In this clip from the BBC’s Natural World: Ant Attack, we see central and east Africa’s powerful dorylus or driver ants hard at work. Watch as construction and ground workers begin to move up to 80 pounds of soil from the base of a fallen tree. It will become their new home in just a few days. Previous soil residents, beware! Plus, note how their sizes vary greatly, dependant on their role in the colony. A few fascinating facts: Seasonally, when food supplies become short, they leave the hill and form marching columns of up to 50,000,000 ants, which are considered a menace to people, though they can be easily avoided; a column can only ...
SOLAR POWER
In rural Uttar Pradesh, over sixty percent of households are without power. Sitapur district is one such place with no power. A small social enterprise called Mera Guo Power (MGP) is trying to change things.They are putting two solar panels at a time. In just over a year, MGP has connected more than 3,500 customers to solar power mini grids at a village level
Village by village, MGP is building : network of low cost solar microgrids that provide two LED lights and a mobile charging point to all paying house holds at a cost of twenty five rupees per week. That is cheaper than kerosene which can cost almost done across a month. Solar power, as a 'smokeless source of light, comes with added benefits customer health.
Installing a microgrid is a grand event in the village and every one gets involved. In the village of Damdampurawa, the team maps the village house by house beneath the scorching mid-day sun, working out where to place each wire so as to connect customer to the power source. Some house holders join in while others look on, calling out orders or watching the curious proceedings wideeyed.
The roof of a sturdy, brickwalled home in each village is always chosen as the site for the panels and the battery. Azaz, one of the company's first electricians to be recruited from the local district block of Reusa, installsthe panel in a southerly direction to capture as much sun light as possible.
"We're saving our environment with these lights, and there's no pollution in our homes either," says a farmer from the village.
"New businesses are starting to emerge amongst the customers too," says another. "In one village, customers are using the light to weave saris by night. In another, one man now has a night business making plastic tablecloth," he says.
"It's nice to have light while we cook and eat. Our children are also studying more now!"
Comments
Post a Comment