Campaigns

This educational effort will encourage changes in behavior that will create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a better society for present and future generations.

This broad title is classified into three areas:

1. Environment
2. Economy
3. Human health and well-being

It all started with the Sun

The Sun is the main source of light and heat for our planet. The Infrared and UV radiations it emits energize the atmosphere, the earth and the oceans. By helping the growth of plants, which are then accumulated over millions of years, solar heat is the source of coal, oil and natural gas reserves. The Transmission of the sun’s energy to the atmosphere and oceans, coupled with gravity, is the cause of winds and currents. Human development therefore takes place in a context where solar energy is shared between all living beings who receive it, directly or indirectly.

Energy is essential for life

Plants use direct sunlight, CO2 from the air and water to produce carbohydrates through a process called Photosynthesis. Other organisms get the sun’s energy indirectly by eating plants or animals that have themselves eaten plants. The energy is distributed among living beings in complex food chains. It is everywhere on the planet. Every organism, whether animal, plant or bacteria cannot live, grow, multiply without it. Man is part of the process, since it’s his food that provides the energy needed to maintain his body at 37 degrees centigrade, make him work and move. With 2000 calories per day, a human being consumes almost as much a 100 watt lamp that stays lit day and night.

We highlight the basic powerful concepts: 

• Reduce
• Reuse
• Recycle

 We implement this model in schools, colleges, corporate and communities. The activity comprises of, 

1.  Q & A session on environment, food, water and energy.
2. Interaction model instead of doing a presentation.
3. Apply local examples to make them understand the global issues.
4. Vegetable seeds distribution for their kitchen garden.
5. Tree saplings plantation in their premises. 
6. Reveal future career options in Environmental development.

Water is a crucial resource for the country today. It is thus essential to not only conserve water but also use it effectively. Due to the growing population, increasing industrialisation, and escalating agriculture scenario, the demand for water has clearly increased over the years. Thus, water conservation is evidently the need of the hour. 

If the situation persists, water is predestined to become one of the rarest commodities soon. So, the farmers need to be educated about the significance of storing water, efficient use of available water and the problems we face because of exploitation of ground water. SEA Movement’s initiative is towards making water accessible for doing agriculture and drinking purpose in some of the most problematic zones.

SEA Movement’s approach to conserving water focuses on:

• Mapping of water resources and their usage;
• Motivating the communities to adopt water conservation practices, such as rainwater harvesting;
• Encouraging farmers to grow crops which require less water;
• Introducing efficient micro irrigation methods and mulching technique to farmers;
• Creating Farm ponds with the help of Government schemes;
• Pond renovation and connecting the cluster of Ponds.

Safe food awareness campaigns aim at promoting nutritious and safe food accessible and affordable to all. 

Humans are losing our resistance to multitude of diseases due to lack of nutrient density in the food that we intake. National institute of Nutrition says organically grown food is rich in nutrients when compared to the ones grown using synthetic fertilizers. What we eat is what we are!

We work with farmers, retailers and consumers to promote safe food. We encourage farmers to produce without any sort of chemical input like pesticide, weedicide, fungicide, fertilizer etc. Post-harvest, processing is done carefully so that all the goodness in the grains is retained. We help retailers to source from reliable farmers and we encourage them to sell authentic organic produce at affordable price to their customers without any adulteration. We do awareness campaigns with small community groups and corporate groups who want to move towards safe food consumption.

Why should we go organic?

1. To keep toxic chemicals out of our body.
2. To protect future generations.
3. To avoid hormones, antibiotics and drugs in animal products.
4. To have better nutrition and better taste.
5. To reduce Environmental pollution.
6. To support farmer’s livelihoods and protect farmer’s health.
7. To avoid genetically modified (GM) food and protect native seed diversity.
8. To promote biodiversity.
9. To control soil erosion and top soil loss.
10. To adapt the effects of climate change.

Malnutrition is a major challenge today in India and Organic farming is the only way to restore the situation. We do awareness campaign about safe food and sustainability in schools among parents, students and teachers and communities as well

Bio-diesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a Bio-diesel blend or can be used in its pure form. Just like petroleum diesel, Bio-diesel Operates in compression engine; which essentially require very little or no engine modifications because Bio-diesel has properties similar to petroleum diesel fuels. It can be stored just like the petroleum diesel fuel and hence does not require separate infrastructure.

 The use of Bio-diesel in conventional diesel engines results in substantial reduction of un-brunt hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particular matters. Bio-diesel is considered clean fuel since it has almost no sulphur, no aromatics and has about 10% built-in oxygen, which helps it to burn fully. Its higher cetane number improves the ignition quality even when blended in the petroleum diesel. 

We encourage farmers to grow Pungan (Pongamia Pinnata) and Punnai (Calophyllum inophyllum) trees in the unused space of their farms & backyards. We give them saplings for no cost, if they believe in growing Pungan and Punnai trees for Bio-diesel. We don’t promote Jatropa plant as bio fuel crop as it occupies the regular food crop cultivation space. We had given free saplings for Pungan plantation in Lakshmananpatty and Andipatty villages of Dindigul district.

Pongamia pinnata (Pungan)

Pongamia pinnata is one of the few nitrogen fixing trees (NFTS) to produce seeds containing 30-40% oil. It is often planted as an ornamental and shade tree but now-a-days it is considered as alternative source for Bio- Diesel. This species is commonly called Pongam, Karanja, or a derivation of these names.

Oil

A thick yellow-orange to brown oil is extracted from seeds. Yields of 40% of volume are possible using a mechanical expeller. However, village crushers average a yield of 30%. The oil has a bitter taste and a disagreeable aroma, thus it is not considered edible. In India, the oil is used as a fuel for cooking and lamps. The oil is also used as a lubricant, water-paint binder, pesticide, and in soap making and tanning industries. The oil is known to have value in folk medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, as well as human and animal skin diseases. And used as a substitute for diesel.

Calophyllum Inophyllum (Punnai)

It grows near the sea coast throughout India. It prevents soil erosion. This native of the Pacific and of tropical Africa grows slowly along sandy shores and in lowland forests. It is commonly called as Undi, Nagchampa, Tamanu, Pannay Tree and Sweet Scented Calophyllum

The Success story of Punnai  Bio-diesel 

Mr.Rajasekar, a Farmer from Kandiyankadu village, Nagapattinam District uses Punnai oil for his diesel needs. He runs his 5hp oil motor using 100% Punnai oil for the last 4 years. No blending of regular diesel. His oil motor’s engine hasn’t created any problem because of Punnai oil. He has also experimented in 10hp and 20hp generators. It went on well like regular diesel. 

He further says, the cost of making one litre diesel is Rs.10 only. If a Farmer has got 10 Punnai trees in his farm, then his farm’s energy needs are met. This should be highly encouraged in a country like India where energy demand keeps on raising. Electricity on needed time is a dream for most of the farmers in our country. When you start using such alternatives, like Punnai oil, the dependency on carbon oriented electricity may slowly get reduced.

We can rely on the following trees for its seeds to be used as Bio fuel. 

1. Calophyllum inophyllum (Undi / Punnai)
2. Pongamia pinnata (Karanj / Pungan)
3. Azhadiracta indica (Neem)
4. Madhuca longifolia (Mahua / Iluppai)

Ethanol blended Petrol is another viable option which is currently in use. 

Punnai Bio diesel and other benefits:

http://www.agroforestry.net/tti/Calophyllum-kamani.pdf

FAQs on Bio diesel: 

http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/faqs/

Best Humane Conduct is the only way to solve all the social and environmental issues in the world. Behaviour has to be learnt at the family level and should be practiced in the social level. A happy life is a resolved life. No one wants to live with problems.

The only small work we must do is organized participation in the organized system. Process is same for all humans, whether it is a Farmer, a Doctor, or a Teacher. 

All life is organized except Humans! If we become organised and do our role properly, Earth and all lives will progress better in the whole system.

To get organized, we need right understanding. Valuation and Evaluation are the two process components to reach right understanding.

In existence, in every moment, Provision is there for us to develop right understanding. Such infinite possibilities are open in 360 degrees. 

Through Value education, we must reach right understanding about Co-existence and let us all promote the mantra ‘Let live and live!’. 

We see Value education as a long term solution provider for all the problems we face in the Earth today. We work with schools and communities to spread the message.