BURHANI FOUNDATION (INDIA)

Amatullah Manzil, 65 Bazargate Street, Fort, Mumbai-1.

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Phone: 22678480 / 22634326

Website : www.burhanifounda onindia.org

E-mail: bfi52@yahoo.co.in / bfi5253@gmail.com

Subscribe On Youtube : Burhani Founda-on India Channel

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Three female rhino calves that were rescued from

Kaziranga National Park area during the devastating

monsoon floods in 2016 will find their new homes in

Manas National Park. After a period of careful moni-

toring they will be released into the wild.

ENVIRONMENT NEWS

Overfishing and changing sea temperatures are pushing seabirds to the brink of

extinction, according to new data on the world's birds. Birds that are now globally

threatened include the kittiwake and the Atlantic puffin, which breed on UK sea

cliffs. Worldwide, over a quarter of more than 200 bird species reassessed by the

International Union for the Conservation of Nature have been moved to higher

threat categories while a similar number have been downgraded.

To create infrastructure for electric

vehicles, Tata Power launched two

more electric vehicle charging stations

- one at Palladium Mall in Lower Parel

and another at Phoenix Market City in

Kurla. This takes the number of charg-

ing stations in the city to three. The

first was set up in Vikhroli in August.

Two more charging stations are slated to come up, one at Bandra-Kurla Complex

and the other near Western Express Highway in Borivali in a few weeks. With the

Union government encouraging the shift to electric vehicles by 2030, power

utility firms are setting up a seamless network of electric charging stations.

Kittiwake Puffin

Tata’s Electric Car Charging Stations

Rhino Calf

VOLUME 94 | ISSUE 100 | JANUARY 2018

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Environment Wellness & Lifestyle Monthly Newsletter Established by H.H. Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (RA)

in 1992

BURHANI FOUNDATION (INDIA) WISHES

INDEX

Bottle water is not safe 2 Plant a Veggie Garden 5

Protect your heart 3 Producing Fiber and Paper from Banana 6-7

Benefits of Water Melons 4 Environment News 8

On the auspicious occasion of 107th Milad Mubarak of

52nd Dai-Al-Mutlaq great visionary,

HIS HOLINESS LATE DR. SYEDNA MOHAMMED BURHANUDDIN SAHEB (RA)

& 74th Milad Mubarak of 53rd Dai-Al-Mutlaq

HIS HOLINESS DR.SYEDNA AALIQADR MUFADDAL SAIFUDDIN SAHEB (TUS)

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Widespread contamination with plastic was found

BOTTLE WATER IS NOT SAFE

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A latest world wide study about bottle water reveals shocking information. The

world’s leading brands of bottled water are contaminated with tiny plastic particles

that are likely seeping in during the packaging process was found in the study, led

by microplastic researcher Sherri Mason of the State University of New York at

Fredonia, according to a summary released by Orb Media, a US-based non-profit

media collective.

The plastic debris included polypropylene, nylon, and polyethylene terephthalate

(PET), which is used to make bottle caps. In this study, 65% of the particles found

were actually fragments and not fibers. “I think it is coming from the bottle itself,

from the cap and from the industrial process of bottling the water. Particle concen-

tration ranged from zero to more than 10,000 likely plastic particles in a single

bottle,” said Mason in the report.

Experts cautioned that the extent of the risk to human health posed by such

contamination remains unclear. There are connections to increases in certain kinds

of cancer to lower sperm count to increases in conditions like ADHD and autism.

Researchers tested 250 bottles of water

in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya,

Lebanon, Mexico, Thailand, and the Unit-

ed States. Plastic was identified in 93%

of the samples, which included brands

such as Aqua, Aquafina, Dasani, Evian,

Nestle Pure Life, San Pellegrino, Bisleri,

Epura, Gerolsteiner, Minalba and Waha-

ha.

The three-month study used a technique

developed by the University of East An-

glia’s School of Chemistry to “see”

microplastic particles by staining them

using fluorescent Nile Red dye, which

makes plastic fluorescent when irradiated

with blue light.

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The outer sheath from the banana stem is first peeled off, the inner layers are

flattened and fibers are stripped off either manually or through machines. Heaps

of banana stems are piled up near at the processing unit and workers begin slic-

ing the banana stems into thin strands.

These sliced stem pieces are then passed through the machine on the fixed plat-

form that separates the gummy lignin and water content from it. The shredded

fiber is then cleaned and dried in the sun before being bundled into yarn that

makes notepads, stationery items, lampshades, and handicraft.

BANANA FIBER PRODUCTION

Steps in fiber production

Items made from banana fibers

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Plastics and paper are sourced from non-renewable sources such as petroleum

and forest trees. There is an urgent need to find alternatives to plastic polymers

since they are non-biodegradable. They which persist in the environment for ag-

es. Paper consumption was expected to go down steadily with the onset of the

electronic age, but it is nowhere near reduction.

Further, the conventional method of making paper is highly polluting, which uses

numerous chemicals for treating the wood fibers to form pulp in the process of

getting papers of acceptable properties.

On the other hand, the agricultural

sector in India produces a vast

range of natural fibers that can be

utilized to produce both fiber and

paper. Natural fibers can be

defined as substances that are

obtained from plants such as aga-

ve, banana, jute, cotton, etc.

which can be spun into filaments,

threads or ropes and can be wo-

ven. Among these, banana fiber

has emerged as a new eco-friendly

innovation since it is produced

from banana stem, which is a

waste material after harvesting the

banana fruit.

Typically in banana cultivation, the stems of

the plants are chopped off and thrown

away once the fruits are sold. Now, howev-

er, a new technology has managed to man-

ufacture eco-friendly paper out of these ba-

nana stems.

The machines can be

easily operated by semi-

skilled persons, has less

maintenance, and is safe

to operate.

Around 5-6 stems are

needed to extract 1kg of

fiber, depending upon

their quality and the

water content in them.

BANANA FIBER PRODUCTION

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Heart disease is a set of conditions that affect the heart, including blood vessel

diseases, like coronary artery disease; heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias);

and heart defects one is born with.

What really causes heart diseases?

PROTECT YOUR HEART

So how do we prevent heart disease and improve cardiovascular health?

1. Consume a healthy diet

2. Avoid all kinds of processed foods

3. Limit the intake of carbohydrates and sugar

4. Make sure your snacks are healthy

5. Control other health conditions, like high blood pressure,

high cholesterol, and diabetes

6. Practice good hygiene

7. Regularly detoxify your body

8. Maintain a healthy weight

9. Reduce and manage stress

10. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day several times a week

11. Learn the warning signs

Even though it is a generally

accepted fact that diseases are a

result of high blood cholesterol, it

is actually not the case. The main

culprit is a diet that is high in poly-

unsaturated fats (omega-6 vegeta-

ble oils like soybean, corn, sun-

flower) and highly-processed car-

bohydrates (sugar, flour and all the

products made from them) that in-

jures the blood vessels leading to

chronic inflammation and diseases.

So heart diseases are a result of

the inflammation in the artery

wall.

Unless there is an inflammation in the body,

there are no chances of accumulation of

cholesterol in the walls of blood vessels, that

would lead to strokes and heart disease.

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Every 2-cup serving has about 15 –20 mg of

lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant.

BENEFITS OF WATER MELONS

Watermelons–a tropical or

subtropical plant are 92% water.

The juicy fruits are also rich in :

♦ Vitamin A

♦ Vitamin C

♦ Sodium

♦ Potassium

♦ Iron &

♦ Calcium

Lycopene which is a powerful antioxidant, can lower the risk of heart disease,

prostate cancer and improve bone health. Lycopene and vitamin C in watermelon

also lower inflammation and oxidative damage. These components of the fruit al-

so help prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Watermelons also keep skin and hair healthy, improve digestion and relieve

muscle soreness. Eating watermelon in reasonable amounts has no negative side

effect and is actually highly beneficial to your health.

However, some people argue that the melons have high sugar content and can

have a negative impact on the body especially when eaten in huge quantities.

According to the American Cancer Society, lycopene, if consumed more than 30

mg daily, can trigger nausea, diarrhea, indigestion and bloating. People who are

suffering from hyperkalemia (high Potassium content in blood) are advised not to

eat watermelon because of its high content of Potassium.

People who are looking forward to losing weight should also be careful about how

much watermelon they are consuming. Eating more fruits and vegetables of any

kind naturally helps decrease overall calories (energy) of the diet. We know that

people that eat higher quantities of fruits and vegetables typically have healthier

body weights. However, eating only watermelon is not recommended. You will

lose weight, but that weight will be mostly muscle.

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PLANT A VEGGIE GARDEN

Starting an edible garden is not as hard as it seems. It just requires time, pa-

tience and care. Even if you don't have space for a garden, even a small balcony

and window sill can work well as long as it's warm and gets lots of natural light.

Grow veggies in your balcony garden this summer!

♦ Vegetable like cucumbers,

tomatoes, cherry tomatoes,

peppers, zucchini, summer

squash, Celery, Broccoli

♦ Greens like lettuce, kale,

mustard, spinach, bok choy

♦ Herbs like Mint, Rosemary,

Cilantro, Lavender, Parsley,

Basil, Tarragon

♦ Fiery chillies, radishes,

spring onions

What can you grow?

What will you need?

♦ Seeds or Kitchen scraps

♦ Pots, appropriately sized for the

amount of root space the plants will

need

♦ Materials for vines to climb

♦ Hanging baskets or troughs to save

space

♦ Gloves for keeping your hands clean

and unscratched

♦ Trowel for digging

♦ Watering can

♦ Soil & Organic fertilizer Planting properly is the key

♦ Always arrange your containers before you pour the soil.

♦ Pour in your organic potting soil and mix in a little organic fertilizer.

♦ Plant your seeds or seedlings only as far down in the soil as recommended.

♦ Keep the compost moist after sowing.

♦ Be sure to keep the water off the leaves as the plants grow.

♦ In about a month when the seedlings are bigger, you can plant them in larger

terracotta pots to grow on to maturity.