tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626261588427018772.post4372123050092355830..comments2024-01-24T14:09:16.735-05:00Comments on Slow Boat: Droves of DragonfliesCynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01833334788490148269noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626261588427018772.post-10590608655769788062010-08-28T12:56:02.578-04:002010-08-28T12:56:02.578-04:00Speaking of dragonflies and steps towards sustaina...Speaking of dragonflies and steps towards sustainability - today I had the chance to visit the new Reliance refinery in Jamnagar, India. It's in Gujarat State about 30 miles south of Pakistan on the Arabian Sea. Jamnagar is the worlds newest (2009), largest, and most environmentally conscious refinery. <br /><br />There are relatively few emissions. Sulfurous and nitrous emissions are captured for manufacturing other products and the cleaned wastewater is landfarmed on a 1 mile wide greenbelt around the refinery. <br /><br />The greenbelt houses 1 million teak trees, 1 million mango trees, and 100,000 each of grapefruit, pomello, guava, and many species of native trees, as well as swarms and swarms of dragonflies (you were wondering when I'd get to the dragonflies). The dragonflies team up with wild pheasants and peacocks, while the latter also help control weeds. A variety of other IPM methods are also used to control the insect population and weeds. Thanks to the greenbelt, you can't actually see or hear the refinery from the outside.<br /><br />We may not be able to shed our dependence on fossil fuels for awhile, but as long as we must use them, Jamnagar is an interesting model.scott_bergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08347751187903821520noreply@blogger.com