The Delhi Cabinet has approved establishment of a Delhi Parks and Gardens Society to give a new thrust to greening activities in the Capital. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit explained that the Society would act as a unified agency for ensuring planned and proper greening activities in Delhi. She said it would also promote greening of local parks and gardens.

ON Friday, NDTV launched its nationwide environment campaign, 'Open up Tomorrow, Today', in partnership with Toyota. The three-year-long initiative puts the spotlight on environmental concerns and encourages the public to make important lifestyle changes to move towards a greener tomorrow. Beginning next month, it will involve year-long programming dedicated to promote environmental awareness and road safety. The highlight of the campaign will be a 24-hour telethon, which will be aired across all NDTV channels.

California, the most populous State in the United States, is going all out to promote "green' technology so as to reduce gas emissions.

Corporate social responsibility is all the rage. Occasionally there comes a report that shows that it is also mostly bunkum. When the Mumbai-based ngo Karmayog rated corporate houses for their

RETAIL: The toy industry is changing as more people are asking for environment-friendly products. Laurie Hyman had a busy time in the New York Toy Show, the US industry's biggest annual event, with more than 1,200 exhibitors. Her start-up company, Green Toys, sells toy teacups, bowls and gardening tools that are made in California from recycled plastic milk containers, and sold in boxes made from recycled cardboard. "We're getting a lot of interest

The state government will give cash rewards to encourage the eco-clubs to take up various environment-related activities. This was stated by principal secretary, science and technology, Harinder Hira, while inaugurating a three-day workshop for master trainers under the national green corps programme, which commenced here today. She said the top three eco-clubs, which excelled in various activities would be given Rs 5,000, Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000, respectively, on the basis of annual performance. She lamented that despite the degradation of environment the people were largely indifferent to the situation and not much was being done to protect it. She said master trainers should make it a point to encourage children to interact with nature so that they get sensitised. Member secretary of the state council for science, technology and environment Nagin Nanda threw light on the national green corps programme and role of their children in influencing their families and society as a whole to help develop a positive attitude towards environment protection. Involving children in the programme would have a long-term impact. National coordinator of the programme P.S. Sodhi explained the concept of ecological footprints and handprints. He emphasised the need to undertake environment auditing at individual and institutional levels. In all 48 master trainers from 11 districts of the state along with non-government organisation are participating in the workshop.

Devyani Rana, programme officer at the Energy and Environment unit of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - the United Nations Global Development Network - was in the city on Sunday for a meeting with the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) Committee to discuss the Environment and Green Games Initiative of CYG Pune 2008. Suresh Kalmadi, a member of parliament and CYG's organising committee chairman, conducted the meeting. Also present were Sandhya Mulchandani, adviser, CWG Delhi 2010, Vijay Kumar Gautam, chief operating officer, CWG Delhi 2010, and Municipal Commissioner Praveensinh Pardeshi, among other officers. In its presentation, the organising committee discussed the important objectives of its

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been announcing various benefits for execution of eco-housing program

in an unusual incident, Monnet Ispat and Energy Ltd's public hearing in Raigarh was called off because "the company was unable to adequately answer issues raised by the public'. The company's

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in New Delhi, an infl uential Indian non-governmental organisation led by Ms. Sunita Narain, a dynamic advocate for water, environment, human rights, democracy and health, will receive the 2005 Stockholm Water Prize from HM King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden in August.
In its Citation, the Nominating Committee lauded CSE and Ms. Narain.

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