Dear sir,

Wish you a very happy good evening, The United Nations has proclaimed May 22 The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. When first created by the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly in late 1993, 29 December (the date of entry into force of the Convention of Biological Diversity), was designated The International Day for Biological Diversity. In December 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted 22 May as IDB, to commemorate the adoption of the text of the Convention on 22 May 1992 by the Nairobi Final Act of the Conference for the Adoption of the Agreed Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity. This was partly done because it was difficult for many countries to plan and carry out suitable celebrations for the date of 29 December, given the number of holidays that coincide around that time of year.

Messages for the International Day for Biological Diversity 2013

This year’s theme speaks to the important role of biodiversity and ecosystems in providing for water security, and therefore for sustainable development. Parties, partners and any organizations that wish to put together messages for the day are encouraged to integrate any of the elements from below.
1. Water is life and underpins human well-being, including food security, drinking water and sanitation, and most economic activities, as well underpinning ecosystem health and therefore biodiversity.
2. We live in an increasingly water insecure world where demands for water often outstrip supply, water quality fails to meet minimum requirements and the extremes of drought and flood are increasingly seen.
3. Water security is high on the political, public and business agendas; the World Economic Forum 2013 Global Risks report ranked water supply crises second only to major systemic financial failure, and ahead of food shortage crises, chronic fiscal imbalances and extreme volatility in energy and agricultural prices.
4. Ecosystems regulate the availability of water, and its quality; ecosystem degradation increases water insecurity; ecosystem conservation and restoration therefore help us achieve water security; biodiversity underpins these benefits and is therefore one of the most visible and important contributions of biodiversity to human well-being and sustainable development.
5. Ecosystems are natural water infrastructure that can serve the same purpose as built or physical infrastructure, such as dams and water treatment plants; natural and built water infrastructure can be managed together to achieve sustainable outcomes, increasing efficiency, reducing costs and delivering significant co-benefits. These are win-win outcomes between environment and development.
6. The use of natural infrastructure to manage water has a long history, spanning millennia, a strong evidence base, and is becoming increasingly widespread but yet to become mainstream to deliver its full potential.
7. Ecosystem components that exert major influences on water include forests, grasslands, wetlands and soils; working together these can deliver water security benefits at local, regional and global scales.
8. Without ecosystems, the water cycle, and dependent carbon and nutrient cycles, would be significantly altered, mostly detrimentally. Yet policies and decisions do not sufficiently take into account the interconnections and interdependencies, nor utilise these as solutions.
9. Water related benefits generally dominate the values that ecosystems provide, not just for wetlands but for most ecosystem types such as forests, grasslands and soils.
10. The impacts of climate change occur primarily through changes in the water cycle and this influence on ecosystems. Ecosystem based approaches are therefore a primary response for adapting to climate change and this is largely about managing water.
11. The water and carbon cycles are inter-dependent. Water is required to sustain carbon capture and storage by ecosystems and the plants and other biodiversity involved in that process in turn help regulate water; forests, for example, depend on water and also help regulate it. Climate change adaptation and mitigation are inter-dependent through water.
12.Examples of significant opportunities to use ecosystems to manage water include: improving the health of soils and land cover in farming landscapes to simultaneously achieve water security for food security and reduce off-farm impacts, including reducing water use, pollution, erosion and landslides; integrating natural infrastructure approaches into urban water management to achieve sustainable and secure cities; wetlands, such as floodplains, coastal marshes and estuaries, to increase resilience to natural disasters; managed landscapes, such as forests, to sustain drinking water supplies; reducing the risks from, and severity of, floods and drought.
13. Conserving or restoring ecosystems to manage water also delivers significant co-benefits. For example: wetlands can help regulate water but can also support significant fisheries; restoring soils can help achieve more productive agriculture and sustainable food security; forests provide timber and non-timber resources and habitat for pollinators and wildlife; improved landscapes provide significant recreational and cultural values. These benefits should be added to water-related benefits when considering returns on investments in water related infrastructure.
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with best regards,
(2013)
AMAR

* Sugar can decrease growth hormone (the key to staying youthful and lean)

* Sugar feeds cancer

* Sugar increases cholesterol

* Sugar can weaken eyesight

* Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children

* Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein

* Sugar causes food allergies

* Sugar contributes to diabetes

* Sugar can contribute to eczema in children

* Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease

* Sugar can impair the structure of DNA

* Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children

* Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection (infectious diseases)

* Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections)

* Sugar contributes to osteoporosis

Diabetes, specifically type 2 diabetes, is a lifestyle disease that has invaded the modern day lifestyle. Lack of proper nutrition, absence of portion control, and failure to exercise adds up to this debilitating and life threatening condition that is taken far too lightly by far too many. Additionally, unawareness about diabetes symptoms and late detection make diabetes an even tougher prospect to beat. To help you understand diabetes symptoms and check them well in time, today Dr Sanjiv Bhambani - Consultant, Endocrinology and Diabetology, Moolchand Medcity - gives us the top 10 diabetes symptoms. If you suspect any of these symptoms for yourself or loved ones, consult a doctor today...

1. Disproportionate increase of thirst and urination: Excessive thirst and frequent urination is one most commonly noticed symptom among diabetics. Due to high secretion of fluids by the kidney, the body becomes dehydrated and starts craving for the essential amount of fluid to function properly.

2. Excessive hunger: As the insulin level in the blood is disproportionate, body cells do not get energy to perform day-to day activities. Thus, the body may react by trying to find more energy, resulting in unusual hunger.

3. Sudden weight loss: Fluctuation in weight without any efforts like exercise or diet management could be a ringing alarm for diabetes. Due to the body’s incapability to absorb glucose and frequent urination, the patient (usually of type I diabetes) loses weight at a faster rate.

4. Fatigue:In diabetic patients, glucose is unable to enter into the cells of the body and due to decreased supply of energy in the body, the patient feels tired and irritated.

5. Slow-healing wounds: For patients suffering from diabetes even a minor scratch or wound takes a long time to heal due to the impaired immune system of the body.  In women, bladder and vaginal infections are especially common.

6. Blurred vision: High levels of glucose damages blood vessels and pulls fluid from the lenses of eyes and affect the ability to see and if ignored for a long time can even cause blindness.

7. Dry skin: Dry or itchy skin may result from peripheral neuropathy which affects circulation and proper functioning of sweat gland function.

8. Tingling hands and feet: Excess blood sugar levels damages blood vessels and nerves. This leads to a loss of sensation in the hands and feet, as well as a burning pain in your arms, hands, legs and feet due to loss of motor nerve fiber.

9. More skin and/or yeast infections: High glucose levels result in slower recover from infections. Women with diabetes find it especially difficult to recover from bladder and vaginal infections.

10. Headaches

“Diabetes is a serious condition that kills more people than other deadly diseases like AIDS and cancer.  If the above mentioned symptoms are identified soon, then treatment can be started early.  Thus, one is advised to follow an active lifestyle that includes adequate exercise, on a daily basis, as well as healthy eating habits.”

Wolffia is a genus of 9 to 11 species which include the smallest flowering plants on Earth. Commonly called watermeal or duckweed, these aquatic plants resemble specks of cornmeal floating on the water. Wolffia species are free-floating thalli, green or yellow-green, and without roots. The flower is produced in a depression on the top surface of the plant body. It has one stamen and one pistil. Individuals often float together in pairs or form floating mats with related plants, such as Lemna and Spirodela species. Most species have a very wide distribution across several continents. Wolffia species are composed of about 40 percent protein, about the same as the soybean, making them a potential high-protein human food source. They have historically been collected from the water and eaten as a vegetable in much of Asia.

Controlling Algae In The Pond

Types of Algae:

• SUSPENDED ALGAE which causes green murky water. Sometimes resembling pea soup in extreme cases, making it difficult to see fish that are just a few inches below the surface of the water.
• FILAMENTOUS or STRING ALGAE, also known as blanketweed. This type of algae forms either dense mats or long threads around plants, rocks and other objects in the pond. It is also creates unsightly mats on waterfall and streams.

Causes of Algae:

• SUNLIGHT – inadequate plant coverage at the pond’s surface allows too much light into the pond enables algae to flourish.
• DISSOLVED NUTRIENTS – Fish waste, decaying leaves, uneaten food (ammonia, nitrates, phosphates), minerals from tap water etc. provide food for excessive algae growth.
• WARM WATER – often caused by shallow ponds, inadequate plant cover, poor circulation.

Recommendations to Control Algae in Ponds:

1. Do not drain the pond and completely change the water. Although the pond will look good for a few days or even a couple weeks, this will only upset any balance in the pond and add a fresh supply of dissolved minerals to feed the algae and cause the process to start  over again. Plus, this is usually very stressful and possible dangerous for your fish.
2. Try to achieve a natural biological balance in the pond. Adding the right combination of plant material (oxygenating plants, water lilies & floating plants) will result in clear water without the need for chemicals which often only temporarily clear the water.
3. Cover 50-60% of the pond’s surface with plants. The best are floating plants like water hyacinth, water lettuce, duckweed or azolla because they multiply very quickly. Water lilies or lotus are also very good because they provide shade. also submerged plants such as hornwort work great as well. This should provide enough shade to keep the water cool as well as block enough sunlight to keep algae growth to a minimum.
4. Use one bunch of oxygenating plants for every 2-3 square feet of surface area. These plants compete with algae by absorbing excess dissolved nutrients and also provide O2. Plants such as hornwort, water thyme, pond weed & parrot feather are ideal.
5. Keep fish numbers at a reasonable level. A pond stocked heavily with fish is more likely to have significant algae growth. Waste from fish is converted in to nitrates, which contribute greatly to the growth of algae. If you have more than a few fish in the pond, a biological filter and/or ‘bog filter’ may be necessary to achieve satisfactory results.

Products To Control Algae in Ponds

Barley Straw Pellets can be used to naturally control algae in the pond. Add it early in the spring because it takes a few weeks to begin to work. Sometimes string algae can get out of control very early in the spring or suddenly during very hot spells of weather.  Sometimes you want to get a handle on it quickly so when all else fails, Pond Balance, a product from Interpet, works wonderfully. It is not an algaecide, so it won’t harm any other plants (or even free floating algae for that matter), it works specifically on string algae. Add it in the spring and periodically through the summer. A few weeks after the initial treatments, the string algae will fall right off the rocks, liner or whatever it is growing on. Clarity Max Plus is another product that works very well in just a few treatments. D-Solv also works great as a spot treatment for waterfalls. Recently, D-Solv9 a concentrated liquid, has become one of the most popular algae treatment because it works on both string algae and green water.
r.

The Facts About UV

UV or Ultraviolet light has been used in many industries. It is used for sterilizing instruments in the medical field and for sterilizing drinking water. It has also been used for aquariums and ponds for several years for algae control. Basically there are four main components of the ultraviolet sterilizer: a germicidal lamp, a quartz sleeve to protect the lamp from the water, a ballast to provide the correct electrical requirements for the lamp, and the housing which holds all of the other parts and the water flows through it.
There are a lot of misconceptions regarding the use of UV in water gardens. One concern is that you will sterilize your pond and kill all of the beneficial bacteria. This is impossible. Not all of the water will pass through the UV in one circulation and there is always going to be beneficial bacteria inside your biological filter and on everything in the pond, including the liner. What the UV will do, when properly sized for your pond and flow rate, is reduce some bacteria, including harmful bacteria, as well as microscopic organisms that could be harmful to your fish. It will also destroy the DNA in single cell algae cells thereby killing it very efficiently. This will provide clear water when the turbidity is due to suspended algae. UV provides 100% success for achieving clear water from single cell algae in a pond.
While UV will provide clear water it does not filter the pond water. One concern of using UV in a pond is that some people will look at their perfectly clear pond and think that the water quality must be good for the fish. You can have clear water and still have water that would be detrimental to the fish. Always have good biological filtration along with the UV in your pond. You need the biological filter to break down the ammonia given off by the fish and to break down dead organics including the dead algae that is killed by the UV. If you don’t have enough biological filtration then you may see one algae problem disappear (green water) and another one (filamentous algae) replace it.
When shopping for a UV you may find some confusing statements. Some companies don’t even call their UVs sterilizers. They call them clarifiers. Company x says that their 25 watt UV is for ponds up to 1200 gallons and company y says that their 25 watt UV is for ponds up to 2300 gallons. What’s the deal? There are actually two reasons for the discrepancy. When a UV is sized as a clarifier it may not provide crystal clear water and a large number of plants are required to assist with the clarity. If a UV is sized for sterilization then you can have crystal clear water even without plants in the pond, although the plants will certainly make for a healthier pond. Also, there are differences in the efficiency of the UV light from one brand to the next. 25 Watts from one company may not be as efficient as a 25 watt from another company.
Adding a UV to your pond can provide some real benefits but get the facts before making your purchase and be sure to include adequate biological filtration as well.

Sixty years after the initiation of industrialization and continued population pressure on the environment & resources of India, it has resulted in environmental degradation or deterioration. There has been depletion of forests, soil erosion, ground water depletion, contamination of soil and water in certain areas and degradation in ambient air quality. In addition to problems created locally, India also has to cope with issues related to global environmental concerns on global warming  and ozone layer depletion.
In the Constitution of India it is clearly stated that it is the duty of the state to 'protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country'. It imposes a duty on every citizen 'to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife'. Reference to the environment has also been made in the Directive Principles of State Policy as well as the Fundamental Rights.
The constitutional provisions are backed by a number of laws- acts, rules, and notifications. India has awakened towards  the need to conserve and protect the environment & the forests of the country.  As a result, over the last two decades several environmental laws came into existence as the problems began arising. Between 1980- 1998, nine Acts, Bills and Amendments were enacted. Prominent amongst these Acts are  the Forest Conservation Act 1980, The Environment Protection Act 1986,  The National Environment Appellate Authority Act 1997 and the Coastal Regulation Zone notifications. The EPA (Environment Protection Act) 1986 came into force soon after the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and is considered an umbrella legislation as it fills many gaps in the existing laws.
Mining, industry, power, river & hydro projects and other infrastructure projects require comprehensive environmental impact assessment and clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
1986- The Environment (Protection) Act authorizes the central government to protect and improve environmental quality, control and reduce pollution from all sources, and prohibit or restrict the setting and /or operation of any industrial facility on environmental grounds.
1986- The Environment (Protection) Rules lay down procedures for setting standards of emission or discharge of environmental pollutants.
1989- The objective of Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules is to control the generation, collection, treatment, import, storage, and handling of hazardous waste.
1989- The Manufacture, Storage, and Import of Hazardous Rules define the terms used in this context, and sets up an authority to inspect, once a year, the industrial activity connected with hazardous chemicals and isolated storage facilities.
1989- The Manufacture, Use, Import, Export, and Storage of Hazardous Micro-organisms/ Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells Rules were introduced with a view to protect the environment, nature, and health, in connection with the application of gene technology and microorganisms.
1991- The Public Liability Insurance Act and Rules and Amendment, 1992 was drawn up to provide for public liability insurance for the purpose of providing immediate relief to the persons affected by accident while handling any hazardous substance.
1995- The National Environmental Tribunal Act has been created to award compensation for damages to persons, property, and the environment arising from any activity involving hazardous substances.
1997- The National Environment Appellate Authority Act has been created to hear appeals with respect to restrictions of areas in which classes of industries etc are carried out or prescribed subject to certain safeguards under the EPA.
1998- The Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules is a legal binding on the health care institutions to streamline the process of proper handling of hospital waste such as segregation, disposal, collection, and treatment.
1999- The Environment (Siting for Industrial Projects) Rules, 1999 lay down detailed provisions relating to areas to be avoided for siting of industries, precautionary measures to be taken for site selecting as also the aspects of environmental protection which should have been incorporated during the implementation of the industrial development projects.
2000- The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 apply to every municipal authority responsible for the collection, segregation, storage, transportation, processing, and disposal of municipal solid wastes.
2000- The Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules have been laid down for the regulation of production and consumption of ozone depleting substances.
2001- The Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001 rules shall apply to every manufacturer, importer, re-conditioner, assembler, dealer, auctioneer, consumer, and bulk consumer involved in the manufacture, processing, sale, purchase, and use of batteries or components so as to regulate and ensure the environmentally safe disposal of used batteries.
2002- The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) (Amendment) Rules lay down such terms and conditions as are necessary to reduce noise pollution, permit use of loud speakers or public address systems during night hours (between 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight) on or during any cultural or religious festive occasion.
2002- The Biological Diversity Act is an act to provide for the conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair & equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of biological resources and knowledge associated with it
1927- The Indian Forest Act and Amendment, 1984, is one of the many surviving colonial statutes. It was enacted to 'consolidate the laws related to forest, the transit of forest produce, and the duty leviable on timber and other forest produce'.
1972- The Wildlife Protection Act, Rules 1973 and Amendment 1991 provides for the protection of birds and animals and for all matters that are connected to it whether it be their habitat or the waterhole or the forests that sustain them.
1980- The Forest (Conservation) Act and Rules, 1981, provides for the protection of and the conservation of the forests.
1882- The Easement Act allows private rights to use a resource that is, groundwater, by viewing it as an attachment to the land. It also states that all surface water belongs to the state and is a state property.
1897- The Indian Fisheries Act establishes two sets of penal offences whereby the government can sue any person who uses dynamite or other explosive substance in any way (whether coastal or inland) with intent to catch or destroy any fish or poisonous fish in order to kill.
1956- The River Boards Act enables the states to enroll the central government in setting up an Advisory River Board to resolve issues in inter-state cooperation.
1970- The Merchant Shipping Act aims to deal with waste arising from ships along the coastal areas within a specified radius.
1974- The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act establishes an institutional structure for preventing and abating water pollution. It establishes standards for water quality and effluent. Polluting industries must seek permission to discharge waste into effluent bodies. The CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) was constituted under this act.
1977- The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act provides for the levy and collection of cess or fees on water consuming industries and local authorities.
1978- The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Rules contains the standard definitions and indicates the kind of & the location of meters that every consumer of water is required to affix.
1991- The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification puts regulations on various activities, including construction. It gives some protection to the backwaters and estuaries.
1948- The Factories Act and Amendment in 1987 was the first to express concern for the working environment of the workers. The amendment of 1987 has sharpened its environmental focus and expanded its application to hazardous processes.
1981- The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act provides for the control and abatement of air pollution. It entrusts the power of enforcing this act to the CPCB .
1982- The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Rules defines the procedures of the meetings of the Boards and the powers entrusted to them.
1982- The Atomic Energy Act deals with the radioactive waste.
1987- The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act empowers the central and state pollution control boards to meet with grave emergencies of air pollution.
1988- The Motor Vehicles Act states that all hazardous waste is to be properly packaged, labelled, and transported.

As many as 84 people have died in Andhra Pradesh since April 1 due to the severe heatwave conditions prevailing in the state, a senior official said today.

The highest number of deaths (43) have been reported from Karimnagar district followed by Medak (12), West Godavari (11), Chittoor (6), Vizianagaram (4) and Nalgonda (3), Nizamabad (3), East Godavari (1) and Visakhapatnam (1), the State Disaster Management Commissioner said here.

However, media reports from different districts said scores of people have died during the last few days alone due to the searing heat conditions.

According to Met office, the highest temperature of 47.3 degrees Celsius was recorded today at Rentachintala in Guntur district of coastal Andhra.

High temperatures were also reported at Bapatla (47), Gannavaram (47), Kakinada (46), Nandigama (45.5), Ongole (45), and Nizamabad (44).

The Andhra Pradesh capital, too, boiled at a good 42.4 degrees Celsius.

The heatwave conditions would continue to prevail in several districts of the state, the Met department warned.

Families below the poverty line are eligible for assistance of Rs 50,000 under the 'Apathbandhu' scheme, which among various accident cases, also covers death by sunstroke, the official said.

The Disaster Management Department had earlier issued a list of 'dos' and 'don'ts' to public for protection from sunstroke.

Roads wore a deserted look during daytime as most people preferred to stay indoors to escape heat. A sharp rise in sale of coconuts, fruits and fruit juices, buttermilk, water bottles and cold drinks has been recorded in the State.

Charitable organisations in Hyderabad and elsewhere have made arrangements to supply drinking water and buttermilk to the poor and needy.

Injury Reporting – Is It Accurate or Is It Fraud?

Many companies are increasing including some type of “injury and illness data” in their sustainability reports.  It is one of the metrics included in the GRI reporting scheme.  It is used both internally and externally to determine financial bonuses.  It is also used by a number of companies and governmental agencies to select qualified contractors.  There is a great deal of pressure to report low numbers.
The question is – “How accurate is this data?”
There are many who believe it isn’t very accurate at all.
 there are strong incentives for under-reporting and, very often, little or no independent verification of the numbers.  This is even the case for many of the processes and web-based tools used by major companies to select contractors.
Safety professionals may want to re-assess the risks associated with the creation and external reporting of injury and illness data.
Companies may want to re-assess their reliance on data that has no independent verification.
Why?
Because, given the results of a recent court case, inaccurate reporting can be considered fraud and those involved can go to jail.
In early November 2012, a jury convicted a safety manager for The Shaw Group of eight counts of major fraud against the United States.  They found that he had provided false and misleading information about injuries associated with work at TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) facilities.  This false injury data was used by his company to collect safety bonuses worth over $2.5 million. (Note – According to the DOJ press release, The Shaw Group entered into a civil agreement in 2008 with the United States and paid back twice the amount of the safety bonus they collected.)
What to know more about verifying injury and illness data?

“Just an Industrial Accident”

There have been two deadly workplace accidents in two weeks.

• A horrific explosion in West Texas that killed 14 and destroyed at least 40 homes. 
• A building collapse in Bangladesh that killed at least 275 and injured hundreds more.

In both cases, a workplace incident quickly became a community tragedy.

• In West Texas – What may have been a small fire triggered a massive explosion – an explosion several times greater than the explosion in the Oklahoma City bombing.
• In Bangladesh – An unsafe building has become a mass grave where family members are digging through the rubble searching for loved ones.

Unfortunately, worker safety is often viewed by the press as unimportant when compared to events that are labeled as terrorist attacks.  This was clearly evident last week.  One report, when comparing the West Texas Explosion to the Boston Marathon Bombing, characterized the explosion in West Texas as “just an industrial accident.”  No readily available villain so, therefore, the event is less important.
Yet, statistics show that workplace incidents are often much more deadly.  In addition, the effects don’t stop at the facility boundary.  Industrial accidents also impact families and our communities.
Workplace deaths are even more worthy of our attention because they are often preventable – if there is the public will to insist that they become so.
We will not be able to stop every terrorist attack without both a massive outlay of resources and even greater intrusions into areas that were previously considered private and “off limits” in a free society.  Yet, the causes of most significant workplace incidents can be identified and addressed.  What is often missing is a societal insistence that those who can prevent workplace accidents be required to do so rather than profiting from ignoring unsafe workplace conditions.
Both a change in perspective and improved enforcement of workplace standards are needed.
Society needs to stop viewing workplace accidents as simply an acceptable risk that workers are expected to take in order to get paid for their labors.  As John Howard put it – “Earning a day’s pay should not place anyone at risk of losing life or livelihood.”
In addition, international consensus standards are needed that establish clear, transparent and enforceable requirements that organizations must meet if they want to claim recognition for providing “safe workplaces.”
ISO is proposing such a standard be developed in its New Work Item Proposal for an Occupational Health and Safety Management System standard .  Of course more will be needed to ensure worker safety but at least the development of an ISO standard can be an initial first step – if this initiative is approved.

Worker Health & Safety Principlesthe following list of seven principles (modeled after the list of Quality Principles set out in ISO 9000).

 1.       Health and Safety Focus
Worker health and well-being is an important organizational resource to be protected through the prevention of injury and ill health.
 2.       Leadership Commitment
Top management needs to provide the leadership and resources necessary for effective management of OH&S issues
 3.       Worker Engagement
Workers need to have the information, opportunities and accountability necessary for them to actively participate in ensuring their own safety
 4.       Factual Approach to Decision Making
Decisions and actions related to evaluating and controlling OH&S risks should, to the extent feasible, be based on the analysis of factual information
 5.       Prioritization of Controls
Hazards should be controlled using process, equipment and facility controls before administrative controls and personal protective equipment are utilized
 6.       Prevention Instead of Reaction
Establishing systematic processes to identify and address OH&S risks is more effective than waiting until after an incident has occurred to react
 7.        Supply Chain Accountability
Organizations need to act ethically when transferring OH&S risks to others in their supply chain

Stockholm Declaration

The meeting agreed upon a Declaration containing 26 principles concerning the environment and development; an Action Plan with 109 recommendations, and a Resolution.Principles of the Stockholm Declaration:
1. Human rights must be asserted, apartheid and colonialism condemned
2. Natural resources must be safeguarded
3. The Earth’s capacity to produce renewable resources must be maintained
4. Wildlife must be safeguarded
5. Non-renewable resources must be shared and not exhausted
6. Pollution must not exceed the environment’s capacity to clean itself
7. Damaging oceanic pollution must be prevented
8. Development is needed to improve the environment
9. Developing countries therefore need assistance
10. Developing countries need reasonable prices for exports to carry out environmental management
11. Environment policy must not hamper development
12. Developing countries need money to develop environmental safeguards
13. Integrated development planning is needed
14. Rational planning should resolve conflicts between environment and development
15. Human settlements must be planned to eliminate environmental problems
16. Governments should plan their own appropriate population policies
17. National institutions must plan development of states’ natural resources
18. Science and technology must be used to improve the environment
19. Environmental education is essential
20. Environmental research must be promoted, particularly in developing countries
21. States may exploit their resources as they wish but must not endanger others
22. Compensation is due to states thus endangered
23. Each nation must establish its own standards
24. There must be cooperation on international issues
25. International organizations should help to improve the environment
26. Weapons of mass destruction must be eliminated

Key facts

• Tobacco kills up to half of its users.
• Tobacco kills nearly 6 million people each year, of whom more than 5 million are from direct tobacco use and more than 600 000 are nonsmokers exposed to second-hand smoke. Unless urgent action is taken, the annual death toll could rise to more than eight million by 2030.
• Nearly 80% of the world's one billion smokers live in low- and middle-income countries.
• Consumption of tobacco products is increasing globally, though it is decreasing in some high-income and upper middle-income countries.

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Leading cause of death, illness and impoverishment

The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. It kills nearly 6 million people a year of whom more than 5 million are from direct tobacco use and more than 600 000 are nonsmokers exposed to second-hand smoke. Approximately one person dies every six seconds due to tobacco and this accounts for one in 10 adult deaths. Up to half of current users will eventually die of a tobacco-related disease.
Nearly 80% of the more than one billion smokers worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest.
Tobacco users who die prematurely deprive their families of income, raise the cost of health care and hinder economic development.
In some countries, children from poor households are frequently employed in tobacco farming to provide family income. These children are especially vulnerable to "green tobacco sickness", which is caused by the nicotine that is absorbed through the skin from the handling of wet tobacco leaves.

Gradual killer

Because there is a lag of several years between when people start using tobacco and when their health suffers, the epidemic of tobacco-related disease and death has just begun.

• Tobacco caused 100 million deaths in the 20th century. If current trends continue, it may cause about one billion deaths in the 21st century.
• Unchecked, tobacco-related deaths will increase to more than eight million per year by 2030. More than 80% of those deaths will be in low- and middle-income countries.

Surveillance is key

Good monitoring tracks the extent and character of the tobacco epidemic and indicates how best to tailor policies. Only fifty-nine countries, representing under half of the world's population, monitor tobacco use by repeating nationally representative youth and adult surveys at least once every five years.

Second-hand smoke kills

Second-hand smoke is the smoke that fills restaurants, offices or other enclosed spaces when people burn tobacco products such as cigarettes, bidis and water pipes. There are more than 4000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, of which at least 250 are known to be harmful and more than 50 are known to cause cancer.
There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.

• In adults, second-hand smoke causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary heart disease and lung cancer. In infants, it causes sudden death. In pregnant women, it causes low birth weight.
• Almost half of children regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke in public places.
• Over 40% of children have at least one smoking parent.
• Second-hand smoke causes more than 600 000 premature deaths per year.
• In 2004, children accounted for 28% of the deaths attributable to second-hand smoke.

Every person should be able to breathe smoke-free air. Smoke-free laws protect the health of non-smokers, are popular, do not harm business and encourage smokers to quit.

• Under 11% of the world's population are protected by comprehensive national smoke-free laws.
• The number of people protected from second-hand smoke more than doubled to 739 million in 2010 from 354 million in 2008.

Tobacco users need help to quit

Studies show that few people understand the specific health risks of tobacco use. For example, a 2009 survey in China revealed that only 38% of smokers knew that smoking causes coronary heart disease and only 27% knew that it causes stroke.
Among smokers who are aware of the dangers of tobacco, most want to quit. Counselling and medication can more than double the chance that a smoker who tries to quit will succeed.

• National comprehensive health-care services supporting cessation are available in only 19 countries, representing 14% of the world's population.
• There is no cessation assistance in 28% of low-income countries and 7% of middle-income countries.

Picture warnings work

Hard-hitting anti-tobacco advertisements and graphic pack warnings – especially those that include pictures – reduce the number of children who begin smoking and increase the number of smokers who quit.
Graphic warnings can persuade smokers to protect the health of non-smokers by smoking less inside the home and avoiding smoking near children. Studies carried out after the implementation of pictorial package warnings in Brazil, Canada, Singapore and Thailand consistently show that pictorial warnings significantly increase people's awareness of the harms of tobacco use.
Mass media campaigns can also reduce tobacco consumption, by influencing people to protect non-smokers and convincing youths to stop using tobacco.

• Just 19 countries, representing 15% of the world's population, meet the best practice for pictorial warnings, which includes the warnings in the local language and cover an average of at least half of the front and back of cigarette packs. No low-income country meets this best-practice level. Forty-two countries, representing 42% of the world’s population, mandate pictorial warnings.
• More than 1.9 billion people, representing 28% of the world's population, live in the 23 countries that have implemented at least one strong anti-tobacco mass media campaign within the last two years.

Ad bans lower consumption

Bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship can reduce tobacco consumption.

• A comprehensive ban on all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship could decrease tobacco consumption by an average of about 7%, with some countries experiencing a decline in consumption of up to 16%.
• Only 19 countries, representing 6% of the world’s population, have comprehensive national bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
• Around 38% of countries have minimal or no restrictions at all on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

Taxes discourage tobacco use

Tobacco taxes are the most effective way to reduce tobacco use, especially among young people and poor people. A tax increase that increases tobacco prices by 10% decreases tobacco consumption by about 4% in high-income countries and by up to 8% in low- and middle-income countries.

• Only 27 countries, representing less than 8% of the world's population, have tobacco tax rates greater than 75% of the retail price.
• Tobacco tax revenues are on average 154 times higher than spending on tobacco control, based on available data.

WHO response

WHO is committed to fight the global tobacco epidemic. The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control entered into force in February 2005. Since then, it has become one of the most widely embraced treaties in the history of the United Nations with 176 Parties covering 88% of the world's population. The WHO Framework Convention is WHO's most important tobacco control tool and a milestone in the promotion of public health. It is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of people to the highest standard of health, provides legal dimensions for international health cooperation and sets high standards for compliance.
In 2008, WHO introduced a practical, cost-effective way to scale up implementation of provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on the ground. That is, the best-buy and good-buy measures for reducing tobacco use set out in MPOWER. Each MPOWER measure corresponds to at least one provision of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
The six MPOWER measures are:

• Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies
• Protect people from tobacco use
• Offer help to quit tobacco use
• Warn about the dangers of tobacco
• Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship
• Raise taxes on tobacco.

For more details on progress made for tobacco control at global, regional and country level, please refer to the series of WHO reports on the global tobacco epidemic.

THE LATEST 100 LOVE LETTERS

Dear Earth,
I am so grateful for the wonder that you offer to us.

Just yesterday I have enjoyed a sunny day playing in a park with my boyfriend. Love an joy. Blue sky and green trees.

I respect you and all the creatures that are you hosting, Humans have to learn from your perfection. From your beautiful symmetry and color combination. From your kindness and force.

I love you. Be kind with us and enjoy the solar system.

Stefania

---

Dear Earth,
Thank you for having me to live with you for so many years. If I did anything to harm you, knowingly or unknowingly in my life so far, please forgive me. I promise, I will do my best to protect you from any damage we humans can cause for you.

Thank you for all the abundance you are offering for all living on you..I love you...

---

Dear Earth,

my wish is to end the era of Ecocide - my vision is for a world of Peace.

---

Dear Mother Earth,
I look at you when you

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Dear Earth,
With every breath I take, I breath your air. With ever blink of my eyes, I see your beauty. You are powerful yet graceful. You are the reason I live. The reason we all live. We need to heal your wounds. Clean your scrapes. Pick up your heart. Mother Earth needs saving and we all can do it.

Thank You for everything Earth!

Love You!

---

Dear Earth,
With every breath I take, I breath your air. With ever blink of my eyes, I see your beauty. You are powerful yet graceful. You are the reason I live. The reason we all live. We need to heal your wounds. Clean your scrapes. Pick up your heart. Mother Earth needs saving and we all can do it.

Thank You for everything Earth!

Love You!

---

Dear Earth,

Let us rejoice in your unending beauty. Let us protect you from harm. Let us remember your strength. Let us remember your fragility. Let us act in ways to respect and love you.

Love, Nicole

---

Dear Mother Earth,
of all the moments in my life the moments shared in communion with you have been my happiest. You are the source of all my delights. You carry me, you support me, you nourish me. With you I travel through space. With you holding me I can walk and run. In your waters I can swim. I drink your waters. I breathe your air. I thrive through the food you provide. Your generous giving and giving teaches me how to live in the sharing way, the way of the heart. Your beauty inspires me. Your perseverance encourages me. You are loyal to me and never ever betray me. With your children I can play and sing and dance. Your children sing to me. Your song is the song of sweetness. I can hear you. I can feel you. I cradle you in my arms, you cradle me in your arms. We are one. I love you. Thank you, dear Mother Earth, for caring for me so unselfishly. Thank you for giving me so much bliss. I am your child and will always be.

---

Dear Earth,

I love your sunshine and the green of your grass and the shade under your trees. I love your cool still summertime water and your cold waves of winter. I love to lie on my back and look up at your blue sky and scudding clouds and birds soaring high. I love your cold starry nights when my breath mists, the air sparkles, and I can feel your life.

I love you so very much.

---

Dear Earth,
You have given me kindness and life. Please teach me to give back kindness and life.

---

Dear Earth,

You are beautiful and awesome. I wish others would appreciate you more. Sorry that you are being abused but I love you and so do others so here is hoping that the abuse stops soon before it is too late for you.

Love,
Alex

---

Dear Earth,
Let me start by saying how sorry I am for all that my species has wrought on and against you.
I wish that we cared not only about ourselves, and we do not even include our grandchildren nor usually our children in that caring, but that we cared about all the other living beings on this planet.
I pray that our world leaders would stop the pursuit of profit, which never satisfies the greed for more, but rather would pursue a path where we can live in harmony with all beings knowing that we imperil nothing.
Sadly we live only for immediate gratification.
Roger.

---

Dear Earth,
Today I promise I will use my life hereonin dedicated to loving you, healing you & helping you grow anew
Thank you for all your bounty you share so abundantly :)
Love love love & gratitude
Xxx <3

---

Dear Earth,

Thank you for all that you have given, still give and, hopefully, will continue to give to me and the other living beings who are blessed enough to have emerged from your vital energy. I wish that you will forgive our human errors and shine your light on other lost souls, so that they might remember the great source from which we all came, and one day will all return to.

I love you, dear Mother, for the pure balance and true meaning of life that you teach us.

Thank you from the centre of my soul.

Love always, your Daughter

---

Dear Earth,
Now that we have seen you from space, we can realize how precious and unusual you are. Past generations have made your surface what it is, and we must consider how to leave it for future generations. We must try to leave it in better shape than we found it. George

---

Dear Earth,
i don't think i can express in words how much you mean to me. How beautiful, inspiring, enriching and fascinating you are. You amaze me every day with your beauty, versatility and kindness. I am sorry about everything we've done to you. Thanks for being there for us. <3

---

Dear Earth,
What a wondrous thing you are to behold! Such noble animals and plants and trees!! Such sweet singing birds and buzzing bees. I hope everyone somewhere someday can take the time to see you as you are, as you should be. Pure and unpolluted. True to your nature, not corrupted by greed or overcome with hatred. You keep us grounded and you deserve all of our love and respect. And even after all of the things us humans have put you through, you still keep showing us your beauty and strength.
You are noble and as old as time, nah older!! Your cycles of life keep you strong. We belong to you.

---

Dear Earth,
Your incredible and astonishing beauty amazes me every day.

---

Dear Earth,
As a young adult, i travelled in the amazonian forest. The trees were so high and beautiful, blue shinny butterflies were diving in the rays of sun, wild orchid screamed at our sight with their bright red colors, the ground was humid and the smell of the forest all around. I remember this beauty each week. It is printed inside my body, it moved my heart and reached my essence.

I remember that it felt just right being there. I remember the monkeys screaming at night, was a bit scary the first time. So much life, everywhere, i remember putting a line on the edge of the river and doing passive fishing. It was all there.
I remember the amazing silence of the afternoon, sometimes broken by the whisper of parrots that would fly above our heads minutes later.

Today, 25 years later, i cherish these memories and want to keep them alive to share with my children the love of nature, the love of earth, the love of the beauty and the magic of nature.

Today i walk barefoot on the grass in the parc near my town, it heals me, it gives me energy for the whole week. You mother earth, i need to take care of you, you are like a Lady with a life threatening disease, what is the cause ? you are not whole anymore. How can i help you be whole again, be One. Watching you so sick and going down makes me want to take care of you, heal you, wrap my arms around you, hug you, caress your ground like a skin. You smell so good.

I want to plant the trees whose roots will reconnect together in a web of life and absorb the heavy rains,
I want to plant the trees whose tree tops will be the umbrella for the high heat and protect the crops from drought,
I want to plant the trees that will be the homes of insects and birds and all kinds of animals that will dance in nature,
I want to plan the trees that will be the airconditioning of the future and where i rest at peace
I want to plant the trees that will become a food forest and feed the people around
I want to plant the trees that will bring the beauty and the inspiration for writing
I want to plant the trees to climb on top and scream my lungs out I love you mother earth, i love you and it will echo in the forest.

I have this vision that the trees will save our mother earth. I love you so much. I want to heal you.

vk

---

Dear Earth,

Walk with me and take one giant step for mankind.

---

Dear Earth,

Thank you for giving birth to me. Your beauty has and will always inspire me, and I will try to do all I can to help you. We must not continue to damage you, or in the end, although you will survive, we will not.

Love, Simon

---

Dear Earth,

Without you we cannot live. Can we learn in time to look after you? That is my wish for Wish 20

---

Dear Earth,

I love you!

---

Dear Earth,

I love you!!!

---

Dear Earth,

I LOVE YOU!!!!

---

Dear Earth,
You are my biggest love, my mother, my home, my hope. Thank you for giving us life and more than we all ever need. Thank you for being so patient. You're the most beautiful thing we can experience while we're here, and it's amazing to be a part of you. I'm sorry for all the harm we brought to you, because we're too small to realize that we are a part of you and that you love us no metter what we do, like the best parent in the universe..I'm really sorry, beautiful beautiful Earth. I hope we'll change one day and you'll see, that we all love you too.

thank you, love!

masha.

---

Dear Earth,

Forest Fires
Today I saw the wild birds sweep
the blue grey hills above
I heard the wicked wind
from Africa
declare undying love
I turned
and then it laughed
and played with fire
until the forests burned
Too late Too late
the eagle cried
and glared into my eye
Too late Too late
the trees replied
and flame filled the sky
The people down below
looked up and wondered why
{{{{{{{

Dear Earth
Sometimes we play with fire here on your beautiful planet. Carelessness or wanton wickedness, who knows?
Please be patient with us. We still have so much to learn.
with love
and respect.

---

FLOWING WATERS CRYSTAL COOL
BUBBLING LAUGHTER AT THE POOL .
FOREST FIRS AND MOSS GREEN
SCENT OF PINE SERENITY SCENE .
MUSHROOMS SMALL TREES TALL
CONES FALL BIRDS CALL
BREATHS OF MIST FERN FRONDS TWIST
DEW DROPS SPARKLE SMALL BUCK STARTLE
RESIN OOZES OWL SNOOZES
FLOWERS WAKE LIZARDS BAKE
BERRYS DROP FROGS HOP
CHAMELEON EYES BUTTERFLIES
CREEPER CREEPS WILLOW WEEPS
BIRD CHIRPS CHICK PEEPS
SUNLIGHT RAYS SQUIRREL PLAYS
EVERLASTING SUMMER DAYS
ACID RAIN THUNDER CRASH
FOREST GONE IN A FLASH
DEFORESTATION JUST FOR CASH
SIGN OF TIME , TIME TO SIGN
THE NEW EARTH PROTOCOL

---

Dear Earth,

love you. Love your trees, love your rivers, love your birds, your bees, your creatures, your rocks, your mountains, your valleys, your oceans, your winds, your clouds, your colours, your smells, your taste, love everything about you. Hope you are soon freed from the toxins that choke you, so you can live and breathe again with the nurturing joy of life that is yours.

My love to you, Mother Earth -

Chris x

---

Dear Earth,
I am your child and in ever-escalating awe and gratitude for your incredibleness, and ever deepening sadness for our disconnection; I wish the human race would remember that you are the bottom line, not us. I honour you and cannot wait to find a little corner of you to nurture and love and care for.
Forever xxx

---

Dear Earth, beautiful precious earth that has looked after us for so many many years... teach your people... us... that you are not infinite. that you need to be cared for and nurtured.. and not taken forgranted....

---

Dear Earth,
YOU are my mother and my father. I adore you! Thank you, Thank you Thank you for your beauty, magnificense, joy, wildness, majesty, brillance and for taking care of me everyday of my life.

---

Dear Earth,

We love you with all our heart and are here for you.

---

Dear Mother Earth,

I pray to you each day, I send you love and light, and just wish more people would stop raviging you. You are so precious.

Sally.

---

Dear Earth,

I have such respect for you and will do my best to support you in everything I do.

Lynda x

---

Dear Earth,
My inspiration and my home, you are my mother and friend. I will go to any lengths to nurture and protect you, just as I would any loved member of my family. I pray that we all open our hearts to connect with you again instead of living in splendid isolation, believing that all we survey is ours to conquer and own.
Help us work together with each other and with you to move into a fully sustainable and compassionate future for all who call Earth home.
In hope and love,
Helly x

---

Dear Earth,

whether i die or not is not the issue. In comparison to you, to your intelligence, your beauty, your wonder, I am nothing. Yet, as a woman, as a being of nature, I hold you in my being. Whenever you are harmed, so am I. I give my life in your service for the ultimate divine to be realised here in my body, on this planet. I offer my life to your greater love, wisdom and working. May we all move onto greater love and light and realise the beauty of being, which you teach us so supremely.

With Love,

Hema

---

Dear Earth,
I first encountered you when I was young, when I knew instinctively your beauty, your life giving gifts. I would see the beauty in the bark of a tree, wonder at ripples of water and veins in a leaf. This wonder stayed with me, as if my mud stained hands transferred your beauty to my heart. As we grow older we forget, we ignore and we lose our compassion to you. Yet we cannot exist without you. We take your for granted, abuse you and act as if we own you. Thank you for your allowing us to be here, for supporting us, for sharing your beauty and your gifts with us.
Love always
xxxxxxx

---

Dear Earth,
I'm besotted, in awe, grateful and above all HOPEFUL. My dearest wish is that these Love letters generate positive supportive energy to ALL BEINGS on this amazing Blue Planet that we are honoured to live with.

We are all EQUAL.

In love, In Light and in Hope.

---

Dear Earth,

I am porous

I am porous
There are holes in my floor where animals climb in
Climb in and scratch about looking for food
I try to fill up the holes with my belongings
But strange things are getting in

A homing pigeon speckled green with frightened eyes
Her harness coming off her wing
Inside are notes between people I don’t know
Hungry, I pore over them

The other animals want to take from me
But this pigeon wants my help
Her mission is honourable
In service to lovers
If I help her she can carry on.

---

Dear Earth,
Thank you! You never cease to amaze and delight me.
I am grateful for your blessings and honored to journey with you.
One Heart

---

Dear Earth,
thankyou for everything
sorry for all we have done to you
i know we can undo our mistakes
may we always feel our interconnection
what we do to you we do to ourselves
may we connect with our indigenous beginings and walk with awareness on you
each step taken with intention
clarity of thought
to respect and honour you
we have no choice
we can't afford not to
our future is in your hands

---

Dear Earth,
We are all nature, we all exist now in this moment in the cycles of sunlight, As we all awaken to this reality, we will stop avoiding your beautiful presence and start to enjoy being alive in paradise. Time to wake up and start to rebuild that that we have taken, on behalf of all humanity we pledge to become a productive and useful species once again, like all our fellow brothers and sisters. With truth, respect and love.

---

Dear Earth,
Thank you for the solace and beauty you offer to our lives. I hope that more of humanity wakes up soon to realise we need to stop wasting your resources and conserve you instead.

---

Dear Earth,

I hope that mankind can learn to see your beauty as I do

Thank you

---

Dear Earth,

I could see your light before I was born. Warm and welcoming.
Now I see shapes and colours and your life within them.

I touch your sand, your cool water, my mum´s skin and the grass.
I hear words and the singing of birds every morning.

All is new to me, yet all is home.
And when I sleep, my mother, I rest in your arms.

For Dillon, 9 months

---

Dear Earth,Thank you for all your beauty and healing. May all Your plants and trees be nurtured, all your animals be respected and treated with kindness. May your waters flow pure and clean and the air be fresh and clean. I ask that you be filled with love and light, your crystal core be revered and honoured and all humans return to their hearts to love and respect you. Love and blessings Y

---

Dear Earth,

I am sorry and ashamed, I am sad and we're to blame.
You give us so much everyday and all we do is take away.
If we don't change now, we'll never will and the thing is we're all going to pay the bill.
Still I have hope and love in my heart because there's a new era about to start.
Brothers and sisters will fight and unite for you because it is you , mother earth, who's love is so true.

In love your daughter and son Alissa and Jonas

---

Dear Earth,
if we destroy the nature, we will destroy the mankind. The aim of my photos is to show people how beautiful it is and to thik about this mssage. ( www.caterherman.webs.com)

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Dear Earth,
You're nothing but awe-some. You're part of us, and we're part of you.
Step by step, we're gonna re-balance ourselves.
Paul

---

Dear Mother Earth,

This morning I took a walk with my dog and once again I admired your beauty. I thank you so much for everything you give us. Being near to you comforts me and helps me to bring everything in perspective because I know that you are always there for us with your trees, flowers, all the animals, the mountains and the seas,... There is nothing or no one as beautiful, awesome and precious as you are. I love you Mother Earth. <3

Ilse

---

Dear Earth, May you feel the love we send,

---

Dear Earth,

I love you, and I'm so sorry it had to end this way. It really hurts that we can't live together anymore, but I hope you'll be better off without us. Thank you for everything we had.

Love,
Jennie

---

Beloved Earth, Without you there would be no life. Everything comes from you and returns to you. Everything is given and received by you. Your beauty is infinite and ever-changing. How can we ever return your myriad gifts? Only with our deepest reverence and devotion, our fiercest courage and greatest compassion. You are my never-failing source of nurturing, comfort, inspiration, wonder and joy. May I live my life in service to you. and care for you as a daughter would care for the mother who has given her everything.
Janey

---

Dear Gaia,

Hang in there, your children are almost ready to evolve with you.

Much love,

Ruth

---

Beloved Mother Earth,

My love deep into your earth,
your love dancing through my body x

---

Dear Earth,

There is only one of you,
and I feel our connection strong and true...

Beautiful mountains, rivers and streams,
Volcanoes and oceans, you hold my dreams...

When sad I walk in your woods and tell you my woes,
Take off my shoes, feel the earth round my toes...

Such diversity, how lucky we are,
But forests are ravaged just for your tar...

So many animals but we think we're the best,
So many act without concern for the rest...

Many species extinct but forgotten never,
Please make a law to protect our earth forever...

I love you beautiful earth. Claire x

---

Dear Earth,
I wonder if you will forgive us - even though we KNOW what we are doing to you.....
Your wondrous beauty is more than we could ever hope to create from our own imaginings...
We pray we have learnt to repair some of the worst damage we have done to you...and that you will survive when we humans have all returned to star-dust.

---

Dear Earth,
i am so sorry for man's violation of your natural laws, bringing suffering to all life, & the loss of harmony in nature. Please forgive us our ignorance & greed. & for using animals for medical research to find cures for our self induced illnesses, created by our unnatural eating habits.
do please feel free to do whatever you need to, to stop mankind destroying you further...
in haste as i have to go now!
with much love..millie

---

Dear Earth,
i am so sorry for man's violation of your natural laws, bringing suffering to all life, & the loss of harmony in nature. Please forgive us our ignorance & greed. & for using animals for medical research to find cures for our self induced illnesses, created by our unnatural eating habits.
do please feel free to do whatever you need to, to stop mankind destroying you further...
in haste as i have to go now!
with much love..

---

Dear Earth,
i am so sorry for man's violation of your natural laws, bringing suffering to all life, & the loss of harmony in nature. Please forgive us our ignorance & greed. & for using animals for medical research to find cures for our self induced illnesses, created by our unnatural eating habits.
do please feel free to do whatever you need to, to stop mankind destroying you further...
in haste as i have to go now!
with much love..

---

Dear Earth,

You give me life, thank you.

Louise

---

Dear Earth,

From outer space we gaze upon you image with absolute awe and wondering as you and we upon you, circle the sun with your sister planets in a majestic motion.
Your colours swirl and change, your seasons wax and wane, your moon swings around you, all part of the dance of life which is everywhere on your skin.

You have done this for almost ever, providing spaces for life, in a perfect balance.
You are the generous provider.

So those of us humans who can see and feel your greatness humbly apologise for the many who cannot experience this and who continue to take from you and poison your systems without limit. They cannot recognise word, Finite!

When you have had enough of us I will understand and hope that our memory will not be a to painful one for you as we join the other mass extinctions you have seen over millennia, but please do feel free to label ours distinctively as we have deserved it,

---

Dear Earth,

From outer space we gaze upon you image with absolute awe and wondering as you and we upon you, circle the sun with your sister planets in a majestic motion.
Your colours swirl and change, your seasons wax and wane, your moon swings around you, all part of the dance of life which is everywhere on your skin.

You have done this for almost ever, providing spaces for life, in a perfect balance.
You are the generous provider.

So those of us humans who can see and feel your greatness humbly apologise for the many who cannot experience this and who continue to take from you and poison your systems without limit. They cannot recognise word, Finite!

When you have had enough of us I will understand and hope that our memory will not be a to painful one for you as we join the other mass extinctions you have seen over millennia, but please do feel free to label ours distinctively as we have deserved it,

---

Dear Earth,
having studied ecology and permaculture, as well as personal awareness and group dynamics, I am learning more and more how inter-connected and inter-dependent all life is with you. Your beauty revives my spirit for the fight to defend your beauty and richness, for

---

Dear Earth,
It is my deepest wish to love, nurture and care for you as you, our Mother Earth, have cared for humanity and all living beings.
Sandy

---

Dear Earth, Please be strong and stay alive .... you are our home and please don´t foget that there are people out here who care and work for you and for a greener, cleaner tomorrow !
Have faith...soon the worldleaders will have to listen... when they realize that there is no plan B.... There is only one plan that will keep you/us alive and that is to take care and to take action now! Love :)

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Dear Earth,
You are my inspiration in all that I do and cherish. You have given me balance when people have not. I will love you and your beauty daily until I become part of you as dust.Shine on daily in your magical cycles as you are the most reliable inspiration to me in all I do.

---

Dear Papatuanuku (Mother Earth),

Sorry...sorry...sorry.
Throughout the ages, you have nurtured all, and we have abused you in return. We have ignored your cycles, polluted your waters, raped you of minerals,gems, and oil. We have destroyed your plants and forests, and we have abused and killed our brothers
and sisters in the kingdom of Nature. We have filled the air with pollution and radiation. We have misused Technology to create War and destruction everywhere.
But we are changing. We have learnt the mistakes of History, and those who maintain and abuse Power. We are reaping what they sowed.
We are growing in Consciousness. And that Consciousness is growing in numbers. This Consciousness recognises you as our Mother, our source of Life. This Consciousness is no longer separated by class, culture, religion or continent. We are coming to understand that we are all one. The lust for Power and the endless consumption spurred by a collective Ego, no longer satisfies. It is a difficult and slow process, as we are challenging elements that fight to maintain power and control. These elements still try to deny that we cannot sustain humanity with Ego and Money alone. Amongst us, they are now the minority. The majority have finally learnt humility and wisdom, through collective lack and need. We have nothing left to lose but our precious Earth, and so we are no longer afraid. We are awakening to the knowledge that by destroying you and the natural world, we're destroying ourselves, and any hope for future generations.We will not give up, until we have made the change.
The collective Consciousness is a network, a web, a cloak that envelops you. We are reclaiming ancient Wisdom, and in that Wisdom, we are returning to you. We are sharing a common language. The language of Peace, Love and Respect.
We''re creating new laws, that will end all Wars. We are standing and fighting in Peace for acknowledgement of you.We are transforming technology to end abuse of your resources. We are transforming the Governance of our World, and you are the foundation of this new Governance.
I sense you know all of this. You have survived through millenia, and will continue despite Humanity. Whether we do, or not, is up to us. And there is only one way.
With Love and respect for you, our Mother Earth.

Sincerely and Always your daughter,

Hineraukura

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Dear Earth,Eros, the Art of Loving-Kindness
On a planetary level, Eros is the cosmic attractor that acts as an omnipresent connector of all things, large and small. On a personal level, it is the archetypal energy of loving connection that is inherent in all beings and represents loving-kindness through interrelationship and appreciation.
Love and beauty are not ethereal qualities. They are essential presences that can resolve the problems we have created.This is inner grace.
When asked on his deathbed for his advice about life, Aldous Huxley, England’s preeminent scholar and wise elder, simply said, “Just try to be a little kinder.” Anger smothers Eros.Without compassion the flames of anger are consuming. Often they provide much-needed instant energy, but in the long run they deplete us.
Conscious activism is activism from the heart. It is composed of loving-kindness and requires nothing in return. If we love something, we want to help it thrive: redwood trees, rivers, and everyone’s children. As our capacity for love appreciates, our world grows larger. As our connection with the living planet deepens, so does the place in our hearts from which we experience joy.SHIFT: AT THE FRONTIERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

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Dear Earth,
We are visitors for such a short while and do not always appreciate the infinite diversity and beauty of all the life you hold.
I feel sad that as a species we are often oblivious to the destruction and devastation that we cause you, yet you still reward us with beautiful landscapes and wonderful wildlife. I am sorry that I have not defended you more or spoken up for you as much as I should have done, in order that future generations can enjoy what you have given me. I promise to do much more before my time here ends. Thanks for everything.

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Dear Earth, Thank you for your message - “The spirit of the land is Awake. The intention of the land is to heal and uplift through love and nurturance.” You are LOVED!!!

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Dear Earth, I love and respect you. You are slow-moving and wise. You are flexible, yet consistent. You are the giver of life, and you provide all we need. We are like gravely errant children - willful, selfish, destructive and greedy. We are (some of us) trying to change ... trying to spread love and peace and kindness. I just want to let you know that.
Thank-you mother.

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Dear Earth, i want to thank you for the pleasure of countless moments of feeling one with you and the universe. you know me; i'm juli, the woman who for my whole life has layed outside to watch the trees in the neighborhood sway in the breezes you provide. i'm the person you can feel, i'm sure, admiring the flower blossoms as they slowly create themselves to become their own tiny miracle of beauty, hundreds of millions of times all over, and in all places. The colors you use, and the fragrances you've decided on are exquisite, the pleasure you give me every day fill me with love and happiness, to know that i am blessed to be a tiniest part of the whole that is you.But i will call you URANTIA, for that is your real name, the one given by our Blessed Father. I love you, Urantia. i am shamed and angered by those who think of you only as a tool for their greed. as the weeks go by and your unrest grows, please remember that there are those of us who will willingly go back to sharing life with you, instead of continually tearing you apart. Unfortunately for life on you, humans are shitting where they eat. I shall continue to be thankful of every little pleasure you bless me with. love, juli

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Dear Earth, here in the beautiful land of the pomegranite (roman in arabic) we have had no rain. The crops have failed and the animals are dying. But I know you have a plan.

'Don't pray for rain if you can't take care of what you get'
R.E. Nixon 1937, Superintendant Texas agricultural experiment station, Spur Texas.

Last year we had double the average rainfall, thank you, but did we look after it? No.
It's not too late for us to learn - make that your plan
Hamdolila!

Love from me
Kirsty
Essaouira, Morocco

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Dear Earth, here in the beautiful land of the pomegranite (roman in arabic) we have had no rain. The crops have failed and the animals are dying. But I know you have a plan.

'Don't pray for rain if you can't take care of what you get'
R.E. Nixon 1937, Superintendant Texas agricultural experiment station, Spur Texas.

Last year we had double the average rainfall, thank you, but did we look after it? No.
It's not too late for us to learn - make that your plan
Hamdolila!

Love from me
Kirsty
Essaouira, Morocco

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Dear Earth,
I am thankful that I do not fall of and that you keep me close to you in love. You have a speed of 800 km/h around your own axis.You dance around the sun in a speed that is 100 000 km/h och the galaxy sails around in the univere with a speed of 900.000km/h. And I am with you on this exciting trip!!!
The plants and animals are fellow passengers. The plants showing us the wanderers Merecury,Venus, March, Jupiter and Saturnus dance and influence over the earth in the flowers seal. The animals that feels your tensions and tries to smoothen them to get you into a harmonious mood.

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Dear Earth,
It is a beautiful wonderful thing that keeps us alive.
To you world leaders,
Please help save this beautiful planet. Forget your riches, coz once youve destroyed the planet Money will mean nothing, Stop the Greed and learn to LOVE.

LOVE THIS PLANET

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Dear Earth,

Be Green, Love You.

V

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Dear Earth,

Love You.

V

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Dear Earth,
I am a part of you. We share the salt water that cushions my spine and brain: the winds that blow across your surface fill my lungs with life: your rocks and stones are in my bones: your dust , my very body. How could I not love you when I see myself in you and you in myself? And how could I harm you when that means harming myself? Help me to remember this.
Elaine

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Dear Earth, I have loved you all my life. At the age of 8, in a bluebell world, I lay down on your sweet bed amongst flowers the colour of heaven and made a pledge to keep you safe, just as you keep me safe. You give me joy and a fierce belief that the practical wisdom that you blessed me with is a gift for me to share all my life with everyone. This is my life path, it is my vision, it is my whole belief system that by combining the power of womanly love and wisdom that we can support and heal your beautiful ecosystems. By healing you, we heal ourselves. If we ignore your plight through blind, destructive consumerism then we have no-one to blame but ourselves.
Thank you beautiful Earth, I thank you everyday for your bounty that provides me with every need - but not for my greed. You share with grace, we take disgracefully. Please continue to bless us and nuture us on this new path as we awaken, stretch and become active protectors on your gifts.
With all my heartfelt love.
Penney

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Dear Earth, I have loved you all my life. At the age of 8, in a bluebell world, I lay down on your sweet bed amongst flowers the colour of heaven and made a pledge to keep you safe, just as you keep me safe. You give me joy and a fierce belief that the practical wisdom that you blessed me with is a gift for me to share all my life with everyone. This is my life path, it is my vision, it is my whole belief system that by combining the power of womanly love and wisdom that we can support and heal your beautiful ecosystems. By healing you, we heal ourselves. If we ignore your plight through blind, destructive consumerism then we have no-one to blame but ourselves.
Thank you beautiful Earth, I thank you everyday for your bounty that provides me with every need - but not for my greed. You share with grace, we take disgracefully. Please continue to bless us and nuture us on this new path as we awaken, stretch and become active protectors on your gifts.
With all my heartfelt love.
Penney

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Dear Earth,You hear me calling; you hear my poetry reverberating throughout your cells. You know of my love for you. You know that when I die I will give back all that I am; my final gift for all you have given me. Meanwhile I shall continue to write poetry, sing your praises, honor your cycles and seasons, and love you with all that I am.
Bright Blessings,
Arianna

Life!

We are literally the salt of the earth
Stardust creatures made of air and minerals.
We belong to the Earth, to Gaia.
We are a part of Her
this living world, this organism in which
we all live and die and are recycled to live and die again and again
in a new form in a new way.
We cry tears of salt
Remnants of the ocean tide still pulling us inside
the web of life we will never escape.
Our very breath is what we share with all life.
Life is cooperating competing living dying loving.
Yes loving.
Love is not merely a human construction.
Love is an agreement between organisms to share or provide something
of themselves.
Sure as a heartbeat, you can hear life pumping
I love you I love you I love you
through every single being.

Copyright, 2007, Arianna Alexsandra Collins

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Dear Earth,
Thank you, dear one...for all of the life you have given me...and my ancestors and all who have ever walked your sacred grounds.

My heart and spirit have always been connected to you, Gaia. Thank you for every breath you have given me and your fruits. I am your steward.

Sincerely, Holly Lynn Danyliw

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Dear Earth, you have been so patient,
when humans where trying to figure out how they could manage life, how they could manage you, how they can manage the cosmic forces... ..
maybe you can help them now to be silent and listen, so that humans can hear the heartbeat of you in their own heart now
thank you

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Dear Earth,

We return thanks to you our mother Earth,

We return thanks to our mother, the earth, which sustains us. We return thanks to the rivers and streams, which supply us with water. We return thanks to all herbs, which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases. We return thanks to the moon and stars, which have given to us their light when the sun was gone. We return thanks to the sun, that has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye. Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in Whom is embodied all goodness, and Who directs all things for the good of Her children. AUM

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Dear Earth,

Forgive my fellow humans, they know not what they do when they exploit your beautiful treasures! Please continue to nourish those of us who are aware with the strength to awaken others to the relentless damage that is being done to you.

Take comfort in knowing that you and the myriad species you provide home to are not suffering in silence. There are plenty of us that know your pain, and will fight with you and for you - Always! X

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Dear Earth,
Thank you Mother for all you presented to me in this lifetime. I am grateful for the experiences you have allowed me to participate in. You have given me wings to see the bigger picture and how we are connected to one another. In spite of our smallness, you continue to love us and for this I am most honoured to experience the love with you. My deepest love, Kathleen

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Dear Earth,
I know, you're so hurt. I can hear your crying and tell, when you react on my human fellow's deadly attack.
The best times in my life is, when I resonance with your breathing, in and out. Then I feel the glorious and the perfection, you offer to human beings.
I'm so sorry, that so many does not appreciate your generosity.
it is my hope, that we all will be aware to life in harmony and remember, we are one human race with the same heart beating in our bodies, no matter our skins color.
and that we all honor you in order to live in peace and harmony and to keep the fantastic order, you're created.
Everyone is one with God and you are too.
Namaste Zaenia

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Dear Earth,we send you waves of love and light to every creature to every sentient being to every plant and stone and sea and air around our Beautiful planet earth..we so love you and want you well .. We urge all leaders of our world to start living with Nature to presurve our future for our childrens and childrens sake and so it is love and light ...susan~

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Dear Earth,
Thankyou for your beauty and your abundance. All connected through you for you will heal and bring peace.
Words of Chief Dan Evahema

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Dear Mother Earth,

Thank you for being so amazingly beautiful, thank you for your love and kindness.

With love, forever, Sophie and Elin

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Dear Earth,
I am seeing people are trying to get back and see the greatness of mother earth. With my tiny effort, hope I can witness the change we are enhancing to let more people be aware of their own lifestyle and be earth-friendly~

Light and peace
Yovia

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Dear Earth,
I am so very grateful for you. I love your beautiful leaves in spring, I love your brilliant blue waters in the summer, I love all your seasons and the life you have given us here on Planet Earth. Thank you for holding us as a nurturing mother and letting us live here with you. To give back to you with all my gratitude I vow to take care of you the best I can in my everyday life and send your praises to world leaders so they will do the same.
I love you Mother Earth

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Dear Mother Earth,

I thank you for all the Beauty the fresh smelling Earth the wonderful colours and diversity of your animals, and plants for the Air that we Breath (which is unfortunately being polluted by some of humankind)the soft rain that falls to become our drinking water, and the fantastic dawn chorus. The sweet lilting song of the robin the cawing and chattering sound of the crow and magpie the gentle cooing of the wood pigeons and collard dove. The song of the blackbird early in the morning and late in the evening and sometimes the song of the Nightingale the purer sounds when traffic noise is if not stopped is lowered to a hum. The bark of the dog fox and cries of the Vixen hunting for a mate and sometimes the snuffle and shuffle of hedgehogs out on a nights hunting. without all of these and more wonderful sound life would be unbearable to me.

Thank you for the nutrients you supply naturally to the worms and insects that work so hard to give us good earth as well to enable us to grow our own organic vegetables fruit and herbs that then allows me to make herbal medicines, creams and balms to nourish myself and my family.

It really is so hard to put into words how much I Love you and how I hate how cruelly you are being treated by some people.

I would like you to know that I work very, very hard to help save you from the cruelty and while I have breath left in my body I will continue to do so.

All my Love forever

Ann

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Dear Mother Earth,

You may feel the people of the earth have abandoned you and traded your love for the love of money. You are right, a lot of your children have, but many of us are finding our way back to you and have committed to changing and fixing the inexcusable hurt done to you. Right now you are a prisoner of war where torture and torment are the regular course of day to day life. Mother of sustenance, please forgive me for my complacence. I love you and want to make amends.
Love your daughter, child of the earth

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Dear Earth,

I apologize for all the times that I've taken you for granted. For the times that I've walked by a beautiful scenery, a flower, a tree and never noticed you. I do want to tell you though, that you have shown me the most amazing sunsets and sunrises that I've ever seen. In Arizona, in Virginia, in California, in Florida, in the Philippines, in Cuba and in Canada - which made me wonder why do we divide you up with different names when you're really just one planet in the first place?

Anyway, despite the damages we've done to change your beautiful, natural state - we all love you and we need you. We can't live without you. We can't survive without you. And I know it's quite the opposite with you - you can survive without us. You were here long before us and we really haven't been around that long, but can you give us a chance to prove ourselves to you? So you don't get rid of us anytime soon? Cuz I'm having a son soon and I want him to know you and be really close to you.

I want to take him camping, eat tiny field berries with him, pick apples, show him sunsets and sunrises, show him snow and the mountains, the rivers, lakes and oceans I swam in and just everything beautiful that I got to experience with you. Most of my best memories involve you and I just want him to get to experience that too.

Anyway, I don't really care what anyone else thinks but I love you Earth. I need you in my life, so just give us a chance ok? There are a lot of good people out there that want to take care of you too.

Thank you for listening to me.

Love always,
Mai

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Dear Mother Earth,

Thank you for your beauty.

I am so sorry for how the human race in its greed and destruction is hurting you.

May you and your creatures be nurtured and preserved and flourish.

Francesca

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Dear Earth,

you are so wonderful, I love to spend my time with you, every moment.
Thank you for everything. you let me breath, grow, walk, dance, you give life to me and home.
What can I do for you? Tell me, and I give my very best!
Love,
Heike

b) Industrialised areas

c) Densely populated areas
d) all of theseb) liquid droplets in atmosphere

c) are small solid particles released into the atmosphere
d) all of theseb) ozone

c) soot
d) smokeb) gaseous pollutant

c) aerosol
d) none of theseb) CO

c) O3
d) SO2b) artificial or man made origin

c) both a and b
d) b onlyb) 40-50% of air pollution

c) 50-60 % of air pollution
d) 5-10 % of air pollutionb) caused by  CO2c)  caused only by CO2, CFC, CH4  and NO2 gasesd)  None of these
b) SO2 layerc)  O3 layerd)  O2 layer
b) it inhibits glycolysisc)  makes nervous system inactived) reacts with haemoglobin


1. d) all of these
2. a) are small solid particles and liquid droplets
3. b) ozone
4. c) aerosol
5. c) O3
6. c) both a and b
7. c) 50-60 % of air pollution
8. c) caused only by CO2, CFC, CH4 and NO2 gases
9. c) O3 layer
10. d) reacts with haemoglobin

Once you are finished, click the button below. Any items you have not completed will be marked incorrect.

Cars genrally pollute in many different stages, for example initial production will pollute due to the electricity needed will often be generated by coal- or gas- fired power stations. Painting will pollute due to paint particulates becoming suspended in air, however adequate enclosure and filtering minimises this in most factories.

It is generally accepted, however, that the most polluting stage in a cars life is during its use, by burning fuel and emitting it to the atmosphere. This includes Carbon Dioxide (CO₂), Nitrogen Oxides (NO_x), Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂) and any number of un-burnt Hydrocarbons or other carbon particulates. Over large cities, for example, the orange-brown haze in the air is due to this varied pollution.

A final stage is the disposal of the car, all the fluids (motor oil, antifreeze etc) are all harmful to the environment and so their disposal needs to be done carefully and in a controlled manor.

The main causes of car pollution are outdated motorized vehicles, the mass production of internal combustion engines, poor transportation circuitry, increase in larger cylinder engine demand, high concentrations of people in small area, overpopulation, high friction of four tires, lack of carpooling, over commuting, ease of getting licenced, poor maintenance, over acceleration, NASCAR and other auto racing, taxi cabs, manufacture of heavy vehicles rather than lighter ones, complacency, laziness, procrastination, indifference, ignorance, repetition, lack of plant life, deforestation, national wholesale distribution, poor road construction/maintenance, police patrolling, military training and action, drive thrus, parades, funerals and geographic separation of family.


<-- all of you are goin around the point of the question.. while one of you got it right in the paragraph (It is generally accepted, however, that the most polluting stage in a cars life is during its use, by burning fuel and emitting it to the atmosphere. This includes Carbon Dioxide (CO₂), Nitrogen Oxides (NO_x), Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂) and any number of un-burnt Hydrocarbons or other carbon particulates. Over large cities, for example, the orange-brown haze in the air is due to this varied pollution. ) you missed the key factor.. the gas it drink, the oil it lubricates with all creates the pollution.. but the main cause is the fumes that come out of the exhaust, carbon monoxide. they asked for the main causes of car pollution not the factories that made it, not the process of recycling the oils etc like that, what the main causes of pollution from cars are as followed: poor maintenance (keep the oils changed, air filter changed and seals in good condition) sad but because people dont pay attention to there vehicles they themselves cause 3/4 of the polution in the air from the cars.. you need to do maintenance on your vehicle at least every 3-6 months give or take what your owners manual tells your to do. poor seals like, the rear main seal or head gasket or head gasket are the worst pollutants, people neglect them and where ever the car goes they pollute the ground.. so its not the cars fault in all aspect.. its the person who owns it. Im a mechanic and its sad to see a car that has been mistreated.