Ananth Naag

Have you heard of Wangari Mathai? Well I have not till today until I was watching this program on CNN called Revealed!

Well, it did manage to reveal a new person for me today, that of a Nobel Laureate for Peace, the first woman from Africa winning a Nobel.

Wangari Mathai is an environmental activist and a social activist, now also the co-chair of the Congo Forest Fund, which is on a mission to reduce the de-forestation of the Congo Basin (which incidentally seems to be twice the size of France!).

Wangari was born at a time, when the girl child in the family would not study, but would help with the family work. But, she stuck to it, that she would study and also stood first at school! Not only that she managed to get a scholarship to study in the US and even managed to complete a Ph.D.

If we look at why shes got the Nobel and as to why she is such a revered person in the International Environmental arena, the reason is because she lead from her grassroots movement called the “Green Belt Movement” and others and where she has helped towards planting of more than 30 Million trees! Not only this, she had to go through tremendous difficulties and was abused,  ostracized  and  threatened,  yet she did not take a step back and revert from her resolve of planting of more trees and greening the world.

On her travels to various countries post her winning the Nobel prize 2004, when she traveled to Japan, she came across the term and concept – MOTTAINAI and she adopted that term to preech tothe world the importance of the ‘3R’s – Reduce, Reuse and  Recycle.

She is now a world respected leader championing the cause of increasing the green cover on Earth and the impact of Climate Change and environmental degradation.

She has also incidentally won the India’s –  Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development in 2006.

India also has its share of environmental activists like Baba Amte, Medha Patkar (known for her role in Narmada Bachao Andolan) , the Chipko Movement (”Chipko” in hindi means ” to stick to” ..this was a non-violent agitation where the tribals hugged the trees, so they were not cut down) and many such wonderful examples to peoples determination to stop the needless and reckless cutting down of the green cover on the earth..

To end, a song of the people bringing out the spirit:

“Maatu hamru, paani hamru, hamra hi chhan yi baun bhi… Pitron na lagai baun, hamunahi ta bachon bhi”
(Soil ours, water ours, ours are these forests. Our forefathers raised them, it’s we who must protect them.)
– Old Chipko Song

Today, while I was browsing through the Telugu channels for all the news on the Telangana happenings, I suddenly came over to a Telugu news channel broadcasting business news and I could see Dr.Y.V.Reddy, Governor RBI (Reserve Bank of India) talking something about the world economy and the recent financial crisis in Telugu!! (I said, good to see the economist talking in Telugu..my language)

BTW, some very pertinent and important comments were being made by Mr. Reddy on the recent (I hope its not current any longer!)  financial crisis which were very sensible and thought provoking! So, just wanted to share these with you guys..

1) Too much development of financial markets – In the boom times precipitating the financial crisis, financial markets became too complicated, with very complex financial instruments arriving in the markets at a very great pace.(I was in part a witness to the rapidity of the these instruments coming up while I worked for a short span at the NYSE in their listings department.) The issue was not with a lot of options to invest for the investors, but the pace at which they were being created, let to no time being given to properly evaluate the impacts of these instruments on the markets, by both the creator and the Regulators!

2) Transparency - Dr. Reddy, put this is a very apt way when he said that the objective of transparency regulations and measures in the financial markets, was outwitted, by the sellers of complex financial instruments (the Global Investment Banks, which are now busy giving out Billions $ bonuses to their employees!), because what these sellers did was to make the complications of their complex financial products transparent, instead of making the products themselves transparent!! (Bloody Rascals.. isn’t it!!)

3) Free Movement of Capital – Another very pertinent point made by the Governor, was about the movement of capital. The assumption with the internationalization of the markets, capital would freely move from the developed countries to the developing or under-developed economies. But, in reality what is happening is that the poorer countries are exporting capital to the wealthy countries and especially to the US, including developing economies like India and China! (buying the treasuries?.. At least now they think of Gold!) ..Haa..all the fruits seem to be in one basket and thats why, the global scare that when the US sneezes the World economy catches Cold!!

4) Markets Global – Regulation Local – Another superb point to understand and realize! Markets have become International, so the US people invest in Indian Markets, Chinese Markets etc. and we could invest now in International Markets, but regulation however is predominantly National/Local!  With the cross-border barriers of trade coming down, internationalization of trade has happened at a rapid pace..Now what is the Problem!? The problem is that with Regulation being local/national, they are not able to effectively regulate a lot of these financial transactions not happening on their shores – a lot of offshore financial transactions and hedge fund operations! Regulators are way behind in trying to make regulations as financial markets keep ever expanding off the country’s shores.

Dr. Reddy gave a quotation from another great economist Mervyn King who said, “Banks are Global in life and Local in Death“. Now, all you guys should say, hahaha.. we’ve seen that happen!  I think that summaries the voes of the Financial Regulators.. at the end these large banks with global presence (including the Icelandic Ones;) ) end up at home on their dying beds, when the bad times come! So, better beware for the Regulators, who are being attacked from all sides…

Now, I think, the points we need to understand is to direct our Financial Managers/ Asset Managers, to invest in financial products which are really transparent (and then make them explain what it all means;) ) and are tried and tested. These other funky products are not for us, but for those big shots, who won’t have lost anything, even if they loose a million or two in a single gamble!!

Are we aware of climate change?  What it changes? And are we really doing anything?..

hmm..lets not say.. All is well .. Not all is well!

You can see the hectic parlaying happening across the world before the Copenhagen Climate Summit and the lot of protests going on everywhere, special programs on the impacts of climate change (though not many bring out any direct relation to our lives!) ..so all of it says that ..Not all is well and that if we don’t do anything soon it may all be very bad indeed.

The basic premise of all these climate change talks for us to understand is that the global temperatures are raising and causing what is called “global warming”. The temperatures have increased much faster over the last few decades due to faster industrialization and increase in consumption of various products  across the world.

So, the question maybe whats the big deal?? A few degrees hotter, maybe better for countries in the north..isn’t it? Wrong!! The increase in heat is causing changes to weather patterns, increase in sea levels (so some small islands are drowning!) and overall uncertain weather conditions. These lead to impact on food production with farmers, not knowing when it would rain and wouldn’t rain..

Not only that..another important thing for us to understand is that all major cities in the world, since the beginning of civilizations have been built beside rivers or seas all the way from New York, London to Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai and many other world famous cities. There would be a scenario of flooding and drowning of these great cities across the world in future if the sea levels increase or due to natural disasters like the Tsunamis caused due to un-forcastable events arising due to Global Warming!

So, there is a clear and present danger to all our countries and civilizations in the not so long term, maybe a few decades. (The impact is already felt by a lot of smaller Island countries!..Its only that we have been busy consuming all the new products from around the world and forgot to take a note of these )

So, I hope it is very clear what Climate change and Global Warming can do..and to all of us!

So, the next important focus then is for countries to take measures to decrease the global warming, one of teh main reasons for which is the CO2 emission (and other Green House Gas emissions..which heat up the world!)  from industries. The US has historically been the worst polluters of the world, recently overtaken by China with all the boom in industries there and India ranks 4 I believe. So, the hectic parlaying is interms of Growth of countries Vs. Pollution and Global Warming. Secondly, an issue which the devoloping countries strongly put forward is the subsidizing and sharing of technology to reduce these dangerous gas emissions, which the industrilized world, is not able to give up without much profits!

Now, what can each of us do to help ourselves and our futures generations (our immediate kids and their kids..):

1) Make our environments greener – Have more trees and help with any causes to grow more trees.

2) Lessen Air travel – Air Travel generates a lot more green house gasses and Global warming than trains or other means of transport..so go for train/bus journeys or reduce unnecessary travel.

3) Lessen Automobile Pollution – Share Cars (Car Pooling)  while going out for shopping/office etc. Use public transport like underground/Tubes when possible. Ensure there is more than one while taking a car out

4) Reduce Unnecessary Consumption – Don’t buy stuff you don’t need and just put in your wardrobe/refrigerator! (Factories cause pollution, spend electricity and generating electricity causes pollution of all kinds!)

5) Save Electricity and Water – Switch of lights, fans and otehr electric equipment when not used. Don’t waste water. (Generating electricty and purification and sourcing of water etc..all create pollution in one way or teh other)

6) Imbibe all the good learning to your children and people around/known – After reading this I am sure you’ll take some steps in the right direction.. please also guide others with the same and help them learn the cost of global warming and climate change!!

Thank you guys..

Hont Ghuma, seeti baja, seeti baje ke bol bhaiyya… All is Well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just sing, All is Well!! Thats what says this amazing song from 3 Idiots the upcoming movie from Aamir Khan. When I heard Aamir’s interview about this song.. “All is Well” I thought he’s just saying crap as all film heroes talk before their films get released.. but as I was just listening to the song in the middle of the night here, I realize that there is a lot more to this crazy song as Aamir said in the interview..

It is about that paradigm of looking at things.. just giving ourself a pat on the back and say..all is well.. nothing to worry, my friend.. just giving ourself a breather?? maybe encouraging ourself?? well.. saying look ahead my friend..whatever is in our future.. bhaiyya ..all is well!!!!

Well, there have been though times in life and there have been a few phrases which have really helped me pull myself through.. well I think this is one of the phrases, which I would consider is such a phrase…bhaiyya(brother)..all is well!!

I was afraid of  getting a good college to study, getting a job, my future, my sweaty palms n what not… bhaiyya.. what happened?? Haven’t I pulled through??

Will I not pull through the rest of my tougher times? Bhaiyya.. I know.. All is Well and Will be well..

Kick it my friends, any tough times or any junk which happens on the way in life…. just say, I gonna kick them all out of my way.. and what else….All is Well!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tiny Waterfall near Bushi Dam – Lonavala – Mumbai-Pune

This weekend I went on a trip to Lonavala, a hill station/ tourist spot near my city Pune. It is hardly an hour’s drive from Pune and is on the Pune-Mumbai highway. We went to the Bushi Dam there and this was a tiny waterfall there..the bigger ones seemed to have dried out Anyways there were some nice spots to see around.. I am going to upload more onto youtube and post them on here..enjoy the videos!