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Hello..I am Dr. Pinki Purkayastha, Chandrani is my other name.I am an Environmental Scientist by profession...I love to write articles, poems, stories and dramas tooo.....
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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Publish your papers/photographs in a new journal from North East India

Dear Friends,
It gives me immense pleasure to announce that a new and one of the first of its kind of an international peer-reviewed scientific journal from north east India in the field of environmental science is going to start from next month (5th June 2014-tentative date). The process of getting an ISSN number and indexation is underway.
For its very first issue I invite research articles, review paper, short communication, scientific article on any environmental issue, series shot of any particular environmental issue from all of you who are interested. There is no processing fee/charge for the first issue. You can submit your work to me in this email id. pinkilovesnature@yahoo.in / pulakdas.ecology@gmail.com
Last date of submission is 16th may,2014.
Thanks and Regards
Pinki Purkayastha

Monday, May 20, 2013

Carbon dioxide - A story

The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in Earth's atmosphere is of interest because
of its impact on the greenhouse effect. arbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities. In 2011, CO2 accounted for about 84% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. Carbon dioxide is naturally present in the atmosphere as part of the Earth's carbon cycle (the natural circulation of carbon among the atmosphere, oceans, soil, plants, and animals). Human activities are altering the carbon cycle—both by adding more CO2 to the atmosphere and by influencing the ability of natural sinks, like forests, to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. While CO2 emissions come from a variety of natural sources, human-related emissions are responsible for the increase that has occurred in the atmosphere since the industrial revolution. 
U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions, By Source
Pie chart that shows emissions by use. 39 percent is electricity, 32 percent is transportation, 13 percent is industry, 10 percent is residential and commercial, and 6 percent is other (non-fossil fuel combustion).
Note: All emission estimates from the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2011.
The main human activity that emits CO2 is the combustion of fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil) for energy and transportation, although certain industrial processes and land-use changes also emit CO2. The main sources of CO2 emissions in the United States are described below.
  • Electricity. Electricity is a significant source of energy in the United States and is used to power homes, business, and industry. The combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity is the largest single source of CO2 emissions in the nation, accounting for about 38% of total U.S. CO2 emissions and 32% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2011. The type of fossil fuel used to generate electricity will emit different amounts of CO2. To produce a given amount of electricity, burning coal will produce more CO2 than oil or natural gas.
  • Transportation. The combustion of fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel to transport people and goods is the second largest source of CO2 emissions, accounting for about 31% of total U.S. CO2 emissions and 26% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2011. This category includes transportation sources such as highway vehicles, air travel, marine transportation, and rail.
  • Industry. Many industrial processes emit CO2 through fossil fuel combustion. Several processes also produce CO2 emissions through chemical reactions that do not involve combustion, for example, the production and consumption of mineral products such as cement, the production of metals such as iron and steel, and the production of chemicals. Fossil fuel combustion from various industrial processes accounted for about 14% of total U.S. CO2 emissions and 12% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2011. Note that many industrial processes also use electricity and therefore indirectly cause the emissions from the electricity production.
Carbon dioxide is constantly being exchanged among the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface as it is both produced and absorbed by many microorganisms, plants, and animals. However, emissions and removal of CO2 by these natural processes tend to balance. Since the Industrial Revolution began around 1750, human activities have contributed substantially to climate change by adding CO2 and other heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere.
In the United States, since 1990, the management of forests and non-agricultural land has acted as a net sink of CO2, which means that more CO2 is removed from the atmosphere, and stored in plants and trees, than is emitted. This sink offset about 14% of total emissions in 2011 and is discussed in more detail in the Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry section.
To find out more about the role of CO2 warming the atmosphere and its sources, visit the Causes of Climate Change page and the Greenhouse Gas Indicators page in the Science section.
A recent report on global atmospheric CO2 level has created a concern among the scientific community associated with global warming and climate change research. The report released by National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on 9th of this month has stated that the daily average CO2 concentration has surpassed the level of 400 ppm as observed in the Mauna Loa Observatory at Hawaii Islands. As stated by NOAA, such a higher level has been reached for the first time in the last 800,000 years. The same has also been reported by another climate research group ‘Scripps Institute of Oceanography’ who has also added that similar concentration of the green house gas was present during the Pilocene Age, 3-5 million years ago.Daily measurements of CO2 at a US government agency lab on Hawaii have topped 400 parts per million for the first time.
The station, which sits on the Mauna Loa volcano, feeds its numbers into a continuous record of the concentration of the gas stretching back to 1958.The last time CO2 was regularly above 400ppm was three to five million years ago - before modern humans existed. Scientists say the climate back then was also considerably warmer than it is today.
Carbon dioxide is regarded as the most important of the manmade greenhouse gases blamed for raising the temperature on the planet over recent decades.Human sources come principally from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.The usual trend seen at the volcano is for the CO2 concentration to rise in winter months and then to fall back as the northern hemisphere growing season kicks in. Forests and other vegetation pull some of the gas out of the atmosphere.This means the number can be expected to decline by a few ppm below 400 in the coming weeks. But the long-term trend is upwards.



Thursday, October 4, 2012

Environmental Calendar : A list to remember

5th January: National Bird Day 
 February 2: World Wetland Day
 March 21: World Forestry Day
 March 22: World Water Day
March 23 :World Meteorological Day 

 April 7: World Health Day
April 18: World Heritage Day 
April 22 : Earth Day 
   
May 3 :International Migratory Bird Day
May 22 : International Day for Biological Diversity (World Biodiversity Day) 
 June 5 : World Environment Day 
June 8 :World Oceans Day
June 15 : Global Wind Day  
July 11 : World Population Day
July 29 :International Tiger Day 


August 9 : International Day of the World's Indigenous People
 September 16 : World Ozone Day
September 28 :  Green Consumer Day
 

October 3 : World Habitat Day
 October 4 : World Animal Welfare Day
October 13 :  International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
October 1-7 : World Wildlife Week


 
November 6 : International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict  

December 2: Bhopal Tragedy Day

These special days are declared to remember our promise, our duty towards conservation of nature 



A Journey from worst 
to 

the  Best


Save Earth, Save Life

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Happy Earth Day

Let's go green and save our beloved Mother Earth..

Let's adopt sustainable livelihood for a better future...

As This is Our Only Home.....

Lets' try to be the hero who works to heal Mother Nature....

Let's remember the Vedic Hymn to the Earth, the Prithvi Sukta in Atharva Veda, is unquestionably the oldest and the most evocative environmental invocation.

In it, the Vedic seer solemnly declares the enduring filial allegiance of humankind to Mother Earth: 'Mata Bhumih Putroham Prithivyah: Earth is my mother, I am her son.'The Hymn says, in prayerful thanksgiving and homage: Earth in which lie the sea, the river and other waters, in which food and cornfields have come to be, in which lives all that breathes and that moves, May she confer on us the finest of her yield. Earth, in which the waters, common to all, moving on all sides, flow unfailingly, day and night, may she pour on us milk in many streams, and endow us with lustre. May those born of thee, O Earth, be for our welfare, free from sickness and waste. Wakeful through a long life, we shall become bearers of tribute to thee. Earth, my mother, set me securely with bliss in full accord with heaven, O wise one, uphold me in grace and splendour.



World Earth Day...some facts

 World Earth day is the most widely celebrated international environmental event.Earth Day helps celebrate Earth’s unique place in the universe. It is the only planet in our solar system teeming with incredible biodiversity.

Facts :
  • Senator Gaylord Nelson of the United States founded Earth Day.
  • Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970 in the United States.
  • On March 21, 1971, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General U Thant made Earth Day an international celebration.
  • In 1990, the first official International Earth Day was celebrated. 
  • About 200 million people from 141 nations took part in a celebration of environmental conservation.
  •  This year's Earth Day is centred around a scheme called "one billion acts of green", which encourages individuals to make simple environmentally conscious pledges, such as switching off lightbulbs or reducing car journeys.  
  • The first Google Earth Day doodle introduced  back in April 22, 2001 . The 'O's in the Google logo were replaced by the western and the eastern hemisphere for the earth . 
  •  To mark the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day, Google this time has posted a flower-themed Google Doodle on its home page. It features an animated image of blooming flowers in purple, red and yellow colours that spell Google.

Symbols :
  • Symbols used by people to describe Earth Day include an image or drawing of planet earth; a tree, a flower or leaves depicting growth; or the recycling symbol. 
  • The “Earth Flag”, which was designed by John McConnell, has been described as a “flag for all people”.  
  • It features a two-sided dye printed image of the Earth from space on a dark blue field, made from recyclable, weather-resistant polyester.
  • Margaret Mead believed that a flag that showed the earth as seen from space was appropriate.