Planet> Global warming – no laughing matter

Image: This is our only hope - this dies, we die.
Image by: woodleywonderworks

Text by: Tanya Munshi

If your doctor told you, that you had a few more days to live - what would you do? Give up or live to the fullest? If he told you, that if you took care of your health, you may survive, then? Similarly, if we came to know that our planet has a few more days to exisit, what would we do?

Recently I met up with a friend and we got discussing the issues about global warming and the shortage of fresh water supply that has hit Mumbai. We were talking about how certain portions of Mumbai and other parts of the world would come under water due to the melting ice caps. I was startled to hear her view when she said, “Oh, there’s a lot of time for that to happen. Who's bothered now.”

To which I instantly replied, “But I am concerned, if not for me, what would my children grow up to see!”

This made me realize that it’s not her alone but plenty of people around the world who hold similar views, “there’s lot of time for the crises to start” – the fact of the matter is, it has already begun. The rising fuel prices and food grain prices are just the tip of the ice berg. We haven’t even begun thinking ahead.
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Adverts – do they help in saving the environment?
Just by having glossy billboards and advertisements on television, it doesn’t really help as they are not really telling the people on how to go about saving the planet. The ads just tell us, ‘Save the Planet’ and not how. Some go a little far by telling us, ‘Plant more trees’ – but in a space starved city like Mumbai, where is an average Mumbaiker going to plant a tree? As it is several mangroves and trees have been erased to make place for larger luxury apartments and wider streets. Luxury apartments will arise because there is a demand for it, but I have failed to see how wider roads have helped us, as the number of cars keep increasing in a single city like Mumbai. Come to think of it, Mumbai is yet to adopt rainwater harvesting in a big way let alone starting terrace gardens, that can bring back the greenery and keep a check on the pollution in our city.

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Tip - Install rainwater harvesting units and start terrace gardens, use vermicompost from vegetable waste, dried leaves and flowers as manure. This will solve the issue of garbage disposal.

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Lights off!
Whenever I drive back home late night, I find most of the malls, supermarkets, billboards and even small sign posts have all the lights on. Who needs that kind of light every night? I think apart from street lights, hospitals, police stations, fire stations and day and night chemists, and ATMs, no one (especially commercial establishments like malls) should be allowed to keep lights on all the time, especially at night. It’s an utter waste of electricity.

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Tip - Start a rule, ‘Lights off after 10pm” (for commercial establishments), just the way we have “Loudspeakers off after 10pm” – this will be an answer to the power shortage in the cities.

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Malls - the biggest energy wasters
The malls are the biggest energy drainers. I have nothing against them; it’s just that they have to know how to use energy more efficiently and not waste electricity. Visit any store in a mall, and you will find several lights illuminating the store. A few smart lights can do the trick instead of using so many lights. Walk on the corridors of the malls and look up to the ceiling and see how many lights are switched on. Even if the malls switched on every alternate light or every third light in a row, it can work just as well.

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Tip - Have glass windows in the long corridoors that can be opened when required. Glass windows will allow sun light to peer in, that can create a natural lighting affect inside the malls.

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Water
During evening walks, I have noticed several homes washing their front porch with water daily. I cannot comment much on the double standards we Indians have when it comes to pollution and cleanliness, but I hate anyone wasting water like that. Several people in India walk for miles to fetch one pot of drinking water, while some mercilessly use it to wash their front porch every other day. Yes, we have to keep our front porch clean or wash the bathrooms almost every day, but I have tried the experiment myself and it has worked well for me.

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Tips -

• Wash your bathrooms on alternate days, especially if you’re the kind who likes to wash his/ her bathroom daily. If you can span it a little longer – once in three days, nothing like it.
• Wash clothes alternate days, if you have a washing machine or having a helper to do it. If it’s your helper, then request her to use limited amount of water and not waste it. Adjust the water level in your washing machine, so it does not use extra water.
• Try and reuse water. For example, after you have used the water to wash vegetables during cooking, then don’t just dunk it in the sink. Pour it into your plants if you don’t have plants then use that water later to wash your kitchen sink. But reuse it. That’s the main thing.
• Teach your kids and other family members to not waste water, especially while brushing or shaving. Sure, you may be received with a few mocks or smiles, but it’s worth the effort.

You have to see what best works for you. Yes of course, families who have children or babies need to wash clothes more often, in that case try and work out some formula that works best for you and the planet.
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TV serials and soaps
I am not a fan of Ekta Kapoor but I still want to write to her. Her soaps are/ were by far one of the most watched and popular all over the country. She has a huge fan following from every social stratum. I hope she reads this blog soon and realizes the importance of saving the planet, issues about global warming etc and weaves these messages into her serials. Just imagine, if Tulsi from “Saans bhi kabhi bahu thi’ mentions to one of her bahus or to Ba to turn off the tap or switch off lights and fans in rooms that are not required, then I think it would do wonders in spreading the message.
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Bollywood and the Environment
I am not zeroing down on Ekta Kapoor alone, I would like actors like Aamir Khan or Shah Rukh Khan to join the bandwagon keeping aside their professional or personal rivalries and get down to creating awareness amongst the people to do something for their planet. Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan are powerful personalities whom we all admire, and if they take up the cause for the environment I think would be great. If Amitabh Bacchan could help in eradicate polio by appearing in anti-polio campaigns, then imagine what magic Amir or Shah Rukh could create in their respective ways!
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Tip - Bollywood is a strong tool to reach out to the masses. If 'Taarey Zameen Par' could educate us about dyslexia, 'Chak de India', about hockey as a sport and women sportspersons, then imagine what can a film on the natural environment do to bring about a change in our world? We could have a Munna Bhai preaching environmental conservation, just the way he preached Gandhigiri and why not?
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Sports and the Environment
If the IPL matches or players donated even 1/4th of their earnings to the effort of planting more trees, animal and plant conservation drives – that’s another magic in the making. By far, today, cricket is one of the most prosperous business ventures today. You win or loose, you still win. So, why not give something back to the society from where you came?
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Go beyond
Just by wearing t-shirts, lighting a candle and participating in a peace march for one day does not create awareness as we are too busy with our daily lifestyle and tend to forget. Actions like planting more trees, saving water, car pooling, alternate days of driving your car/ scooter or bicycle days should be a part of our daily lifestyle and not only for the Page 3 crowd to do it for one day and we poor citizens pour our heads into Bombay Times to see who wore what mini skirt or a see-through dress in which party.
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Corporate and Universities
The list is endless, but then efforts put in by people should be endless too. Unused corridors, passageways, staircase should have fewer or smart lights. Campuses can use solar lamps to light up their premises. All corporate firms should have a line of chartered busses for all employees, this will save fuel consumption from several usage of cars or bikes and scooters. CEOs should set the example by traveling in chartered buses too. Come on, crisis hits everyone with the same force, crisis will never differentiate between a CEO or a humble peon. This is where everyone has to join the bandwagon to save their beloved planet.

Would you want to leave a messy world for your children to live in? The choice is yours.

People> Eve Teasers a Menace

Text by: Tanya Munshi

I read through the account of that Srigowri wrote for Yo Vizag. I completely empathize with her. I have been living in Vizag for the last couple of years and everytime I think of going out alone, I think twice. Eve teasing is very bad out here as it leaves a bitter taste. Vizag can be a livable place, only if the eve-teasing went down. Not one day goes without hearing a cat call, lewd remarks in Telugu or when men (married or young boys) whizz past in their cars or motorbikes just missing the women by a few inches making it difficult to walk on the streets.

Rape, physical assault on women and eve teasing should not only be a punishable offence, but should fall under capital punishment in our country. Enough is enough, its time the culprits are brought to book. Several crimes are committed against women in our country, but most offenders go free due to their political backing. There should be no two ways about such crimes; capital punishment for such offenders is the answer.

Unfortunately in our country, justice comes through very late; it takes years for a victim and her family to get justice. We should have a separate cell that will deal with such crimes with utmost priority. It is so difficult to walk out alone in broad day light. Whenever a woman tries to defend herself, she is taught by her family not to stand up against eve teasing for the fear that the culprits will harm her.

Why in the first place should anyone allow eve teasers to harass women by succumbing to the fear? If the so called moral police can ransack pubs and night clubs, why aren't they taking charge of eve teasers? Isn't it going against the so called Indian ethos that women should be respected and not be harassed. The truth is, we are all double standard people, at one hand we pray to the goddesses of wealth and prosperity but on the other hand we harass the very women at homes and in public areas. Shame on us as we have no control over the heinous crimes against women.

Every citizen of India should stand up against eve teasing and harassment against women. If we can stand up against terrorism and make our politicians listen to us, then we can surely make ourselves heard with regard to safety of women in our country. Its time to create the fear in eve-teasers; lets for once see them in fear instead of the women. This is a free country and each one of us has a right to live in peace and no one has the right to take it away from us, especially not by these eve-teasers.

Published in 'Yo Vizag', February 2009 edition and Deccan Chronicle.

People> Breadwinners of the changing world

Images by: Tanya Munshi

Images: Op Demo, Navy Day at Visakhapatnam

Image copyright: Tanya Munshi

Text by: Tanya Munshi

Times are changing, the world is only getting more and more competitive each day. Commodities are getting dearer as the Rupee doesn’t stretch as much as it used to be. Eating out, recreation, clothes, essential items all seem to have adorned the garb of expensiveness.

Post liberalisation has thrown in a lot of opportunities in India. While the Indian man has definitely moved into greener pastures of MBAs and CAs, and moving abroad, the Indian woman has now adorned a few more roles apart from a wife and mother. Now, she too dreams of earning and contributing to her family.

How rising prices affect people
In the civil world, couples are moving to being DINKS – which is a ‘Double Income No Kids’ family, to be able to sustain themselves in an ever volatile and expensive world. Today, most wives feel the need to do something worthwhile and lucrative so that they too can be the breadwinners along side their husbands. But not all couples prefer being DINKS.

How is it different for the armed forces:
People in the armed forces are still well rooted and not wanting such sacrifices of not having a child. Defence wives realise that their husbands are working in harsher conditions, than an average software professional. So why shouldn’t they too be brought up to a pedestal? Why should an MBA or a software professional earn accolades and huge remuneration world wide? The work our service personnel do is way tougher, in harsher conditions which is not conducive to their health and personal life and away from their families. That’s too much of a sacrifice these men do.

A peek into a defence life
We all know, being a defence officers’ wife comes with a lot of responsibilities. Not only are they expected to run a household, but are supposed to handle a lot of other administrative tasks in the absence of their husbands. They need to drive a car, to be able to handle herself in any situation especially in a new town/ city where people may not speak the same language, bringing up children alone, dealing with pregnancy while her husband is away and a constant worry that the husband is at a risky job profile - are just some of the trials and tribulations she has to go through.

Challenges faced by defence officers’ wives

Jobs/ Careers
One of the main challenges that a defence wife has to go through is - trying to apply for a job in a town/ city, where she has to put up with a slammed door on her face. Why? Most corporates don’t entertain a defence officer’s wife for the simple reason of their nomadic lifestyle. This is unfair as no company has a right to turn away a prospective employee simply because of his/ her spouse is serving in the armed forces. This shows the apathy that the private sector has towards our armed forces, not realising that it is primarily because of the round the clock vigil by the armed forces that keeps them safe, so that they in turn can earn their profit. In turn, if their families are not entertained to be able to support themselves, what faith will the services personnel have in their country men?

Distance living
Today, there are many more career opportunities, but mostly concentrated in the metros. As a result, several wives are opting to either stay separated from their husbands just so that they together can attain a certain standard of living that is required.

Availability of more lucrative options
For some women, teaching as a career isn’t the answer to this competitive world. Not that teaching isn’t enjoyable anymore, this profession has its own perks such as - it gives you enough time to spend with your husband and children, pursue hobbies, meet friends and earn a decent salary. But this may not be enough to cope with the rising demands of growing children or if purchasing a house in the civil world.

Salary structure
As an example, let’s take a city or town in the country, where you plan on buying a flat. Today, in a B-class city, a basic two-bedroom hall kitchen starts from Rupees 20 lakhs (this may not include an extra lakh or two for parking space). Starting from the very disparity that we face of a salary structure, a young lieutenant’s dreams of a owning a house may get crushed at the nascent stage. Yes of course, unless he’s got enough financial backing from his family, then its not a problem. But not all come with similar backgrounds.

Measures
~ Salary increment of our defence personnel that match up to the standards of the civil world, so that our men too feel at par, if not superior or inferior to their peers in the civil society.

~ Tie-ups with reliable HR firms across the country, ensuring the wives who want to work can get a decent job in a new town or city on arrival.

Life shouldn’t be so tough at all times for only one section of people, especially for the armed forces personnel and their families. Right from the salary structure, to housing, employment opportunities for wives should be given due consideration and a positive action taking place for betterment of lives of service personnel. Lack of doing so will only result in the civil world mocking the armed forces at their archaic system of life and living.

The Work from Home Guide

Text by: Tanya Munshi

Image by: Kowitz

Image: Work from Home

A lot of people I know have always raised an eyebrow when ever I told them that I work ‘remotely’, in simpler terms, ‘work from home’. Usually I get the feedback that as a home maker, I maybe doing some data entry job to earn pocket money. In fact, from certain clients too, I have got this feeling that even though I am a thorough professional; I was never taken to very seriously. Some clients thought, I had all the time in the world to work and so they kept tossing work at me. Finally, at the end of two years, I could pick and choose with whom to work with and for how long. That's what I tell you, break the mindset and get cracking with your work from home.

How and where to begin?
Several friends approached me to offer tips or references on how to go about working online. I started it out through contacts from my older companies and colleagues whom I have worked with. Apart from building contacts and references through friends and colleagues; do your own research by looking up Google and of course, post your updated resume in job portals. This is where, networking helps a lot. You have got to hone your people skills and network well, otherwise why should anyone even remember you? Also, the most important part of your work from home profile – is the follow up, you have to let your potential client know that you are keen to work, but not desperate enough to work at an underpaid job.

Do they pay?
Initial starting pay may not be according to your expectations, but it’s always good to start somewhere. Gradually, as you work and your clients get a hang of your style, you can ask for a raise. If you plan on freelancing, you can also charge in terms of hours, however, you have to cross check with fellow work from home people or freelancers as to what the current rate is. But of course, if you’ve had years of work experience backing you, then it should not be a problem getting a decent pay package.

The points above are all about what you can handle externally, here are some tips to make life simpler to work while being at home.

Schedule your day – always ensure that you are able to put in your fixed number of hours at work every day. You have got to be serious about your work. If you miss a weekday due to any reason, make it a point to keep your client informed and cover it up by working on it over a weekend.

Household chores – as women, we're always expected to handle home and work with ease. We know how tough it can get sometimes, especially when the house helper doesn’t turn up or sudden arrival of guests. See if you can cook all your meals in the morning, before the maid arrives (according to the Indian context). Or, you can even choose to cook during the lunch time and take a break.

Be mentally prepared – always be mentally prepared that things can go wrong, like power failure, sudden arrival of guests. Remember, that exigencies at home will be higher. This will help you stay calm.

Utilize your time – During power failures, or no internet connection, I make it a point to finish the cooking, so that by the time the power returns, I can resume my work. So utilitize your time the best way possible.

Invest if required – Since I lived in a small town for a couple of years, I had to suffer six hours of power cuts almost every other day. I then invested in an inverter that helped me to work on my computer while there were power cuts. I also got myself a laptop that if and when I travelled with my husband, I was able to keep a check on my work and attend to something in case it was required.

Keep contacts handy – keep the numbers of your internet service provider, the electrical board, etc handy. At times of power failure or no connectivity you have to inform them urgently. Remember, the sooner you call, the quicker your problems will be solved.

Dress to work – before you sit down to work, finish your bath, have your breakfast and dress up well (makeup optional), so that you ready yourself mentally and physically for office work.

Check your health – I always make it a point to practice yoga every morning. A dash of lime and warm water does the trick along with 4 almonds and a garlic flake soaked overnight. Garlic will keep acidity at bay, almonds act as a health tonic while warm lime water will flush your body of toxins. Since I tend to work for several hours on my computer, I ensure that I practice yoga daily. When ever I get the chance, I go out for long walks in the evening. Last but not the least, sit with a bottle of water where you work. Keep drinking water as often as you can. Remember, working from home has its own perks – like you have an access to a microwave or a refrigerator. You can keep fresh fruits in the refrigerator and have them as in between snacks.

Baby care – one of the primary reasons for to work remotely from home is that whether you have kids or plan to have kids in the near future, you can adjust the time and be there for your little one. If you keep a nanny, you will be around to keep an eye on her as well.

Be honest – honesty is the best policy, when you work remotely. Remember, your client is entrusting valuable data, time and money into you. So don’t play around with it. Be serious with the work and you will be happily rewarded.

Equip yourself – get Yahoo, MSN, Google Talk or Skype installed. See what is convenient for you and your client. Register yourself with a PayPal account, in case of foreign clients.