Don't buy that jeans! Save Water!

Oh! You love that jeans.
It has the cut that you think will be a perfect fit.
So what you have two already?
This one is just perfect.

Stop!
Consider this: the amount of water it takes to produce a pair of denim jeans is about 11 cubic meters. This is equal to the capacity of a standard-size tank truck.
That much!

It is easy to lose sight of the fact that freshwater that is so essential for our living is in limited supply. Not sure where I read this: The third world war will be fought over water. Increasing demand for more water for drinking, hygiene, sanitation, food production, and industry, tends to support this.

While there are many low-tech approaches that can help prevent scarcity - the governments need to be wise enough to plan for and implement them, though - we need to do our bit. As with Global Warming, preventing Fresh Water Crisis demands, first and foremost, change in life style.

Like carbon footprint, there is something called water footprint. A person's water footprint is the volume of freshwater the individual uses directly and in production of the goods and services he or she consumes.

Find your water foot print at: www.waterfootprint.org

Do you still want to buy that new pair of jeans?

PS: I have taken the above information from an old issue (August 2008) of Scientific American India.

Cycling, Education and Tender Coconut

Please do me a favour. Pass this post to some you know who needs education ...

While in Bangalore, if you happen to see a person with a laptop on his back and a maroon helmet, on a Trek3700 pedaling furiously on the Old Airport Road, please

• do not show off your driving skills by brushing past him - there is enough space on the road for all of us
• do not honk as you approach him - he is not deaf and definitely not suicidal
• do not stare at him - haven't you see cyclists with helmet before? Besides, it is impolite to stare
• do not drive on the wrong side of the road, even if it is early morning and the traffic police is not around - that causes accidents and just goes to show that you are a moron
• do not look out only for bigger vehicles while crossing the road - cycles have mass too and can travel at high speeds
• and definitely do not knock him down - that will be the end of this blog.

This rant is not aimed at anyone specific. Rather a sort of open letter to some characters I have the misfortune of encountering on Bangalore roads as I commute to office (unfortunately, the commuting is not as frequent as I wish to).

And to my regular readers and occasional visitors - the more decent human beings on this planet (any one reading my blog has to be one :-)) - please find out means of reducing your carbon footprint. I am not sure about the global warming bit, but am surely concerned about the impact of pollution on health.

Here are some ways ...

• Walk to your nearest grocery store: it will only take you a few extra minutes.
• If you have to use your vehicle, plan so that the path taken is optimum (the shortest path may not always be the fastest).
• Declare at least one day per month, if not one day every weekend, a car/motorbike-free day.
• Teach your children, if you have one or whenever you have one, to enjoy cycling. Buy them good, smart looking bikes.

And, of yes, patronize your local tender coconut seller. He is a life saver for us cyclists.

Note: The picture used here belongs to Svetlana Maksimovic. To see more of her photographs visit her gallery.

The picture of the tender coconut belongs to Manu M. Go to his gallery to see more pictures.