallets in India. The increased use of the smartphones, the internet and improved telecom and payment infrastructure were drivers for the market growth due to the convenience smartphones offer in making payments. This growth in the mobile wallet market in the Asia Pacific countries is attributed to the falling smartphone prices. The granting of PPI licences (Pre-Paid Instruments) by the Reserve Bank of India played an important role in establishing e-wallets in the Indian market.
Features such as 1-click payment that enable user to easily pay across various services has made mobile wallet appealing to the users due to its simple working. There have also been multiple incentives offered by the mobile wallet companies through discounts and cashbacks to increase their appeal among the individuals. It is the ‘cost-effectiveness’ nature of these wallets that appeals to the merchants as the cost associated with acceptance of e wallets including setting-up infrastructure and transaction fees is much lower compared to the traditional card-based payment system. Paytm, for instance, does not charge merchant any fees towards installation and annual maintenance. While it charges merchant service charges for online payments, no charges are applied on QR code based in-store transactions.
However, it has not always been smooth sailing for mobile wallets even after their boost. They still face a few of the major challenges. Mandatory KYC and still evolving policies made by the government has had some negative impact on the overall growth of the adoption of these wallets. Additionally, while medium to large-value transactions continue to be made through digital banking and cards, only low-value day-to-day transactions are carried out through mobile wallets. Mobile wallets also face certain challenges from banks in establishing their foothold who are worried that it might negatively impact their revenue. Network problems and reliable and fast internet connectivity is not available in most part of the country and poses a challenge for those situated in rural and remote parts of the country. There is also a lack of awareness about the benefits of using wallets among traditional users who perceive online payment as insecure which is fuelled by instances of fraudulent activity in such transactions.
To remain competitive against cash and other alternatives, the wallet providers are now looking beyond ‘just payments’ and focusing on value-added services. These wallets encompass additional services such as utility bill payments, mobile top-up and even gold purchases. Some of the wallet providers such as Paytm and Airtel have also begun to move to other sectors to offer banking services, after receiving the approval from RBI. Although, mobile wallets appear to have a bright future in the Indian Market, several external market factors will also have an impact on their adoption. They need to keep on innovating and take advantage of the dynamism of market economics to stay in the game.
Headache is a common problem that does not allow us to concentrate on our work. Nothing can take away the throbbing pain that headache causes. It may be caused due to injury, stress, eye strain, anxiety, or other medical conditions. Headache is called Cephalgia in medical terms. Many people suffer this discomfort frequently and don’t pay attention to it. But this simple headache may cause serious illnesses if left untreated.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING A HEADACHE?
Our brain can recognize pain in various parts of the body. A headache is caused by the swelling of the blood vessels present in and around the brain. Most headaches occur in the nerves and muscles of the head and neck region. These nerves and muscles generate signals and send them to the brain which makes us feel the pain.
TYPES OF HEADACHES
Headaches are of two types – Primary headache and Secondary headache.
PRIMARY HEADACHE
There are types of primary headaches. However, some common types include
Tension headache – It is the most common type which is caused due to stress and tension in the muscles of the head. It may start with a slow onset of moderate pain. It usually hurts on or around both sides of the head, in the back neck, and head. It usually goes away on its own but sometimes may need a pain reliever. For prolonged pain and chronic conditions, a doctor’s advice is required.
Migraine – Migraine headaches are associated with throbbing pain along with some symptoms like nausea or vomiting, sensitivity and can last for several hours to few days. It may be caused also due to genetic reasons. Rescue medicine is prescribed by doctors to get immediate relief from the pain and preventive medicines to prevent future occurrences.
Clustered headache – It is least common when compared with the other two types. It is characterized by sudden pain in any one side of the head and face. It occurs multiple times in a day and stays for 1-3 hours each time. It may be caused due to alcohol intake or tobacco usage. Treatment includes lifestyle changes and prescribed medication by the doctor.
SECONDARY HEADACHE
Secondary headaches occur because of any underlying issue or mental condition. It must be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible as it may create life-threatening situations at times. It may be caused due to bleeding of the blood vessels in the brain, tumors, abscesses, or high blood pressure. Symptoms include pain during changing postures, chewing food, etc. There are many subtypes of this headache according to the affected area and symptoms. It must be given at most care to avoid worsening of the condition.
SITUATIONS THAT NEED IMMEDIATE HELP
Sometimes headaches may be a symptom of a serious issue and occur to warn us of the disorder. If it is accompanied by drowsiness, seizures or fits, changes in vision, etc. then immediate consultation of a physician is mandatory.
CARE AND CURE
A healthy balanced diet of fruits and vegetables may help to stay fit and reduce the intensity.
Stress management relaxations and lifestyle changes can bring betterment.
Some counter medicines could be taken and soothing herbs such as peppermint, eucalyptus, flax seeds reduce pain as they have pain-relieving properties.
The coronavirus outbreak has negatively impacted the fashion industry on every imaginable level; production has ceased, retailers have closed, and demand has plummeted.
As we all know that fashion is an industry that runs on change with new trends, styles, and whole new ranges offered up every season. To meet those demands, it must keep the supply chain working at full steam to stitch up and ship out new fashions at breakneck speed.
According to reports the Global Fashion Agenda in its Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2019 study “Fashion companies are not implementing sustainable solutions fast enough to counterbalance negative environmental and social impacts of the rapidly growing fashion industry”.
Now the global coronavirus pandemic has brought sustainability to the forefront. As an immediate threat to everyone’s health, it demonstrates how fragile we are as human beings and how our future health and happiness depend on the healthy environment that we have around us.
The coronavirus crisis has crumpled the social fabric of our lives and the fashion industry as well. Be it the way we address our financial goals or the way we dress are in our hands which has been automatically crushed after the attack of this deadly virus.
Even as fashion titans like Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and some Indian designers are casting their bread upon the waters to create safe and sustainable clothing (including PPE kits), the most that we can do is wait. and watch!
Fashion historians believe that people changed their dressing style after the 1918 Flu Pandemic, the Great Depression and World War II. The 2020 Covid-19 pandemic is no exception.
But after all this, fashion has not been put down but has found new ways. The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has impacted all spheres but be its online retail, or traffic on e-commerce sites like Amazon.com, E-commerce sales grew during the initial six months of 2020 as everything became online. The online market of second-hand and recycled clothes, shoes and accessories has also seen a spike during this period. Many retailers from the fashion industry in the U.S. and other countries went all out to find a different way to send products into the hands of the shoppers and started shipping as it can be time-consuming but profitable. Added to that, many consumers simply aren’t interested in buying clothes right now. There’s so much focus on purchasing essential items to survive during the lockdown and I think everyone’s minds have naturally been focused on that. So fashion just becomes an after-thought or no thought.
You may nod and naff in equal measure, but it looks like Back to Basics. Now fashion trends are varying as the world slowly emerges from the global quarantine. With weddings now becoming more intimate, smaller in size, the fusion trends will find favour with both brides and bridesmaids. Mirror lehengas, organza skirts, pre-stitched sarees, necklet gowns, dhoti-crop tops in handwoven fabrics and hand-done embroideries with traditional textile techniques will trend. It will also help support the rural artisans and handloom communities.
We are living in the 21st century, where infrastructure, services, and technology are developing with rapid speed. It's the era where everything is possible just on one click with the help of machines and high data speed. Everything can be accessed and monitored on a monitor.
As the time is passing, the population is increasing, people are shifting from rural to urban areas which is increasing urbanization, construction of multistorey buildings, development of transportation services, increase in industries and growth of industrialization.
No doubt all these developments, in one or the other way, are contributing to the growth of the nation, it's economy and GDP, but what about the pain and problems our environment is facing with these developments?
As urbanization is increasing day by day, especially if we talk in the context of India, this is causing a burden on the resources of urban areas, people are migrating to cities which means rural people don't want to practice agriculture, which will lead to less production of food grains. If population increases day by day and production will be less, this will ultimately lead to starvation of food in the country.
Moreover, people are moving in search of jobs and a high standard of living from rural to urban areas which is increasing the number of unemployed people in India, especially in urban areas.
When people travel from rural to urban areas they need shelter to live and due to which the forests are being cleared so fast. Urbanization leads to an increase in deforestation which harms the environment.
Deforestation leads to decrease of oxygen concentration in the environment, which is the basic need of every human. Secondly, it leads to soil erosion as the root of trees holds on the soil at one place, thirdly cutting down trees directly leads to increase in temperature and makes the environment warm.
Increase in industries on one hand leads to the growth of the nation, and provides employment to many people, but on the other hand it harms the environment so badly.
Industrialization shares a large proportion in degradation of the environment. It makes air impure, water dirty and improper waste management.
Industries release black smoke which ultimately mixes with the air in the environment, pollutes it and the same air every human breathes, which causes problems in the respiratory systems of people.
The waste water of industries which contains plenty of impurities in it is discharged in fresh water bodies and pollutes it which further gives birth to the diseases which are caused by drinking contaminated water. Although nowadays industries have adopted the system of waste water management. Various power plants have been built where wastewater is treated and cleaned and then discharged into several water bodies in order to control water pollution.
As the countries are developing, the services are also developing for a good standard of living, transportation services have accelerated with high speed in the last few decades. The development of roads and railways have made inaccessible places accessible. People used to walk to kedarnath and vaishnav devi, but now it's possible to go by vehicles because roads are built by cutting down hills.
In the hilly terrain areas, it was hard to provide goods and services because of no roads and routes but again by breaking hills roads were made which has made transportation easy in those areas.
Of course this seems good to listen to, but the process through which these hills are broken down is by explosions in those areas. It leads to landslides so rapidly, any moment the rocks can fall down leading to the loss of life and property.
Mountains always behave like a barrier. For instance if a glacier melts and water comes down towards the plain areas, mountains stop them, but due to this hill cutting those rocks have become weak and hence cannot handle the pressure of flowing water and erodes along with the fast flow and hence causes flooding in many of the areas in the plains.
Technology is developing and hence the production of machineries is also developing. The standard of living is slowly rising. People have started using such kinds of household gadgets which improve the quality of their life and save time too. For example, refrigerators and microwave ovens, the gas which is filled in the compressor of refrigerators and various other machines directly affects the ozone layer of the earth, a layer which prevents the ultraviolet rays of sun from entering into the earth's atmosphere.
Scientists have found that this ozone layer of earth is being depleted day by day due to increase in temperature and if this goes on, a day will come when it will become extinct and what will happen next is even hard to imagine.
Degradation of the environment is a topic of global concern. Global warming is increasing day per day which leads to an increase in the temperature of the earth and melting of glaciers. Keeping this in mind the whole world has come together to control this degradation. The matter was taken to the United Nations and the United Nation Environment Program was started by its first director on June 5 1972.
Many organizations were built world wide on different sub parts of environment degradation such as WWF, Conservation International, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Fauna and Flora international and many more. These organizations are working together to save the environment.
Every country is responsible in one way or the other for the degrading conditions of the environment, but I feel that a country with a large population is far more responsible, for example India. India has a population of 130 crores. Almost every individual needs food, shelter, water, air and various other resources he/she will use. If such a large number of the population lives together and doesn't give a damn about the environment, it's going to degrade and that is obvious.
If the population increases, the shelters will increase, garbage and waste will increase, and resources and trees will decrease.
Now the question arises: are nations and individual countries responsible for saving the environment? The nation is made up of whom? Every individual, and hence each and every citizen living on this planet is responsible for the degradation of the environment, and it's the duty of every individual to save it, neither of nation nor of any organization.
A human is so selfish in nature. He only knows how to use and throw. He doesn't want to take any responsibility and also does not consider his duty towards saving the environment. Even if so many organizations start working. NGOs start working to save the environment. Ultimately the condition of the environment will improve when every individual will feel concerned towards their environment on their own. When nobody will force him to do it, then only the environment can be saved. When every individual will practice some etiquettes in his daily life then only the environment can be saved because each drop makes up the ocean.
Everything in this world has pros and cons. On one hand the development of technology and standard of living of people are increasing, on the other hand it's affecting the environment badly. Why? Because we have ignored the second factor. We have created an imbalance. We are over focusing on development not on the harmful results it is causing.
Development is necessary for human life. Development is proof that we humans are intelligent, but an intelligent human knows by balancing his life he becomes smart and a smart human can do sustainable development. Let us be smart. Let's have the same concern and concentration on environmental problems as on development, then only we can save our mother earth.
Giant panda on loan from China gives birth to lively twin female cubs in France zoo!!
A giant panda gave birth to female twin cubs on Monday, a French zoo announced, declaring ‘they are very lively, pink and plump’. They cubs weigh 149 and 129 grams.
A giant panda on loan to France from China gave birth to female twin cubs early Monday, a French zoo announced, declaring “they are very lively, pink and plump.”
Tokyo Olympics 2021 Updates: India men to play Germany in hockey bronze play-off
India lost to Belgium 2-5 in the men’s hockey semifinal and will now play Germany in the bronze-medal playoff. Tajinderpal Singh Toor failed to qualify for the men’s shot put final after finishing 13th in Group A qualification. Also, the country’s wrestling campaign began on a losing note as Sonam Malik lost her 62kg freestyle pre-quarterfinal. Stay with Times of India to get all the live updates on Olympics 2021, India Events at Tokyo Olympics, Results, Medal Table and more on Times of India.
By the time we turn off the alarm in the morning here and go to sleep, on the other hand the biggest World Class Business Leaders, Sports Persons, Entrepreneurs will be starting their day. They make some effort and do something special in their mornings. That’s why they are at the peak of their lives.
This book is very clear on what ordinary people like them need to do to make progress. Author Robin Sharma has written very clearly in this 5AM Club book what to do when you get up at 5am. In this article we are going to know the summary of this book. Let’s start reading.
In this book he talks about three things and divides those three things into several parts and wonders what is special about waking up at 5 p.m.
Those three things are,
1. Use 20/20/20 Formula
2. The Four Interior Empire
3. Habit Installation Protocol
1. Use 20/20/20 Formula
Author says our first hour after waking up in the morning is the Most Worth and Important Hour. He calls this hour “Victory Hour.” This hour can be divided into three parts.
Move
Reflect
Grow
*Move*
For the first 20 minutes we need to exercise. I.e. High Intensity Workout. Doing so is our Energy and Focus Increase. Scientifically speaking, there is a chemical release in our brain called BDNF. BDNF stands for Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor. This will increase our focus and reduce the stress level. In addition, the newest neural connections in the brain is Increase. So it will be very helpful to increase our focus and thinking power.
*Reflect*
Reflect for the next 20 minutes. In this step we need to isolate ourselves and get to know ourselves. Then we need to plan what we want to do on this day. Doing so will keep our focus on our work without becoming distracted. So we will be busy whole day. We can stay away from unnecessary distractions. During these 20 minutes we can meditate or pray. Doing so will give us a clarity on our lives. This will be very helpful in taking the right decision for the whole day.
*Grow*
Finally grow in the last 20 minutes. That means gain Knowledge. We can read books that may be in our field. Otherwise read the biographies of the great men. That too can be done by listening to audio books or watching motivational videos. We must keep doing something every day to develop our knowledge. By doing this we will be much more advanced compared to our competitors.
2. The Four Interior Empire
We must spend our precious time equally on these four things if we are to be happy in our lives. What they are,
Mind Set
Heart Set
Health Set
Soul Set
*Mind Set*
We can learn many things to improve our mind set by watching motivational videos, podcasts and using the strategies that can be told in it. But by doing so we can only achieve 25% of our goal.
*Heart Set*
It is connected with our emotional life. We can not make the right decision just because our mind set is strong. We also need to be strong in our emotional lives. Emotional life is the connection that friends, family, relatives can have with them like this. Only if we are strong in emotion will it be easy for us to make any decision in our life.
*Health Set*
No matter how much money and property we have, if our physical health is not good it is all waste. Health is essential to providing a legacy for those who depend on us after we die.
“You cannot make a good business if you are dead.”
That is why world top successful people place importance on their health.
*Soul Set*
This is something very important. In our lives we are running after unwanted material thoughts. In this running we forget who we are. We have completely forgotten what we need in our lives to be happy. The only way author says to improvise the Soul Set is through meditation and prayer.
3. Habit Installation Protocol
Our Author says in this book that we need 66 days to accept a habit. He has divided this into three stages.
Destruction Phase
Installation Phase
Integration Phase
*Destruction Phase*
At this stage first 22 days one has to destroy a bad habit and implement a good habit. This is the most difficult part of all three stages. Our will power must be very high to do this. We need to keep motivating ourselves over and over again.
*Installation Phase*
The next 22 days will be totally irritating for us. Thought appear that this is why we need to do this. The thought appears that we can leave this. But we should not quit there. We have to go through those 22 days somehow to boost our self-confidence.
*Integration Phase*
This will make it easier for all of us. After this we do not need an alarm to wake up at 5am. Looking at the next one we get to the point where we can tell why these people are sleeping so long.
Come, join me on the path of this river as it begins its journey from the mountain top, travels through the various stages and merges with the sea meeting its end, or is it the beginning of its new life in a new form? Well, it is debatable and a lot about perspective but what stands true is the fact that it goes through various stages, experiences several changes- in itself, in its surroundings and is itself the cause of soo many.
So, come let us join the river in its life course.
The river originates from the mountain top, from the glaciers. This river then travels down the slope, young and full of energy, erosion being its prime activity(vertical corrasion). It, thus, cuts deep through the valley forming gorges and canyons. It is young and naive and arrogant, believes it can do anything. On the way, it meets some hard rocks. They are strong and experienced and do not budge. But the river is adamant and so travels above them, forming rapids and cataracts. It, now, reaches the end of the mountain and has to plunge through a great height. The height could have been the result of the relatives of the above hard rock, who were persistent even when everything else surrounding them was destroyed or it could have been due to the cracks formed between the two plates of the earth, who had seen a lot together but knew it was time to let go or it might have very well been the end of the plateau the river was traversing: maybe, it was time for a new beginning. The river, hence, formed a waterfall, diving towards its new life.
The river has now reached the middle course. It has now lost a lot of its energy, but fairly traded it for wisdom. It again meets the same hard rocks. But now the river knows engaging with them is aa wastage of its energy. And so, it changes its path, curving every time it encounters one. Here, it forms a meander. During the formation of a meander, according to its requirements, it erodes the mud of the outer bank to make space for the water, forming a steep river cliff. It also ends up depositing the mud in its inner bank and mid stream when its needs for space are met. Though, on its path it meets several one of its relatives and some new additions to its family(the tributaries) and has to make space for them(horizontal corrasion). The life here is good. But the river cannot go on this way forever. It has entered the plains and its energy is draining. It has to meet the ocean.
And so , the river now enters its lower course. It, in the beginning, leaves behind the most accommodating waters (forming the ox-bow lake). After all, the world, today, is not a place for the easily bending ones. The river now bears the burden accumulated throughout its life, it sediments. It cannot travel any further carrying the burden. Thus, the river, starts renouncing the burden on its final path. The more silt it deposits, the lighter it feels an the easier it gets to travel. The friends and companions it had accumulated throughout its life, all one-by-one leave it. They will meet again in the sea, but for now each of them has their own journey to make (here, they form a delta).
And this marks the end of life of the river. But, its water is now part of the sea. There, it experiences new challenges in a new place and in a new form.
Eduindex 
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