So to talk about beef eating, which is considered sacrilegious by most of the Hindus in the country, the Indian population often misinterprets beef to refer to cows alone, while according to US standards, the meat of buffalo is also termed as beef. India does not officially export cow meat. The country’s beef exports are made of carabeef, which refers to the meat of buffalo only.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, India became the top exporter of beef in 2014 with Brazil in second position. Some of the reasons why India was able to make it to the top of the list of top beef exporting countries are:

• The inferior quality of beef exported by India is cheaper than its competitor, Brazil. Since the meat of the buffalo is tougher, it is sold at a lower price and is used primarily for industrial use, like making sausages and other processed foods.
• The main regions where beef is exported are Asian countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. With most of these regions being close to the country, exporting beef to these countries is easy and more economical. This has helped spur the growth of the beef industry in India.

Leading beef exporting companies of the country are owned by people of non-Hindu origin. While Hindu activists have raised questions on the export of beef in the country, the numbers are yet to reduce because the bans are specifically on the slaughter and export of cows and not on the buffalo meat that is sold by the exporters.

Objections Faced by Beef Exporters in India

Cow Meat May Be Exported Illegally as Buffalo Meat

Ashoo Mongia is the President of Rashtriye Goraksha Sena, which is one of the activist groups in the country. Mongia says, “If you ask for Indian cow-flesh in Dubai, you can get it.” The group campaigns against the export of beef, claiming that cow meat is also illegally sold in the country and exported to other countries under the guise of buffalo meat.

On the other hand, established beef exporting companies say that these claims are baseless, explaining that no one would want to risk their business by exporting cow meat in India since it is illegal.

Reduced Milk Production Because of Exporting Female Buffaloes

According to an article of Business Today India, another fear raised by a popular dairy owner in the state of Uttar Pradesh is that the production of milk may reduce if more buffalo were slaughtered. Mohammad Ali Qureshi, who is the President of Bombay Suburban Beef Dealers Association, explains that beef exporting companies hardly buy milk yielding buffaloes because they cost almost twice the price of a buffalo that has stopped yielding milk. So the buffalo slaughtered for export are usually the ones that have stopped giving milk. The buffalo owner who sells their wares to these exporters is able to use the money to invest in milk yielding buffalo, which means that the export of beef may only be helping to increase milk production and not decrease it.

A majority of the exporters are Muslims and most of them suffer on religious grounds. Activists often stop the vehicles and campaign against them, trying to prove that their business is illegal even though the owners have complete legal rights for the business and the slaughter of the animals. The owners have been ignoring the campaigners and doing their best to increase the export of beef to other countries so that they can stay on the list of top beef exporting countries in the world.

While most of India’s Hindu population chooses to ignore the beef exporting statistics of the country, for the activists who do fight the exporters, there may be a thin line between reality and assumptions with buffalo meat easily being mistaken in the country as cow meat.

The post The Land Where Cows Are Holy Tops the List of Beef Exporting Countries appeared first on Defend Planet.

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. oil
• water to knead the dough

For the Stuffing

•  4 – 5 medium size potatoes
• 1 green chilli chopped
• 1 medium onion chopped finely
• 3 tsp. chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tsp. chopped mint leaves
• ½ tsp. red chilli powder
• ½ tsp. dried mango powder
• salt to taste
• oil to roast the parathas

Serving Suggestions

Serve hot aloo parathas with a blob of butter, yogurt, or any pickle.

Instructions

Preparation of the Dough

1. In a bowl, take the wheat flour and sprinkle salt and oil on it. Mix and remove lumps caused by oil.
2. Add water slowly and knead the flour into a smooth dough. Cover and set the dough aside for 20 minutes. Resting the dough will give you a soft and smooth dough which will be easy to roll.

Preparation of the Stuffing

1. Boil the potatoes, peel, and mash them. Make sure to leave no lumps while mashing the potatoes; you will have no difficulty in rolling your parathas if they have been mashed smoothly.
2. Add chopped onion, green chillies, coriander leaves, mint leaves, red chilli powder, dried mango powder, salt, and mix evenly and set aside.

Making the Aloo Paratha

1. Divide the dough into 8 equal sized balls.
2. Take a rolling pin and dust the surface with dry flour, then take one ball and roll it on the powdered surface to about 4 to 5 inches.
3. Take some potato stuffing and place it in the center of the rolled dough. Make sure you leave some gap on the sides.
4. Gather all the edges to the center and seal tight. Ensure the stuffing is sealed completely and then flatten the stuffed dough lightly with your hands.
5. Dust some more flour on the surface and roll the paratha to about 6 inches. Sprinkle more flour if required while rolling.
6. On a heated griddle, put the rolled paratha.
7. Flip when bubbles show up and it is half-cooked.
8. Spread some oil on this cooked part and when the lower portion of the paratha is half-cooked, flip the paratha once again and apply oil to this side too.
9. Cook the paratha by flipping once or twice while pressing slowly it with a spatula. Once the paratha gets a nice brown colour and is crispy, remove it from the griddle.
10. Repeat for all of the rolls.
11. Serve the parathas hot with butter, pickle, and yogurt, or simply enjoy an aloo paratha without any condiments.

The post Recipe: How to Make Aloo Paratha? appeared first on Defend Planet.

Gandhi’s ability to sway an entire nation with his beliefs came through his powerful speeches that were well articulated and extremely inspiring. It is believed that Gandhi had once said,

“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated”

While there is no solid source through which we can tie these words to Gandhi, we think that these words have a lot of weight. Not just because they may have been said by one of the most popular thinkers in the world, but because they are true in more ways than one.

For a society to be able to feel for the animals that live among and around us is essential for us to lead humane lives. Gandhi strongly believed in humanity, and for humans to mistreat the animals that share their homes in the same society with us can only prove how inhuman we are. Living in harmony with the animals around us helps us create an environment which is friendly not only for us, but for other living beings around us.

Gandhi is known for non-violence and his use of non-violence when he joined the war of independence. He strongly felt that independence could be achieved without fighting battles which led to bloodshed on both sides. Instead, his recourse was to find a way that would help India gain freedom without fighting freedom wars.

His determination to stand up against British rule without choosing weapons to fight against them left an indelible mark on the history of India and inspired world leaders like Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela. With his strong beliefs, he led many protests throughout the country and went on rigorous fasts, but he never gave up on his beliefs and determination.

There is a lot that we can imbibe from his principles and ways of life, and we strongly feel for his belief in non-violence, not just against other humans, but against animals, too. We must try to lead a life which is in accord with the animals around us. They have a right to live and lead their lives just as much as we do.

Our pets are not the only animals that deserve to be well treated, we need to do the same for all species, as every time people occupy habitats of wild species, we are obliterating them, and this is a loss that no money can buy – not even with cloning techniques. All animals have a right to live without being mistreated, both livestock and wild ones, and humans should recognize and promote biodiversity by establishing sanctuaries and National Parks for wild animals.

We must create a society that reflects the philosophies of world leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, a society where animals are treated well and where we come to love and care for them instead of abuse them.

The post Mahatma Gandhi: A World Leader and Animal Advocate appeared first on Defend Planet.

Once the wolves were killed, the population of elks grew. They freely grazed wherever they wanted and foraged almost all the young cottonwood. Many other species of plants which flourished along the stream, like berry producing shrubs and willows, also were harmed.  This in turn started mayhem with the ecosystem of the complete streamside and also with the wildlife connected to that area like insects, fish, birds, and other small animals. With no trees and bushes to hold on to the soil, the watercourse eroded and the food web went haywire.

In 1995, the wolves were reinstated in Yellowstone National Park, and within a few years the Lamar Valley streamside seems to be blooming with cottonwoods and smaller shrubs once again; they have become tall and look more predominant. The studies have proved that the fear of wolves prevent the elks from grazing on the willows and cottonwoods along the streamside.

The researchers now have a better understanding of ‘trophic effect’, which might take place in the ecosystem if an essential part is removed. The exclusion of wolves for 70 long years and then inclusion once again has set a stage for scientific experimentation with justly persuasive outcomes.

The damage that has been done to the trees in 70 years might take some time to show wondrous results, but for now the willows, cottonwood, aspen, and other trees are safe as the wolves have paved a way for their retrieval.

The post Return of the Wolves in Yellowstone National Park appeared first on Defend Planet.

There was a time when jaguars roamed most of the country without having to worry about being hunted or caught, but that began to change when they started hunting cattle to be their dinner. People began to kill them to save their herds first and later realized the beauty of its coat and started trophy hunting. It is the third largest cat in the world and the jaguar’s coat is one of the most beautiful things that you have come across. Lovely rosettes mark the Jaguar’s body. During the 18^th and 19^th centuries, jaguars were easily spotted in Arizona, New Mexico, California, and Texas. At times, these big cats would be seen as far to the east as North Carolina, and they may be spotted roaming as far north as Colorado.

Sadly enough, its lovely coat became the reason for it to be hunted down by people so that they could trade its fur. A jaguar’s coat was considered to be a premium coat when animal fur was in fashion. This was in the sixties and seventies, when fur traders killed approximately 18,000 jaguars and only 12,000 to 15,000 were left in the wild by the time the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) bought the trade to a close in 1973.

The jaguar is globally considered to be a near threatened species, but in United States the conservation status of a jaguar is “endangered”. The last female jaguar in the U.S. was killed by a hunter in 1963 in northern Arizona. In southern Arizona, two jaguars were photographed in 1996. However, the species continued to remain elusive for over a decade, and then on February 18, 2009, jaguar conservation in Arizona were able to capture, collar, and release a jaguar. It was soon recognized as Macho B, which had roamed the region for around 15 years.

It so happened that the jaguar’s transmitting device showed a reduced pattern of movement and foraging, which put the Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists into action. They recaptured the cat, who sadly died soon after, when it suffered a terminal kidney failure.

The last known jaguar in Texas was killed in 1949, and recent sightings of jaguars have increased here, too, but biologists feel that there is a possibility the big cat sightings may be mistaken because of the rising cougar population in the region.

Recorded description of the last active jaguar den, which had breeding adults and kittens in it, was in the Tehachapi Mountains in California before 1860. As administrations changed from Bush’s presidential era to those of Obama’s, the conversation of the jaguar became more important and the plan of fencing the borderlands was brought to a halt so jaguars could roam freely in the region. A camera trap captured photos of a jaguar nicknamed “El Jefe” in September 2015. An analysis of its spots confirms that he has been in the region since 2011. At this time, he is the only jaguar that has been recently photographed in the United States and probably the last one of his kind.

The post Are Jaguars Extinct in the U.S.? appeared first on Defend Planet.

An integral part of Indian culture is to lead a life that helps sustain nature and live in harmony with the ecological system. It is reflected abundantly in the traditional beliefs and practices, which are born out of the Indian culture. At this time, global concerns regarding a sustainable development is on the rise. The long borne traditions and cultural ethos of nature conservation in the country of India has, in many ways, enlightened the path towards a balanced ecological system.

Almost every culture around the world has a rich tradition that embeds the value of preserving nature in it. Ancient cultures, like the one in India, talks about the importance of leading a life that values our ecological system and embraces the biodiversity of nature. As we progress towards new technology and modern ways, we leave behind these values and look down upon the culture, thinking of it as primitive and superstitious.

However, there was a time when Indian culture looked upon life as a gift which must be celebrated and Earth as the benevolent Mother who should be worshipped and praised. The worship of trees, animals, plants, rivers, and the sun have been a part of the Indian tradition since time unknown. 10,000 year old cave paintings in Central India depict birds, animals, and humans living in harmony.

Many texts and folklore are replete with similes of man living in unison with nature. One such practice, which is seen even today, is the maintenance of sacred groves which are dedicated to the village deity. The Western region of India and the state of Kerala have many such sacred groves even now. This practice helps in the conservation of nature by maintaining patches of forest which are used as the sacred grove.

The reverence of plants in the Indian culture has supported nature by protecting and propagating plants and trees that are important for the ecological system. Trees like the Banyan tree, Pipal tree, and Sandalwood tree are revered in present Indian culture. The tulsi plant, which is known for innumerable medicinal properties, is also worshipped by many Indians. Such a traditional cultural attitude helps in saving nature and nurturing the growth and development of important plants and trees.

In the same way, many animals are considered important in Indian culture, too. The peafowl are not hunted because they are considered sacred to one of the Hindu Lords. Even the tiger and the cobra are protected on religious grounds by many people in India, even though they are greatly feared by others. Buddhism and Jainism also bear innumerable references to the conservation of nature and the importance of animals in our lives.

Even Indian art and scriptures have many references to the preservation of nature. The concepts may seem old, primitive, and superstitious. Many may even shy away from these practices now, but the concept of tree gods, sacred animals, sacred plants, worshipping Mother Earth, the nine planets, and living a life in complete harmony with these can only help us progress towards a better ecological system. The idea may seem far flung, but that is how people once led their lives.

The post How Environmentally Conscious are Indians? appeared first on Defend Planet.

A famous sociobiologist, Edward O. Wilson of Harvard University, highlighted in one of his books how even if all the food-grain would be used to feed the human beings (leaving the livestock), there would still be a certain boundary to how far the amounts could expand. He also explains how only 10 billion people would be able to live on Earth and not more if Earth produces around 2 billion tons of food-grains every year.

John Cohen of Columbia University, a population biologist, enlightens on the many other factors which limit the Earth’s capacity to support many people; the carbon concentrations, nitrogen cycle, and available amounts of phosphorus.

We are already nearing the 9 billion count, and according to the calculations, we might reach the mark by 2050. By 2100, the Earth will have around 10 billion people on its surface. However, the scientists think there could be a change in this prediction as some families are delaying parenthood and now have two kids or less.

The United Nations assessed the trend of global population which clearly reflects how families are becoming smaller.  The UN chief of population estimates and projections section, Gerald Heilig, speaks about the experiential data of 230 countries since 1950 which show how there has been an immense fall in fertility rates. He explains that the fertility rate is going down to ‘replacement level’, which is 2.1 kids for every woman; it is the rate at which the next generation replace the earlier ones, making up for those who die at an early age. If the global fertility rate does go down to reach the replacement level by the end of 21^st century, then the human population might steady at 9 to 10 billion. But for the time being, population keeps increasing as you could see on this daily updated Population Clock.

If Earth can’t effectively sustain more than 10 billion people, our time is running out, so we need to start changing our habits and live more sustainable lives now while decreasing our fertility rate. Planet Earth is our home and we don’t have anywhere else to go, so we need to take care of it now and start showing some small gestures of love before it is too late – and for love, I meant having fewer children; our planet will thank us!

The post How Many People Can the Earth Sustain? appeared first on Defend Planet.

The Elkhorn coral loves the waters of Florida, Bahamas, and the Caribbean. They usually inhabit the shallow waters in these regions. A depth of 1 to 5 meters is considered shallow for this coral. The Elkhorn coral usually wears a brownish hue and has a white edge. It can be easily identified because the fan-like branches of the coral resemble the antlers of the elk. This is how this beautiful coral got its name.

What is causing its decline?

Water Clarity

One of the Elkhorn coral facts is that this coral gets its brownish color from the symbiotic zooxanthellae living inside its tissues. Zooxanthellae is an algae and it provides nutrients to the coral through the process of photosynthesis. Since the dependence of the coral on sunlight is necessary, a decrease in water clarity can have a detrimental effect on the coral because it may not be able to move from feeding through the algae to other food sources. This is one of the reasons why the Elkhorn coral is susceptible to climate changes and other factors that can reduce water clarity, like bleaching.

Diseases

Diseases are also slowly reducing the population of the Elkhorn coral. The white pox disease affects the Elkhorn coral only and it can move quickly from one colony to another. The disease causes white lesions on the coral and it can lead to a substantial amount of tissue loss. Other diseases include the white band and the black band disease. Elkhorn coral facts puts diseases as one of the most common reasons for the decline of the coral.

Predators

Coral predators have the ability to completely end a coral colony. The Elkhorn coral is usually predated by coral eating snails, bearded fireworm, and damselfish. When the coral is predated by these organisms, its growth is inhibited and it can also affect the coral’s ability to reproduce.

Other Causes

Other causes for the decrease in the population of the Elkhorn coral is due to algal overgrowth, ship grounding, trampling, and anchor damage. The coral is also threatened by of ocean acidification, which can reduce its skeletal integrity.

What Are Our Conservation Attempts?

The Elkhorn coral is listed as ‘Threatened’ on the US Endangered Species Act. The National Marine Fisheries Service have also passed a rule which prohibits all kinds of activities which may cause harm to the coral. The coral now has protected habitats where they can survive with higher mortality rates.

Restoration efforts to help the survival of the coral extend to the point where coral fragments which were broken off because of hurricanes or ships were reattached. These efforts have had mixed results. Newer methods are being discovered to increase the success of the reattachment.

As for diseases, very limited research exists when it comes to the coral diseases and the treatments for these diseases. This is why many coral colonies are lost to the diseases. Attempts are also being made to remove coral predators and introduce herbivores to the ecosystem which can feed on the harmful algae and help in the growth of the coral.

With more research on the threats and stringent rules to ensure that the coral is not harmed, we may be able to save this lovely, colorful coral. By reducing pollution and giving the coral a better ecosystem, they may have a chance of making a bright and vibrant comeback.

The post Can we Save the Elkhorn Coral? appeared first on Defend Planet.

1. Do your own research and help raise awareness of the environment problems where you live.
2. Eat less red meat; cows are the main cause of environmental degradation because of methane emissions, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.
3. Press your government representative to implement renewable energy sources. If you can, generate your own renewable electricity by installing a solar panel or wind turbine.
4. If you can work from home, that’s probably the best way to go. If you still need to commute, try to use ecological friendly transportation, like a bicycle, electric car, or share your vehicle with other people.
5. We love our cats and dogs, but introducing invasive species could harm biodiversity in a significant way – so always be responsible with your pets and don’t release them in a protected environment.
6. Stop buying plastic bottled water; use a vacuum flask instead.
7. Remember the old 3R’s motto: “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle”, before throwing anything into the dumpster.
8. Turn off lights you are not using and unplug all your electric devices and chargers when they are not in use.
9. Replace traditional light bulbs with LED light bulbs; they have a longer lifespan and are more efficient than fluorescent bulbs.
10. Avoid overconsumption; consumerism seriously affects our environment.
11. Don’t use aerosol sprays; chlorofluorocarbon compounds (CFC) are not only toxic, but have destructive effects on the ozone layer, increasing the greenhouse effect.
12. When shopping, take a cloth bag with you and avoid plastic bags; remember that a plastic bag could require 150 years before degrading.
13. Segregate organic waste from inorganic waste and recyclable materials like glass, aluminum, paper, and cardboard.
14. Plant trees and plants; they are not only going to embellish your neighborhood, but are going to make you healthier, producing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2).
15. Install a composting toilet, or if you can’t use a waiter toilet, make sure you are using a high-efficiency flush toilet; remember to save water as much as you can.
16. Consume seasonal food and buy locally grown food whenever it’s possible.
17. Use biodegradable cleaners and soaps.
18. Avoid using products made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as manufacturing is highly toxic due to phthalates and dioxin compounds that negatively impact the environment.
19. If a drug has expired, don’t throw it in the toilet or the dumpster; dispose of it in an authorized collector location. If you are in the U.S., you could find more information here.
20. Avoid using petroleum-derived beauty products – look out for nature ingredients instead.
21. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth, shave, soap your body, or wash your hair; you will save this precious fluid.
22. Stop using zinc-carbon and alkaline batteries; use rechargeable batteries instead, and remember to dispose of those in the appropriate battery recycling bins.

Do you think we are missing an important ecological tip here? Please let us know so we can include it on this list.

The post Useful Tips to Save and Defend the Planet appeared first on Defend Planet.

To make compost in home, we first need to choose a place to pile organic waste, and then we have to decide if it’s going to be on soil or on an enclosed compost bin.

If we are going to pile organic waste directly into the soil it has to be unpaved and include an inclination for water drain. We can also use a compost bin made with wooden pallets or an enclosed compost bin.

* If you make a compost pile on bare earth:

Required tools and supplies:

– A shovel.

– Rocks.

– Branches.

– Wet and dry waste that CAN be composted: fruits, vegetables, fruit juice, shredded bark, leaves and dry flowers from trees, green or dry plants, green or dry grass, ashes, sawdust, eggshells, rice, farm animal manure, paper towel, egg cartons, tea bags, coffee residue, wine and beer.

Waste that CAN’T be composted: dry or wet weed plants, ashes from coal or from treated items, sawdust from treated wood (like agglomerate), farm animal manure from animals on antibiotics, human feces or pet feces (because disease-causing pathogens could be transmitted), decomposing dairy and grease (can be used but produce bad odors), cooked meals, food grains, fish, meat and bones (attract rodents).

– Soil.

– Water.

– Compost needs to be implemented in a wide area of at least 40 inches of length and width so weather can ferment waste.

– Crossed branches need to be placed first and then some rocks need to be spread over soil in order to insure proper ventilation.

– Layers of 6 to 8 inches with dry waste need to be placed (sawdust, leaves, shredded bark).

– Over dry layer wet waste should be placed (vegetables, fruits, grass).

– In another layer farm animal manure should be placed.

– Next step is to add a thin layer of soil.

– Egg shells could be added with soil.

– Mix waste very thoroughly after first month – or before if there is a lot of moisture.

– Keep alternating layers of compost, watering if it’s too dry and finishing with an extra bit of soil.

– During the following months, compost should be watered once in a while to keep moisture and it should be mixed in order to accelerate decomposition.

– Mature compost is obtained after 5-6 months on average, and it should look and smell like dark soil. After that you are ready to use this organic fertilizer on your garden.

* If you are making your own compost box from pallets:

Required tools and supplies:

– Wooden pallets.

– A hammer.

– Nails.

– Remember to assemble all sides of your compost box; it is advisable that the base touches the ground and one of the sides should be open in order to mix compost and provide good ventilation.

– Technique for your compost here is pretty much the same we described before; it’s important to insert layers between organic waste, and then do some proper watering and mixing, in order to obtain a good organic fertilizer after a few months (5-6 months).

* If you are using a compost bin:

– Choose the container that best fits your area; there are also some compost bins with doors that make easier the process of mixing waste.

– Technique is the same as described before.

The post DIY: How to Make Compost? appeared first on Defend Planet.