Citizens and developers can soon look forward to earning property tax rebates by constructing eco-friendly buildings. The joint-select committee of the state government has approved the BMC's plan to offer incentives and tax rebates upto 50 percent on eco-friendly construction to achieve the goal of sustainable development.

Kolkata: Supporting the controversial India-U.S. nuclear deal, R. Chidambaram, chairman of the Union Cabinet's Scientific Advisory Committee, said here on Monday that the deal, if operationalised, will secure uranium supply for the country's reactors as well as facilitate technological collaboration with countries having nuclear know-how. He was speaking to newspersons after delivering the Raja Ramanna Memorial lecture at the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre here.

This may come as a surprise, but a report from a scientific firm based in Washington, has revealed that obese people are contributing up to 45 per cent to global warming. Undeniably, planet earth is witnessing a major climate change in the world. And if you think it's only greenhouse gases doing the damage, think again. The scientific evidence which recently emerged, stated that obesity and global warming are linked. Could it be true or is it just one more way of making overweight people feel guilty?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Renew. This was once the eco-warrior's credo, recommended to consumers in Europe. Today, however, environmentalists say that more critical than the 4 Rs is a simple word that ought to become a slogan: deconsume. Deconsume sounds like Mahatma Gandhi's mantra: Live simply, so that others may simply live. Easier said than done in urban settings, where economies are built on consumption and demand. So, how about green consumerism? Every time you spend a rupee, you vote for or against the environment. Here are some ways to be eco-conscious in your everyday life:

For the first time in history, oil prices breached the $135 per barrel mark last month. Since then, prices have ebbed slightly but the fallout in India is just the beginning. On June 5, the Central Government bravely increased petrol, diesel and LPG prices. This year oil subsidies are likely to cost the country over Rs 2,20,000 crore

The good news in the International Energy Agency's report on the future of energy technologies is that there is enough oil left on the planet to allow a huge increase in consumption over the next few decades. The bad news is that the consequences for the climate of burning that much oil would be alarming. The IEA, the rich countries' energy watchdog, is urging the world to start weaning itself off oil, not because supplies are running out but to avoid "significant change in all aspects of life and irreversible change in the natural environment" as a result of global warming.

THE SRM University, Kattankulathur, in association with the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research organised a one-day national workshop on Environmental Sustainability to mark the World Environment Day Celebrations here on Thursday..

Volkswagen India celebrated the 36th observance of World Environment Day through a tree plantation ceremony at its upcoming manufacturing facility at Chakan, Pune. Volkswagen employees planted 250 trees to encourage green surroundings at the facility. Mr. Joerg Mueller, President, Volkswagen India also participated in the initiatives. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Mueller said, "Globally, we have been constantly working on energy efficiency and making our business more environment friendly.'

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