News from pointReturn

News from pointReturn Message

Wed, 07 Aug 2013 04:15:00 GMT

Over 500 well-wishers have been following the pointReturn adventure through this mailing list since 2006. I owe you all an apology for the long silence and the dearth of updates. With the latest -rather long!- post I have tried to make amends and bring you up to date with the current status and concerns. I look forward to your responses and suggestions: <a href="http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/the-story-so-far-and-the-road-ahead/">The Story so far and the road ahead</a> Sincerely D V Sridharan

Viewing Anna Hazare from poinReturn

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:31:00 GMT

The pointReturn project doesn't experience any bribe-seeking. So why do I find Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption so timely? It is because collusive-corruption in policy making is the real cause of transactional-corruption perceived in the streets. The holy grail of 10% growth can only be discovered through equity, fairplay, care for environment and water and food security. The learned economist in Delhi is being taught a lesson by a feisty villager. <a href="http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/i-trust-and-admire-anna-hazare/">Read the story here</a>

News from pointReturn A critical look at the pongamia tree

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 16:22:00 GMT

Yes, I am an ardent fan of the Pongamia tree. And, no, I don't believe it can be grown widely enough for us to painlessly shift from a petrofuelSystem to a biofuelSystem. But the hardy tree can help distributed communities meet their modest needs of liquid fuel. At pointReturn we have been growing a number of pongamia trees to hopefully demonstrate one day, that our village's transport shuttles, tractors and pumping engines can be run on biodiesel. I met Sreenivas Ghatty of TreeOils Ltd in Zaheerabad, A P, last week and gained many insights into the nature of the tree and its cultivation. A report on my visit could be of interest to enthusiasts as well as realists rightly scared of the petro-energy black-out that awaits around the corner: Read the story at this link: http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/pongamia-a-mid-course-check/ with warm regards --dv

News from pointReturn: If the road is wrong, the mission fails

Mon, 09 May 2011 17:32:00 GMT

Can India's current economic model work, divorced as it is from concerns of natural resources and the environment? In its place, can an environment-centred development model work? My heart says yes, and at once bleeds that India is losing its way. Read my views here: http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/the-grand-spirits-of-india/ Karpagam, Sriram and Siddarth have played the central and major part is physically building their future home on pointReturn. The sensitivities that drove its design, selection of materials, methods of construction and difficulties faced have been well told in this illustrated series of posts. They are both descriptive and instructive: http://csm-fanaa.blogspot.com/search/label/house I send spirited greetings from pointReturn -dv

News from pointReturn: A review of 2010 and an agenda for 2011

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 08:51:00 GMT

pointReturn has entered its fifth year. It picked up much speed in 2010. That year will remain a watershed for the many reasons detailed in the latest article. The article also lists our plans and hopes for 2011. Without further ado I lead you to it: <a href="http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/out-of-10-and-into-11/">http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/out-of-10-and-into-11/</a> Remember you can follow the pointReturn story with these additional resources: <a href="http://csm-fanaa.blogspot.com/">http://csm-fanaa.blogspot.com/</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/pointReturn">http://twitter.com/pointReturn</a> Wishing you all a happy new year dv

News from pointReturn Update, Nov 2010

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 04:30:00 GMT

We have enjoyed a good well-dispersed rainfall through the summer and continuing till now. One of the enthusiastic followers of our work sent a long questionnaire for us to answer. He wanted to understand what it was that brought us together and drives us on. I have with reader Survesan's permission reproduced that eMail interview. It may help prospective back-to-landers and those who are simply curious about the pR adventure: http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/what-moves-pointreturn/ Siddarth has come on board as a full-time volunteer which has speeded up a lot of our work. We seldom use hired labourers, doing almost all the physical work ourselves. For one, there aren't too many labourers easy to hire. For another, it is one of the objectives of the project that we must revive an esteem for physical work, so lacking in educated Indians. Siddarth is therefore a very valuable addition. Read about him here: http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/home/2010/09/siddarth/ Our agricultural and horticultural activities are still tentative, modest and experimental. That is to be expected because they take place on what had been a bald wasteland till 2007 and still some years away from being called fertile. Sriram's blog is a lot more regular with updates than mine. He also illustrates the stories with photos. There is much to learn from visiting it. http://csm-fanaa.blogspot.com/ You can also follow our activities through my Twitters: http://twitter.com/pointReturn With good wishes to you all, dv

Beginning to grow

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:40:00 GMT

What is the alternative to a world of rising prices, decreasing peace, challenging odds and moods of despair. Can the stampede for GDP that tramples on the environment, really bring peace and prosperity? If the West is questioning that journey, should we be choosing the road it had tread? What then are we to do? I go along with the words of Geoff Lawton, a Permaculture teacher: "The problems of the world can be solved in a back garden." The pointReturn experiment is as simple as that; as promising as that. It has been six months since I reported at length and now there is too much to say. Here's a big round-up: http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/?p=103 As you probably know, you can follow our activities more closely through my Twitters: http://twitter.com/pointReturn With good wishes to you all, - dv

pointReturn at year end

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:12:00 GMT

After enduring a missed SW monsoon, ponds and hearts are full again. There is a sense of direction that is strong. This was consequent of many moves made during the year. Much meditation went on on how the project may be drought-proofed. Rediscovery of swales as a primary rain water harvesting technique has been central to the new confidence. There is now a mini-excavator at the project- maybe a big-ticket purchase but emboldened by what swales can achieve. Read the detailed story at this link: http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/swales/ I have also been busy the last few months redesigning the website and adding more features. This will enable more frequent publication of reports of a shorter length. I hope also to collect here, various informational resources that I have gathered over the years. The new landing page is at: http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/home/ Finally, if you are looking for even more frequent updates, I am happy to announce pointReturn has been on Twitter for a few months now. You can follow it at http://twitter.com/pointReturn/ Have a great 2010 and pray that environment takes centre stage in everyone's mind --- dv

The new Pavilion at pointReturn

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 06:10:00 GMT

A 2,500 sqFt integrated activity centre has come up at pointReturn. I call it the Pavilion. The idea is to attract and host a small group of volunteers to live and work on the project. It is built entirely with materials that have low environmental impact. Read the story filled with construction details, costs and lessons learnt. There is also an informative slideshow. http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/pavilion On Twitter now: You can follow the activities at pointReturn on Twitter. This will update you more frequently than these occasional stories http://twitter.com/pointReturn/ An Appeal:A reader has pointed out that an earlier story called 'Off-grid power' is now truncated. This is because I have been negligent with backups. Some of you may have saved this story on your computers. If so may I have a copy of it? It was a popular informative story: http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/off-grid-power/ With love dv

Little happening: A lot happening

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 10:37:00 GMT

A lot of work is often involved even in times of inactivity. The story of activities at pointReturn is replete with words like delays, waiting, following-up, disappointments etc. The process can be frustrating but worth sifting for the lessons they hold. But lack of rain in six months, the pond drying up, the windmill starved and quite a few plants dying is a hard set of circumstances to deem as teachers to learn from. And yet, that is what I have done to evolve a new strategy. Hopefully next year this time I will have implemented my new plans and will have a different story to tell. Read about the course of events at pointReturn in the last three months here: http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/status-report-june-2009/ With much love dv sridharan

News from pointReturn An efficient cook stove, the Rocket Stove

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:55:00 GMT

The way to think about energy is to break up the needs and use the most appropriate renewable resource for each. At pointReturn water is pumped by a windmill, electricity generated by solar cells and now cooking, with firewood in a Rocket Stove. Read about this simple efficient device: <a href="http://goodnewsindia.com/pointreturn/online/rocket-stove/" target="blank">Click here</a> With love D V Sridharan ['dv']