June 2019

VOLUME 111 | ISSUE 117 | JUNE 2019 Page 4 Rooftop rainwater is led through pipes with a filter at Recharge your wells and Established by H.H. Dr. Syedna Environment Wellness & Lifestyle Monthly Newsletter the end to open dug wells for replenishing under- bore wells Mohammed Burhanuddin (RA) ground aquifers. A recharge pit for bore wells is also a good idea as it pushes back the surface water into the in 1992 groundwater system. Usually, a recharge pit is one metre in diameter and six metres deep, lined with concrete rings having perforations. These perforations let filtered and de-silted water seep from the sides increasing the groundwater table. If you are looking for a fast DIY way to collect rain- Build a Rain Saucer The term sustainable homes is thrown about quite a bit these days, water without much hassle, rain saucers form a great but there’s more to it than just segregating your waste and calling it a free standing rain collection system which fill up day. The carbon footprint of a home can be minimized through surprisingly fast. Looking like an upside-down practices like : umbrella, the rain saucer unfolds to form a funnel which fills the containers with rainwater. Since this 1. Reduced energy consumption 2. Water conservation 3. Waste recycling easy-to-deploy system catches rain straight from the sky, it also decreases the chances of contamination. For many of us the transition to choosing safer products and less consumptive habits can feel like it comes at the cost of great sacrifice. If you’re just starting out and want some sustainable living ideas then here are a few of them :- Rainwater that falls on the rooftop, can be made to A Reservoir for Rain Invest in eco-friendly Turn if off when Don’t waste food run through a pipe to a storage facility like a sump or technology not in use a tank. This water can be filtered to purify the larger particles before being stored in rainwater harvest tanks. By using stored rainwater for washing cars and watering gardens, the use of underground water can be minimized. A win-win system for economy and environment, this also helps in saving energy. Edited content from Make sure that the tech Energy conservation is Did you know that 40% The Better India and Happho you have got is as one of the most of the food produced in energy-efficient as possi- important things to India is wasted? This isn’t Good Energy Website ble. This way, you’re reduce your carbon foot- just a huge waste of food Wikihow and the Spruce using much less energy print. Leaving electricals and money, it adds to for the time that the on standby, needlessly the amount of CO2 being BURHANI FOUNDATION (INDIA) product is on, saving uses up energy. Hit the created in landfills. Amatullah Manzil, 65 Bazargate Street, Fort, Mumbai-1. money and reducing off switch and save Recycled Paper Used your energy output too. whatever energy you Recycled Paper Used can. Phone: 22678480 / 22634326 Youtube: Burhani Foundation India Channel Website: burhanifoundationindia.org Facebook: Burhani-Foundation-India Email: [email protected] Twitter: BFI_environment Instagram: burhani.foundation [email protected]

Page 2 Page 3 Drive Less ♦ Rain water harvesting reduces the dependency on ground water, hence potable water is available even during droughts or floods and is particularly useful where Driving, unless you’re in an electric vehicle, the groundwater is contaminated with chemicals like pesticides, fluoride, etc. isn’t very eco-friendly and can really add to your carbon footprint. Less air pollution and ♦ These systems are easy to construct, easy to maintain and easy to operate a healthier heart are pretty great effects ♦ The investment is not too much from a simple decision to skip the car for a short trip. ♦ Soil erosion is reduced and groundwater is conserved Say NO to plastic ♦ In roof top rainwater harvesting, the roof becomes the catchment area, and the rainwater is collected from the roof of the house/building. Thus no land is Plastic seems to have found its way into wasted for storage purpose and no population displacement is involved. every single aspect of our lives. However, giving it up isn’t as difficult as you might So this monsoon, instead of just playing the waiting game and anxiously watching think – bring a canvas bag with you when the horizon, here’s how you can gather those precious drops by making your own you go shopping. Stop buying bottled water rainwater harvesting system at home. There are many ways to harvest the rain- and using disposable utensils. water. Below are a few of the techniques – Think about the clothes you buy The easiest way to harvest rain is through a rain Install a Rain Barrel barrel. Make your own from a large trash can or an Buy only when necessary. Discard- old drum linked to a pipe which is fitted to collect ing clothes used very rarely is a rainwater from the rooftop or verandah of the house. huge waste of resources. To prevent the barrel from becoming a mosquito Look for cotton, linen, hemp, breeding ground, fasten a tight-fitting top to it and organic silk, organic wool or semi- screen the ends of the downspouts leading into the synthetic viscose. barrels. Or simply add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to Avoid polyester, acrylic fabrics and the stored rainwater. It coats the water’s surface and synthetic fabrics. Every time you kills larvae by depriving them of oxygen. wash these fabrics you release micro and nano-plastics into the Create a Rain Garden oceans. Plastic in the oceans are a serious A rain garden is a and overwhelming environmental sunken landscape that issue today. uses native plants, local soil and mulch to More such ideas to remove pollutants follow in our upcoming from water and allows it to percolate into the newsletters. ground. Recycled Paper Used Recycled Paper Used It is also easy to create, looks good all year-round and has a positive impact on the environment.