Bubble Wrapped March 2011

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Volume 1, Issue 3, March 2011, www.bubblewrapped.asia

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http://www.brooksville.in/

AHMED [email protected]


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http://projectcrayonsindia.org/

CONTENTSBubblewrapped March 2011

THE TIPPING POINT10 MURDER OFF THE MUMBAI COAST

16 SHEDDING SOME LIGHT

18 LATHER AND BLATHER

24 PECKING ORDER

28 HISSING AROUND

34 MERCHANDISING CHANGE

38 THE DREAM PITCH

The point of crying over spilt oil.

What are you doing on March 26th?

We are switching off from 8:30pm - 9:30pm.

The Body Shop's claims of being clean, green and naturally effective

are about as substantial as a handful of foam. What say you?

We are on a scavenger hunt for Vultures.

Don't be afraid of Satan.

Shop for a cause. Loosen you purse strings and spread the cheer.

The kids of Project Crayons hit a few fours and sixes with the lads from England.

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THE GREEN TONE

THE WILD TRUTH

B+

EDITOR

DESIGNER

CONTRIBUTORS

Chetna

Guru Munishwar

Akhil Sood

Elle Reynolds

Rachel Lopez

Rahul Fonseca

Sachin Rai

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graffiti publishing house



graffiti publishing houseProduced and Published by

DISCLAIMERViews and opinions mentioned in this eMagazine do not necessarily reflect those of Bubble Wrapped or Graffiti Publishing House.Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Bubble Wrapped and Graffiti Publishing House cannot accept liability for errors and omissions contained in eMagazine. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission from Graffiti Publishing House is strictly prohibited.


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Do you want to help Japan

pick up the pieces?Here is a list of 10 non-profits that have committed to send relief

resources directly. For more details log on to http://media.causes.com/ribbon/1032753.

Special thanks to The Causes Team, Facebook.


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http://media.causes.com/ribbon/1032753

ADRA: Initial $25,000 of aid committed. Assessment team evaluating affected area and preparing broader response. Providing food and shelter for train passengers that are stranded in Tokyo.

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AMERICAN RED CROSS: Gifts to the American Red Cross International Relief Fund will support their disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific.

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CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES Our partners are assessing the needs where the tsunami has caused extensive damage. CRS has programs in the Philippines and Indonesia and works with partners in numerous islands in the Pacific that might be affected. Central American countries where CRS works could also be in danger.

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CONVOY OF HOPE: Disaster Response team established connection with in-country partners who have been impacted by the damage and are identifying the needs and areas where Convoy of Hope may be of the greatest assistance.

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INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS: Putting together relief teams, as well as supplies, and are in contact with partners in Japan and other affected countries to assess needs and coordinate our activities.

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OXFAM USA: Oxfam is poised to respond if disaster strikes vulnerable countries in the tsunami’s path.

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REAL MEDICINE FOUNDATION: RMF was founded in 2005 in response to the Asian Tsunami relief efforts. We’re working to see where our funding, resources and expertise will be most effective to those most affected in Japan.

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SAVE THE CHILDREN: Mobilizing to provide immediate humanitarian relief in the shape of emergency health care and provision of non-food items and shelter.

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SHELTERBOX: ShelterBox responds instantly to natural and man-made disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who are most in need. The box includes a tent for a family of 10, cooker, blankets, water purification, tool kit and other items survivors need to rebuild their lives in the days, weeks and months following a disaster.

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WORLD VISION: World Vision staff members are on high alert, preparing to respond.


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http://www.adra.org/site/PageServer

http://www.redcross.org/

http://crs.org/

http://www.convoyofhope.org/

http://www.internationalmedicalcorps.org/

http://www.oxfamamerica.org/

http://www.realmedicinefoundation.org/

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

http://www.shelterbox.org/

http://www.worldvision.org/

THE TIPPING POINT


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MURDER OFFTHE MUMBAI COASTAuthor: Akhil Sood

The explosion of the Deepwater

Horizon, a drilling unit on a British

Petroleum-operated project off the Gulf

of Mexico, resulted in what is

considered one of the largest marine oil

sp i l l s ever, wi th fa r reach ing

consequences which are being felt even

today. Soon after, on August 7th 2010,

two international cargo ships, the MV

MSC Chitra, and the MV Khalijia 3,

collided off the coast of Mumbai,

causing another devastating spill. More

than 800 tons of oil poured into the sea

before any substantial action could be

taken, causing tremendous damage to

the ecological environment. The

financial damage was also far reaching,

as movement along the Jawaharlal

Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and the Mumbai

port were suspended for a few days

after the spill. While not as massive as

the incident off the Gulf of Mexico,

which continued to spill oil for three

months after the explosion, the collision

is still one of the largest such disasters

to take place on Indian waters.


10

choppy,” says Arun Gupta (name

changed), an engineer for an Indian

shipping company, “but that is no

excuse. It was a grave error. Both the

captains were arrested, and usually in

such cases, the captains are not given

employment after such an incident.” He

tells us that the authorities were

equipped with the necessary skill and

technology to handle the incident, and

the port was shut down for about 8 to 10

days. “‘Lifting’, which is the process of

stabilising the tilting ship to ensure that

further oil does not spill in to the sea,

and placing it in an upright position, took

around three weeks. Despite the

incident happening at the busiest port in

India, the authorities did not possess

the necessary equipment, and a

salvaging company from Singapore was

summoned in order to repair the

damage. They brought their own

equipment and ship, and used heavy-

duty cranes to lift up the container ship

which was tilting. There is a device

made of thermocole which is used

during oil spills. It surrounds the erring

ship and being a light material, it floats

on the water, preventing the spill from

spreading any further, but it wasn’t

available at the time of the collision.”

Arun goes on to inform us that action

was taken in the aftermath of the

incident, and the authorities have

woken up to the dangers of oil spills

having procured the necessary

equipment now.

Mangroves along the coasts of

Mumbai, Thane and Raigad were largely

destroyed, and the impact is still being

calculated. “The maximum impact of

the spill was felt on the mangrove areas.

The spill spread to various land areas,

such as Uran, Mandwa, and Elephanta.

It was quite a wide section, and some of

the mangrove areas were so completely

covered with oil that nothing could have

possibly survived,” says Sumaira

Abdulali, a well-known environmentalist

who is also the Managing Trustee of the

Awaaz Foundation. She had written to

the government as well, demanding a

probe into the spill. She claims that the

impact of the spill could have been

minimised, but it was allowed to spread

due to a lack of planning. “The spill

spread over a vast area since there were

no systems in place to curb its impact.”

How it Happened

Says Derrick Alvares, who has worked

as the Chief Engineer for off-shore

harbour tugs, “There are certain

navigational rules, or RoR (Rules of the

Road), which dictate the pattern of

movement on a ship. For example, if one

ship is taking the port side, then the

other has to take the starboard (port and

starboard are navigational directions).

The collision could have been the result

of miscalculation or a human error.”

“The incident happened around the

monsoon season, when the sea is a bit

Retrospective Action and

Shipping Procedures

According to the guidelines of the

National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency

Plan, as devised by the Indian Coast

Guard, the duties of the Coast Guard

involve “mar ine env i ronmenta l

p rese rva t i on , p ro tec t i on , and

prevention and control of pollution in

the maritime zones of India.” Says

Sumaira, “The Coast Guard has been

installed for monitoring and reporting oil

spills. But this is a very difficult area to

monitor. Public awareness about such

disasters is not very widespread, and

very little work is being done in this field

aside cleaning processes carried out by

the Bombay Natural History Society

(BNHS), a few NGOs working actively to

raise awareness about it, and some

work done by government institutions

like IIT Mumbai. It’s a case of out of

sight, out of mind.”

Arun adds that while it remains the

responsibility of the Coast Guard to

monitor all possible spills, such a task is

much harder to execute. “Aside from

environmental preservation, the Coast

Guard, which is state governed, also has

to monitor any infiltration. The naval

base is located near the Gateway of

India, and the Coast Guard has to

monitor the entire West Coast. It’s like a

needle in a haystack,” he affirms.


11

monsoon, but the damage is not

irreversible. We are waiting for

regeneration this year, but there is also

the problem of intermittent pollution

through industries in the area that affect

the mangroves,” he adds.

Well-known filmmaker Vinta Nanda is

also in the process of setting up an NGO

called the Village Project, which will aim

at cleaning up the beaches of Mumbai

by working alongside the Khar Danda

Fishermen’s Village Association. “We

are currently in the process of gathering

funds, and we should probably be active

within six months or so. The project

aims at cleaning up the beaches, which

have collected so much garbage. And as

it has accumulated over time, it has

almost become like rock.”

The government issued a notice

advising people to avoid consuming

seafood after the spill. Sumaira narrates

how the prices of fish plummeted after

the spill, causing a state of disarray in

the market as fishermen suffered the

brunt of it since it remained their sole

livelihood. “The drop in prices was

largely evident. But more importantly,

once the ban was lifted, I don’t think it

was done on the basis of any scientific

processes or tests. While the August

spill was a large-scale one, and was

heavily reported, minor spills happen far

too frequently. How can we tell which

MARPOL, which stands for maritime

pollution, is an international protocol of

which India is a signatory. It issues

various regulations that ensure pollution

by shipping companies is minimised. “It

enforces strict rules regarding disposal.

Food cannot be dumped within three

nautical miles of the shore, and disposal

of plastic is strictly banned. The

Oil/Water Separator (OWS) is a machine

through which bilge is passed through.

It separates oil and water, and the rules

maintain that a ship can only discharge

15 parts per million (ppm), and that too,

at a distance of 12 nautical miles from

the coast, and no oil is to be discharged

into the sea,” says Derrick. When you

reach Indian waters, you have to contact

your local agent and arrange a mobile

transport for a bilge holding tank. This is

used to discharge all the sludge, bilge

and dirty oil on board, and it is necessary

to maintain an oil record book, keeping

track of all the bilge on board and being

discharged, and also providing the exact

location of the ship at these times.” He

goes on to inform us that officials from

the Port State Control can board a ship

anywhere and inspect the record book,

and also check for any leakages, giving

recommendations to the captain and

chief engineer based on that. According

to MARPOL regulations, emissions

from the engine through the funnel are

also banned, since that pollutes the air.

Environmental

and Ecological Impact

The spill destroyed a large chunk of the

mangroves in the affected areas,

resulting in long-term damage. “The

authorities carried out procedures to

clean the oil which had infiltrated the

land areas through bio-treatment, and I

believe this process went off well,

preventing further long-term damage.

However, the treatment was carried out

only after the oil had pervaded such a

vast area of land,” says Sumaira. Derrick

talks about the immediate impact of the

spill, “It damaged marine life, and

resulted in the loss of wages to fishing

trawlers as well.”

The BNHS has been actively involved in

the gauging of damage in the aftermath

of the spill. “Right now, we are still doing

t h e a s s e s s m e n t , s e e i n g t h e

geographical extent of the damage, and

how much of the areas have been

cleaned up. We will submit the final

report in November,” says Deepak Apte,

Head – Conservation, BNHS. He informs

us that the oil has virtually reached most

of the mangrove areas from Mandwa,

up till Alibaug and Raigad. “A substantial

amount has been cleaned up, due to

procedures undertaken as well as the

process of natural cleaning because of

the strong water supply during the

monsoons. The regeneration of the

mangroves did not happen last


12

people who were working with the

refineries and security guards who saw

the birds suffering.”

Further Oil Spills

Aside from the much-publicised spill

following the collision in August, the

country faced yet another spill in

January this year, when an Oil and

Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (ONGC)

pipeline burst around 80 kms from the

coast of Mumbai. However, the damage

caused was minimal as a contingency

plan was swiftly put into action and the

rupture in the pipelines was plugged

within two days, preventing the oil slick

from spreading.

However, Sumaira informs us of another

spill that allegedly happened soon after

the one in August. “It happened

sometime in October or November, but

w a s n’ t a c k n o w l e d g e d b y t h e

authorities. I have photographs which

show fresh oil washed ashore. The

characteristic of this oil was different

from the oil spilled by the ships, but no

action was taken and it went

unreported. Due to limited media

coverage, not enough attention is being

paid to these minor spills that occur

from time to time and cause a

significant impact on

the environment.”

fish is suffering from the toxic impact of

the oil, and which one isn’t?” Deepak

te l l s us tha t the not ice was

precautionary due to the hazards posed

by the spill, and the maximum

impact on the fishes was on

shellfish, including crabs.

The oil from the spill washed ashore on

the nearby islands, completely

destroying the fishing life of the areas.

“ The water on the l and was

contaminated, which caused these

people to suffer severe financial losses

as the quality of fishes procured was

suspect. However, perhaps more

significant was the widespread impact

on the people who were residing on

these nearby islands. It hampered their

very life since even the water that they

needed to drink was stained with the oil.

Also, the powerful waves resulted in the

oil even reaching holiday resorts like

Alibaug, causing further pollution. You

can’t underestimate the power of the

tides going out,” says Arun.

Sumaira raises further concerns as she

maintains that the influence of the spill

on health of the people could be drastic.

“The number of people exposed to the

oil cannot be restricted to just the

fishermen on the coastal areas.

Ultimately, it has a significant impact on

the health of all those exposed, be it

through evaporation, or the oil

infiltrating the soil, and in turn the

vegetables and fruits that we eat. The

resultant pollution affects the health of a

large population in Mumbai, and it

becomes difficult to ascertain the extent

of damage caused.”

Much apart from the people who may

have gotten exposed to the oil at the

time, a large chunk of animals also

ended up suffering due to the spill.

Thankfully though, the damage was not

too great. The Bombay Society for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

(BSPCA) treated various birds who had

suffered damage to their health as a

result of exposure. Colonel JC Khanna,

Secretary of the BSPCA, tells us that lots

of flamingos and pigeons were brought

to the hospital for treatment. “Lots of

birds, especially from the seashores,

were brought to us. Probably 90% of

them recovered, except for the odd bird

which had inhaled the oil, which causes

severe respiratory problems. The

damage was not long term. Generally,

flamingos come in the months of

August and September. It takes around

six to eight months to clear out the

effects of the spill. That particular year,

the number of flamingos that came was

20-30% less than usual. Luckily, the

impact was only short-term, and the

situation is expected to improve. The

people who brought the animals to us

included a lot of activists, but also


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THE GREEN TONE


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SHEDDINGSOME LIGHTAuthor: Elle Reynolds

Photography: (courtesy) WWF-India

Ironies are commonplace in a land

where the festival of lights and daily

power cuts live in a state of unnatural

symbiosis. Wielding the power of light,

therefore, can come across as

redundant, if there is no higher purpose.

Enter Earth Hour, launched four years

ago in Sydney, Australia. 2.2 million

individuals and over 2,000 businesses

turned their lights off for one hour in

support for a cause that in one year took

the message of global energy

sustainability to more than 35 countries

across 18 time zones.

Stepping up in 2009, India joined hands

with now over 120 nations worldwide in

this annual call for action against climate

change scheduled for March 26th from

8.30 to 9.30 pm this year. “Last year,

Earth Hour became the largest voluntary

action ever witnessed in history,” said

A a r t i K h o s l a , P r o g r a m m e

Communications and Campaigns,

WWF-India who has worked with the

initiative from the very beginning. 120

private and public organisations across

125 cities in India participated in the


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http://www.earthhour.in/

effort last year. Banks, local cafés,

defence institutions like the Indian

Military Academy willingly flipped the

switch in support. “It is a simple call to

action,” said Aarti. “We want to

empower individuals to tackle the issue

of climate change for themselves.”

Some of the project's toughest critics

often ask the all-important question.

Sanjana Chowdhury, homemaker from

Mumbai, Maharashtra switched off all

her electrical appliances at home in

support last year. She said, “I want to

continue my support. But, how much

power is saved in that hour and how do I

know what is being done with it?”

WWF-India (earthhour.in) who help

organise the event in the country

provides updated information online. It

maintains that the aim is a behavioural

change rather than merely acting as a

power saver campaign. “The aim is to

create a conscious recognition of the

amount of energy each person uses. A

segment of our society wastes ever-

increasing amounts of energy. This

must be checked.” While long-term

benefits may seem vague and

unquantifiable, slow positive change is

better than none at all.

What few people realise, is that even a

campaign that seems as simple as this

one has cog-stopping hurdles. “Tight

budgets,” said Aarti “and to some

extent trying to explain the merit of a

switch off campaign to an Indian

audience that is fundamentally an

energy starved society is tough.” If

you're smiling to yourself at this

moment and know your idea can make a

difference, this team is all ears.

Their Facebook fan page

facebook.com/earthhourindia

and Twitter

twitter.com/earthhourindia

pages ask members for feedback on

how they plan to spend Earth Hour this

year. The response has been

encouraging. While some take on the

role of crusader, others plan to focus on

some tinder loving in their own lives.

Akash Shirodkar from Porvorim, Goa

logged on and said you will find him, “on

the street from 8.30 to 9.30 pm, asking

people who have not participated, to

join hands with other people (around the

world) and switch off all their appliances

and lights for another hour.”

Another vocal supporter of the project,

Ashutosh Morrisson, from Ghaziabad,

Uttar Pradesh also signed in to the social

networking page and left this note. “(I)

will go to the nearest electric house,

explain the cause and ask for their

support by cutting the power supply of

near by areas for (that) one hour,” he said

about his plan for the hour.

Noble intentions indeed, but what

happens after March 26th, 2011? “The

Government needs to introduce

stronger policies to promote renewable

energy in homes and businesses. They

also need to support use of lesser

carbon intensive fuels, and implement

climate friendly actions towards

becoming 'carbon neutral cities',”

said Aarti.

In a bid to extend its support to the

initiative, Smt. Sheila Dixit, Chief

Minister of Delhi and Mr. Singh, CEO

and SG, WWF-India will come together

to mark the start of Earth Hour 2011 by

turning off the power at India Gate in

New Delhi on March 26th at 8.30 pm.

Expect low visibility at other famous

landmarks in the city like the

Qutub Minar, Red Fort and the

tomb of Humayun.

Even, the city that never sleeps,

M u m b a i , w i l l e n c o u r a g e i t s

incandescent stars – the Gateway of

India and Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link - to join

its counter parts worldwide and get

some much needed shut eye.


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LATHER AND BLATHERAuthor: Rachel Lopez

Back in the 1980s, many years before

Naomi Campbell threw her first

hairbrush at an assistant, Vogue

magazine decided that supermodels

were not famous enough and dedicated

a whole cover story to their skincare

regimes. Campbell was interviewed, as

were Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington

and Claudia Schiffer. Even Linda

Evangelista, who famously said that she

wouldn't get out of bed for less than

$10,000 a day, answered questions

about her cleansing routine – perhaps

from her bed itself.

Among the usual revelations of “I drink

lots of water” and “I head to a secret spa

in the mountains every weekend”, was

one model's confession that her

flawless skin was courtesy a Body Shop

cleansing bar. It may sound hilarious in

2011, but over two decades ago, it

probably wasn't so funny. A newly

booming America – with bad hair,

c loy ing perfumes, Wal l Street

millionaires and shoulder-pads – was

where bigger, brighter and louder was

always better, even in the skincare

market. It made sense then for the


18

nickname, “the shares that defy gravity”

since it opened at 95pence but

increased by more than 500%.

Today, however, even a buyer who

knows nothing of Anita Roddick (who

died in 2007) will find that The Body

Shops slogans sound self righteous,

even a bit suspicious. Let's say you're

looking for their body lotion made with

community-trade cocoa butter. There's a

Body Shop in every major Indian city and

more than a few in the biggest metros.

In fact, the chain has become the

second largest cosmetic franchise in

the world, with 2,400 stores in 61

countries. Each outlet has at least 10 of

every item on display, plus a

conservative estimate of five in storage,

so that's 15 500 ml bottles which

adds up to 18,000 litres of

lotion in stores right now.

That's an awful lot of lotion. And there

are some four other products in the

cocoa butter line. If even a quarter of it

was cocoa butter, that's an impossible

amount of cocoa to be traded ethically.

Unless of course there's less cocoa

butter in your lotion or lip balm than you

think. Or worse, you're buying less

fair-trade products than you've been

led to believe.

model to recommend not something

trendy, but it's very opposite – a little

known brand that championed natural

ingredients, recycled its packaging and

cared as much for your skin as it did for

the rainforest and labs full of red-eyed

rabbits. That the brand was founded by

a maverick bohemian made it easier to

love. Anita Roddick may have been up in

arms about community trade and saving

whales (by using jojoba oil instead of

whale-produced spermaceti), but she

was no ordinary hippie. She liked to

bathe. She smelled good. She even

shaved her underarms for Pete's sake.

It's little wonder then that The Body

Shop quickly became cool, popular and

successful. In an era when you could

buy everything, Roddick's brand of

ethical consumerism ensured that you

could also buy a conscience. She

eventually steered her ad campaigns to

target unfair representations of women

in the media – pointing fingers at the

very supermodels who liked her soaps,

but it seemed to have worked. In the

stock market, it was given the

In the case of The Body Shop, both of

the above have unfortunately been true.

While the company puts shiny happy

images of plants, blossoms and herbs

on its labels, they are by no means plant-

derives. The company itself claims that

they are not “all-natural”, but “inspired

by nature”, a convenient phrase that

allows them to produce what the

cosmet ic indust ry ca l l s “a l ib i

formulations”: synthetic compounds

combined chemically with a tiny

sprinkling of natural ingredients.

Meaning there's not enough cocoa

butter in the bottle to offer enough

skincare benefits. It's not even enough

to fragrance or add colour to the lotion –

that's all synthetic.

As for the fair trade claims, consider

this: The Body Shop started sourcing

Brazil nuts from the Kayapo tribe in

1991, launching a huge campaign

calling for “Trade not Aid” to developing

countries. But the former University of

Chicago anthropologist and Kayapo

expert Terrence Turner has stated that

the “project has been very disruptive for

the Kayapo”. When the tribe's chief sued

the company for exploiting his image for

commercial gain in 1993, it turned out

that The Body Shop was sourcing no

more than 0.165 % of its goods from

fair-trade sources. The chief won.

The gravity defying share price

finally fell to earth.

The Body Shop quickly became

cool, popular and successful. In

an era when you could buy

everything, Roddick’s brand of

ethical consumerism ensured

that you could also buy a

conscience.


19

pandering to a market already created

by competitors like Ole Henrickson and

TiGi. No wonder even Indian

models seemed to have moved

on to newer distractions.

In The Body Shop's Charter, Roddick

states that the company's “goals and

values are as important as our products

and profits”. But that axiom rang hollow

long before the brand was taken over by

the L'Oreal Group for 652.3 million

pounds in 2006 (Anita Roddick and her

husband Gordon reportedly made 130

million pounds from the sale). Roddick

has claimed that hers was the “first skin

and hair care company to encourage

customers to bring back used

packaging for recycling” offering US

customers 25 cents off if they came in

with empty Body Shop containers for a

refill. But in reality, customers got as

little as 10 cents off per ounce, hardly an

incentive to save the world.

The company's green image has turned

muddy over the years. In the early

1990s, various guides, including

Consumer Reports, criticised The Body

Shop products on overall quality or for

liberal use of synthetics. There have also

b e e n i n s t a n c e s o f p r o d u c t

contamination. David Brook, a former

Environmental Protection Agency

lawyer and the company's US manager

of environmental affairs in the early

1990s, provided environmental-agency

records showing that pollutants were

being discharged into the local water

s y s t e m a t T h e B o d y S h o p ' s

headquarters in New Jersey. The

management ignored the reports,

prompting him to quit.

Their other causes, including opposing

animal testing, promoting AIDS

awareness, human rights and battling

domestic violence and globalisation

have found to be riddled with hypocrisy

t o o . Ro d d i c k w h o a p p l a u d e d

companies that refused to trade with

repressive economies like China, was

exposed as buying gift baskets from the

Chinese.

In recent times, The Body Shop's worst

enemy has not been the watchdogs

among the public, but its own product

line. Once known for its radical new

innovations (it popularised body scrubs,

hemp lotion, blue-corn face masks, tea-

tree cleansers and Vitamin E creams)

the brand fell behind in the 1990s

market where brands like Aveda, Lush

and Origins dominated. Their line of

naturally derived cosmetics came too

late as well, offering little to distinguish

itself in terms of ingredients, quality or

packaging. The brand's most recent

launch, sulphate free shampoos

inspired by the rainforest, are also

The Body Shop started sourcing

Brazil nuts from the Kayapo tribe

in 1991, launching a huge

campaign calling for “Trade not

Aid” to developing countries. In

1993... it turned out that The

Body Shop was sourcing no

more than 0.165 % of its goods

from fair-trade sources.


20

FOR HIRETo advertise here please contact

Chetna at [email protected]


21

THE WILD TRUTH


22


23

PECKINGORDERAuthor: Rahul Fonseca

Dwindling numbers and bleak statistics

have almost sent vultures in India to the

land of the dodo. Known as the

recyclers of nature, vultures are

extremely important to our survival.

With a rapidly decreasing vulture

population, that has fallen by over 98%

in the past few decades, these birds

have almost been exterminated. Dr.

Vibhu Prakash, Deputy Director of the

Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)

Mumbai and Head of their Vulture

Conservation Breeding Programme has

witnessed the decreasing numbers first

hand. He said, “Vulture population has

dropped from approximately 40 million

in the 1980's to about 60,000 in 2007.

The difference is significant and the

cause needs better coverage.” Today

the numbers stand at a dismal 11,000.

This is due, in no small measure, to

misconceptions about these birds and a

loss of their natural habitat.

Contrary to popular belief, vultures do

not hunt living creatures. Most often

their typical diet includes the remnants

of small and large animal carcasses.

Gruesome though the thought may be,


24

support the fact that these giant birds

were in fact being poisoned, it was

unintentional. Diclofenac - a non-

steroidal anti-inflammatory drug was

introduced to India for veterinary use in

the late 1980s. The drug was a popular

treatment for ailing livestock throughout

the Indian subcontinent. Healthy birds

excrete uric acid through the kidneys.

Birds eating the carcasses of these

animals built up toxic levels of the drug,

which caused kidney damage and gout.

With kidney failure, uric acid builds up in

the bloodstream and crystallizes on

organs, especially the heart, liver, and

kidneys causing death. To most

farmers, Diclofenac is a godsend. Like

most over-the-counter painkillers, it

does not cure livestock but can alleviate

pain enough to allow animals to

continue labouring through the day.

New research has uncovered a similar

drug that has also lead to a number of

vultures dying. “Ketoprofen is less toxic

than Diclofenac, but it also causes fatal

visceral gout”, said Prakash.

During The International Workshop

conducted at Kathmandu, Nepal in

February 2004, India woke up to the

need for action against vulture

extinction. The aim was to tackle the

causes of vulture decline by 2010 and

establish self-sustaining populations of

vultures in the wild by 2030. The

National Workshop held in New Delhi in

these large avians are an integral link in

the circle of life. The birds keep the

spread of infectious diseases among

animals and humans in check. Vultures

are of also of vital importance to the

Zoroastrian community as one of the

key ways to dispose their dead.

The BNHS was among the first

institutions to notice the dwindling

numbers and sounded the alarm in the

late 1990's. Due to their efforts of

recording this rapid population decline,

three vulture species were listed as

'Cr i t ica l l y Endangered ' by the

International Union for Conservation of

Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened

Species. To be listed here, means that

the species is at extremely high risk of

extinction in the wild.

Theories abound as to why vulture

populations have declined at such a

rapid pace. Some believe that

widespread urbanisation has chased

these raptors out of their habitat. Others

maintain that they have been trapped or

intentionally poisoned by villagers who

believe that vultures prey on their

livestock.

Extensive research conducted by the

BNHS, UK-based Royal Society for

Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the

Zoological Society of London (ZSL) have

evidence to the contrary. While findings

April 2004 resulted in a landmark

decision. Diclofenac was to be phased

out and an official ban on the use and

production of this drug was passed by

the Central Government in May 2006.

In spite of the ban, a recent survey by

the BNHS found the drug readily

available in drug stores around the

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, in the Nilgiri

Hills range in South India. The results of

this survey showed that most people

from farmers to veterinary experts were

unaware of the ban and continued to

u s e t h e d r u g . C . S a s i k u m a r,

Ornithologist, and the South Zone Co-

ordinator of the Vulture Conservation

Project of the BHNS said, “This is a very

dangerous situation as far as vultures

are concerned. If laws are not enforced

and the situation brought under control

immediately, the remaining vulture

population here will be extinct soon.”

An answer to this dilemma might just be

another drug, Meloxicam. Developed by

the BNHS in collaboration with the

Indian Veterinary Research Institute

(IVRI), this alternative painkiller for

livestock does not poison carrion-eating

birds. With promising test results, it was

introduced into the Indian market in

2006. Expensive at first, the drug is

slowly becoming affordable as more

companies manufacture and distribute

it across the country.


25

In 2005 the BNHS started a vulture

breeding project in Haryana and West

Bengal with 18 vultures caught in

Assam. The project has shown signs of

success with 15 hatchings buoying the

numbers in 2010.The captive population

at the Pinjore centre in Haryana has now

increased to 134 birds since the

project's inception. According to

Prakash, “Bringing as many vultures as

possible into captivity is the best way to

save them from extinction.” The captive

breeding of vultures has been difficult

as no prior work had been done with the

species and the project met with mixed

reactions. The strongest opposition has

been because this procedure requires

wild specimens to be captured, eggs

collected from nests and artificially

incubated. Others agree that breeding

projects are necessary and a number of

prominent members f rom the

Zoroastrian community have been vocal

about their support for sustained

breeding projects. One of the biggest

challenges though, is that captive

breeding is extremely difficult as

vultures mature after four years,

mate for life and hatch only

one chick every year.

Although there was initial difficulty in

obtaining permissions from the Central

Government and the Ministry of

Environment and Forests, the BNHS

now runs successful vulture breeding

centres in Haryana, West Bengal and

Assam. US-based The Peregrine Fund

started the The Asian Vulture Population

Project, a factual data resource,

compiled and verified by

informed observers.

In an effort to save these helpful

scavengers from extinction, the state of

Maharashtra also recently embarked on

a project to create a safe haven for these

birds to feed without fear of being

poisoned. The first of its kind in India,

the vulture 'restaurant' at the Phansad

Wildlife Sanctuary, in Raigad district,

opened in January 2011. Forest officials

ensure there is a continuous supply of

cow, water buffalo and bullock

carcasses at the main feeding area.

Vultures gather at the large clearing

equipped with tree stumps and logs of

wood that mimic perches. Officials

work together to ensure that the

carcasses are Diclofenac-free and safe

to consume. International organisations

have also extended their support by

sharing resources. Websites like

www.vultureday.org provide helpful

information through e-newsletters and

one can find more information via social

networking sites like Facebook and

Twitter. An increasing number of

professionals are exploring the online

medium to fuel the awareness drive and

the first Saturday of September every

year is observed as International Vulture

Awareness Day. The aim is for each

participating organisation to carry out

their own activities worldwide to

highl ight the cause of vulture

conservation and raise the global levels

of awareness. While re-populating the

wild is difficult, it is not impossible.

Sustained long-term conservation will

ensure future generations will see and

experience these majestic birds in their

natural habitat.

DID YOU KNOW?

Vultures serve a higher purpose for a

little over 1,00,000 Zoroastrians that live

in the Indian sub-continent. The

Zoroastrian faith does not permit natural

elements of wind, fire, earth and water

to be polluted by death, seen as the

work of evil. The dead must be allowed

to disintegrate naturally or be

consumed by birds like vultures, who

they believe were created specifically

for this purpose.


26

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27

HISSING AROUNDAuthor & Photography: Sachin Rai

What causes more deaths in modern

cities – road accidents or snake bites?

Yet, the sight of Cleopatra's messenger

of death can create havoc and in most

cases it's the snake that's brutally killed.

A recent report suggests that snake

bites fatally affect as many as 50,000

human lives and an additional 9, 50,000

people get bitten but live to tell the story

across the world. A recent BBC

documentary titled One Million Snake

Bites, released as yet in the UK features

the famous herpetologist Romulus

Whitaker investigating the truth behind

these statistics and figuring how best to

help people and save the snakes as well.

In India, snakes have traditionally been

venerated as Gods in Hindu mythology

and thus command a lot of respect

which is perhaps borne out of fear. In

many parts of India snakes such as the

Cobra are still worshipped and festivals

like Nag Panchami are celebrated with

much enthusiasm (and indeed,

aberration). With the advent of

modernisation and urbanisation, among

other factors, one can observe a


28

decrease in people's confidence and

tolerance levels which has ultimately

resulted in a lowering down of its iconic

status to almost that of a pest.

Urbanites, especially, panic at the sight

of this creepy crawly in their city (more

so when it is in their backyard), and

some well-intentioned ones proclaim

with great conviction that the snake

needs to be rehabilitated in its 'natural'

setting that is to say, dense forests. The

truth, however, is a bit more complex...

Of the 15-20 species of snakes found in

and around Mumbai it is only four

species that cause most fatalities, while

the rest could either cause extreme pain

at worst or minor injury at best. The

Spectacled Cobra, Common Krait,

Russell's Viper and Saw-scaled Viper are

among the most venomous snakes

found in the city but let's briefly remind

ourselves that a lot more people lose

their lives to road accidents and

diseases than to snake bites. And

among the non-venomous ones, the Rat

Snake, Checkered Keelback, Vine Snake

and Common Kukri can be encountered

in the city.

While different snakes feed on a variety

of creatures, most of the big ones prey

on rats and are thus dubbed as nature's

municipality. It is for this reason that one

can encounter snakes in places like

gutters, rotting wooden debris, piles of

dump – basically, any place which can

sustain rat populations. Most snakes

are active during the night but usually

tend to avoid confrontation with

humans and even larger animals like

dogs. They are known to attack humans

only in self-defence as any self-

respecting organism would, especially

when cornered.

However, it must be remembered that

snakes are not snuggle-toys and a

r e s p e c t f u l d i s t a n c e m u s t b e

maintained. It may come as a surprise to

many, but it is illegal to kill a snake in our

country. There are several snake rescue

societies whose volunteers can come

up to your doorstep to rescue snakes by

causing the least amount of distress to

people and the animal. So next time you

spot a snake, call the nearest snake

rescuer before you scream for help and

end up with blood on your hands.

Did you know?

Katraj Snake Park at the outskirts of

Pune city was initiated by the renowned

herpetologist Neelim Kumar Khaire and

is known to house a variety of snakes

including the King Cobra. The staff and

volunteers here provide education to

thousands of tourists who make their

way to see the fascinating reptile

collection here.

Some easy steps to

avoid snake-bites

-Identify potential habitat:

Don't wander off in places with a lot of

wooden debris/piles of construction

m a t e r i a l s / r u i n s . E n s u r e t h a t

confrontation is reduced by clearing off

rotting junk from your backyard.

-Wear covered shoes: If you

really cannot avoid such places then

wearing gumboots or such other

protective shoes.

-Contact a snake rescuer

(not a charmer): If you do happen to spot

a snake, stay calm, disperse the crowd,

gently move away (remember not to

startle the snake) and contact a local

snake rescuer. If it is during the day

when snakes are generally less active, it

will usually take cover in a

burrow or a crevice.

-Keep an eye: While the snake

rescuer is on his/her way, remember to

keep a watch on where the snake last

took shelter but don't try to be

too curious.


29


30

ASLI

JANWAR KAUN?????

He trusts you completely. He loves you without question. He will devote his entire life to you. And yet, you abandoned him on the street. To starve and fall

sick. Scared and alone. To die, slowly and painfully.

Every day, pets are left to die by owners who think it’s alright to treat a loving, innocent creature in this manner. So tell us, who is the real animal here?

Don’t be silent. Report all such cases to

Animals Matter to Me on +91 9819380310 and help bring justice for those who cannot speak for themselves.


31

B+


32


33

MERCHANDISING CHANGE

A space with a purpose - to see, to know,

and to do what’s right for India’s

marginalised children, CRY World is the

on-ground shop supported by CRY –

Child Rights and You. When you buy a

product from CRY World, you contribute

towards the organisation’s work to

ensure children their rights in villages

and slums across the country.

Vivid colours from the 'Expressions of

Childhood' palette are offset by striking

black. Show your support for child rights

in a stylish and attractive way.

M, L and XL sizes

Priced at Rs. 210/-

For more

information visit www.cryworld.cry.org.

T-shirts (for adults)

Retail therapy can do no wrong;

shopping can cause no harm. And

Bubble Wrapped now makes 'burning a

hole in your pocket' the 'right thing to do'.

CRY WORLD

Author: Chetna, Nikita Sawant


34

http://www.cry.org/apps/cryworld.aspx

T-shirts (for children)

Stationery

DIY Sand Art Kit

DIY Craft Kit

Bright, funky colours with cheeky

messaging that's bound to be a

favourite with kids and parents alike!

S and M sizes

Priced at Rs. 185/-

The perfect accessories for your desk - a

handy memo pad in a wooden box and a

foldable pen stand. Available in two

designs – 'Handprint' and 'Stand up for

Child Rights' - that capture the bold,

carefree colours from the 'Expressions

of Childhood' palette.

Priced at Rs. 120/- to Rs. 140/-

This Do-It-Yourself kit comes with 4

coloured sand cones, a variety of craft

materials, texturing tools and a detailed

'how-to' leaflet to ensure your child (4-10

years) can create greeting cards, photo

frames and any other showpiece.

Priced at Rs. 225/-

A Do-It-Yourself kit perfect for children

(4-12 years) to create wall hangings,

bookmarks and greeting cards. Each kit

is equipped with 4 coloured paint tubes,

a variety of craft materials like sequins,

crepe paper and a detailed

‘how-to' leaflet.

Priced at Rs. 225/-


35

Gauri and Vikas Vichare have given

vocational training and skilled labour a

new dimension through their work at

the Dindayal Sanstha. The women of

Milind Nagar, Aurangabad have patched

up their sense of self-worth and

independence as they sewed together

many pieces of cloth transforming them

into bags, pouches, folders and more.

Today, they manage addit ional

expenses and run their house better

now that they have another source of

income. Many have saved money and

invested in electric sewing machines,

thus helping them produce more pieces

within the allotted time.

The bags and other products made by

the women of Milind Nagar are sold at

various exhibitions in Mumbai, Pune and

Aurangabad. Gauri and Vikas can be

contacted on 9960921132

for special orders.

Photography and inputs by

Nikita Sawant.

EMPOWERMENT THROUGH EMPLOYMENT


36


37

THE DREAMPITCHAuthor: Chetna

“Never thought that I will play with

players from a different country. Project

Crayons made our dream true.” Those

were the words of Kuldeep, the captain

of the Project Crayons' Gully Cricket

team that recently played against

Northants Cricket Club (NCCC) from

England in Bangalore. Barry Gourdriaan,

Head Physiotherapist with the NCCC

read about the Gully Cricket initiative on

Facebook and wasted no time in

contacting Neishaa Gharat, Catalyst-

Global Awareness & Collaborations of

Project Crayons to propose a cricket

jamming session with his team.

Subsequently, 15 boys from Ambujwadi

community travelled to Bangalore from

Mumbai and interacted with the boys

from England on 23rd February at JSS

Cricket Ground.

NCCC has an existing programme called

the Emerging Players Programme (EPP),

aiming at offering a platform to the

youth with promising potential in

cricket. The objective is similar to the

Gully cricket i.e. to give a global platform

to the youth to inculcate team building

and leadership qualities. Barry has


38

expressed his intention to make it an

annual exchange program and to make

Project Crayons Gully Cricket Initiative

international. Kevin Innes, Coach of

NCCC said, “Your community boys are

wonderful and without any professional

training they played so well. I loved

training them and would love to train

them in future.” He and his partner

coach Andy patiently and humbly taught

them various techniques of cricket.

Their enthusiasm motivated the players

of NCCC as well as the two coaches.

Kuldeep, the captain of the team

couldn't help but reminisce about the

days of playing with a simple wooden

board, and chalk drawn wickets on the

wall. Abhishek, one of the Project

Crayons' boys said, “Miss thank you so

much! I learnt a lot today from Northants

players,” while Rajan found it hard to

express his joy and said, “Itna accha

laga khel kar aur sikh kar ki kya bolu.”

To support or congratulate Project

Crayons, write to them at

[email protected]

or visit www.projectcrayons.org

Join them on Facebook -

www.facebook.com/ProjectCrayons


39

THE BEGINNINGnon-profits that are directly involved. It's a

sincere request to all our readers to extend

your support in whatever way you can. If you

know of other local organisations or individuals

who are helping out, do let us know.

This month we are supporting another cause

and that is Earth Hour. Do remember to switch

off your lights and electrical appliances on

26th March from 8:30pm to 9:30pm. We are

switching off today to switch on tomorrow!

I hope you enjoy reading our March issue with

reports on oil spills off the Indian coast, The

Body Shop's green claims and the Vulture crisis.

This issue we are also starting a new column

called 'Merchandising Change' in the B+

section dedicated to products sold or

promoted by NGOs and individuals in a bid to

help children, women or various communities.

'Change the way you shop' is the new motto at

Bubble Wrapped.

“The world is going to end in 2012, for sure!”

“This is God's way of punishing us.”

“We are to blame. We are destroying the Earth

and Mother Nature is giving it back to us now.”

“It's just a result of seismic changes. There are

scientific explanations. There's no Anti-Christ; the

world is not coming to an end; and it's not

because of global warming or any of our other

environmentally hazardous habits.”

Since the earthquake and Tsunami hit Japan on

11th March, these are some of the comments

I've heard. Post-mortems are important only if

the findings are going to be put to some

positive use. Endless debates are a waste if

their only aim is to convert people to your own

personal viewpoint. Through all the chatter, the

only thought I have is to find a way to help

and thanks to the Causes team at Facebook,

we at Bubble Wrapped have shared a list of

Lastly, do join us on Twitter and Facebook to

stay updated. Thanks to everyone who has

joined our online communities and extended

your support by sharing our link with your

individual networks. We hope to make Bubble

Wrapped more interactive in the coming issues.

Cheers!

P.S.: Don't forget to send us updates about your

NGOs or any social initiatives you are

associated with.

Chetna

[email protected]

VOLUME I, ISSUE III, MARCH 2011, www.bubblewrapped.asia

38

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Bubble Wrapped March 2011