Regaled by peacocks in the garden, soothed by the soft air of the organic greenhouse, and delighted with the delicate hues of spring lettuce, weekend guests and local supporters joined Himalayan Institute residents to plant castor beans and discuss the Institute’s BioVedic energy farming project.Ishan Tigunait, Director of the Himalayan Institute Humanitarian Initiatives, told the crowd in the greenhouse about the Institute’s pongamia tree energy farming projects in India and Africa. He showed us seeds from this tree which is native to India. Oil pressed from those seeds can replace diesel fossil fuels.
Drought resistant and requiring little or no irrigation or fertilization, a pongamia tree produces seeds for 50 years, and provide jobs and cash for farmers in some of the most impoverished rural economies in the world.
In addition to greening a desolate, parched landscape, and producing products and cash, biodiesel processed from pongamia oil results in almost 50% less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel diesel. Roger Hill, the director of the Institute’s BioVedic Farming program, described how BioVedic organic farming techniques used by the Institute reduce the emission of climate altering gases like nitrous oxide associated with mechanized agriculture and petrochemical based fertilizers.
He also discussed unique traditional agricultural practices in Africa, and then passed out castor beans, another candidate for energy farming. After planting our castor beans in the greenhouse, we enjoyed traditional Indian tea (chai), cookies, popular chants in Sanskrit, and the company of like-minded people. Guests were gifted with fledgling heirloom tomatoes, and everyone was grateful for the opportunity to express our desire to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, protect our environment, and create a sustainable and prosperous society for all.
See the River Reporter article here: http://www.riverreporter.com/issues/07-04-05/news-stepitup.html
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