CARBON FOOTPRINTS, AND MORE..

So, what is a carbon foot print?

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases, especially Carbon Dioxide, (CO2), emitted into the atmosphere as a result of our activities. We can add to the carbon footprints, either by direct methods, like driving a car, or indirectly, by consuming food that has been flown over thousands of miles.

So, what contributes to the Carbon footprints?

TRANSPORTATION: Driving a car, flying in the airplanes, or using fossil fuel, like petrol, diesel etc add to the carbon footprints.

ENERGY USE: Heating, cooling, or even lighting your home adds to the footprints.

FOOD CHOICES: Production and transportation of food items, specially, meat and dairy.

CONSUMER GOODS: Production, packaging, and disposal of products that you purchase add to the footprints.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF CARBON FOOTPRINTSD:

Global Warming: Carbon emissions, such as CO₂, trap heat in the atmosphere, causing Earth’s temperature to rise. This phenomenon leads to melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and shifting weather patterns.

Air Pollution: Activities contributing to carbon footprints, like burning fossil fuels, release harmful pollutants (e.g., nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide), degrading air quality and impacting human and animal health.

Extreme Weather: Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations lead to more intense and frequent extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, droughts, and floods.

Ocean Acidification: Oceans absorb a significant amount of CO₂ emissions, making them more acidic. This disrupts marine ecosystems, particularly species like corals and shellfish, which struggle to survive in such conditions.

Loss of Biodiversity: Rising temperatures and habitat destruction driven by human activities force animals and plants to adapt or face extinction, endangering biodiversity worldwide.

Deforestation: Human activities tied to high carbon footprints often involve clearing forests for agriculture, development, or industry. This not only releases stored carbon into the atmosphere but also eliminates vital carbon sinks.

So, how can we individuals reduce our carbon footprints?

1. ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Switch to energy-efficient appliances. Turn off lights, devices, appliances when not in use. Insulate your homes to reduce heating and cooling energy needs.
2. SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTAITON: Opt for public transportation. Consider using electric, or hybrid vehicles.
3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Minimize waste by reusing items and recycling.
4. MINDFUL EATING: Shift to more plant-based diats; meat and dairy production leave a higher carbon footprint.
5. CHOOSE LOCAL PRODUCES, over those imported from far.
6. WATER CONSERVATION: Take shorter showers, fix leaks, install water-saving fixtures.
7. PLANT TREES, DEVELOP KITCHEN GARDENS: Plant trees that absorb Carbon Dioxide. Grow your own food. This will help not only reduce carbon footprints but also ensure cleaner produce.

THE ANNUAL FLOWER SHOW : FEB/MAR 2025

The annual Flower Show and Chatkare festival was organised in the lawns of Landcraft Society during 27-28 Feb, 01, 02 Mar 2025.

Initiating the future of India..

Gardening in March

(Best Summer Flowers for Indian Climate)

India is a country which has four seasons. So we are lucky to be able to grow different varieties of flowers according to the seasons.

 Here  are the top summer flower plants which are of low maintenance and can be easily grown in your balconies/Terrace or ground.

• 1) Marigold:
• 2) Portulacas
• 3) Hibiscus:
• 4) Sunflower
• 5) Zinnia
• 6) Aparajita (Clitoria):
• 7) Mogra
• 8) Sadabahar(Vinca Rosea)
• 9) Pentas:
• 10) Mirabilis jalapa
• 11) Petunia
• 12) Morning Glory
• 13) Roses
• 14)Kochia
• 15)Gomphrena
• 16) Tithonia
• 17) Rudbeckia
• 18)Coreopsis
• 19)Crossandra
• 20) Plumeria 

Potting

All these plants are hardy and drought resistant and Dont require any extra fertiliser. Sow seeds in sand or vermiculite. All these plants grow well in the Sun. Over watering will result in fungal rot so water carefully. Other problem suffered by them are: 

Aphids: Powdery mildew and Aster yellow rot.

Bulbs

• 1 Caladium
• 2 Scadoxus(football lily)
• 3 Tuberose
• 4 Lycoris
• 5 Gloriosa lily
• 6 Costus (ginger lily )
• 7 Canna

Planting 

Mix 3 portions soil +2 parts sand +2 compost +2 leaf mould + 1(neem cake + bonemeal)

 Place 1 bulb in 6 in the pot..Cover the hole with broken pcs .Add potting mix to the pots .Place bulbs with nose side up cover it with soil lightly.Water sparingly. Do not water in between till you see the new growth.

Vegetables 

All summer vegetables like Lady finger, Cucumber, bitter gourd, melon musk melon, gourds jimikand , spine gourds , drumsticks, cowpeas brinjals, coriander and radish (summer variety) can be grown.

Sowing 

• Soak seeds overnight . Make a potting mix comprising Soil , compost, neemkhali, and plant 2 to 3 seeds in 18 in to 20 in pots. Cover the seeds lightly.
• Seeds will take a week to germinate .
• Besides these fertilise mint with vermi compost after removing weeds.
• You can spread the runners if overgrown.

Staking

• Since most of the summer vegetables are creepers ,it is very important to stake or provide an attachment with which climbers can climb .
• Don’t wait for plants to grow more .Stakes or attachment should be provided in the beginning only .
• Remove side growth of initial stages.
• Periodically spray with neem oil /dash parni liquid .
• Put pheromone traps and fruit fly traps to protect your crop.

Water Plants

• By now you must have repotted your water lilies and lotus .If haven’t done it immediately.
• Those who had done so can fertilise them.
• Adeniums are out of the shelter, repotted, and fertilised. Get ready to see the blooms of adeniums.
• Fertilise and watering to be continued in the case of cactus.
• Stop watering succulents unless they ask.
• Try to adhere to bottom watering or lower the pots in sand bed.Water the sand instead of plants. Keep them away from direct sunlight but in bright light.

Evergreen and tropical plants

They love to be grouped together:

Azaleas, begonias, geraniums , crotons, aglaonema, dieffenbachia, peperomia ,etc 

Philodendron, alocasia, syngoniums love humidity. Fertilise them regularly i.e. twice a month.

• Water in the morning and early evening.
• Always remember 
• Buy seeds from a reputable agency.
• Treat seeds with fungicide before sowing.
• Do crop rotation.
• Adopt an organic way of growing plants.Avoid chemicals.

Happy gardening!

And

The ENVIRONMENT/SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION AWARD

goes to Rama Tyagi, Chairperson, HFSOG.

It couldn’t have been someone else.

And she deserves it the most.

CONGRATULATIONS!