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Smart communities of the future.
The Samskruti Way!
Smart communities of the future.
The Samskruti Way!
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Thursday, October 25, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Importance of indoor air quality for dentistry!
Found this on the smart living blog.
Indoor
Air Quality Assurance (IAQA) isn’t a new field in the modern science
world today. The quality of air we breathe influences our health
tremendously. Having a major impact on us, it has no longer become a
luxury but a necessity. We assume the air around us is free from
infectious disease. Why? The answer is because we simply choose to
ignore them. What the eyes doesn’t see, the brain does not believe. Only
when we are up against diseases such as H1N1, bird flu, SARS, and even
to the feared tuberculosis, we start taking precautions and protecting
ourselves from the environment we are leaving in.
Studies
indicate that about 70 % of the patients treated by healthcare
professionals aren’t aware of their underlying medical conditions. That
puts us in a very vulnerable state; not knowing how safe the air around
us that we are breathing is. The spread of infectious air borne disease
in a closed air-conditioned environment such as a dental clinic could
prove to be critically serious. It could spread via direct air
inhalation, patients sneezing or coughing, and evaporation of the
infected droplets into air usually during treatment. The infected
particles introduced in the dental environment can spread from one
surgery room to other areas within the clinic, via air conditioner
circulation, negative pressure, air vents, or the patient and dentist
himself. The sick building syndrome works on the very same concept,
affecting everyone within the building radius.
Ever
tried cleaning your air conditioner filters? The amount of dust that
gets trapped inside could surprise you. Imagine if that air conditioner
could suck up that much dirt from the clean air in their house, how much
filtering your lungs and body has been enduring for years… without any
servicing ! Similarly, microorganisms from the air get trapped in these
air conditioner filters, causing it to become a hub for bacteria
growth, which later gets reintroduced back in the so called filtered
air. Together with the increase in moisture level in the room, it
becomes a heaven for bacteria to live in. Over time in a dental
environment, molds could develop. This could affect the materials stored
in the room; changing its properties and quality and thus affecting the
treatment outcome.
Indoor Air Quality Assurance has been in
the spotlight and already gained awareness especially among medical
practitioners and healthcare providers in Malaysia. Dr. Yogesh Sharma,
BDS (UM) is a dental surgeon in an established dental
specialist center in Kuala Lumpur. He shared about his opinion regarding
this matter in his article:
IMPORTANCE OF GOOD INDOOR AIR QUALITY FOR DENTISTRY.
Indoor
Air Quality Assurance (IAQA) isn’t a new field in the modern science
world today. The quality of air we breathe influences our health
tremendously. Having a major impact on us, it has no longer become a
luxury but a necessity. We assume the air around us is free from
infectious disease. Why? The answer is because we simply choose to
ignore them. What the eyes doesn’t see, the brain does not believe. Only
when we are up against diseases such as H1N1, bird flu, SARS, and even
to the feared tuberculosis, we start taking precautions and protecting
ourselves from the environment we are leaving in.
As we know it, there are many diseases
related to the quality of air that we breathe. On an average, we breathe
about 7 to 8 liters of air per minute, 166 gallons of air in an hour,
24 000 breaths in 24 hours… in TOTAL giving us around 12,000 liters of
inhaled air per day! Can you imagine in that one day, how much bacteria,
fungus, and viruses we could and would have been exposed to? That’s
just one day, now multiply it to the number of days you have lived.
That’s about the amount of subtle damage we have gradually suffered over
the years, not wondering why we kept falling sick, suffering from
chronic sinusitis, headaches, unresolved coughs, allergies and lethargy.
Well that is actually your body telling you how much damage you are
undergoing.
In a dental environment, indoor air
quality is very crucial. Having a clean disinfected air is important in
terms of creating a healthy environment free from contaminants. This is
important to prevent post operative complications after dental
treatment. Contaminated air in the clinic could introduced bacteria into
open wounds during surgical procedures such as Wisdom tooth removal,
implant placing, minor surgical maneuvers, deep scaling and others. The
quality of the air inside a dental clinic could determine the outcome of
many dental procedures, in terms of success rate of the treatment. It
it’s very important to work in a healthy environment, for both
healthcare workers and patients. As a dental practitioner, we confront
hundreds of patient everyday from different countries, lifestyles and
sociodemographic background. We are exposed to all sorts of infections
brought in by the patients whom we are totally unaware of. All we have
to depend on is a very good history taking and our 3 ply masks to
protect us against any air borne diseases. Even after which, we are
still unsure of the health status of these patients walking into our
clinic.
Studies
indicate that about 70 % of the patients treated by healthcare
professionals aren’t aware of their underlying medical conditions. That
puts us in a very vulnerable state; not knowing how safe the air around
us that we are breathing is. The spread of infectious air borne disease
in a closed air-conditioned environment such as a dental clinic could
prove to be critically serious. It could spread via direct air
inhalation, patients sneezing or coughing, and evaporation of the
infected droplets into air usually during treatment. The infected
particles introduced in the dental environment can spread from one
surgery room to other areas within the clinic, via air conditioner
circulation, negative pressure, air vents, or the patient and dentist
himself. The sick building syndrome works on the very same concept,
affecting everyone within the building radius.
The spread of infectious disease is
quite aggressive. The walls, dental chair and ceiling are easily
contaminated with the microorganisms. This could harm not only the
patients but any individual who enters the room. The spread of infection
is unbelievable. Virulent diseases such as Hepatitis B and C could
easily be contracted from one individual to another, resulting in
multiple systemic diseases. Without a proper Indoor Air Quality system,
cross contamination of air borne diseases between patient to staff,
staff to patient, and patient to patient is merely inevitable. The
implementation of state of the art technology and protocols to prevent
the spread of nosocomial infection is pointless if we are still exposed
to virulent air borne diseases. A good infection control system is only
complete with the use of a certified IAQA system in a closed
environment.
Ever
tried cleaning your air conditioner filters? The amount of dust that
gets trapped inside could surprise you. Imagine if that air conditioner
could suck up that much dirt from the clean air in their house, how much
filtering your lungs and body has been enduring for years… without any
servicing ! Similarly, microorganisms from the air get trapped in these
air conditioner filters, causing it to become a hub for bacteria
growth, which later gets reintroduced back in the so called filtered
air. Together with the increase in moisture level in the room, it
becomes a heaven for bacteria to live in. Over time in a dental
environment, molds could develop. This could affect the materials stored
in the room; changing its properties and quality and thus affecting the
treatment outcome.Monday, October 1, 2012
Sustainability and the Mahatma
Found this on TriplePundit.com.
There are some sharp parallels between Gandhian philosophies and the sustainability movement.
Localism
Gandhi was a strong proponent of localism, be it food, clothing or anything else. At the time of Indian Independence, he recognized that Indians were being enslaved by their dependence on British products, especially clothing. This not only stripped Indian farmers, yarn dyers and indigo growers of their jobs but also financed the British empire. His solution was for people to spin their own cloth and wear only Indian made clothing. He believed that locally produced yarn would give people their pride and their livelihoods back.
In Gandhi’s ashram, he grew his own vegetables and kept goats for their milk, demonstrating the need to cut down our dependence on global supply chains and cheap labor. He also had supreme respect for local knowledge when it came to agriculture, calling India “a collection of 700,000 villages” — this for the most part still holds true, but local knowledge everywhere is fast being usurped by optimization technology.
Sustainability will come a full circle only when local knowledge is recognized and given its due importance. Gandhi recognized back then that outsourcing jobs can only create a viable economy in the short-term and sooner or later the bubble will burst. I believe we are now in the reverse-globalization era and its implication for sustainability are numerous.
Austerity
In this age of consumerism and creature comforts, austerity is a concept that is often not even comprehended. Living a simple life has it benefits because it keeps you focused on your purpose. His “simple living and high thinking” philosophy is what sustainability is all about.
Civil resistance
Gandhi’s non-violent, civil resistance movement is very much like sustainable consumption. By simply standing up to atrocities, Indians everywhere came together. Consumers everywhere, similarly need to stand up against those companies that are not ethical and stop endorsing their products.
“Poverty is the worst form of violence”
Gandhi recognized that poverty is the root of all ills and the reason why progress cannot be made. He said that unless peoples’ bellies are filled, there is no way their minds can be filled. The world faces the same struggle today and although sustainability is a way out of poverty, poverty is also a deterrent towards sustainable development.
Consolidated, joint effort
Indian freedom was not won overnight. It started with the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857 and ended in 1947 – it took over a century of resistance and turmoil before the freedom revolution saw fruition. The sustainability movement is pretty similar – it is very young and needs a tremendous amount of momentum for it to become a revolution. If the Occupy Movement and 350.org are anything to go by, we are getting there and the tipping point is well in sight.
Humility and hope
This is especially for sustainability practitioners. This line of work requires vast amounts of both humility and hope. One can never rest on laurels of past achievements and similarly one cannot also be without hope. As the field continues to evolve, so must practitioners
“Be the change you want to see in the world”
This is probably one of my favourite quotes by the Mahatma. It implies individual responsibility, accountability, and resourcefulness. To be the change, whether big or small requires grit and gumption and the most miraculous thing is that it can come from anywhere.
Picture is from here.
Localism
Gandhi was a strong proponent of localism, be it food, clothing or anything else. At the time of Indian Independence, he recognized that Indians were being enslaved by their dependence on British products, especially clothing. This not only stripped Indian farmers, yarn dyers and indigo growers of their jobs but also financed the British empire. His solution was for people to spin their own cloth and wear only Indian made clothing. He believed that locally produced yarn would give people their pride and their livelihoods back.
In Gandhi’s ashram, he grew his own vegetables and kept goats for their milk, demonstrating the need to cut down our dependence on global supply chains and cheap labor. He also had supreme respect for local knowledge when it came to agriculture, calling India “a collection of 700,000 villages” — this for the most part still holds true, but local knowledge everywhere is fast being usurped by optimization technology.
Sustainability will come a full circle only when local knowledge is recognized and given its due importance. Gandhi recognized back then that outsourcing jobs can only create a viable economy in the short-term and sooner or later the bubble will burst. I believe we are now in the reverse-globalization era and its implication for sustainability are numerous.
Austerity
In this age of consumerism and creature comforts, austerity is a concept that is often not even comprehended. Living a simple life has it benefits because it keeps you focused on your purpose. His “simple living and high thinking” philosophy is what sustainability is all about.
Civil resistance
Gandhi’s non-violent, civil resistance movement is very much like sustainable consumption. By simply standing up to atrocities, Indians everywhere came together. Consumers everywhere, similarly need to stand up against those companies that are not ethical and stop endorsing their products.
“Poverty is the worst form of violence”
Gandhi recognized that poverty is the root of all ills and the reason why progress cannot be made. He said that unless peoples’ bellies are filled, there is no way their minds can be filled. The world faces the same struggle today and although sustainability is a way out of poverty, poverty is also a deterrent towards sustainable development.
Consolidated, joint effort
Indian freedom was not won overnight. It started with the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857 and ended in 1947 – it took over a century of resistance and turmoil before the freedom revolution saw fruition. The sustainability movement is pretty similar – it is very young and needs a tremendous amount of momentum for it to become a revolution. If the Occupy Movement and 350.org are anything to go by, we are getting there and the tipping point is well in sight.
Humility and hope
This is especially for sustainability practitioners. This line of work requires vast amounts of both humility and hope. One can never rest on laurels of past achievements and similarly one cannot also be without hope. As the field continues to evolve, so must practitioners
“Be the change you want to see in the world”
This is probably one of my favourite quotes by the Mahatma. It implies individual responsibility, accountability, and resourcefulness. To be the change, whether big or small requires grit and gumption and the most miraculous thing is that it can come from anywhere.
Picture is from here.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Go outside!
Found this picture on facebook. Computer games can never give you what a real game can. More than the physical activity, sports help in developing behavioural skills, people management and develop mental health.
Encourage your children to play outside and spend time with people than online entities.
Samskruti Builders
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
5 cluster towns to decongest Bangalore
TOI: The government is getting its act together to get the pressure off
Bangalore by developing towns on the city's periphery and connecting
them via expressways.
The Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation ( KIUDFC) has proposed to develop about 8,005 sq km area coming under the jurisdiction of Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) as a "city cluster development project".
The Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation ( KIUDFC) has proposed to develop about 8,005 sq km area coming under the jurisdiction of Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) as a "city cluster development project".
"BMRDA has planned to set up five satellite
townships and develop them as self-sustainable cities. The state
government had approved a BMRDA proposal in this regard in June 2006,"
said Suresh Kumar, minister of law and urban development department.
The proposal is now before the Centre for its approval.
Under the city cluster development project, Bidadi (in Ramnagara taluk) will be developed as Knowledge City. Ramanagara will be developed as Healthcare city, Sathanur in Kanakapura taluk will be developed as Textile/Apparel city, Solur in Magadi taluk will be a Manufacturing city and Nandagudi in Hoskote will come up as Hardware/Manufacturing city. These five towns around Bangalore will be connected to the Outer Ring Road (ORR) of Bangalore through four-lane expressways.
The proposal is now before the Centre for its approval.
Under the city cluster development project, Bidadi (in Ramnagara taluk) will be developed as Knowledge City. Ramanagara will be developed as Healthcare city, Sathanur in Kanakapura taluk will be developed as Textile/Apparel city, Solur in Magadi taluk will be a Manufacturing city and Nandagudi in Hoskote will come up as Hardware/Manufacturing city. These five towns around Bangalore will be connected to the Outer Ring Road (ORR) of Bangalore through four-lane expressways.
Nandagudi, a Hardware or Manufacturing City?
Re-orienting the growth of Bangalore, the State government
will now focus its efforts on developing the City’s western and southern
suburbs.
A concept note prepared by the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) states: “Some of the developments, especially the establishment of the international airport at Devanahalli, would put a number of urban settlements such as Nelamangala, Doddaballapur, Vijayapura, Hoskote and Malur, on the path of rapid development, especially on the completion of the proposed peripheral road. With the exception of Nelamangala, the other centres are in ground water deficit areas.”
Future growth
As a result, the “future growth” of Bangalore, according to KUIDFC, “should logically be re-oriented towards the west and the south, rather than continue the past trend of development toward the east and the north”.
So, the KUIDFC will now embark on developing ‘cluster cities’ around Bangalore. In the wake of these plans, the authorities are mulling over construction of seven outer ring roads (ORR) around seven towns on the outskirts of the City.
According to Suresh Kumar, Minister for Urban Development, the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority has been authorised to submit a proposal to build the seven ring roads to facilitate the growth of the cities listed under the project.
The project will cover the towns of Kanakapura, Anekal, Hoskote, Devanahalli, Magadi, Nelamangala and Ramanagara.
Four-lane roads
All the proposed roads will be four lane. Asked whether these roads will be interconnected, Kumar said: “The roads will eventually be connected to the NICE or the Peripheral Ring Road when required.”
“The basic idea is to ensure that the commuter traffic need not enter these towns to reach their destinations. The ORRs will help in bypassing these cities which can become the hubs of various industries,” said Kumar.
The roads have been envisaged after the State government proposed to create hubs in these taluks for various purposes and develop the cluster cities.
As per the proposal, Bidadi is proposed to be developed as a Knowledge City, Ramanagara a Healthcare City, Sathanur in Kanakapura taluk Textile/Apparel City, Solur in Magadi a Manufacturing City and Nandagudi in Hoskote a Hardware or Manufacturing City.
A concept note prepared by the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) states: “Some of the developments, especially the establishment of the international airport at Devanahalli, would put a number of urban settlements such as Nelamangala, Doddaballapur, Vijayapura, Hoskote and Malur, on the path of rapid development, especially on the completion of the proposed peripheral road. With the exception of Nelamangala, the other centres are in ground water deficit areas.”
Future growth
As a result, the “future growth” of Bangalore, according to KUIDFC, “should logically be re-oriented towards the west and the south, rather than continue the past trend of development toward the east and the north”.
So, the KUIDFC will now embark on developing ‘cluster cities’ around Bangalore. In the wake of these plans, the authorities are mulling over construction of seven outer ring roads (ORR) around seven towns on the outskirts of the City.
According to Suresh Kumar, Minister for Urban Development, the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority has been authorised to submit a proposal to build the seven ring roads to facilitate the growth of the cities listed under the project.
The project will cover the towns of Kanakapura, Anekal, Hoskote, Devanahalli, Magadi, Nelamangala and Ramanagara.
Four-lane roads
All the proposed roads will be four lane. Asked whether these roads will be interconnected, Kumar said: “The roads will eventually be connected to the NICE or the Peripheral Ring Road when required.”
“The basic idea is to ensure that the commuter traffic need not enter these towns to reach their destinations. The ORRs will help in bypassing these cities which can become the hubs of various industries,” said Kumar.
The roads have been envisaged after the State government proposed to create hubs in these taluks for various purposes and develop the cluster cities.
As per the proposal, Bidadi is proposed to be developed as a Knowledge City, Ramanagara a Healthcare City, Sathanur in Kanakapura taluk Textile/Apparel City, Solur in Magadi a Manufacturing City and Nandagudi in Hoskote a Hardware or Manufacturing City.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Line dry your laundry for better health!
Five reasons to line dry your clothes:1. Saves money
2. Saves clothes
3. Saves water, energy
4. We go through less laundry
5. It's therapeutic
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