Author: Muse

Green Vehicles Dominate Auto Shows in India

Posted on by Muse

India Auto Expo is back in 2023 after an absence of three years. Environmentally friendly vehicles are seen dominating the largest automotive exhibition in India.

Asian brands dominated the event, including Tata, BYD, Maruti Suzuki, Lexus and Toyota. Major European manufacturers such as Mercedes, Skoda, Audi and BMW did not participate in the event.

Many startups and large corporations are showing much greater participation in showcasing sustainable and futuristic products. One of them is electric vehicles.

According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), a government agency that oversees brand equity, India’s electric vehicle market is growing rapidly, with more than 300,000 of them sold in 2021, up 168 percent from the previous year.

According to the exhibition organizers, this year’s India Auto Expo features many eco-friendly vehicles, reflecting the themes of sustainable living and the transition to clean energy.

India is currently the chair of the G20, a group of 20 leading economies and places climate as its top priority. Climate change has become a top issue for the country after it was hit by a heat wave and pollution is at alarming levels.

Sanjay Gopalakrishnan, vice president, director, BYD India, said the exhibition reflects the spirit of the COP, the United Nations conference on working conventions on climate change.

“The government is encouraging electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions, according to the global COP agreement. As industry experts, and many studies show, 30 percent penetration will be achieved in the electric vehicle market by 2030. This is an optimistic note, if all regulations are enforced, charging infrastructure will be built, and development is underway,” he commented.

Kia offers the Kia Concept EV9, an all-electric SUV. Expected to be marketed globally this year, this car is equipped with a 77.4 kWh battery. With vertical LED taillights and an upright design, the car features hood-mounted solar panels and an interior made of eco-friendly materials.

Kia claims that the EV6 can cover a distance of 700 kilometers on a single battery charge, and can go from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 5.2 seconds.

The Chinese automaker BYD offers the YD Atto 3 with a cutting-edge design and a futuristic look. The interior is sporty, with components designed to feel like you’re in a gym.

The company claims that the car has a range of up to 420 kilometers and goes from 0 to 100 Kmph in 7.3 seconds.

One of the newcomers to the auto industry present at the fair was Vayve Mobility, a startup that claims to have built India’s first solar and electric car.

Eva, the compact car that Vayve makes can accommodate up to two adults and one child. According to Vilas Deshpande, co-founder and COO of Vayve, this car is a perfect fit for India.

“This car is perfectly designed for city trips, for Indian conditions, but what I like the most, is this is India’s first solar and electric car. The battery can be solar charged,” explained Deshpande.

Toyota exhibited the Toyota Corolla Cross, which uses compressed hydrogen fuel, and the Toyota Mirai which uses electric batteries and hydrogen fuel.

10 International Environmental Institutions You Need to Know

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Being an environmentalist will not make you alone. In this world, there are many institutions that keep moving to prevent environmental damage from getting worse. The presence of these institutions is a blessing in itself for the continuity of life in this world.

Environmental damage has long been a concern of mankind. Humans worry that the environment is getting badly damaged, but they never fast damage it and don’t take care of it. Luckily, there is an institution that has donated itself to take care of the environment.

If you are interested in becoming a “hero” for the environment and feel that if you dive into it you will be alone. No need to worry or doubt, because these 10 largest international institutions or organizations can make my spirit thrive.

  • Greenpeace

This organization, based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands is one of the most popular in the world and is considered the toughest against environmental destroyers. Especially with regard to environmental damage due to various pollution that threaten survival.

  • National Geographic Society

Founded in 1888, this institution or organization is one of the largest and most well-known environmental organizations in the world. The institution is very active and has even been involved countless times in environmental preservation. Never stop campaigning around the world to prevent further environmental damage.

  • World Wildlife Fund [WWF]

Environmentalists must be familiar and familiar with the organization with the panda logo. There are around 5 million members worldwide. The concentration of this institution is the preservation of animals from extinction. Imagine, what would this world be like if all the animals became extinct.

  • National Wildlife Federation

In 1938 Jay Darling founded this Society in America. And until now there are more than 4 million members. The most important activity is the preservation of animals.

  • Rainforest Action Network [RAN]

The board of directors is relatively small for an international organization, only 43 people, but volunteers number in the thousands. They focus on environmental campaigns and receive praise from various media as smart organizations in preserving the environment as a whole.

  • The Nature Conservancy

I do not know what inspired Richard Pough in 1951 so he founded this Institute in Virginia, America. This institution focuses more on environmental campaigns by utilizing online media, such as social media, blogs, and digital applications that are easily accessible in this millennial era.

  • Worldwatch Institute

Since its establishment in 1974, this institution has always been a reference for government policymakers, civil society, businessmen, and also academics. It is one of the world’s largest organizations for respect for the environment, its services, and research, which spread news online to more than 100 countries.

  • Forest Stewardship Council [FSC]

This organization is the largest in 46 countries. FSC often helps companies, governments, and residents in protecting forests from destruction. FSC has received many awards for its activities in the field of forest conservation.

  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC]

This institute is run by hundreds of scientists to research climate change. They are very active in solving various problems regarding pollution due to fuel misuse.

  • Friends of The Earth

This institution carries out more programs related to human health, animals, plants, land, water, and air and focuses on stopping global warming which is one of the threats to the environment today.

So, those are the 10 largest institutions in the world whose focus is the environment. Of course, environmental institutions are not just those 10, there are many, which will make you feel less alone if you throw yourself into actions to care for the environment.

Harvesting 10 Benefits of Caring for Plants for Children

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Teaching children how to care for plants can indirectly hone various life skills. Later these life skills will be very useful when the child grows up. It must be understood, until whenever humans will need plants. While plants will be fine without humans.

That’s why, because it’s really needed, plants should be cared for with all love.

To foster a love for plants, environmental education is needed from an early age. One of the ways is through the activity of caring for plants, which must be passed on to your little one from an early age.

Not only will it foster a sense of love for the environment, but caring for plants also has a number of positive benefits for your little one, including:

  • Make children love nature more

Caring for plants means inviting your little one to love and care for living things. They will also learn to take care of the earth .

Learning from nature directly is far more exciting and exciting than just reading theory. The child can get to know a wide variety of flora and fauna.

  • Foster a sense of responsibility

In caring for plants, a child has to water, prune, fertilize, clean, and make sure the plants stay alive. This will teach your little one to be responsible from an early age.

So, indirectly the child’s parents have taught their children to be responsible. At first it might be hard for your little one, but over time, with the encouragement and motivation from both parents, caring for plants will become a fun activity.

  • Practice patience

Caring for plants can train the child’s patience. Because plants need time to grow, so your little one will be patient in caring for them, watering them, and fertilizing them until it is time to harvest the plants they plant.

According to Herdianing (2014), gardening activities can be used as a medium for playing which can help develop naturalistic intelligence and foster a sense of responsibility and train children’s patience.

  • Growing confidence

When the plants, your little ones grow and care for grow big, beautiful, and harvestable. This will allow your little one to enjoy the fruits of his labor, and at the same time will develop self-confidence in him!

  • Sharpen motor skills

One of the phases of fruit development that needs to be optimized is the physical motor ability. In a Journal of Early Childhood Education Research, it is stated that motor-physical development plays an important role in forming the flexibility of the body.

One of the ways you can do to develop your child’s gross and fine motoric physical abilities is to take care of plants or gardening.

According to Beetlestone (2012) in his book, gardening activities carried out by children can provide opportunities for physical activity, releasing energy to highlight physical movements.

It should be noted that caring for plants or gardening requires a lot of physical movement, for example, digging the ground, planting seeds, watering, cleaning weeds, and so on.

·        Build empathy

Through observing growing plants, your little one can build his sense of empathy. He can see how the leaves come out of the seeds that are still small, to witness the leaves of the plants grow big and can produce fruit (if the plants bear fruit).

·        Relieves stress in children

Just like adults, children also need time to vent tension and boredom with daily routines. Caring for plants is an activity that helps the body produce endorphins, which can trigger feelings of happiness.

·        Healthier

Caring for plants can help increase endurance. In Morinaga Platinum’s website, Brett Finlay, a microbiologist in his book Let Them Eat Dirt , revealed that there are many good, harmless microbes in the soil that can actually boost a child’s immune system. Increased immunity can make your little one not get sick easily.

·        Strengthen the relationship between parents and children

Gardening or caring for plants with the family can strengthen the relationship between parents and children. Because they will often interact. Gardening moments with children can also be a fun and healthy refreshment.

·        Make your little one like vegetables and fruit more

According to the Journal of the American Dietetic Association quoted from the Morinaga Platinum page, it shows that children will eat the vegetables they grow themselves.

Gardening and caring for plants that are carried out with your little one can broaden their knowledge of where vegetables and fruit come from. From seed to harvest.

Finally, those are 10 unexpected benefits of plants for your baby. So, get your kids to take care of the plants and reap the extraordinary benefits.

Understanding the 3 Symbiosis in Interaction: Mutualism, Commensalism, and Parasitism

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In this life, interactions occur with each other. The interaction shows that every creature needs each other. Humans interact with other humans, animals, and plants. This process and connection scheme is known as symbiosis.

In life, there are many symbioses that occur in humans, animals and plants. There are at least three types of symbiosis that characterize the interactions of creatures in life. What’s that? Mutualism symbiosis, commensalism symbiosis, and also parasitism symbiosis.

Curious to understand the meaning and differences of these three symbioses? Here’s an explanation:

  • Mutualism symbiosis

Mutualism symbiosis

The first is Symbiosis Mutualism. Where the relationship between two different types of organisms is mutually beneficial.

This relationship is considered a very positive relationship because both parties benefit. In other words, both parties reap benefits or profits from the interactions that are carried out.

Take the example of butterflies and flowers. Butterflies suck nectar from flowers, thus the flowers also get help from the movement of butterflies for the pollination process to occur.

Another example of symbiotic mutualism is between humans and bacteria. E. Coli bacteria in humans can work to reduce the growth of bad bacteria and accelerate the process of decay in the large intestine. The advantage obtained by E. Coli bacteria is that they get food from the remains of the large intestine.

  • Commensalism symbiosis

Commensalism symbiosis

Commensalism symbiosis is an interaction between two living things that only benefits one organism, while the other organism is not harmed and does not benefit (neutral).

Take a simple example that happened to Remora fish and sharks. After the shark eats, usually the leftovers will fall. When the food scraps fall, the Remora fish will stick with the shark to take the leftovers from the shark. Sharks are neither harmed nor benefited.

Another example can be observed in the interaction between orchids and mango trees. Orchids benefit because they have a place to grow, and get sunlight, water, and substances for photosynthesis, by attaching to the mango tree. While the mango tree is not harmed in any way.

  • Parasitism symbiosis

Parasitism symbiosis

This last symbiosis is interesting and often disliked, aka has a negative tendency. The reason is, parasitism, and symbiosis is the opposite of mutualism symbiosis.

Parasitism symbiosis is a condition of dependence that occurs when one party benefits, but harms the other party. Or in other words, there is one party who is sacrificed or harmed.

Take for example this symbiosis that occurs in mosquitoes and humans. Mosquitoes benefit by sucking blood from humans, while humans are disadvantaged because they can contract dangerous diseases.

Another example can be observed in flies with fruit. Flies get food from fruit and can breed in fruit. Fruit that flies land on loses money because it will rot.

Yes, so those were the three types of symbiosis that occur in life. All three provide important lessons for humans about how the best symbiosis is one that does not harm either party. May be useful!

Trump’s Policies Have Little Impact on the Recovery of the Coal Industry

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At the historic 2015 Paris Summit, world leaders vowed to take steps to avoid damaging climate change. On November 6-17, UN negotiators will again work out the details of how to reduce emissions of gases that heat planet Earth.

This is the first conference since President Donald Trump said the United States would withdraw from the deal, leaving questions about the direction of America’s greenhouse gas emissions.

While Trump was campaigning for president, he promised to put coal miners back in work. Since taking office, he has sought to reverse policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants and elsewhere.

The efforts include a move to overturn the Obama administration’s regulations targeting coal-fired power plants known as the Clean Power Plan.

Trump said, “Perhaps no single regulation threatens our energy workers, miners, and companies more than the attack that destroyed this American industry.”

But according to Amit Ronen of George Washington University, the impact on America’s emissions will probably be minimal.

Coal-fired power plants were shut down across the country. Power companies are turning to cheaper clean natural gas.

Renewable sources like wind and solar are in vogue, driving prices down. The price of electricity from renewable energy is competitive with fossil fuels in many places.

But other Trump administration actions can still restore coal. The trade case will soon authorize the president to place tariffs on imported solar panels – nearly all solar panels in America are imported. This could cost 88,000 jobs, said Tony Clifford of development company Standard Solar.

Experts say that many states and cities are stepping up efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, even though the federal government is pulling back. So federal tariffs won’t kill the renewable energy industry, says Rhodium Group analyst John Larsen.

DOE – the Department of Energy – has proposed paying more for coal and nuclear power than for electricity from other energy sources. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said the plant provides constant, reliable power that no other source has.

Ultimately, experts say the Trump administration has limited power to save the coal industry.

However, while reducing coal use helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, experts say the results are not fast enough to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

3 Ways You Can Do to Extend the Age of the Earth

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The earth we live in is getting older, this can be seen from the changing climate and earth conditions in recent years.

Many parts of the earth are starting to be damaged and eroded, the extinction of various species of animals and plants, natural disasters that occur in cycles, or even those caused by human actions.

The impact of the damage to the earth is getting worse every day, if it is not stopped, it will make it more difficult for us to get natural resources to survive on a daily basis, for example, such as clean water and air.

Pollution occurs everywhere, the earth’s temperature has also increased recently due to the ozone layer which is increasingly being eroded over time. It is our duty to preserve the earth for the continuation of human civilization in the future.

Here are some ways you can extend the age of our earth. Come on, see together the full description below.

  1. Planting trees or plants

Planting plants or trees is a good way to preserve the environment. The process of photosynthesis carried out by plants absorbs carbon dioxide, which then produces it back into oxygen which is released into the atmosphere.

The existence of plants that produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide will stop the climate change that has been happening for some time now.

Not only the earth, but the oxygen produced by plants is also good for humans because that way humans get healthy air quality which is good for the health of their bodies.

  1. Using public transportation

Vehicle exhaust pollution is a threat to the environment and the sustainability of this planet. Vehicle exhaust produces carbon dioxide and harmful gases, which can cause the greenhouse effect and cause an increase in the earth’s temperature.

Temperatures that are too hot can cause the polar ice caps to melt and cause sea levels to rise which can increase the risk of flooding.

If it’s not too urgent, use public transportation when traveling. If you want to be healthier for your body, you can also walk. By doing simple things, you have helped to care for our beloved earth.

  1. Reducing the use of plastic bags

If you go shopping to buy an item, do you still receive plastic from the seller?

One way you can do to help extend the age of the earth is to reduce the use of plastic bags for everyday purposes.

Plastic takes a very long time to decompose, and to this day plastic is still piling up and is one of the biggest contributors to waste on land or at sea. Plastic that is carried into the sea will turn into microplastics which is the cause of millions of marine animals being killed every year.

You can use a reusable shopping bag or cloth bag. Also, reduce buying drinks in plastic packaging, and use drinking bottles to store your drinking water.

Those are three simple ways you can do to extend the age of our aging earth.

Besides that, another way that you can practice right now is to save electricity usage at home when you’re not using it.

Come on, make sure your room lights are turned off during the day, ok!

The Beauty, Real Picture If Garbage in the Sea is Breathing

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The sea without human intervention is heaven. That is, if heaven is described as full of beauty , then the natural sea is also like that.
Then how about the sea in 2050? You may answer them; Horrible. That is when referring to the predictions of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the World Economic Forum in a publication entitled The New Plastics Economy in 2016.

By 2050, according to the prediction, there will be more plastic waste in the sea than fish. The light nature of plastic makes it possible to reach the sea quickly, even if it is dumped on top of a mountain.

When it reaches the sea, plastic can become smaller, only 5 mm in size. This mini size is known as microplastics.Currently, microplastics have been found in human blood.

Some of the plastics do not only become inhabitants of the sea but also become inhabitants of the stomachs of marine life. Is plastic waste that terrible if it reaches the sea, yes it is.

Who is behind the plastic pouring into the sea? The answer is not animals or plants, but humans. The most perfect creature created and has intelligence.

So, intelligence is what brought humans to discover plastic. The findings were initially predicted and glorified as a savior for the environment.

Disastrous savior

The existence of plastic aims to reduce packaging made of paper. Paper made from wood, the more massively used, the thinner the wood on earth.

That’s why when John Wesley Hyatt invented synthetic polymers in 1869. It was considered a solution to save the earth. However, as time moves on, plastic, which was originally a savior for the environment or the earth, has become a disaster. But the waste, especially the plastic waste that we throw away in Pascal Schelbli’s imagination and creativity, becomes a new life in the sea. The trash turned into living things.

Pascal Schelbli demonstrates just that in an animated short film called The Beauty. Where trash transforms into living things in the ocean replacing real fish, seaweed and coral.

At first, the short film, which was produced in 2019, did not show the horrors of plastic waste in the sea. Instead, we will find fish swimming happily, changing faces into flip flops, seaweed turning into plastic straws, and plastic spoons turning into coral.

Not only that, but spectators will also find eels from used tires swimming around. Pufferfish are made of plastic air bubbles, and plastic bottles turn into fish and plastic bags turn into jellyfish.

What Pascal Schelbli displays in his short film more or less describes sea conditions in 2050 which are predicted to produce more waste, especially plastic than fish.

Garbage breathes

The animated short film does highlight the issue of pollution in the oceans. The Beauty is a poetic journey across the ocean, which is astonishing and disgusting, which illustrates that the trash in the sea is not dead—they breathe.

“Sometimes I feel numb and helpless on the topic of marine pollution. So, I have an idea of what if plastic could be integrated into marine life? Apparently, this simple dream can actually be achieved. Through sweat, tears and the help of an extraordinary team, this (project) is something to be proud of and I want to share it with the whole world,” Schelbli told Bored Panda.

For those who watch the short film, it is possible that it will give birth to feelings of guilt because they have disposed of their trash irresponsibly.

Even though the duration of the animated short film is only 4:13 minutes, it takes up to 20 months in total to be made.

In making The Beauty, Schelbli was not alone, he was assisted by 9 core crew members. The crew came from Schelbli’s colleagues at film school. If in total there are 20 people involved in the film.“Through this film, I can inject a hidden influence on someone who watches The Beauty. So far I haven’t gotten any negative feedback. When someone tells me they cried after watching this film, I’m really impressed,” he explained. Anyway, green friend, The beauty has won the 2020 Student Academy Award.