who will buy the world’s melting glaciers?

San Francisco. - Not only in Europe, but also in the USA, more and more cities and communities suffer from a deficiency of public funds. As a result, American mayors are finding it expedient to have their cities’ municipal infrastructure upgrades (or at least their maintenance and operations) taken over by private firms.

After the extensive deregulation of the American energy market in the nineties, the municipal water supply and treatment facilities seem to be the next sector for privatization. It is just dawning on many Americans that many of their municipal waterworks are being operated by private European companies. These cross-national municipal water operations are being contracted throughout the world.

Suez’ new water subsidiary

The global market leader of the companies comprising the new water giants is the French firm Suez Lyonnaise (its water subsidiary is now called ONDEO), whose history actually dates back to the
investor group that built the Suez canal. Suez is followed by the French
company Vivendi-Environment, an off-spring of Vivendi-Universal, the world’s second largest media and entertainment conglomerate (since acquired by Veolia Environmental). Third is Germany’s RWE. Since aquiring Britain’s Thames Water and the USA’s American Water Works, RWE operates water-facilities in at least 44 countries of the world.

These three European firms have achieved market dominance in America in a short three years: in 1999 Suez bought the American provider United Water, for only a billion dollars. United Water furnishes drinking water to - among other places - Atlanta, Milwaukee and even the capital Washington D.C. Also in 1999 Vivendi bought the largest American water provider, U.S. Filter for more than 6 billion dollars. In the last year the German firm RWE has also delved into the American market. RWE first bought the British provider Thames Water, giving RWE the necessary market-insight and contacts to then buy American Water Works for about 6 billion dollars. At that time American Waterworks was the largest independent American water provider. RWE now operates water companies in at least 27 US states.

Lexington, Kentucky’s “FLOW” wants local ownership of waterworks

Gradually however, resistance in the USA to the European water-giants is growing. For example,the city of Lexington, Kentucky, has already expressed the wish to repurchase its local water facilities, owned by American Water Works (Germany’s RWE). Recently citizens established an initiative, titled FLOW (For Local Ownership of Waterworks). FLOW is backed by the former Governor of Kentucky, Edward T. Breathitt. “Public ownership of water works is vital”, says Breathitt, who deliberately fans old anti-German sentiment as he describes the RWE-campaign as a “propaganda-blitz.”

The biggest problem for RWE, however, is the terrible image and dubious record of their British subsidiary Thames Water. According to a report by the BBC in October 2002, the water pipeline networks of Thames Water in Great Britain have so many leaks that the water quantity lost each day would easily cover the daily requirements of a city with 2.5 million inhabitants. The firm is also a notorious environmental offender: in 1999 the British Environmental Agency levied eight separate rulings against Thames Water, more than were ruled against any other firm in the country.

Former Kentucky Gov. Edward Breathitt “local ownership is vital”

Not only RWE is experiencing pressure, also Suez is expected to have difficulty with their further expansion into the USA. For instance, city officials of Atlanta, Georgia, have accused Suez of breach of contract after the firm failed to deliver the promised drinking water and service quality within the guaranteed time. In late January, Atlanta deciced to retake control of its waters system that Suez/United Water was contracted to manage until 2019. “Many of the private water providers have totally underestimated the overhead when they presented their original contract offers,” says Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute in Oakland, California. The Pacific Institute is a think-tank that focuses on the security and policy effects of water scarcity. “With municipally operated water works you at least have the advantage that the collected money remains in the community,” says Gleick, “in privately operated water works, on the other hand, the profits leave the community and sometimes even the country.”

The original openness of many American communities to trust the promises of the multi-national water firms is however understandable: according to estimates by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the communities of the USA must invest approximately 150 billion dollars over the course of the next twenty years in order to renovate the corroded infrastructure of their water supply systems. In addition, to renew America’s municipal sewage cleaning systems, the EPA estimates a cost of 460 billion dollars. To meet this challenge, hiring an internationally active water services firm with more expertise, experience and synergies, seemed a better idea than leaving the job to each municipal water works. However, now that the American media has discovered the strategies of Europe’s water giants, the further expansion of RWE, Suez and Vivendi Environment into the American water market will become more difficult.

Despite this recent apparent setback in the US, Suez and Vivendi remain in control of approximately 70 percent of all privatized water supply systems worldwide, most of them in developing countries.

About the Author:

Wolfgang Harrer is a U.S. correspondent for Germany’s leading nationwide
daily newspaper, DIE WELT. Since 1999 he has been reporting about media,
business and technology affairs of the West Coast of the USA. His weekly
column, “Der Silicon Valley Reporter,” is Germany’s most read periodical
about this innovative region. This article has been translated from the
German version which originally appeared in DIE WELT.

Mount Shasta - Source of the Sacramento River

California’s major Aquaducts (yellow lines)

California’s water programs don’t work well because they are predicated on politics, not market factors…

Just when El Nino rains were sending rivers over their banks, the Resources Agency of California released a draft of the California Water Plan predicting statewide shortages early in the next century. Doomsday predictions are typical of such reports as are the calls for bureaucratic planning to correct the problem. Neither the predictions nor more bureaucracy would be necessary if the plan put more emphasis on water markets.

So what is the solution? More concrete and steel and more bureaucratic controls. David Kennedy, director of the California Department of Water Resources, calls for “water management options” including new storage and conveyance facilities, water recycling and conservation, water transfers, local agency surface water and groundwater supply projects and desalination, to mention a few.

These “management options” suffer from two major problems. First, they lack any meaningful sense of economic and environmental costs and benefits. Second, they ignore the obvious solution–water markets–that is catching on around the West and around the world.

Supply-side solutions including more storage and conveyance facilities, recycling and desalination are common in state water plans, despite the fact that they seldom pass economic benefit-cost muster. A classic example of government water economics comes from Utah. It will cost $300 per acre-foot just to deliver water to farmers from the recently funded Central Utah Project, never mind the sunk costs of dams already built. The same acre-foot of water will produce crops worth $30, but cost farmers only $8. Is anyone surprised that the Utah congressional delegation was able to move this project forward and is there any question whether California projects will be any different? Water may not run uphill on its own, but it surely gushes uphill under political pressure.

California agriculture Can farmers sell water?

At costs as high as $2,000 per acre-foot, desalination does not make good economic sense, and recycling does not look much better with costs as high as $500 per acre-foot.

The second major problem with the plan is that is does not even pay lip service to water marketing, even though this is the surest way to solve water shortages. A search of the plans’ summary bulletin revealed not a single reference to water markets or water prices. Yet markets provide the surest way to encourage water use efficiency and eliminate shortages.

If there are water shortages, you can be sure that it is because water prices are too low. Data from every corner of the world show that a 10 percent price increase reduces urban water-use by as much as 12 percent and farm water use by 20 percent.

Consider two of the success stories of water marketing.

The California Aquaduct main north-south section

When the state of California experimented with its Drought Emergency Water Bank in 1991, an offer price of $125 per acre foot yielded offers to supply water in excess of the 500,000 acre-feet that the state was trying to obtain.

In the drought year of 1987-88, water trading between the Australian states of new South Wales and South Australia involved over 1 million acre-feet and increased farm incomes by an estimated $17 million by improving water use efficiency.

Trading between California and Arizona for Colorado River water could provide similar benefits. The Central Arizona Project (CAP) pumps water 3,000 vertical feet from the Colorado River and delivers it to agricultural users who pay between $17 and $41 per acre-feet. Even at these subsidized prices Arizona users demand only 55 percent of the 1.5 million acre-feet they are guaranteed by the Colorado River Compact. Moreover, the project operates at a loss of $24 million per year. Much of the remainder is being captured by California and Nevada, but the supply is certainly not secure.

Why not encourage some interstate trading between Arizona and California?

A price of $140 per acre-foot would enable the Central Arizona Water Project to be operate in the black. This price is below the $150 being paid in California and Nevada for water from irrigation districts and far below the $1,600 for desalinated water. Arizona has expressed interest in changing the decree that governs water use among the Colorado river states to allow leasing of unused water. California’s Water Plan ought to jump on this bandwagon.

Los Angeles - A very thirsty city

In 1982 when the Peripheral Canal initiative was defeated by California voters, Thomas Graff, general counsel for the Environmental Defense Fund raised a prophetic question when he asked, “Has all future water-project development been choked off by the new conservationist-conservative alliance?” The California Water Plan suggests not, but this plan is open for comment. Now is the time for such a “conservationist-conservative alliance” to make itself heard and put some market sense into California’s water problems.

About the Author:

Terry Anderson is the Executive Director of the Political Economy Research Center in Bozeman, Montana, “The Center for Free Market Environmentalism.” Mr. Anderson is also a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and an economics professor (emeritus) at Montana State University and co-author of Water Markets: Priming the Invisible Pump (Cato Institute, 1997). An earlier version of this article originally appeared in Southern California’s Orange County Register on February 16, 1998, entitled “Market Plan Can Ease State Water Shortage.”

San Francisco California

San Francisco. - The Silicon Valley is considered the birthplace of the information age, a place where billion-dollar companies have grown and flourished independent of raw material inputs such as steel or petroleum.

In the last few months, however, the Silicon Valley has gotten a drastic sense of its dependence on natural raw materials, because more than in any other major high-tech regions of the world, the Valley is running out of water.

Dianne Feinstein U.S. Senator California

Compared to a genuine water shortage, the energy shortage which in the last year threatened Silicon Valley and the San Francisco region’s prosperity was comparatively harmless. “It is no longer the question of if, but when the water crisis hits”, said U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein at a water conference sponsored in March of 2002 by the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group.

Californian business and political interests have begun to address the looming water crisis, but much of their progress awaits the outcome of the November 2002 election. A major debate is over who should pay for the renovation of California’s water pipeline-system, which is the largest in the world, and whose oldest components include some that were installed in the years before the American civil war.

Currently the San Francisco Water District is responsible for the maintenance of the Hetch-Hetchy-pipeline system that supplies water from reservoirs in the Sierra mountains not only to San Francisco, but also to 100% of the northern Silicon Valley and 20% of the southern Valley.

Concerned about the reliability of the aging Hetch-Hetchy system, high-tech firms in the Silicon Valley have pressured San Francisco Water District officials to either initiate voluntary renovation measures or they will seek legal remedies to ensure work begins. San Francisco’s Public Utilities Commission has estimated the repair of the 19 reservoirs and the roughly 270 kilometers of pipeline would cost over $3.5 billion.

Inpecting a cross-section of Hetch-Hetchy

In some places corrosion has left the metal of the Hetch-Hetchy pipelines so thin that large holes can be made in the pipe and rusty bolts can be turned by hand. “Restoration costs what must seem an insane amount of money”, said Margaret Bruce, the environmental delegate of the powerful technology industry association Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group , “but a water crisis would be far more terrifying.”

What would happen if the Bay Area went without water for thirty or even sixty days?

For the industry in the region, this would be cause incalculable damage, to say nothing of the impact on private households”.

This frightening scenario of a sixty day total loss of water supply is not just a media tactic of a Silicon Valley lobbyist, but a real possibility; the Hetch-Hetchy pipeline is not only weakened via corrosion, it also crosses three earthquake faults. A California government report estimated a 70% probability of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in the state within the next 30 years.

Hetch-Hetchy’s 270 KM Aqueduct

Moreover, earthquake strengthening and repairing the existing pipeline system will no longer allay the enormous thirst of the region: California’s population growth averages 1.7%, higher than Bangladesh. California’s birthrate amounts to 2.4 children per woman, simultaneously, more immigrants enter California than all other U.S. States. By the year 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates California’s population will grow from the present 34 million to 54 million.

“We must invest seriously in sea water desalination and in water recycling technology”, said California Senator Feinstein, who also criticized the foolhardy consumption of the California’s private households for sprinklers and swimming pools, which accounts for 50% of private water consumption.

Environmental expert and founder of the eco-portal www.Ecoworld.com, Ed Ring, hopes that the Valley’s high-tech firms recognize the water and energy crisis as a chance for the Silicon Valley to have a leadership role in environmental technology. “Green technology can fulfill profit expectations, but also provide real vision and hope for another economic boom for the valley”, said Ring.

Gray Davis Governor California

A more visceral take on California’s crisis comes from California Governor Gray Davis, who has said “water is more valuable than a gold.”

In the Santa Clara County, the heart of the Silicon Valley, the Santa Clara Valley Water District already plans to use recycled water for 20% of its water consumption within ten years. While most semiconductor manufacturers have only research laboratories in the Valley, the remaining chip manufacturers cannot use recycled water, but rather require minerals-free, soft water out of the Hetch-Hetchy system in order to hold their production costs low.

About the Author:

Wolfgang Harrer is a U.S. correspondant for Germany’s leading nationwide daily newspaper, Die Welt. Since 1999 he has been reporting about media, business and technology affairs of the West Coast of the USA. His weekly column, “Der Silicon Valley Reporter,” is Germany’s most read periodical about this innovative region. This article has been translated from the German version which originally appeared in Die Welt.

Parabolic Trough Array Brighton, Colorado, USA photo: US D.O.E.

India’s power sector has a total installed capacity of approximately 102,000 MW of which 60% is coal-based, 25% hydro, and the balance gas and nuclear-based. Power shortages are estimated at about 11% of total energy and 15% of peak capacity requirements and are likely to increase in the coming years. In the next 10 years, another 10,000 MW of capacity is required. The bulk of capacity additions involve coal thermal stations supplemented by hydroelectric plant development. Coal-based power involve environmental concerns relating to emissions of suspended particulate matter (SPM), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, methane and other gases. On the other hand, large hydroplants can lead to soil degradation and erosion, loss of forests, wildlife habitat and species diversity and most importantly, the displacement of people. To promote environmentally sound energy investments as well as help mitigate the acute shortfall in power supply, the Government of India is promoting the accelerated development of the country’s renewable energy resources and has made it a priority thrust area under India’s National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP).

The Indian government estimates that a potential of 50,000 MW of power capacity can be harnessed from new and renewable energy sources but due to relatively high development cost experienced in the past these were not tapped as aggressively as conventional sources. Nevertheless, development of alternate energy has been part of India’s strategy for expanding energy supply and meeting decentralized energy needs of the rural sector. The program, considered one of the largest among developing countries, is administered through India’s Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES), energy development agencies in the various States, and the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA).

Parabolic Dish Array Rajasthan, India photo: UNESCO

Throughout the 1990’s, India’s private sector interest in renewable energy increased due to several factors: (i) India opened the power sector to private sector participation in 1991; (ii) tax incentives are now offered to developers of renewable energy systems; (iii) there has been a heightened awareness of the environmental benefits of renewable energy relative to conventional forms and of the short-gestation period for developing alternate energy schemes. Recognizing the opportunities afforded by private sector participation, the Indian Government revised its priorities in July 1993 by giving greater emphasis on promoting renewable energy technologies for power generation. To date, over 1,500 MW of windfarm capacity has been commissioned and about 1,423 MW capacity of small hydro installed. The sector’s contribution to energy supply has grown from 0.4% of India’s power capacity in 1995 to 3.4% by 2001.

India is located in the equatorial sun belt of the earth, thereby receiving abundant radiant energy from the sun. The India Meteorological Department maintains a nationwide network of radiation stations which measure solar radiation and also the daily duration of sunshine. In most parts of India, clear sunny weather is experienced 250 to 300 days a year. The annual global radiation varies from 1600 to 2200 kWh/sq.m. which is comparable with radiation received in the tropical and sub-tropical regions. The equivalent energy potential is about 6,000 million GWh of energy per year. The highest annual global radiation is received in Rajasthan and northern Gujarat. In Rajasthan, large areas of land are barren and sparsely populated, making these areas suitable as locations for large central power stations based on solar energy.

The main objectives of the project are these: (i) To demonstrate the operational viability of parabolic trough solar thermal power generation in India; (ii) support solar power technology development to help lead to a reduction in production cost; and (iii) help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) global emissions in the longer term. Specifically, operational viability will be demonstrated through operation of a solar thermal plant with commercial power sales and delivery arrangements with the grid. Technology development would be supported through technical assistance and training. The project would be pursued under The World Bank’s Global Environment Fund (GEF) — which has a leading program objective focused on climate change. This project is envisaged as the first step of a long term program for promoting solar thermal power in India that would lead to a phased deployment of similar systems in the country and possibly in other developing nations.

India supports development of both solar thermal and solar photovoltaics (PV) power generation. To demonstrate and commercialize solar thermal technology in India, MNES is promoting megawatt scale projects such as the proposed 35MW solar thermal plant in Rajasthan and is encouraging private sector projects by providing financial assistance from the Ministry.

One of the prime objectives of the demonstration project is to ensure capacity build-up through ‘hands on’ experience in the design, operation and management of such projects under actual field conditions. Involvement in the project of various players in the energy sector, such as local industries, the private construction and operations contractors, Rajasthan State Power Corporation Limited (RSPCL), Rajasthan State Electricity Board (RSEB), Rajasthan Energy Development Agency (REDA), Central Electricity Authority (CEA), MNES and others, will help to increase the capacity and capability of local technical expertise and further sustain the development of solar power in India in the longer term.

The project’s sustainability will depend on to what extent the impact of the initial investment cost is mitigated, operating costs fully recovered, professional management introduced, and infrastructure and equipment support for operation and maintenance made accessible. Accordingly, while the solar thermal station will be state-owned, it will be operated during the initial five years under a management contract with the private sector; subsidy support will be limited to capital costs. Fuel input, power supply and other transactions would be on a commercial basis and backed up by acceptable marketable contracts. Staff selection and management would be based on business practices; the project site would be situated where basic infrastructure is well developed and engineering industries established.

Parabolic Trough Array Tehachapi, California, USA photo: US D.O.E.

This project is consistent with the World Bank’s Global Environment Fund’s operational strategy on climate change in support of long-term mitigation measures. In particular, the project will help reduce the costs of proven parabolic trough solar technology so as to enhance its commercial viability. This initiative is part of an anticipated multi-country solar thermal promotion program, the objectives of which will be to accelerate the process of cost reduction and demonstrate the technology in a wider range of climate and market conditions.

Demonstrating the solar plant’s operational viability under Indian conditions is expected to result in follow-up investments by the private sector both in the manufacture of the solar field components and in larger solar stations within India.

Insights into local design and operating factors such as meteorological and grid conditions, and use of available back-up fuels, are expected to lead to its replicability under Indian conditions, opening up avenues for larger deployment of solar power plants in India and other countries with limited access to cheap competing fuels. Creation of demand for large scale production of solar facilities will in turn lead to reductions in costs of equipment supply and operation. It is also expected to revive and sustain the interest of the international business and scientific community in improving systems designs and operations of solar thermal plants.

The Project is expected to result in avoided annual emissions of 714,400 tons of CO2, or 17.9 million tons over the life of the project, relative to generation from a similar-sized coal-fired power station. The cost of carbon avoidance is estimated at $6.5 per ton.

The project involves: (i) Construction of a solar thermal/fossil-fuel hybrid power plant of about 140MW incorporating a parabolic trough solar thermal field of 35 MW to 40 MW; and (ii) Technical assistance package to support technology development and commercialization requirements.

Location of Rajasthan

Investment Component. The solar thermal/hybrid power station will comprise: (i) a solar field with a collection area of 219,000 square meters to support a 35MWe to 40MWe solar thermal plant; and (ii) a power block based on mature fossil fuel technology (i.e, regasified LNG). The proposed project will be sited at Mathania, near Jodhpur, Rajasthan in an arid region. In addition to high solar insulation levels (5.8 kWh/m2 daily average), the proposed site involves approximately 800,000 square meters of relatively level land with access to water resources and electric transmission facilities. The solar thermal/hybrid station will operate as a base load plant with an expected plant load factor of 80%. The final choice of the fossil-fired power block would be left to the bidders, subject to performance parameters set out in the tender specifications.

The design choice is an Integrated Solar Combined Cycle (ISCC) involving the integrated operation of the parabolic trough solar plant with a combined cycle gas turbine using naphtha. Such a plant would consist of the solar field; a combined cycle power block involving two gas turbines each connected to a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and a steam turbine connected to both HRSG; and ancillary facilities and plant services such as fire protection, regasified liquefied natural gas supply and storage system, grid interconnection system, water supply and treatment systems, etc. A control building will house a central microprocessor control system that monitors and controls plant operations.

The success of the solar thermal/hybrid power plant as a demonstration project will determine if this technology is replicable in other parts of India. The project will provide technical assistance to ensure that adequate institutional and logistical support for the technology is available for future expansion of solar thermal power.

Specifically, funds will be made available for promoting commercialization of solar thermal technologies among potential investors; staff training and development of a local consultancy base; upgrading of test facilities; mproved collection and measurement of solar insolation data and other solar resource mapping activities; and development of pipeline investments.

The total cost of the investment component is estimated at US$ 201.5 million, including interest during construction, physical and price contingencies as well as duties and taxes. Of these costs, the cost of supplies (excluding contingencies) for the solar component including the steam generator amounts to $41 million, and that for the conventional power plant component is $72 million. The cost of the technical assistance component for promoting replication of the solar power technology is estimated at $4 million.

City Palace of Jaipur Rajasthan, India

Investors Note: For more information on the solar thermal project in Rajasthan, India, please contact:

Mr. G. L. Somani, General Manager

Rajasthan State Power Corporation Ltd.

E-166, Yudhisthar Marg, C-Scheme, Jaipur, India

Telephone No.: (91-141) 384055

Fax No.: (91-141) 382759

About the Author:
Gordon Feller is the CEO of Urban Age Institute (www.UrbanAge.org). During the past twenty years he has authored more than 500 magazine articles, journal articles or newspaper articles on the profound changes underway in politics, economics, and ecology - with a special emphasis on sustainable development. Gordon is the editor of Urban Age Magazine, a unique quarterly which serves as a global resource and which was founded in 1990. He can be reached at GordonFeller@UrbanAge.org and he is available for speaking to your organization about the issues raised in this and his other numerous articles published in EcoWorld.

Jonathon Brewer Earthworks Environmental Founder

ROSEVILLE, CALIFORNIA Jonathan Brewer likens his soil remediation technology to the Wright Brothers’ airplane back in the early 1900’s. Why? Because the machines he’s designed are the first of their kind and can go where no man has gone before. They are a creative piece of engineering, and because of these machines, Mr. Brewer’s company, EarthWorks Environmental (www.EarthWorksUSA.com), looks like it has a strong future ahead of it. But still, like many examples in history of an established industry reluctant to take notice of the “seemingly simple”, Jonathan Brewer’s concepts encounter some reluctance from the soil treatment industry in general. While EarthWorks’ “METS” process, or Matrix Enhanced Treatment System, is ingenious and may possibly be the answer to much of the earth’s contaminated soil troubles, its adoption would cause major disruption to the existing multi-billion dollar soil remediation industry.

METS Rotor

EarthWorks’ “METS” consists of SUV-sized soil crushing machines that are based on mining practice and technology. They are specially designed and engineered to be toxin-neutralizing powerhouses. A rotor inside each machine grinds soil into particles that are small enough to be effectively decontaminated. Various chemicals, bioreagents, bacteria, and enzymes are sprayed on the crushed contaminated soil particles as they travel through the machine, leaving the soil in a neutralized, natural, decontaminated state that, as Mr. Brewer says, “can be used in your garden.” The cleaning materials that are used to clean the soil are always bench tested first, and there is no threat of leakage from the machines. According to Mr. Brewer, “the only soil contaminants we can’t treat are radioactive uranium and plutonium isotopes.”

The company is based in California and has had several major contracts awarded for its onsite cleanup techniques, including, as the Sacramento Bee reports, “a $100 million federal contract given to a Foster Wheeler subsidiary to clean up US Navy and Marine installations, and a $400,000 National Institute of Health grant prospect.” EarthWorks’ machines are remotely controlled and compact enough to fit in standard 20-ft overseas shipping containers, which will help in EarthWorks’ hopes to export machines internationally in the near future.

Earthworks has garnered honors for its products (UC Davis Connect Award)

According to Brewer, the major factor holding these machines back from full integration into the marketplace is “comfort”. The environmental industry is “comfortable” with the current practice of landfilling hazardous and contaminated soil. Brewer says, “the current practice of landfilling doesn’t remedy the problem, it only moves it to be dealt with by future generations. With the METS technology, we now have the availability to permanently treat the soil, at lower cost than landfilling. It’s going to take some time for the industry to embrace this major change.”

How will this technology shake up the soil remediation industry? What often times happens where contaminated soil or hazardous waste is concerned is that it is shipped off to a landfill where it sits forever. These landfills have protections against contaminant leakage, providing the hazardous soil is within specified contamination limits. Earthworks’ ability to treat almost any contaminated soil on-site creates a great benefit for humanity and the earth. However, not every cleanup situation has proven optimal for Earthworks. A recent situation in a city in Sonoma county, California, shows that this type of echnology, no matter how wonderful, must battle with time and government regulations.

METS Processor at a job site

In this case, in early 2002, EarthWorks won the bid to clean a contaminated sludge area in a competitive process. When interviewed, an official from the city’s Utilities Department, who requested EcoWorld to withhold his name and the name of his city from this report, described the case as consisting of “more than 10,000 tons of sludge and pond bottoms from oxidation ponds from old treatment plants.” The material required off site disposal with or without treatment. “The lead levels in this sludge,” he explained, “were above 5 parts per million, which is the STLC limit for municipal landfill disposal. When this was discovered, another company was hired in a competitive bidding process, which included both options for on site treatment and disposal, and also simply hauling and disposal as hazardous waste. The company was hired to mix the material with cement to bind the leachable lead into a non-soluble form, thus reducing STLC to non-hazardous levels and reducing total lead concentration by dilution, so the material could be shipped to a landfill as soon as possible.”

While the City Utilities Department official claims he is not opposed to onsite technology such as EarthWork’s manufactures, he was sure that the use of this technology was not best for this situation, especially because of time. He stated “onsite soil remediation technology is good for most materials and situations for which the cleanup process has no time constraints. We had to get this hazardous waste out of this area that was close to society, close to a creek and a river, in a location where the weather was unpredictable and unexpected rains could cause further leakage into the surrounding soil.” He explained that it was urgent to get the soil removed from the area, and shipping it to a Hazardous Waste landfill seemed the best option at the time, because it would have been quicker, and thus safer for the residents of the city. Also, using onsite technology would have created the need for time-consuming government decisions on regulation and oversight over how the soil cleanup would have been managed during the process, and how it would be monitored once the site was cleaned, which would have slowed the process further.

Besides confronting situations such as these time-sensitive ones, EarthWorks also faces in the soil remediation industry an entire network of jobs that have been secure for years for those people who transport soil to landfills and maintain the landfills. If EarthWorks’ onsite technology was used for all remediation sites and soil was cleaned up on-location, the need to transport to landfills would be greatly reduced. What would these people do? A lot of people would be without jobs, which is one of the reasons the soil remediation industry may not welcome the “new kid on the block” with open arms. When asked if he has any ideas to help overcome this problem, Mr. Brewer stated “transportation may still be needed by some sites that can’t afford the time or space for onsite cleanup. The soil could be transported somewhere else for treatment by METS machines, but treatment is always better than dumping!”

Overall it seems that EarthWorks may have a real goldmine on its hands, but certainly not before many industry obstacles have been overcome. These include the thousands of current jobs in trucking and hazardous waste landfills being lost or shifted, the urgent or time-constrained cleanup sites, government regulations and monitoring considerations, and just the overall acceptance of change. All of these are significant obstacles, but a process that cleans contaminated soil instead of sequestering it forever, while costing much less, ought to eventually prevail. It should be interesting to watch the EarthWorks’ METS process “take off” like the Wright Bros.’ plane so many years ago.

Earthworks’ Documented Field Results

The following projects were performed by EarthWorks Environmental, Inc. in the process of developing
the METS process for widespread commercial use. These projects were required to meet rigorous remediation standards established by regulatory authorities. The soil was treated as found, with no special preparation or enhancement.

In all cases, the treatment method involved a chemical/catalytic reaction to degrade the contaminant(s). In two cases, the soil was contaminated with more than one contaminant. Nevertheless, the soil was processed only one time in both cases.

Great Indian Desert

There are very few elements which are absolutely essential to life on Earth– broadly speaking, they are air, food and water, and without any one of these, survival is impossible.

Deserts are characterized by their lack of water (less than 500 mm annual rainfall). Arid and semi-arid regions constitute one third of the Earth’s land area, according to the most recent 2001 statistics (FAO, UNCOD, UNESCO), and they are growing at an alarming rate. This process, called desertification, currently threatens the survival of almost one fifth of the world’s human population, not to mention plant and animal life.

On the limited evidence available it would appear on a global average that almost 60% of rain fed croplands are affected by desertification to some extent– 28% moderately, 20% severely and 11.6% very severely. Almost half of irrigated land is severely or very severely desertified (J.A. Mabbutt, Assessment of the Status and Trend of Desertification).

India

The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, covers 77,000 square miles of Pakistan and
Rajasthan, the western most state of India. It is characterized by its massive rolling sand dunes,
excessive heat (50 degrees centigrade in May and June, with sand temperatures rising to 70 degrees), dust storms and dust-raising winds, often blowing winds with velocities of 140-150 Km/hr.

The annual average rainfall is less than 10 inches (250 mm); 90% of this rain occurs during the Monsoon or “rainy season,” falling between July and September. Water is scarce, but is found at the depth of 100-200 feet below ground.

Thar Desert vegetation must be extremely hearty to endure such conditions; it is mostly herbaceous, or of stunted scrub; on the hills, small bushes like gum arabic acacia and euphorbia may be found. The Khejari tree (prosopis cineraria) grows widely throughout the plains, and other trees occasionally dot the horizon as well.

Arid Forest Research Institute, one of eleven institutes of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) was established in 1988 with the aim of understanding and combating desertification with a multi-dimensional approach, according to Naveen Bohra, who has been working as a research assistant at
AFRI for more than 10 years.

Indian Council of Forestry Research

Bohra said the thrust areas of research at AFRI are mainly to develop techniques for rainwater harvesting, to develop and improve agri-silvi-pastoral systems, develop technology for afforestation on stress sights and the eco-stabilization of deserts, with an emphasis on sand dune fixation.

Other goals include developing, producing, and distributing high quality planting material to local farmers, performing “Provenance Trials” of important arid zone species, improving trees through tissue-culture and genetic engineering, and researching non-wood forest products, especially those with medicinal value.

“We encourage people to grow crops of medicinal value, like Sona-mukhi (cassia angusta folia), which needs very little water and requires no protection from animals, ” Bohra said.

The main factors responsible for desertification in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan are climatic– the high temperature, low rainfall and high wind velocity– biotic, and socio-economic.

Biotic causes include overgrazing of livestock (cattle alone outnumber humans 2 to 1), intensive crop cultivation, forest removal for the purpose of mining and general indiscriminate deforestation and exploitation of natural resources.

Socio-economic factors include poverty, illiteracy and tradition-bound cultural practices. In almost
every aspect of village life, firewood is a necessity– from the Hindu ceremonies celebrating birth and marriage, every day ordinary cooking, to the final funeral pyre.

An AFRI case study done on 10 villages representative of desert life revealed the ratio of livestock to human population to be 1:72, indicating high biotic pressure on forest vegetation. The average family size was found to be 6.5, land holdings at 5.2 hectares, and per capita income only US $105 (RS. 5100) per month, reflecting a poor economy, and literacy ranged from 36 to 38%.

Twice a year, AFRI holds “Farmer Fairs” to let progressive farmers know about new developments. “AFRI provides technology, developed plants, bio-pesticides and other material at a nominal cost or free of cost,” said Bohra.

Vinod Sahni, also an AFRI research assistant, joined the conversation. “Many achievements of AFRI, like developing bio-pesticides from the neem tree (azadiraclita indica), help people directly. Usually they use chemicals which leave a bad effect on people, soil and plants but the bio pesticides using neem are eco-friendly. It was developed in the first five years of AFRI, and was launched in the market after ‘95. Now it’s worldwide.”

“In other research performed here, we did an international provenance trial on neem. This is only at AFRI. We collected seeds from different sources from around the world, planted them here and checked which one grows the best in this environment, considering many averages, genetic parameters, time, survival, quality and ability to adapt to the new climate and then multiplied a plantation of that particular species.” Sahni said.

Acaida and Rohira were on national provenance trial, and have now also been grown on a large scale. Bohra described the necessity of agro-forestry in the region: “in this region nobody is growing only crops or only forest plants. If they grow only crops there may be no rain fall during the season and then they have nothing to survive on but if they grow some forest plant or some medicinal/business oriented plants, they can at least feed their livestock, for example Khejari and other leguminous plants or sona-mukhi as medicinal plant.” Another benefit of Khejari and other leguminous plants is that They fix nitrogen into nitrate, which is helpful for both trees and crops.

AFRI is a globally thinking institution; externally funded research projects include the RD project (1995-2000), NABARD project (1995-2000), UNDP project (1992-2000), WB project (1994-continuing) and NOVOD (1999-continuing).

About these internationally funded projects Sahni said, “UNDP (United Nations Development Program) was conducted in 10 villages of this area from 1992 to 2000. In that program, we were bringing the upgraded plantation to the villages, showing new techniques of rain-water harvesting and trying to apply them there. If water is there, this desert can be made into a forest.”

A few developments or achievements of this program are:

(1) The development of the double ring pit and the use of mulch– dead weeds or other organic material– which make it possible for the plant to get water longer.

(2) The use of root trainer, i.e., plastic pots in a tray with holes, instead of polythene bags provides a good root system and no root coiling.

(3) The use of bio-fertilizers called VAM (vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizer), special type of organism which increases the phosphorus intake of plants which is one of the three main elements a plant needs. “VAM is popular around the world in many types, and more are being developed, as it increases plant fertility,” Bohra said.

One of AFRI’s biggest achievements, as there are many industries in this region and their waste-water is flowing uselessly, destroying the land and the environment around it with its high percentage of chemicals, is the development of certain techniques for using that wastewater and protecting the people from drinking it: after mixing gypsum, the PH or acidic nature is reduced, and adding wood ash keeps the fertility of the ground intact.

“The neem, sares, and desi babool plants can be grown, as per our studies, to survive successfully on this wastewater, and then the water can be used before reaching a river and contaminating the good drinking water of river areas,” Sahni said.

About the socio-economic status of Rajasthan, Sahni said it’s progressing slowly. AFRI is a consultant in sand-dune stabilization, rain-water harvesting, crop development, the development of medicinal plants and the development of agro-forestry, which provides techniques and knowledge about growing crops with fruits and medicinal plants in an agro-forestry system.

AFRI is researching combating desertification with the use of sprinklers and a silvi-pastoral project for sand-dune stabilization, which means developing a good crop of grasses that, even in the case of draught, the root system may remain after the plant dies, keeping the sand-dune intact and preventing it from moving. Another method of preventing desertification is shelter belt plantation, i.e., planting a line of trees to reduce the effect of wind and minimize wind erosion.

The Thar Desert in India is full of ironies-one of them being the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan. The Bishnois worship nature in all its manifestations. Not the ripe, yielding nature of ancient pagan societies, but the ruthless and demanding desert.

Amrita Devi was a Bishnoi woman who, along with more than 366 other Bishnois, died saving trees. About 200 years back, Maharaja Abhay Singh of Jodhpur required wood for his palace. So he sent his soldiers to cut trees. Amrita Devi and other villagers hugged the ranches while the soldiers chopped them down with the trees. This is still remembered as the great Khejarli sacrifice.

In fact the name of that tree was Khejari (prosopis cineraria) and after this incident that village was called Khejarli in the memory of those who died. In their story we can see something of the true spirit of ecology, or love for the Earth, which has been so lacking in the 200 years since.

There is reason to believe, however, that there is still time to save this planet and its inhabitants; while the desert winds continue to blow, more and more people are thinking about global ecological challenges, and at places like AFRI, they are actually doing something about them.

Himachal Pradesh, India

DELHI, INDIA - The Himalayan range is one of the most spectacular wonders of India. In recent years, the Himalayas have become the focus of much environmental concern. In terms of bio-diversity, the Kanawar wildlife sanctuary located in Parvati valley of Kullu district is worthy of close attention.

Kullu Valley, popularly known as the ” Dev bhumi” is host to diverse flora and fauna found in a number of National Parks and sanctuaries. A metal road from Bhunter, where Parvati River merges into Beas River, leads into the Parvati valley. The Parvati River runs through the valley. The valley holds many small and big villages on both sides. Most of the population is concentrated on the northern part of the valley. The number of houses per village varies from five to sixty. The villages have their own traditions and customs. The prime occupation of the villagers is agriculture and livestock rearing. Electricity reaches even the remotest of villages.

There are numerous gods worshipped in the valley. Every village has its own god associated with their village and have sacred places around the village. The temples are beautifully built and rituals are performed regularly. Strict rules are maintained for entering the temples. Carving is very common in the temples and many temples also have horns decorated on outer walls. The belief is so strong that even the high passes in the mountains have small worship places. One of the popular tourist and pilgrimage places is Manikaran, known for its Hot Springs. This beautiful valley is becoming more and more popular with tourists.

Villagers of Beas River Valley

I have frequented the Kanawar wildlife sanctuary since 1990.The forests are shrinking at a very fast pace and the human settlements adjoining the sanctuary are expanding at a considerable rate. Thus, demanding more and more sacrifice from the forests and the wildlife. People living in the vicinity of Beas River have already witnessed the consequences of deforestation in the form of landslides. Parvati valley is also heading in the same direction.

This report attempts to provide a brief overview of some aspects of the ecological crisis from the point of view of a traveler vis-à-vis my hands-on experiences of the same. I studied the landscape, spoke to villagers and officials. However this is in no way a complete research on the aspects of conservation. I am neither a professional writer, nor a professional social scientist.

This report has the following sections:

Fundamental Ecology

Human interests and wildlife

Threatened species

Recommendations

Fundamental Ecology

Much has been said than done on the detrimental effects of modern civilization on the environment. More so while referring to the effect on the wildlife. The threat to the country’s national parks and sanctuaries continues unabated. Human greed backed by an unabated pressure of human population is taking its toll on the green reserves of the country at an astonishing pace.

The Kanawar wildlife sanctuary is home to a host of many endangered plants and animals like the Serow, the Himalayan Tahr, the Chir Pheasant, the Musk Deer and the Western Tragopan, which has been listed in the Red Data Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In fact the Western Tragopan is limited to the Western Himalayas and the GHNP is one of the two National Parks in the world that supports the bird.

Human interests and wildlife

Endangered species protection efforts in the field are severely hampered by the high profitability of illegal wildlife trade. Consumption of endangered species products has become prevalent in India and many other countries, where greater affluence and buying power have not been matched by greater consumer awareness of the consequences of illegal wildlife trade.

An explosion of human population with intense human activities has had
far reaching effects on wildlife. Extensive deforestation resulting in
habitat destruction supported with indiscriminate hunting of birds and
animals has threatened many species with their existence. It is evident that messages of conservation are yet to reach the interior parts of Himachal Pradesh.

Deforestation is again posing a serious threat to both flora and fauna in the Parvati valley. It is not uncommon to hear the sound of an axe striking a tree in the forests. The past decade has seen a large amount of deforestation, which definitely is a cause of concern. As the population is growing, the need for construction has increased manyfold. The timber required for the same is derived from the forests. This has led to massive deforestation. The villages directly depend upon the forest for fuel, timber, herb collection, charcoal and livestock grazing.

One can find numerous trees which have been burnt. The tree is burnt to get charcoal. Often the burnt tree is left unattended during the night. This could be one major reason for forest fires. Apart from this, number of trees bear deep scars, which are made to extract gum. There are variety of plants and herbs, which are of great value. These are generally used for their medicinal values. Unfortunately the collection of these plants and herbs is done extensively, which reduces the rate at which they multiply.

Another reason for the clearing of forest area is the need of land for the cultivation of poppy plants popularly known as “charas”. The fear of authorities lead the cultivators of this plant to grow it in the denser parts of the forest and at a higher altitude. A well-camouflaged clearing is made amongst the refuge of the dense trees. Poppies require less investment and care than other crops, but at the same time it yields high profits which lure more and more people into it. The wild inhabitants and the forests pay the heavy price instead.

On one side of the river lies the famous village “Malana”. This is one of the oldest settlements in India. The ancestors of the village are believed to be the soldiers of Alexander’s army who fled and settled in the mountains. The charas cultivated in this area is considered to be of a very high quality. It is very common to see the drug abusers, which are of foreign origin mostly, setting up in the area. It is high time the authorities take immediate steps to bring this business to an end, which is directly and indirectly contributing in destroying the flora and fauna of the valley.

Over the last ten years Kasol has been commercialized into a small township. Back in the early 90s Kasol was a small village bearing few houses. Today numerous houses, hotels and restaurants have sprung up in the region. As the human concentration has multiplied, the road traffic has increased drastically. Both are effecting the ecology of the area.

Adding further fuel to the conservation problems in the Parvati valley is the construction of two power projects on the Parvati River. Malana Nala project, which is being, built about a few kilometers downstream from Manikaran on the Parvati River has resulted in major deforestation. Massive pipelines have been laid through which the water from the Malana Nala will be diverted into Parvati River. A road has been built after clearing the area, which was once a dense cover for the wild inhabitants.

A few kilometers upstream from this project, is another Hydel power project. Few years ago there was only a small trek route connecting the villages with the road head at Manikaran. As years passed, the forests gave way to a metal road on this route. Heavy traffic uses this road to transport the equipment required for the construction. Again large scale clearing was done to accommodate the project. Earlier this area had less human presence, making it a perfect home for wild inhabitants. In the early nineties, this stretch was abundant with species of birds and small animals like Red Fox, Civets etc. The call of the nature has turned into vehicle horns and running of heavy machinery. As the project progresses, the forest and its inhabitants are bound to reduce.

Threatened Species:

Snow leopard, Leopard, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan red fox, civets, jackals, serow, Himalayan tahr, Musk deer, goral, blue sheep, Monal, Koklass, Kalij and western tragopan are amongst the many species inhabiting the forests of the valley.

The most threatened species is the elusive Snow leopard. It is a very shy animal and an inhabitant of remote habitats. It is a strictly protected animal but still falls prey to poachers for its coat. It preys on wild sheep and goat, which share the habitat, and sometimes on domestic livestock, which leads to a clash with humans.

Though there are many existing conservation programs to save the Snow leopard, the threat is strong as ever. It is evident from the fact that their population is fast decreasing. Major campaigns have to be launched in this regard to help save the extinction of the snow leopard.

The villagers who share the habitat with this magnificent cat should be compensated for the loss of their livestock caused by the snow leopard. They generally complain about the unreasonably meager amount of compensation and the long process to get it. Compensating them reasonably would discourage them from avenging the deaths of their livestock. Their involvement should be emphasized in helping save the snow leopard. Organizing campaigns for generating awareness amongst the locals, making them understand the need to save the Snow Leopard and the ways they can co-exist with it.

I learnt from a villager the way Snow Leopards are sometimes trapped. The livestock in mountains are generally kept in the ground floor rooms where as the owners live on the first floor. Often there is a vent on the roof of the ground floor. The predator enters the area where the livestock is kept and makes the kill. While it is suffocating the its prey, the vent is opened and a folk shaped long and strong stick is used to pin the cat to the ground from its neck and then the room is stormed with laths and other weapons. Similar accounts were narrated to me in Ladakh and Garwal to capture or kill the leopard.

Himachal pradesh was once abundant with bears, both brown and Himalayan black bear. There is a serious threat to both these species. The former is lesser in number than its cousin which prefers the lower heights near the tree line. The Himalayan black and brown bear are omnivorous. It is a very intelligent animal. It avoids humans. On hearing human voices, it moves away minimizing chances of confrontation. But on a surprised confrontation with human, it generally attacks and the injuries are normally fatal.

I recall an incident narrated by a local residing in a village adjoining the park, about the fellow villager. This person was walking on a pugdundee, local name for pack-track, on the hillside. On a blind turn, he came face to face with a Black bear. On being surprised, the bear attacked him, clawing him all over his body. He fell to the ground and played dead. Fortunately, he fell besides a rock. The bear dug his claws on his face trying to open his eyes to see life in him. Then the bear covered him with heavy branches and left. Returning a few times to confirm his death, it finally left. The rock prevented the weight of branches from falling on the man. Severely wounded the man made it to his village from where he was taken to the hospital. Fortunately he survived.

Himalayan profile (photo courtesy of Nasa)

On two of my treks, I was surprised to see the gaddis, the local nomads, carrying single barrel rifles. On questioning, he promptly said that it was for his livestock and crop protection. As the conversation progressed he boasted of killing more than a dozen bears and leopards. I learnt that there is a good market for bears and leopards. The liver of the bear fetches good price apart from rest of the parts. And of course, the leopard skin is in great demand along with its bones in Southeast Asia.

Another reason for the decline of bears is due to their crop raiding during the harvest season. Bears often raid corn and maize farms when the crop is ready to harvest. This brings them in conflict with farmers of whom most are equipped with guns. They fall prey to the bullets. It is possible that these guns are also used for poaching. There should be frequent monitoring of the population of bears and leopards as their number is decreasing. Security in the sanctuary should be made more efficient as to check the poaching activities and the people carrying firearms and the documents of their possession.

There is a large variety of wild sheep and goats occupying the Himalayan Mountains. They adjust very well with climate and the terrain. Their strong footing helps them reach food at vertical slopes of the mountain. Bharal, Musk deer, Tahr, Seerow, Goral and Himalayan goat are inhabitants of the Parvati valley. One can find large herds, grazing in the interiors of the forests and the cliffs.

Initially, their own magnificent head bearing the horns along with their natural preys were responsible for their diminishing number. The horns are a priced possession of villages. Most of the temples are decorated with these horns. Handicraft manufacturers are also somewhat responsible for their decline. The horns and bones as well are used in making handles, pistol butts, curios etc.

The most wanted of these species is the
musk deer. The population of musk deer is fast decreasing in the Himalayas. It is sought for its musk. Poaching is mainly responsible for their declining number. The musk is readily available in almost every part of India. It is not hard to see people selling it in trains, buses and tourist places. It is very sad to know that the musk deer is killed for its musk, which is sold at a mere price of a few hundred.

Nowadays these herbivores come in competition with the nomad’s livestock. The livestock of the nomads invade the “thatches”, pasturelands, which are feeding grounds of the goats and sheep. Often these are chased away by the nomad’s dogs that accompany the livestock. There is a lot of human interference in their habitat. Often the people who collect herbs and plants frequent the cliffs on which these species move around. This scares them away thus depriving them of their essential freedom.

Parvati valley is also host to variety of bird species. It is a paradise for bird watchers. The best time for this hobby is early mornings and late afternoons. The birds pay regular visits to the streams.

Long tailed minivet, verditer flycatcher, common hoopoe, ring rosed parakeet, black kite, variety of thrushes, tits, warblers, and yellow billed blue magpie are a few of the common birds in the valley .The birds of prey normally seen in the valley are Common Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Lammergier, Cinerous Vulture and Golden Eagle, although the sightings of both Golden Eagle and Cinerous vulture have become less now days. During my visits till mid nineties the Golden Eagle were a seen commonly perching on cliffs. But in the later half the sightings reduced to the extent that I did not see a single Golden eagle in two consecutive years. (1997-98).

Among the pheasants, Monal, Koklas, Cheer, Kalij are found in the denser part of the forests. A lucky few may also have a glimpse of the Western Tragopan. One can hear the pheasants calling at daybreak. Western Tragopan which is a highly threatened bird species is found in some parts Kanawar wildlife sanctuary along with the Great Himalayan National park which lies to the south of Kanawar sanctuary. There has been a drastic decrease in the population of this pheasant. There is an urgent need to protect them from disappearing. Monal, which might face the fate of Western Tragopan, is the state bird of Himachal Pradesh. The pre-mating dancing ritual performed by male Monals to attract the females is a treat to the eyes.

Earlier, the pheasants were sorted for their meat and crests. In traditional functions, it is easy to see people wearing the crests on their hats. Though the practice has reduced now. But the killing of the bird for meat might be going unnoticed because birds are small and easy to conceal. The picture shows locals wearing Monal crest and feathers on their hat.

Presently the construction of the Dam in the Parvati valley is bound to effect the population of the pheasants. The blasting done to make tunnels for the project on the same mountains which has a good population of pheasants will scare them. The mating will be disturbed due to much activity in the area. Thus resulting in further decline in their population. At the end of this project we may realize that we have lost much than gained. The Hydel power project is not only effecting birds but also the whole biological diversity of the valley.

Some suggestions and recommendations:

Respect for wildlife habitat: Several activities (agriculture, dams, roads, etc.) cause destruction of forests, with serious impacts on wildlife. There is an urgent need to understand such impacts, and to avoid interference in the most critical wildlife habitats. Legal and social monitoring may ensure that human activity is not causing loss of biological diversity of the valley.

Poaching: The poachers have a big stake in killing wild animals and pheasants such as musk deer for musk, bear for liver, fats and pelt, and pheasants for crest and meat due to their commercial value. Crop protection guns issued to the villagers contribute to poaching activities in the area. Undercover investigation to gather information on illegal wildlife trade is required to expose wildlife dealers and help in disintegrating the wildlife trade network.

Commercial Threats: Activities such as power generation, dams, roads, tourism and encroachments of forestlands due to farming, are the greatest threats to ecology of the Parvati valley. Rights in relation to extraction of forest products should be limited. Though activities of development, these are a threat to ecological areas, and also threaten local community livelihoods, It is noticed that urban and modern lifestyles and consumerism are a major factor in the above threats.

Tourism: Tourism in wildlife habitats should be environmentally and culturally discouraged, otherwise it will remain a major threat. To ensure this, a strict code of conduct should be formulated and enforced. Commercial activities other than those by the locals should be discouraged and tourist zones should be demarcated.

Old laws: Considering the fragility of the ecosystem of the valley archaic laws which date back to as early as to India’s pre-independence period should be analyzed and appropriately amended. These should take into account unnoticed poaching activities and devise a system to create legal checks not only by the allocated workforce but also by volunteers from the local populace. Adding sensitive areas under protected area status to stop anti-biological activities will help in protecting the wildlife. The rights of the locals should be well defined so as to reach a balance between their needs and wildlife habitat.

Conservation Awareness: There is an urgent need for creating awareness and raising information levels on ecological and conservation issues. There should be frequent wildlife survival discussions with locals. Educational programs that promote awareness and changes in attitude towards wildlife through the medium of television, slide shows, street plays and pamphlets will go a long way in creating awareness in the locals. Alternative employment opportunities should be created for communities depending on wildlife for economic interests.

Local involvement. Involving local people living in and around the sanctuary in conservation programs and making them realize the importance of saving the wildlife. These people are aware of the local people involved in poaching activities. Small groups in the villages to check such activities can be formed to further propagate the cause of conservation. Incentives should be given to people giving information about poaching and other activities like felling of trees etc. Involvement of locals is a must to suppress anti poaching activities, identifying the offenders and bringing them to book.

Flag of India

Government Initiative: It’s often a case of too little too late. The government usually will not react until a species is severely threatened. The government has to be proactive in terms of conserving the flora and fauna of the state. The bio-diversity of the state has suffered immensely due to lack of interest shown by the government. The government gives preference to developmental activities at the cost of wildlife. It should give wildlife its due share of respect and further help in conserving them by providing advance training and latest techniques to the forest department. It is noted that the number of guards in the forests is very few which should be increased. It should ensure proper utilization of funds for the same and ensure that the laws are not confined to the book.

Stuart Conway of Trees, Water & People with local tree growers in El Salvador.

SAN SALVADOR - The thousands of miles between tropical rainforests and activists in developed nations present a problem for conservation efforts. Implementing projects in far-flung areas becomes even more challenging when the people have different cultures and economic resources. These barriers to sustaining our rainforests create a certain degree of uncertainty regarding their fate, but groups that push through these barriers have steadily increased hope that rainforests can be saved through restoration.

In early 2002 worldwide there are over 140 action groups working to maintain the forests we have and restore those that have been lost. The formation of groups such as these are a huge step towards conserving the earth’s forests.

One group that has worked tirelessly through the obstacles involved in the conservation of our rainforests is a nonprofit organization by the name of Trees, Water and People. Along with their local and regional treeplanting and watershed protection programs, Trees, Water and People has an international program in Central America that serves to conserve, protect and replenish forests and their ecologically important resources. Trees, Water and People, or TWP is an example of how a few people with a good cause and a lot of dedication are making a difference in the fate of the world’s forests.

The key to this groups’ success has been their cooperative effort with other nonprofit organizations as well as local inhabitants. In particular, the local people are essential to the successful implementation of the projects, as they are the ones who must continue to sustain and protect their environment when the volunteers leave.

El Salvador

The main focus of their conservation work in Central America has been in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, as these regions are particularly riddled with environmental problems.

Central America has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world as deforestation in this region has already resulted in the loss of 2/3 of its forestland. The main reason why Central America has such high rates is that it is a region whose economy is primarily dominated by agriculture and logging. The increased rate seen in the most recent 50 years is due to an increase in population, which has increased the need to clear land for agriculture and increased logging for household fuelwood. The situation has been further worsened by the fact that if countries such as Guatemala and Nicaragua can get more money for the export of their crops or the selling of their land to large logging companies they will deplete their forests for profit.

Clearly, there is a great need for groups such as Trees, Water and People who are addressing numerous environmental problems through the creation of conservation, restoration and protection projects. In the four Latin American Countries previously mentioned, TWP are currently implementing projects such as their micro enterprise tree nursery project in Guatemala, Guacerique Watershed Protection Project in Honduras, reforestation, riverbank restoration and protected area management projects in El Salvador. Most recently, TWP are introducing a fuel-efficient stove into Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

These projects not only aim to improve the health of the environment but they also act to improve the health of the local people. In particular, their project involving the adoption of a properly vented, fuel-efficient stove, called the justa stove, is now underway in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

A Justa Stove in action.

The justa stove offers many improvements to open fire stoves as well as to more efficient stoves, such as the rocket stove and plancha stove. The efficient design of the justa stove is obtained through the synthesis of the rocket stove and the plancha stove. The result is a stove that has an elbow shape to provide a combustion chamber and insulation that acts to increase the heat available to cook food.

Because of its efficient design, the justa stove uses less fuel-wood and thus decreases logging needs in these regions. Another important benefit of the justa stove is that the chimney component eliminates the toxic smoke that is typically produced by open fire stoves. This is a major improvement since smoke produced by the open fire stoves is a major health hazard for women and children who work in the kitchen, as it is a main cause of acute respiratory infections.

According to Stuart Conway, who is the director of TWPs’ international programs, the key to the successful implementation of the stoves has been in getting the women in each community to see the benefits that the stoves have to offer. Their first step in implementing the stove has been to identify the women leaders in the community and build the stove in their homes. In doing this they not only get feedback about how the stove may need to be adapted to meet the communities cooking needs, but also they use the community leaders as a means of spreading the word to other women in the community. TWP has found that the benefits of the stove speak for themselves.

Justa Stove schematic

Mr. Conway reported that after using the stoves for only a short period of time many women said that the redness of their eyes and persistent coughing had improved. The women’s health and the health of their children is very important to them so the health benefits associated with these stoves are essential to the success of the program. The other aspect of the stoves which encourages their continued use is that they reduce the amount of fuelwood needed to cook by 60%. The reduced need for fuelwood means less money spent on fuelwood, which obviously acts as huge incentive to use the stove.

In asking Mr. Conway about the difficulties they have come across in implementing the stoves he said that the initial problem is that the different countries cook different food and prefer different ways of cooking. Therefore, in order to get the women to want to use the stove it must be adapted so that it meets their specific needs.

The second problem they have come across is that part of using the stove is maintenance. Over time, soot builds up and needs to be removed and the stove needs to be cleaned. This follow up work, which is done by groups within these countries, makes the program even more time consuming.

TWP believes that the program would be more successful if it were self-sufficient such that the stoves would be built by their own people and then sold to locals. In Nicaragua, Prolena (The Wood Energy Development Association) is attempting to do this, but the problem is that many people need to take out loans or buy the stoves on layaway because they cannot afford them.

Aside from these problems, Mr. Conway said that he is “especially excited about the fuel-efficient stove program because it is cheaper to save trees than it is to replant new ones.” Also, he said that he has very high hopes for the program and its continued success in Central America and there are already plans to expand the use of the stoves to Chiapas, Mexico. Also, further in the future he hopes to expand their use to South America.

Working directly with Central American communities over the years, Mr. Conway has seen many improvements that he believes are a sign of hope for the future of the worlds’ forests. First of all, while training people to build and use the stoves he has had many opportunities to speak to locals about he importance of environmental protection. He has found that as compared to twenty or so years ago there has been an increase in education in regard to environmental concerns which he attributes to the increase in environmental writings and publications that have come out of Central America.

In terms of the fuel-efficient stove project, he has been told by locals that fewer fuelwood trucks have been seen going into many areas where these stoves are being widely used, such as in Suyapa, Honduras. He believes is a definite sign that the project is proving to be very effective.

Central America has proved to be a good place for TWP to start implementing international restoration programs because especially in the case of El Salvador, the environment has gotten so bad that farmers started to see water drying up in their fields, which made them finally start to see the effects of the pressure they have put on the environment. Mr. Conway stated that, “it is unfortunate that things had to get this bad in order for people to see the damage that is being done, but at least now many people are being more cooperative in changing destructive practices and working with conservation groups.”

To find out more about Trees Water and People, go to www.treeswaterpeople.org, or call 970-484-3678.

Toyota Prius

SACRAMENTO, CA. - Maybe you’ve been driving down the road, minding your own business, when all of a sudden the car next to you catches your eye. It looks almost like a normal car, but there’s something not quite normal about it. It is sleek, and looks rather futuristic. You say to yourself, “Hey, that must be one of those new vehicles they’ve come out with…a hybrid or something.” You gaze at it for a moment until you realize you’re supposed to be concentrating on the road ahead of you, and you drive on, wondering, “is that what everyone’s going to be driving in the future?”

Honda Insight

The car you most likely saw is one of two relatively new hybrid vehicles, either Toyota’s “Prius” or the Honda “Insight.” These cars are commercially produced and cost the average consumer around $20,000. They use hybrid technology to power themselves, which means that they are run both electrically and with a regular internal combustion engine. As can be read at Toyota’s website (www.prius.toyota.com), “A highly efficient gas engine combined with an advanced electric motor deliver the power to drive Prius.” We read at Honda’s site (www.honda.com) “The heart of the hybrid system is Honda’s innovative Integrated Motor Assist (IMA™), which couples an all-new 1.0 liter, 3-cylinder engine with an ultra-thin electric motor for outstanding performance and efficiency.” Hybrids are just one type of energy-saving car that automobile manufacturers are currently researching as energy-saving “cars of the future”. The world’s increased attention on finding lower emission to zero emission vehicles (ZEV) has fueled a vast amount of research in designing energy-saving cars. So we ask again, which direction is the automobile market heading and what are we really going to see on the roads in the next 2-10 years?

Some of the energy-saving vehicles that have been developed by today’s top researchers are all electric vehicles, which are low maintenance, short range cars, hybrid vehicles, which use both electricity and gas or diesel and can go longer distances, and fuel cell vehicles, some of which are virtually zero emission and are still in the stages of being designed and tested.

I interviewed representatives from three automobile companies and asked them a little bit about their current projects and which cars they believe we’ll be seeing on the roads in the next few years. I talked to Mr. John Wallace, Executive Director, Th!nk Group of Ford Motor Company, first. He states that Ford focuses on “4 main areas of automobile development. First, Ford is always working on improving the efficiency of today’s mainstream vehicles. Second, they have developed 2 electric vehicles for community use. Third, they have developed the “Escape” SUV hybrid which we should see in about 2003. Lastly, they are working on the development of fuel cell vehicles, of which they have several protoypes, including a fuel cell version of the Ford Focus, which is “the most popular car in the world.” Mr. Wallace believes that in the next few years, the cars we will be seeing on the road will be the same kind we have now, meaning internal combustion engines, but they will be improved. He states that the US will still be using a majority of gasoline powered vehicles while in Europe the diesel engine will probably remain popular. He believes the number of hybrid cars will definitely increase, but it may take decades before we start to see hydrogen fuel cell vehicles become mainstream, mostly because hydrogen fuel cell technology is still in early stages of development. Mr. Wallace also commented on the fact that environmental regulations and the desire to reduce emissions all over the world, especially in California, is a great motivator for the research and development of cutting edge, energy saving cars. He hopes that the cars of the near future will be modern diesels and hybrid electrics.

DaimlerChrysler’s Wolfgang Weiss with Necar 5

My next interview was with Mr. Wolfgang Weiss, the General Manager of the Fuel Cell project for DaimlerChrysler. I met Mr. Weiss at the California Fuel Cell Partnership in West Sacramento, California. Some of DaimlerChrysler’s projects include the NECAR 4, which is a hydrogen powered electric vehicle, the Jeep Commander, a luxury SUV which uses fuel cells and runs on methanol, and the NECAR 5, which is also a methanol fuel cell vehicle. The main focus of the DaimlerChrysler fuel cell project is developing fuel cell vehicles for the future. The DaimlerChrysler fuel cell project is part of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, and Mr. Weiss states that the several automobile companies in the partnership “are working closely together to try to set some standards for fuel cell research and development.” Mr. Weiss hopes that the hydrogen fuel cell car will be the car of the near future, yet he says we must realize that hydrogen fuel cell technology is still a “newborn” and it will be many years, perhaps a decade before they can really be implemented into the mainstream. After our interview, Mr. Weiss was generous enough to show me the NECAR 4 at the DaimlerChrysler facility, and I was only too glad to see such an extraordinary piece of technology. The car looked like it would be fun to ride in. Mr. Weiss says that the engineers test drive it around Sacramento and even up into the mountains. I was also able to view the hydrogen storage tank that the fuel cell partnership uses to store its hydrogen fuel for its prototype hydrogen fuel cell cars.

Anuvu’s prototype car

My third interview was with Mr. Lyn Cowgill, the Vice President of Marketing at ANUVU, Inc., which is a company specialized in the research and production of fuel cells and fuel cell vehicles. Mr. Cowgill expressed to me the goals and determination of his company in bringing their unique fuel cell cars to the market. Mr. Cowgill says that ANUVU, Inc. “embarked on a project to bring fuel cell technology into commercial production, with a higher level of performance, and to create a solid source of fuel cells.” They also have a fuel cell vehicle program and several concept prototypes, including a fuel cell golf cart, and neighborhood electric vehicles that use a fuel cell system. The hydrogen fuel cell car they have designed has many advantages. It is lightweight, made of high energy absorbing carbon fiber, and Mr. Cowgill states that “a great advantage of their car is that the vehicle is designed from the ground up so that the elements are fully integrated with one another which optimizes efficiency. Thus the entire interior of the car is integrated as well as the fuel cell.” ANUVU, Inc. is also a great advocate of personalized hydrogen refueling stations, which will help bring hydrogen fuel cell cars onto the market faster, rather than waiting for commercial infrastructure to be designed and built. The personalized refueling stations would be added into the cost of the car. Thus ANUVU, Inc. believes that it can bring hydrogen fuel cell vehicles onto the market sooner rather than later, although Mr. Cowgill believes that in the next few years there will still be mostly gasoline powered engines. He states 2004 will be a critical year in which fuel cell vehicles will hopefully be available to consumers , and 2006 he hopes the fuel cell will be available in all vehicle classes. He also speculates that between 2006-2008 the fuel cell vehicle should rise to worldwide popularity and usage.

Hydrogen Station CA Fuel Cell Partnership

In addition to the three car company representatives, I also interviewed Mr. Joe Irvin, Communications Manager of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, in order to find out his thoughts on the direction of the automobile market. He states that in the near term, “the internal combustion engine will still remain the dominant power source, however consumers will begin to see more choices.” He states that fuel cells are not expected to be available until 8 to 10 years from now. He says California is on the leading edge of technology because of many of its emission regulations, but the cost of gas really drives the car market, and as long as it is cheap in the US, people will continue to drive gasoline cars, especially SUVs. He hopes hybrid technolgy will take hold soon because it helps to pave the way for consumer awareness and the electric drive train.

There seems to be an agreement amongst these executives that the cars we see on the road probably won’t change too much in the next few years, although they will probably be more efficient and less polluting. Within the next decade, we’ll see more hybrid vehicles and the introduction of fuel cell vehicles, hopefully with the ultimate aim of achieving the zero emission hydrogen fuel cell vehicle by 2010.