June 2018

VOLUME 99 | ISSUE 105 | JUNE 2018 Page 4Climate change is mixing upnature’s dinner time Established by H.H. Dr. Syedna Environment Wellness & Lifestyle Monthly Newsletter Mohammed Burhanuddin (RA) in 1992Timing is everything in nature but global warming has changed this gradually. A globalmega analysis on the biological timing of 88 species that rely on another life form,shows that on average, species are moving out of sync by about SIX days a decade,although some pairs are actually moving closer together.Bees have to be around and flowers have to bloom at the Burhani Foundation (India) has partnered withsame time for pollination to work, and hawks need tomigrate at the same time as their prey. In many cases, Burhani Foundation (India) has partnered with Indian Biogas Association toglobal warming is interfering with that timing. promote the usage and processing of Biogas and a campaign for “Zero organic waste to landfill.” BFI and IBA have joined hands to address the issues pertain-For example in the Netherlands, the Eurasian ing to scientific waste management through Waste-to-Energy, Zero Organic wastesparrow hawk has been late for dinner because to Landfill and creation of a Circular Economy.its prey, the blue tit, has, over 16 years, arrivedalmost six days earlier than the hawk. IBA is the first nationwide and professional biogas association of operators, manu- facturers and planners of biogas plants, representatives from public policy,It’s most crucial in Lake In Greenland, the plants are showing science and research in India and all other stakeholders of biogas ecosystem. TheWashington, where over up three days earlier than the caribou, motto of the association is “Propagating biogas in a Sustainable way.”the past 25 years, plant so more of the baby caribou are dying Waste disposal is one of the major areas of concern across the globe. Variousplankton are now “because there wasn’t enough food.” reports suggest the dreadful future conditions, if the issue of waste generationblooming 34 days earlier and management is not taken seriously in present time. Within this precariousthan the zooplankton scenario, the silver lining is that almost 50% of the waste constituent is organic inthat eat them. That’s nature, which can be efficiently processed by practicing sustainable wastecrucial because that’s management.messing with thebottom of the food Biogas is an excellent example of waste to energy utilizing a wide range ofchain. organic / bio wastes to produce fuel and bio fertilizer. Biogas is a flexible fuel that can meet a range of energy needs, including cooking and other thermalRecycled Paper Used applications, electricity generation and transport. Recycled Paper Used Amatullah Manzil, Website : burhanifoundationindia.org65 Bazargate Street, Fort, Mumbai-1. Email : [email protected] / [email protected] Youtube : Burhani Foundation India Channel Phone: 022-22678480 / 22634326 Facebook : Burhani-Foundation-India Twitter : BFI_environment Instagram : burhani.foundation

Page 2 Page 3 What is biogas and how is it formed? Global warming is killing fishBiogas is a gas produced by anaerobic in Arabian Sea,digestion (in the absence of oxygen) oforganic material, largely comprised of say Hyderabad ocean scientistsmethane (about 2/3rds). Ocean sciences experts from Hyderabad and the USA have now linked globalBiogas can be used for warming to the unchecked bloom of a special type of algae in the Arabian sea. The algal bloom is leading to the death of commercially and ecologically important♦ thermal application fish species. A research study conducted by a joint♦ electricity generation team of Indian and American experts in ocean sciences revealed that harmful♦ after upgradation as vehicular fuel Noctiluca algae blooms in the Arabian Sea are thriving due to global warming.♦ thermal and electrical application. INCOIS is conducting more research to decode more secrets behind the fishThe Biogas yield from waste varies greatly mortality in the Arabian Sea.dependant on : The Noctiluca algae are often reported to occur in patches or blooms in the♦ the type and quality of waste Northern Arabian Sea. These striking green blooms often appear to glow at night due to a special phenomenon called bioluminescence, earning them the nick-♦ digester technology and name 'sea sparkle', the study said adding that “unfortunately, these beautiful patches, indicate zones of decline because fish cannot thrive and sometimes die♦ the correct operation of the facility. because of these blooms.”A bio digester is a tank that processes the organic material that produces Biogas. Noctiluca voraciously eats one of the most important planktonic organisms at theIn theory, any organic material can be decomposed anaerobically to produce base of the fish-food chain, namely diatoms, and excretes large amounts of am-Biogas, but some materials work better than others. In general, materials need to monia, linked with massive fish mortalities.be rich in energy and easily digestible. Manure works very well, coming from The study suggested that rather than effluents or chemical pollution, it is globalcows or horses. Bio digesters can be fashioned from septic tanks, but the waste warming conditions that are contributing to the observed abundance of Noctilucaproduction is often not enough to produce enough biogas. Plant material can be in the Northern Arabian Sea.used, but acidic matter should be avoided, for they disturb the anaerobicprocesses. Plant matter is also often low-energy and slow to digest, creating anumber of difficulties for digesters relying solely on such material. There is also aneed to make people aware regarding segregation of waste at source, by doingso we might also be able to achieve the goal of “Zero Waste to Landfill” What are the environmental benefits?Methane has a greenhouse gas (GHG) factor 21 times greater than CO2.Capturing methane from any substrate (example-waste), which would otherwisebe emitted to atmosphere, and utilizing it for other purposes will obviously reducethe GHG impact.Biogas energy is considered to be carbon neutral since carbon emitted by its com-bustion comes from organic matter that fixed the carbon from atmospheric CO2.Additionally utilising Biogas will replace fossil fuels, a main contributor to GHG.Recycled Paper Used Recycled Paper Used