M2 April

April 2021

GLOBAL ACTIVISM CAMPAIGN UPDATE QUIZZZZ TIME QUICK ECO TIPS

contents INSIDE THE SILOS

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KACHING CORNER

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CAMPAIGN UPDATE

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WORD FROM ACROSS THE OCEAN

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GLOBAL ACTIVISM

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QUICK ECO TIPS

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IN-HOUSE UPDATES

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QUIZZZZ TIME

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UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS

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inside the silos WHO? ASHWIN SHETTIGAR ACTING GROUP COORDINATOR

LIKES: Sketching Tattoos FAVOURITE FOOD: King fish tawa masala Ashwin Shettigar was born and brought up in Mangalore where he studied Mechanical Engineering. Ashwin says, “After college I had two placements in mechanical companies but I had a gap of a few months before I had to join. That’s when I found out about DDII.” Ashwin joined DDII as a Direct Dialogue recruiter in 2019 and a few months later, his interest towards the cause grew stronger and his plans shifted.

If you happen to see Ashwin around the office, you might find him doodling away on his arm or notebook. Laughing he tells me, “I have always loved sketching tattoos. In fact my teachers would often confiscate my book because I used to doodle all over it every day. My hands were covered in different tattoos every day!”

When it comes to work, Ashwin has a different approach. He says, “I believe it's my responsibility to give my 100%. Even if your goals are different, always do your best. Initially it took me a long time to get some basics right but steadily things turned around and now I'm the Acting Group-Coordinator.”

In his free-time, Ashwin enjoys watching YouTube tech videos and experimenting with cooking different snacks and starters. “I’m just learning to ride a bike still but one day I would love to travel and do a road trip to Ladakh or Manali.” For Ashwin it’s more about the people and experiences rather than the destination. “Even a trip within the city is exciting if it’s with the right people!”

Talking about his life goals and dreams for the future, Ashwin says, “I just want to make good money and be well settled. I want to grow in this organization. But maybe someday, many years later I might want to have a business of my own.”

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kaching corner CHECK OUT THE STATS IN FUNDRAISING FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH

BUDGET

RS. 1,36,90,956 ACTUAL

RS. 1,15,45,586

star performers Upgrade(voice) Street Outreach Major Donor Key Donor

Swetha R Priya Mrunal Pradeep & Richa Sonali

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campaign update 22 OUT OF THE WORLD’S 30 MOST POLLUTED CITIES ARE IN INDIA India’s done it again and bagged the top spots... 22 out of the world’s 30 most polluted cities are in India.

Despite recording a decline in air pollution of approximately 15%, Delhi ranked as the top polluted capital city globally. While numbers may look better for South Indian cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, their citizens are still breathing air with PM2.5 pollution above the WHO's safe limit of 10μg/m3.

This and several other startling findings were revealed in the ‘World Air Quality Report 2020’ compiled by IQAir, which studied PM2.5 levels of 106 countries in 2020.

The report only considers PM2.5 levels and does not measure pollutants like NOx, SO2 or Ozone, which several Indian cities report high levels. While there are improvements, clearly, we cannot take solace from this report.

One of the biggest contributors to PM2.5 pollution is our unsustainable transportation. The DetoxCity campaign by Greenpeace India is reimagining our country’s mobility. We’re urging citizens to avoid using their car for at least one day every week. Instead, they can try switching to public transport for the day or better yet, choose to walk or cycle wherever possible.

As part of the campaign, Greenpeace India, together with our supporters and volunteers, conducted a cleanup and plantation drive at the Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station in Bengaluru on March 7, 2021. The drive aimed to improve the sorely lacking tree cover around the railway station which is a major transport hub. This will not only provide commuters with a better, cleaner and more accessible experience but also revive the biodiversity by bringing back birds and insects.

READ MORE 3

word from across the ocean STAY OUT OF THE OCEAN! Just 1% of the global oceans are properly protected from harmful industry, while 93% of fish populations are either overfished or on the brink of it. That means fish aren’t able to reproduce fast enough to make up for how much industry is taking out of the oceans – there are no longer ‘plenty more fish in the sea’. Industrial fishing is emptying our seas of life – ripping up seabeds, decimating wildlife populations and threatening food security for local communities.

Business as usual has failed our oceans. Right now, the health of our oceans is in the hands of a network of organisations that all have different interests – industrial fishing, mining or shipping.

The problem is pretty clear: governments and industrial fishing organisations failed to agree on © Jiri Rezac / Greenpeace

© Greenpeace

© Paul Hilton / Greenpeace

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anything. In effect, governments have given destructive fishing companies the green light to carry on exploiting people and marine life in the Indian Ocean.

A new Global Ocean Treaty with 30% or one-third of global oceans protected as sanctuaries will give sea creatures the chance to recover, free from the pressures of mining, pollution and destructive fishing. Governments are negotiating this new treaty at the United Nations this year – but the fisheries industry and governments close to it continue to lobby for a weak treaty that would be toothless to stop the plunder of the oceans.

© Abbie Trayler-Smith / Greenpeace

We need to be louder than them, and stop politicians getting away with allowing ocean destruction to continue. A strong Global Ocean Treaty would help better protect places like the Indian Ocean, giving coastal communities and marine life a chance against destructive fisheries and other ocean threats.

© Abbie Trayler-Smith / Greenpeace

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Click here for more

Global Activism 1

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Action in opposition to the mega gas liquefaction project called GNL Québec, saying it will have major impacts on climate, biodiversity and health.

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Activists demand "Act on climate now" at the headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, warning that the climate crisis also endangers price stability.

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Greenpeace activists protest in front of the Agri-Minister conference in Berlin for a climate-friendly outcome, saying “Ministers of Agriculture: Don't make a mess!"

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Activists in Nuremberg demand that advertising for cheap meat be banned, by staging fake cheap-meat ads at supermarkets to show the consequences of factory farming.

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Activists entered the Turów lignite mine to expose PGE, the largest Polish energy utility, for their lack of a plan to phase out coal by 2030.

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Greenpeace activists protest against the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with a burning earth in front of the Ministry of the Environment in Stuttgart.

Activists demonstrate in front of Aachen Cathedral, demanding a faster phase-out of lignite, for which villages and churches are still being destroyed in Germany.

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Activists paint a plane green in action against greenwashing at Paris airport, saying green planes are not the solution to solve air traffic's impact on climate.

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Greenpeace France volunteers and Greenpeace France Executive Director, present a greenwashing kit to the minister with an inscription "greenwashing in progress".

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Climate advocate and scientist Shaama Sandooyea joins the Global Climate Strikes by conducting the first underwater protest in the Saya de Malha bank in the Indian Ocean.

5 TIPS FOR A SUSTAINABLE SUMMER KEEP THE CURTAINS CLOSED

First off, make sure your curtains help to control

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temperature. Insulating curtains will help your house’s temperature in both summer and winter, by keeping hot air out in the summer and keeping it in during the winter.

HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE

Maybe it seems obvious, but a glass of ice water

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will do wonders to cool down your insides, especially if you remember to drink a lot of water throughout the day. Try sugar-free popsicles or chilled fruit, smoothies, or frozen yogurt.

Run cold water over your wrists for a quick

PLAY IT COOL

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cool-off. If that doesn’t do the trick, try a cold towel across your forehead or a water bottle full of ice behind the knees and at the ankles to cool you down.

Feel like nothing’s working? It might be time to

GET OUT

visit

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the

freezer

aisle

in

your

nearest

supermarket! Take advantage of someone else’s AC for a while, and combine it with running errands or a fun family activity to distract everyone from the heat.

If there isn’t a lot of natural shade around your

PLANT SOME SHADE

house, you’re letting a lot of direct sunlight into

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your home during the hottest time of the day.

Trees, especially planted on the southern and western

sides

of

your

house,

will

provide

optimum natural shade.

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In-house Updates RECRUITMENT It's been a busy month for the Recruitment Team, which has been conducting mass interview drives across our offices. So far the team has interviewed more than 200 candidates and 12 new employees have joined the DDII family. As the team gears up to recruit another 50 employees, everyone is encouraged to share references.

OUTREACH Team Chennai had organized a mime at IIT Madras Research Park on 19th of March 2021, to spread awareness about the harmful effects of air pollution. The theme was ‘Air pollution and its impact on our daily lives’. The mime depicted the need for sustainable urban mobility and green energy.

It also explained why we need to make a switch to a cleaner energy, fuel and transport system. This event was conducted to enhance the scope of getting more Outreach Venues.

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Quizzzz Time!!!

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Should you wear special clothing when you’re cycling?

A

No I can wear what I want thank you!

B

Wear Dark coloured clothes

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Comfortable, loose breathable clothes

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Yes wear bright coloured clothing and shoes that don’t slip form the pedal

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Can you cycle on the pavement?

A

Yes any time I want!

B

Yes, but only when there is a sign that says I can

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Sometimes when there is too much traffic on the road

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No, never

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What should you do before you start cycling on the road?

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Cycle when I am sure the area is clear and I'm safe to move off

B

C

Check that my mobile and MP3 player are all on and working correctly

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Cycle as soon as I get on my bicycle, I'm sure drivers will see me coming Eat alot of food to get all the energy you can

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When should you have your hands off the handle bars of your bike?

A

Never! that would be silly!

B

Only sometimes when giving hand signals

C

When showing off to friends that I can cycle without using my hands at all!

D

Sometimes, when the road is empty to feel the freedom

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Should you hold onto another car or bike to give you an easy ride back home?

A

No, that would be dangerous

B

Yes, that would be fun!

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Only when I am lazy to ride

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Yes, when I’m in a hurry

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Does a bike need to have lights?

A

Yes, a bike must have lights at all times

B

Yes, legally, a bike must have working lights at night-time

C

You never need a light

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Cyclists must use front and back lights at night-time.

Send in your answers and the first one to give all the right answers will receive a gift ;)

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upcoming birthdays

A P R IL

DO I SMELL A BIRTHDAY CAKE???

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! NAVNEET JHA

13 TH

SACHIN MATHUR

21 ST

PRAVEEN J

27 TH

AMIT SUNIL MORE

28 TH

AP RIL

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We’d love to hear your comments, suggestions, and especially compliments. Please contact the communication team at kpancras@directdialogueinitiatives.com