Tailor Made Green Jeans

Tailor made jeans: half the price, twice the green

If you are in the market for a new pair of jeans, you have many choices. You can spend a few thousand rupees on a pair of branded jeans from a high end show room; you can troll the export surplus in Sarojini Nagar market. Or you can have a pair stitched for you by a tailor.


If you don't care about politics or price, then buy the Levis from the Levi store. Or choose another brand--it really doesn't matter too much. They are all made in similar places, by factories with workers who are paid similar amounts. I couldn't find numbers on India, but by the time jeans get from the factory where they are made to the US, their total cost is about $7.50 (Rs. 340 ). Of that, just under $2.00 (Rs. 90) goes to labour; about $3.00 (Rs. 135) goes to cloth.  The rest goes to shipping, taxes, etc.  I'm guessing the numbers in India are similar.  You can read all about it in an article called "Global Poverty and the Cost of  a Pair of Jeans." (Of course if we figured in the true cost of the environmental destruction that comes from shipping jeans all over the world, the price would be significantly higher.)  


That pair of basic jeans that cost $7.50 to make and ship goes on to sell in the market for $20-$40 (Rs. 900-1800). Where does that extra money go? A lot of places: the jean company makes lots of profits; the retailer takes a large share, there is transportation within the country once the jeans arrive on the dock.


If you only want to save money, and you wear a common size, the cheapest bet is to hit a market like Sarojini Nagar. But if you are looking to make a green choice, then have your jeans tailor made. In Mohan Singh Place, a shopping complex next to PVR Rivoli and around the corner from the Regal Cinema in Connaught Place, you can get jeans made from a wide variety of shops for about Rs. 750 ($16.50) or less. I've gone to Satkar Jeans (shop number 42) a few times and have had pretty good luck. They'll even give you fake Levis labels and buttons if you care about fashion or have a sense of humour. (And while you are shopping, why not go upstairs and have a snack at the Indian Coffee House?)


Why are tailor made jeans greener? In part because they require much less shipping--the cloth, must be shipped, but the stitched jeans are sold on site--which also means there is no need for a large factory--and no need to ship the final product anywhere. The wages may not be great, but I'd bet the skilled tailor that takes your measurements is doing better than an assembly line worker in Nicaragua or China. And best of all, you don't have to support the overpaid bosses or shareholders of the large jean companies either--all the money stays local! (And if you like to think literally, you probably really could get yourself a pair of green jeans--though I've never tried that myself.)

Best green sweets: Jalebi Wala, Chandni Chowk

I love Jalebis. They may not be high on the health food list, but who can resist a hot fresh jalebi? Not me, especially on a cold January evening. But I'll confess this to you: I love jalebi so much, I'll eat them in May. Just last night, I had a few while standing outside Evergreen Sweets in Green Park Market. Some evenings in Shahpur Jat you can get decent jalebis at Jagdamba Bhog. On Thursday evening, after listening to qawwalis  at Nizamuddin Dargah, nothing tastes better than jalebis. Or wander down the main road in Chirag Dilli, just off the BRT. Those jalebis are tasty, even if the oil they're fried in has been recycled a few too many times. One key variable, of course, is freshness. Jalebis taste best fresh; otherwise, they can acquire an aftertaste, which makes them less than perfect. 


However, all things being equal, the best Jalebis  in Delhi may well be at Jalebi Wala in Chandni Chowk. 


Jalebi Wala has had a facelift in the last couple of years--new sign, etc. I liked it better before. But it's still well worth checking out, because the jalebis there are outstanding.  Old Delhi jalebis are different in subtle ways from what you find in South Delhi. I'm not going into that here; go see for yourself. You can find Jalebi Wala on Chandni Chowk, between the Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Red Fort. (It's on the right if you are walking toward Red Fort.) Or look here. (After eating your jalebis, walk back past the Gurdwara to the light where you need to turn to find the metro. On that very corner, cross the street and you'll find a very nice cup of tea. )


Why are Jalebis green? First, they are made with local ingredients and most jalebi walas--even a well-established place like Jalebi Wala--are fairly simple places. No AC; no need for plastic forks or spoons--fingers are sufficient. And if you look at it, Old Delhi is a pretty green place. High population density in cities means more room in the countryside for farms and forests. Also, Old Delhi is full of non-motorized transportation. 


But there's a larger point I want to make. Sure, jalebis are unnecessary. They are a luxury. But a little luxury is good for us. It's the five star hotels and airlines that will ruin the world in the long run. Jalebis? We can live with them! 

Photo Essay: Delhi's mobile markets

Most greens have a sense that overconsumption is killing us. Mines and factories spew poison into the air and water, as do the trucks and ships required to move goods all over the world. And of course the energy required to make and move all the stuff we buy is doing more than pollute our environment--it's changing our climate.

But people still need to buy things, though we probably need to learn to do with a lot less in the long run. And as long as we need to buy things, we will need markets in which to buy them. Though many people tell us the future of consumption is in mammoth malls like the one below, I'm not convinced.

There are many problems with giant malls.  I won't go into them all here, because I already did that in a guest post over at Bhagwad's Expressions sometime back. But this much, I will say: malls--and large retail establishments in general--require a huge investment in capital to build, and they typically require consumers to travel long distances. 

Contrast that with Delhi's many mobile--or moving-- markets. Moving markets shift from place to place, often occupying places on the margins of this great city, and bringing them to life once or twice a week.  

On most days, the road that runs along side the Chirag Dilli nallah is a friendly, but fairly bleak stretch. But on Thursday and Friday evenings, it is transformed into a bustling market. 

A few weeks back, I went looking for a hammer.  I picked one up from the iron workers who used to live by the Chirag Dilli flyover--they've had to shift several times in the last few years, but are still managing to make ends meet.  Then I took a walk down the lane and snapped a few photos. . 

You can get all kinds of things for the kitchen: food, utensils, etc. But there are also bangles and clothes...

Lots and lots of clothes.

There is plenty of traffic on the road, though it slows down later in the evening. But almost all of the consumers are coming on foot from Chirag Dilli, Sheikh Sarai, or Malviya Nagar.  

Most of the goods are delivered to the market by tempos. Given the amount of customers you see at these markets, it's a safe bet that it's more efficient to deliver the goods to a population that shops on foot than it is to drive the shopping population all over the city. It makes life easier, too, for the vast majority of Delhi's residents who do not own a car.

On the way home, Mrs. Batti and I picked up a few plates of tasty chow mein for the kids. It may have been a bit on the salty side, but there were not complaints on the home front that Thursday. Definitely, cheap and best! 

Of course, there are 'moving markets' all over Delhi. But if you want to sample this one, you can find some version of it in the following places:

Chirag Dilli Nallah: Thursday/Friday

East of Kailash:  Saturday

Saket Mall:  Monday (I've never been to this one, but it's supposed to be big. Still, it would be an interesting contrast).

Sheikh Sarai (near Bhagat Singh College: Wednesday)

Gouvindpuri: Wednesday

There's another great market that appears in the Shahpur Jat/ Panchsheel Park area on Thursdays/Fridays.

For more ideas how low tech is often greener than high tech, check out our low tech green page.

Best Dhabas in Delhi: Just down the road from Jantar Mantar

I'm a big believer in freedom of expression, which is why every so often, I find myself heading down to Jantar Mantar to...express myself. After a few hours a peaceful protest, a justice loving person can really work up a good appetite. So I often find myself in search of a good dhaba. My favourite so far is the one pictured on the right, about two blocks from protest central. Just across the street is a sign for the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Smarak Trust Library.

There are actual several small establishments in this cluster of stand up eateries. Mostly you will be eating on eco-friendly, reusable steel plates, though you may get your tea in a plastic cup. Overall, the environmental impact of the meal you get here is bound to be lower than much more expensive sit down establishments that rely on energy intensive construction materials, AC cooling, and the like. 

Onion uttapam and sambar.

Be warned: especially if you go in for the South Indian joint on the right side of the row, you are going to have to contend with quite a crowd at peak eating times. Still, I've never seen the guy taking the orders make a mistake. Be patient--all those people are there because the food is good and the price is right: this place truly is cheap and best.  

A months back after a Free Binayak Sen Rally, we enjoyed an onion uttapam (Rs. 35); an order of idli (Rs. 20) and something else that I can't remember. But it was all tasty and good. So next time you are at a rally, why not stop by for some of Delhi's best and greenest food. You may be protesting, but your stomach and your pocketbook will have nothing to complain about.

For more green eats, go check out the Best Dhabas in Delhi on our Low Tech Green page.

Green Weekend Out:Roots Cafe and the Rajiv Gandhi Renewable Energy Park

The daytime weather is nice in Delhi these days, but it won't be for long. So before things really heat up, why not take a green outing with the family? A few weeks back, we headed out to Roots cafe in the Rajiv Gandhi Renewable Energy Park, Gurgaon--and we had a great time.


I confess, I normally avoid Gurgaon.  For one thing, I don't like giant malls, and for another, I don't like traffic. But the metro makes the traffic a non-issue, and the Cafe Roots is not a giant mall. Just hop on the Yellow line and head to the IFFCO Chowk stop.  It's something like 30 minutes from Hauz Khaz station, and it's an interesting ride: once the metro comes above ground, you get all kinds of interesting views out there. 


To get to the Rajiv Gandhi Renewable Energy Park (RGREP) from IFFCO Chowk, head out the door, past the auto stand and turn right (west). It's a 5-10 minute walk. You can see where you are going from this aerial map, or ask they guy in this food stand:

He'll tell you to keep walking and pretty soon you'll come to the RGREP.  It's run by Haryana Renewable Energy Development Authority (HAREDA), and it's goal is to spread awareness about sustainable development. Does it work as a government agency? I have no idea whatsoever, but you can do some research by reading their annual report, or checking out their website.  It may be a complete waste of money, or it may be wonderful.

My goal was to find out if the kids would have fun in the park, and if Roots Cafe was any good. And the answer to both of those questions was a resounding yes.

I once wrote a post about how my kids like to imagine crazy ways to get electricity from playground equipment. This park actually takes those kind of ideas off the drawing board and makes them real...sort of. The slide above was supposed to generate enough electricity to make a light light up, but it wasn't working the day we went.

However, this crazy spinning machine did light up lights and make cool noises when kids ran in it. A little bit like something you might find in an enormous green hamster cage. The kids and I concluded that it probably won't be revolutionizing the power grid anytime soon, but it was pretty cool, nonetheless.

There were plenty of other things to talk with kids about...

Like solar arrays and solar water heaters. There was even a solar powered battery car you could rent, but the Batti kids are skeptical about any form of private motor vehicle and they didn't feel the car was worth the Rs. 20 or whatever was being charged.

While the kids played, Mrs. Batti and I sipped some tea at Roots.

Roots--'a cafe in the park' has a lot going for it. No AC, for one thing, which is necessary in a green cafe. Of course it will get warm in the summer months, when most of us stay inside during the hot hours. But those of us who have learned to live 'AC Free' in Delhi know that shade, moving air, and a little good old fashioned sweat are really all you need to be comfortable on most days--and this cafe has all of those things. 

The food we ordered was good.  Roots does not qualify as one of our Best Dhabas in Delhi, but I liked the fact that it's menu included reasonably priced items. For example, the masala chai was excellent and a generous sized cup sold for Rs. 20, just a few rupees more than the metro fare it took to get there. Roots is a private cafe, with a contract to run in a quasi-governmental space; it is not a revolutionary green organisation. Still, one gets the feeling that it is run by good people. Someone told me that the owner travels only by metro now, and that didn't surprise me.

So if you need something to do on a weekend and are sick of Cafe Coffee Day and all that noise, why not jump on the Yellow line and go check out Roots? I don't think you'll be disappointed.  For more information, you can check out their Facebook group. And if you go on Sunday, you might be able to find some good organic produce at the farmer's market.

For more interesting places to eat, check out out Best Dhaba in Delhi series.

Peanuts: a green Delhi snack

Instead of buying a factory-packaged, oil-heavy snack, why not treat yourself to some environmentally friendly roasted peanuts this winter? In Delhi, Rs 10 buys you a small newspaper bag full of warm nuts. Nothing is better on a cold winter's day.

And peanuts are much better for the earth than a lot of other things you could be eating. In addition to the recycled/recyclable bag they come in, peanut cultivation uses a lot less water and produces a less carbon than meat-based foods with a comparable amount of protein.The PB&J Campaign, which encourages people to eat more peanut butter and less meat, has a lot of information on that. And peanuts are generally good for you, as long as you're not allergic to them. 

India trails only China in worldwide peanut production. Peanuts are so popular among farmers because they help 'fix' nitrogen in soil; they are thus used in rotation with crops (like corn and cotton) that require a lot of nitrogen. Don't get me wrong--peanuts are not without their environmental problems. I read a lot about peanut agriculture and a lot of what I read was...complicated, like most things in life. But I'm convinced that if you weigh the costs and the benefits, and compare peanuts with other comparably priced foods, you'll find they come out looking--and tasting--better than most!

More often than not, the best greentech is low-tech. To read more, read our low-tech green page.

Best Dhabas in Delhi: Jagdamba Bhog, Shahpur Jat

Shahpur Jat, one of South Delhi's urban villages, is undergoing a gentrification of sorts.  Along its edges, it is now possible to buy stylish shoes, pizza, high priced coffee, English books and more.  You can even get an artistic tatoo.  Small publishers, software engineers and artists have set up offices and studios in buildings which, until recently, provided crowded living quarters to local workers. 

It's hard to say how all this is affecting everyday life in the area.  On the upside, new business means new jobs, though most of the professional work goes to people from outside the neighborhood.  Still, some of the new businesses do hire local working class youth, educated in the area.  On the downside, rents are going up in certain parts of the village.  This is difficult for workers who are seeking low cost housing in South Delhi--of that, there can be little doubt.  This kind of displacement rarely makes the news, because it involves lease agreements and not bulldozers.  But it is displacement, nonetheless.  

How far will it go? That's hard to say.  The very density of the housing and the narrowness of the lanes makes it likely that a complete transformation of Shahpur Jat is unlikely to happen anytime soon.  And in many cases, ownership of buildings is shared; in those situations, renting out a floor is typically a lot easier than selling the whole building.  My guess is that unless someone very powerful organises a lot of bulldozers--something which seems unlikely at this point-- gentrification will remain an incremental, problematic process, pushing from the edges, slowly inward.

But this post is supposed to be a dhaba review, not an essay about gentrification.  Well, if you live or work or shop in or near Shahpur Jat, there are a lot of places you can eat.  Try them out--except the pizza place; skip that entirely--there are a lot of better choices.  

I spent some time in the area recently with a friend who works there, and I was impressed with Jagdamba Bhog, a small joint that serves a different dish every day. Some days, it's rajma chawal, some days it's chole chawal, some days it's kadi chawal.  Most days there's a sabzi and roti as well. The food is spicy and hot and is served on eco-friendly steel plates.  If you are lucky, you'll get a spot to stand and eat.  If you eat there in summer, you won't have AC of course, but you may catch a cool breeze from the dhaba's water cooler. Of course, take away is also an option.

Rs. 20 buys you enough food to fill most human beings up.  In fact, after a week of eating there, I had to let my belt out one notch--and that's not a joke!  This food is made for fellows who work hard for a living; it's not short on carbohydrates.  Still, the rajma itself tends to be pretty thin--protein is a little harder to come by on a Rs. 20 budget these days.  But if you feel shortchanged, appeal to the chef with a smile, and you will surely be rewarded!

To get there, find the road that runs along side the maidan that separates Shahpurjat from Panchsheel Park.  When you see the temple pictured at right, head straight in and don't stop until you reach the first T point.  On your right, you will find, Jagdamba Bhog. Simple, like much of what's good in life.  And you can rest assured knowing that your AC-free, locally grown, locally prepared meal is greener than most meals you'll find in Delhi.

Happy eating!

 ****

Sometimes greentech is really low-tech.  For more of the best dhabas in Delhi--and other green 'cheap and best' technology, check out our low tech green page!

Pressure cookers: an essential part of any green kitchen!

There are people who argue that a raw food diet is the only healthy way to go.  A friend of ours followed this way of eating for a time, and she seemed to be healthy enough, though I worried when she talked about her non-veg preparations!  There is no doubt that many foods are tasty and healthy when eaten raw. Still, I don't think I'd want to give up cooked food completely, forever.  

In fact, I think good cooking is, and continues to be, one of the greatest--and least recognized--cultural achievements of human kind. How many women (and men) over how many years refined our understanding of the joys of the coconut, say, or the mango? What about those who figured out how to grow and prepare rice, dal, wheat? And we mustn't forget yogurt and beer. We know who invented peanut butter, but most of the great food inventors are long forgotten.  This is probably because food preparation and innovation has always been low status work. Ancient kings were not in the habit of building memorials to cooks; and considering the wages earned by most people who cook for a living today, it would appear that things haven't changed much.

Cooked food is important for reasons other than the joy we get from eating.  Cooking kills many harmful bacteria.  Cooked food is also easier and more efficient to digest, which means it gives more energy.  In fact, some scientists argue that the increased energy that we get from cooked food was part of what allowed human beings to evolve relatively large brains and relatively small stomachs as compared to other primates. Raw food is fine, they say, for a sedentary life, but it just won't cut it for people who hunt--or do hard manual labour--for a living.  In fact this argument is much more complicated and interesting than that; Steven Mithen wrote a fascinating article about it in the New York Review of Books a few months back, which you should read. It's no longer available on-line, but I found another version of it here; you just need to scroll down past its Danish introduction.)

That, my friends, is my defense of cooked food: it's one of the finer things in life, and it gives us the energy we need.  That said, cooking is not without its environmental consequences . Everyone knows that cooking requires heat, which typically comes either from some sort of flame or from electricity. That means pollution, climate change and more.

Given that we have to cook, it makes sense to do it as efficiently as possible. One way to do this would be to spend huge amounts of money remodeling your kitchen in a "green" way, as this couple in the US did. That way makes an architect, a contractor and any number of companies happy.  But there are other options for people who care about the planet. Like the good old pressure cooker! In the US, few people use pressure cookers, perhaps because, as one blogger wrote, they "suffer a bit from that grandma image." 

Of course pressure cookers never went out of style in India.   That's because they save a LOT of energy--up to 70%, in fact.   Pressure cookers are so efficient because they create a high pressure cooking environment. That higher pressure makes water boil at a higher temperature-- and that makes cook faster! And as if that weren't enough, if cooked right, foods prepared in a pressure cooker can also be more nutritious than food boiled conventionally. 

Modern, well-maintained pressure cookers are safe to use if you follow some basic safety tips--don't place the cooker in a heated oven;don't force the lid open; don't get drunk and pass out while cooking your rice.  You can read more of these here. And happy cooking!

Sometimes low tech is the best greentech; for more examples like this, check out our low tech greentech page.

Best Dhabas in Delhi: Gandhi Di Hatti, Lajpat Nagar Central Market

At the end of one of Lajpat Nagar Central Market's many lanes, you will find what may be the best lassi in South Delhi. There are many other things to try at Gandhi Di Hatti, but the lassi is what I keep going back for, again and again.

Environmentally speaking, Central Market gives a green a lot to think about. On the pavement, plastic toys from China are sold next to crafts made in local villages. There are shops full stationary and shops full of  household and kitchen products, some imported, some made locally.   Though Sarojini Nagar is better known for its export surplus, Lajpat Nagar has its share of inexpensive clothing and cloth. A person could spend hours at Central Market and come away with nothing on one visit and a large sack of clothes for under 200 rupees on the next.  Thousands of people do this every day.  About once a month, one of those people is Mrs. Batti.  And more often than not, I go along to keep her company.

On the whole, Central Market is far better than a shopping mall, environmentally speaking; it is mostly non-AC, and it has a higher proportion of local goods on offer than most elite malls.  Of course it's not perfect.  Export surplus, for example, is cheap only because it is the excess production of a global economy based on excess consumption--hardly sustainable! But my better half loves it, and one has to know when to keep one's mouth shut for the sake of familial harmony, no?

I like crowds, but I don't like shopping.  While Mrs. Batti is sampling the clothes in the 45 rupee shops, I roam the market looking for something to do other than talk to the guys selling belts. (I only have one waist, I say! I already have two belts--why would I need another?)  Usually I treat myself to some sort of street food.  In the summer, I might go for some bhutta,  in the winter, I like a plate of warm shakarkandi, some roasted peanuts, or aloo tikki on a bun. 

But whatever I'm eating, I almost always get myself a tall, creamy lassi from Gandhi Di Hatti.  It's not the cheapest lassi in town: after several price hikes due to inflation, a full steel glass will set you back 25 rupees. But a lassi like that is nearly enough to fill you up! If you can't handle quite so much, a smaller plastic cup costs Rs.14. 

Gandhi Di Hatti was recommended to my wife years ago by one of her friends. It serves all kinds of things, including Paneer Tika (Rs. 10), Bread Pakora (Rs. 7) and Bread Roll (Rs. 7). But like I said, I nearly always just order a lassi.

How to find get there:

You can find Gandhi Di Hatti by wandering the market looking for the blue and white sign that reads, "MALAIDAR PUNJABI LASSI."  Or you can walk straight into the market from the police station until you nearly reach the other main road. On your right, you will see the toilet pictured  at left under a "Bikanervala " sign. Take a right and head into the first lane you come to--some of the best lassi in town awaits you at the second stall on your left.

For more reviews of some of Delhi's best food carts, tea stalls, dhabas, and dives, check out our Best Dhabas in Delhi series.  And if you'd like to contribute a guest review, drop us a line!

India: Third most powerful (and greenest) nation say reports

US Report Finds India 'third most powerful nation'!
National Geographic finds India to be 'greenest' country in the world!
Is there anything in this news to be proud of?

The other day, an 'official US report' found India to be the third most powerful country in the world. The report based it's assessment on things like GDP, population, military spending, technology, etc. There must be more than a few happy faces in South Block this week, in spite of the other troubles that are currently plaguing the land--no, I'm not going to list them all, just read the newspaper.


Long time readers of the Dhaba will have little trouble inferring my opinion on the kind of 'power' apparently assessed by this report.  Yes, a country with a lot of people, a large military, and a large GDP can influence the world economy and politics. But power like that is worth little if we can't feed and house our people. Yes, our economy--as measured by GDP--is growing. But even GDP is a very limited indicator of national health, especially if you look at the numbers superficially.  (For a slightly deeper look, see our 'The world is not fair and GDP is stupid: GDP for nine year olds.') 


In the long term, I don't think the assumptions that this and many other studies rest on--that you can measure the strength of nations by their consumption of consumer and military goods--makes any sense at all.  Which leads me to the news, which came out earlier this year, that India is the 'greenest' country in the world.

Yes, it's true: for the second year running, India has come first among 17 countries in a comprehensive environmental assessment of consumer behavior carried out by National Geographic. The National Geographic "Greendex" is based on a survey of 17,000 consumers and looks at housing, transport, food, and goods.  Brazil ranked second, and China took third.  The US, not surprisingly, came in dead last, though they are, it seems showing some improvement.

  

In fact, it is easy to be a bit cynical about these results. After all, much of our sustainable behviour is due to things other than a conscious effort to be green.  Saloni Tandon, writing on Delhi Greens, put it nicely when she asked, "Are we helping to protect the environment by chance or by choice?" Nagraj Adve spelled things out even more bluntly in a guest post he wrote here at the Dhaba last year:

The report by the Committee on Conditions of Work and Promotion of Livelihoods in the Unorganized Sector revealed that a jaw-dropping 836 million people in India consume less than INR 20 a day, of which 444 million ‘marginally poor’ people consume less than INR 15. Needless to say, at INR 15-20 a day one cannot contribute much to global warming, however hard one might try.

Fair enough.  Under-consumption by millions of poor people too poor to consume even basic necessities should never be celebrated. And Tandon makes a good point: "When we say that we Indians are less likely to install a home water heating system we forget to mention the fact that we hardly need it!"  

 

But need has never been a prerequisite for consumption.  A few years back, I overheard an American expat at a party complaining that the geyser in her bathroom hadn't been working for the past few days.  It was a sultry August evening, and someone finally asked why she had such an urgent need for hot water.  "But my AC is so strong, I can not stand to bathe in cold water!"

Yes, it is true, that some of India's "eco-friendly" behavior is based on poverty. But these days, more and more Americans seem eager to blame the world's environmental problems on China and India. It is important that people living in those countries be given every opportunity to understand what they are doing that is not working.  

And I do think it is important to celebrate the positive things we are already doing. If we try to follow a Western development model, we will fail, and likely we will destroy the world's environment in the process. We need to learn from both the old and the new; In fact, when you really get down to it, traditional ways of doing things are often more environmentally friendly than "high-tech" ways of doing things; and their superiority is not, in most cases, a result of "chance."  Traditional knowledge, like newer learning, is the product of human intelligence; traditional knowledge just has the added benefit of being time-tested!  That does not mean we should give up on science, just that we need to be thoughtful about adopting new, resource and technology intensive ways of solving problems; if you've got  a working clothesline, why would you need a solar cell powered clothes dryer?

That's why we spend so much time talking about low-tech examples of greentech, like matkas, ceiling fans, clothes lines, water coolers. For essays about these and other kinds of low-tech green, have a look at our special page, here.

Thermos Technology: Waste Not, Want Not!

A joule saved is a joule not generated!

Greens all over the world get very excited by big, high-tech projects, like this one which claims to convert North African sun into European electricity. It relies on thermos technology, among other things, such as huge amounts of desert land. 

I, for one, have more faith in the power of lower tech projects, like efforts to use thermos bottle technology to produce solar hot water heaters that work in cold places.  If you really get down to it, even solar powered water heaters can seem pretty complex.  Still, I think I understand them well enough, ever since that July I spent in Uttarakhand, producing enough warm water to bathe my children and myself by placing old water bottles, wrapped in a plastic bags, on a sheet metal roof. (Mrs. Batti, who came down with a nasty bug, rightfully got most of our small allotment of wood fire-warmed water.)

In fact, I think good old fashioned thermos technology is under-rated. I love to drink coffee and tea, but I don't like to drink it all at one time.  No, the best thing to do, is to have a lot of small cups.  Before I had a thermos, I had to re-heat my coffee over and over, and that was not very fun at all--besides, it wasted a lot of cooking gas and the coffee tasted burnt after a while. Then I got a nice thermos.  I can sip coffee all day long, if that's what I want to do!  

And while we're on the subject, what would we do without that roti warmer?  Yes, I know it's tastier to eat them hot and fresh, but our warmer, which uses thermos technology, gives us that little bit of extra flexibility we sometimes need.  No need to use an oven to keep things warm, or to have someone working in the kitchen while everyone eats; you can all sit down together! And it's not just for rotis--it works for idlis and pancakes and all kinds of things!

Thermos technology may be over one hundred years old, but it has a lot going for it! You see, it's almost always better to save energy than it is to figure out how to generate unnecessary energy.  I put that in italics, because it is so important.  In fact, I think I'll write it up nice and big and nail it to the wall of the Dhaba: Hari Batti's third law of thermodynamics or something like that...Yes, thermoses are the ultimate energy saving devices. They are time tested and eco-friendly--and they keeps things tasting good!  What more could you ask for?

Sometimes low tech is the best greentech; for more examples like this, check out this page.

Fixing Things: Low-Tech, Green Tech

There are many people who believe the answers to the world's problems require high-tech, greentech solutions.  I have nothing against high tech. I am typing this post on a computer, after all.  But I don't kid myself; this computer is not "green".   For one thing, a simple google search uses a lot more energy than you might imagine.  And this computer will eventually contribute to the 500% increase in e-waste from old computers over 2007 levels that India will likely see by 2020.  Much of that waste is poison, by the way.   Of course it's not just e-waste; though India has very high uses of recycling, we still produce a lot of trash, and that problem is not going to be solved by Waste to Energy plants, no matter how "green" they purport t be.

It gets worse.  If you stop and think about it, you realize the "health" of the world economy, as it is presently organized, requires continued production and consumption even before it requires disposal.  Endless production requires endless amounts of energy and mining. Unfortunately, we don't live on planet with endless resources.

To put it simply, there is no way that current consumption patterns can be sustainable, greentech or not! Those of us who use things like computers will have to use them a lot less.  People who go by car will have to learn how to take the bus.  In addition to high tech, we will have to rely on low tech solutions. Like fixing things! 

All the items in the photo to the right could easily have been thrown away.  But because I live in Delhi, they were fixed.  The shoes have been stitched up in many ways, inside and out, and they still look good, thanks to the skill of my local mochi.  The water bottle's lid broke and I was able to find a replacement in the market.  The school bag's zipper has been replaced at least once.  The handle of the low quality pot has been fixed or replaced at least twice in the past five years.

When we fix something, we reduce energy use, mining, pollution and waste.  In India, because labour is cheap, having things fixed almost always saves money as well.  But in many places, it is cheaper to throw away a broken product than it is to fix it.  World wide, need to stop subsidizing the production disposal of stuff that is made for the dump; in fact, we need to make sure that companies and consumers pay the full cost of most consumer products, from the mine to the dump; subsidies should be reserved for sustainable things, like public transportation--and for things like food that we all need.

Most of India lives sustainably, of course.  But a small group of industrialists and hyper consumers are getting the lion's share of government support, as P. Sainath makes clear here. It's time we give help to those who need it most--that, by the way, is another way we can fix things!

For other low-tech, greentech ideas, including our Best Dhabas in Delhi series, look here.

Best Dhabas in Delhi: Little Dragon, Defense Colony Market

Today, we continue our Best Dhaba in Delhi series with a look at a Defense Colony market institution: Little Dragon.  Though not a dhaba in the traditional sense, this Chinese food cart has been doing business the low-tech, greentech way for more than a decade. 

I came to know about the Little Dragon from my favourite local autowallah, who swears by it.  "Always fresh,always good--cheap and best!" were his words. I've eaten there or done takeaway at least a dozen times.

Little Dragon has a lot going for it environmentally.  They serve a crowd of people daily on reusable plastic plates, and they send out deliveries within a three kilometer radius by cycle.  There is minimal energy used; there is no AC, and food is cooked over a simple gas stove.

Also, on the positive side, the menu offers extensive choices, ranging from soups to spring rolls; prices range from Rs. 30 to Rs. 75 and the portions are generous.  A full plate of Veg. Chowmein (Rs. 35) or Egg Chowmein (Rs. 40) will usually feed two, though you might order a bit extra if you are feeding growing boys. My kids love the food, and I like it also. And it's never made me sick, which is more than I can say about another place I shall not mention in that market! If you live in or near Defense Colony, you can even order by phone: 011-64536491.

On the downside, the Little Dragon has no seating. More importantly, if you have finer taste than my kids, you may be disappointed: "too much oil, too much salt," declared Mrs. Batti the first time we ate there.  And she's probably right.  Remember that autowallah who recommended it?  He just found out he's got high blood pressure.  What did the doctor say?  LESS OIL! LESS SALT!  (And a handful of pills.)

If you don't have high blood pressure and you are looking for a reasonably priced, reasonably good, environmentally friendly meal in the Defense Colony area, the Little Dragon may be the place for you!  

For more reviews of some of Delhi's best food carts, tea stalls, dhabas, and dives, check out our Best Dhabas in Delhi series.  And if you'd like to contribute a guest review, drop us a line!

Best Dhabas in Delhi: Sanjay’s, Near Sitaram Hospital

Every week, a few people come to the Dhaba looking for the real thing—a  place where you can get good food without the price or the frills you get in more conventional restaurants. Most of these visitors leave disappointed—we are, after all, a virtual dhaba, and the “fresh green” stuff we serve is green in the idiomatic sense of the word only. 

So this summer, I thought it would be fun to review a few of Delhi’s many real-life, brick and motor (or brick and tarp) dhabas.  After all, dhabas the ultimate in low-tech greentech, and if you think about it, most of them have an environmental impact that is almost non-existent, compared to fancier eating establishments.  If dhabas aren’t sustainable, then it's hard to imagine what would be.

 
Our Best Delhi Dhaba series starts on the road just outside Sitaram Hospital in the Qutab Institutional Area, behind the Qutab Hotel.  Mrs. Batti and I had just emerged from the doctor’s office and a cup of tea seemed just the thing to pick us up.

As you come out of Sitaram, and turn to the left, there is a row of dhabas on the side of the road.  We sat down at the first.  It doesn’t really have a name, but it is run by a man named Sanjay, so we’ll call it Sanjay’s. 

This dhaba offers outdoor seating under the shade of large trees and a plastic tarp.  There was no electric fan and no cooler, but a light breeze made the seating comfortable enough even at 11:00 am on a June morning. 

The décor was mixed.  I didn’t care much for the large Coca Cola advertisement under the counter.  But I liked the shoe that hung from the ceiling above.  On it was written that charm, commonly found on the back of trucks: Buri Nazar Wale Tera Mooh Kaala.

On the morning we ate, the spoken menu included a number of items, including bread omelet, alu paratha, and various kinds of biscuits and namkeen. In addition to chai, cold drinks and water from a matka were also available. 

We ordered a cup of tea each (Rs. 5) and an alu paratha to share (Rs. 10).  The tea was fine—standard dhaba fare, served in a plastic cup.  We had to wait 10-15 minutes for the paratha, but it was well worth it.  It was large, steaming hot, and not too oily.   It was served on a steel plate with a generous portion of pickle.   The picture you see to the right is after we’d eaten about half of it--it was so good, we couldn't wait for me to figure out how to use the low-quality camera on my wife's phone.  

Mrs. Batti, who is not easy to please when it comes to parathas, agreed with me about the quality of this one—she declared it “excellent” and said some nice things about the heat of the pan and the variety and freshness of the fillings. 

Looking at this dhaba from an environmental point of view, it looses some points for the plastic cups and bottles it uses.  And not only are the contents of those foil packs of gutka and paan bad for you (which is why I quit buying them a long time ago in spite of their addictive qualities) the packages are, quite simply, just little pieces of litter waiting to happen.

On the positive side, this being Delhi, most of the plastic will end up getting recycled, and in the long run, it would be easy to replace those plastic cups with clay ones.  The low-tech, open air structure didn’t take much energy to build, and it takes very little energy to operate and maintain.  As for the food, most of it consists of atta, eggs, and fresh vegetables cooked over a gas stove—it’s hard to object to that!

So if you find yourself killing time at Sitaram’s and you want to have a low-tech, green tech kind of breakfast, then I’d say you will be hard pressed to find a better place to eat than this.  Convenient location, low prices, decent service—and some of the best alu parathas in South Delhi—make this one of Delhi’s Best Dhabas.