A BYTE OF LIFE Friday, June 5, 2009 08 WAYFARER FARING WELL The iconic sunglass shape is back, and how! FREE CIRCULATION Vol. 3 No. 104 Did you know that your choice of shopping bag will determine if you’re doing your bit for the planet or not? Or that your old unused mobile phone and charger can grow a tree? MIND YOUR CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR » PAGES 04 & 05 02 ERGO Friday, June 5, 2009 Namma Chennai SHOPPING KEBAB FEST Enjoy un-limited mouth watering juicy kebabs at The Great Kebab Fest while watching the live action of the T-20 World Cup on our Megha Screens at Society, the multi- cuisine restaurant at Ambassador Pallava. This set dinner is priced at Rs.400 + taxes Westside has thrown open its doors to its customers for its month- inclusive of a welcome long summer shopping extravaganza that includes attractive Drink. discounts and some great shopping deals. Summer Shopping Blast at Westside will run from May 9th – 31st 2009. Where: Westside outlets SUNDAY BRUNCH FILM FESTIVAL Make your Sundays Wondering what to fun at Raintree do when there are no where the main good movies running attractions is are in Theatres… Watch food “at site”. Chaat some quality movies Counter, Pav Bhaaji from Turkey from 8th Counter, Egg to 10th June. Counter, Dosa 08.6.09 - Fikret Bey - Counter, ‘Make Your 6.15 p.m, Waiting For Own Salad’ Counter Heaven - 7.45 p.m. blended with loads 09.6.09 – Autumn - of entertainment. 6.15 p.m, Two Young When: Sundays, 7th Girls - 7.45p.m. June onwards 10.6.09 - Adam And Where: Hotel The The Devil - 6.15 p.m, The International - 7.45 p.m Raintree, St. Mary’s Where: South Indian Film Chamber Theatre, Anna Salai; Road, Alwarpet Contact: 98401 51956 COFFEE BUFFET Enjoy new flavours at Sip some cool flavoured Café Coffee day this buttermilk in four summer as they flavours of kiwi, introduce new flavours banana, green apple & to their menu. Chill-o- strawberry or try our Coffee (delightful coffee crunch salads at Spice toned ice), or a Caramel Jar. The Summer Special Freeze (coffee with menu includes enticing swirls of Cucumber Soup, caramel and toffee nut), Gazpacho Soup, Green or a Choco Rocks peas and mint soup, (Smooth and creamy Sumi Salad, Sunshine chocolate on the rocks) twists, Greek salad and are few of their summer lots more. The buffet is specials prized at Rs.425/- Where: All Café Coffee Where: Spice Bar, Day outlets The Residency, G.N.Chetty Road Friday, June 5, 2009 03 Music Director Harris Jayaraj was the special invitee for the launch of the 6th The Hindu Metro Plu Lifestyle consumer fair that got underway at the Chennai Trade Center, Nandambakkam. PHOTO: R.SHIVAJI RAO Metro Plus lifestyle show kicks off ERGO CORRESPONDENT tronics, computer and IT prod- Baer, SunDirect DTH, Propshell [email protected] ucts, automobiles and Business Solution, Max New accessories, furniture and fur- York Life Insurance Co. Ltd. he Hindu Metro Plus Lifes- nishing, kitchen accessories, and Hewlett Packard India Ttyle show, one of the city’s home appliances, bathroom fit- Sales Pvt Ltd. Associates for the premium consumer fairs, got tings, arts and handicrafts, show are: NDTV HINDU- chan- off to a stunning start at the beauty and health care prod- nel partner; Radio One 94.3 FM Chennai Trade Centre in Nan- ucts, real estate, home needs, – radio partner; Planet Yumm - dabakkam on Thursday. textile, clubs & resorts and gift food court; Aquafina - water Touted to be South India’s items. partner; BSNL (Chennai Tele- biggest consumer fair, the sixth For the fifth successive year phones) - communication part- instalment of the fair that will Samsung is be the main spon- ner; Sheraton Park Hotels and go on till this Sunday will fea- sor of the event. The consumer Towers - hospitality partner. tures almost all the consumer electronics giant will be show- The show running from June brands that matter across 280 casing their high-end LED tele- 4 to 8 will be open from 10.00 stalls in a sprawling air-condi- vision that was only recently am to 8.30 pm for public and tioned area of 1,20,000 sq.feet. launched. The co-sponsors of entry will be at Rs. 50 per per- On display are a breathtaking the event are: Canon, Maruti son. Every visitor will get a sur- range covering consumer elec- Suzuki Ltd, Voltas Ltd, Moser prise gift. ■ MSc graduate takes extreme step after Youth immolates self for love being spurned by girl ERGO CORRESPONDENT the petrol and set himself on fire,” said an in- [email protected] vestigating officer. Suresh ran around the street as his body was t was high drama on Thursday morning at Thiru- engulfed in flames. A few bystanders rushed in Imoorthy Nagar in Nungambakkam when a young- and put out the flames and took a severely injured ster set himself afire right outside his friend’s house. Suresh to the Government Kilpauk Medical Col- Police say he took the extreme step after the girl lege hospital, police added. continued to spurn his love interest for more than six A police team from Nungambakkam that was years. He died in hospital in the afternoon. informed about the incident reached the spot and Nungambakkam police identified the deceased as conducted preliminary investigations. “The Suresh Kumar (24) of Andavar Koil Street in Kodam- youngster was in love with the girl from his college bakkam. Suresh, an MSc Computer Science graduate days but the girl seems to have not reciprocated. who was employed in a private computer firm, had Following repeatedly failed attempts he turned known Nithya (name changed) for over six years. suicidal outside her house today (Thursday) morn- Police said around 8:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, ing,” the officer added. Suresh came outside Nithya’s house on his motorcy- Suresh, who suffered 80 per cent burns on his cle in a foul mood. “After screaming out to someone body, succumbed to his injuries around 2 p.m. ■ inside the house he started to fill a bottle with petrol from his motorcycle. Soon he doused himself with 04 ERGO Friday, June 5, 2009 Drive it out For those who suffer from road rage, remember that aggressive driving lowers your mileage, so if you want to save on fuel and save the planet while you’re at it, accelerate gradually – something to keep that in mind the next time that bad driver cuts you off! Just count to 10 and say the planet needs me! Big Story Source: UNEP Today, June 5, we are celebrating World Environment Day with the theme ‘Your Planet Needs You - Unite to Combat Climate Change’. Ergo speaks to Greenpeace activist Jagan Mohan on consumer behaviour and energy consumption V.HARIPRIYA is generated from thermal ener- [email protected] gy, which means release of car- bon dioxide. So minimising esterday, when I went to energy consumption contributes buy soap from a retail chain, to a greener society,” Mohan the girl at the counter gave says. Yme a plastic bag to carry it in. Not once did I stop to think When you buy that there was no need of the poly While purchasing electronic bag as I could have easily carried goods, always make sure they are the soap in my hand. This is environment-friendly. Each and where I botched up on my con- every company has its own global sumer behaviour. policies and practices on elim- Today being World Environ- inating harmful chemicals ment Day, the United Nations and their responsibility for Environment Programme (UN- their products once they EP) calls each and every person in are discarded by consum- this world to unite for a greener ers and their impact on world with the theme ‘Your Plan- the climate. The prod- et Needs You - Unite to Combat ucts range from mo- Climate Change’. bile phones, game According to Jagan Mohan, consoles, TVs and Greenpeace activist, Chennai, PCs to household consumer behaviour is the basic electronic goods. So environment-friendly activity a go for products person can take part in. “It is of which are greener. no use to campaign or plant sa- Visit the Green- plings on Environment Day and peace website then ignore it from the very next www.greenpea- day. Instead, do some simple ceindia.org to know things, which in some way have more. huge turnouts,” he says. Lifestyle changes At office Change in lifestyle From the moment one enters is also one of the office, energy consumption causes of pollution. Al- starts. Instead of using lifts, try ways introspect on the climbing stairs, which is also reason for increase in good for health. Avoiding the us- cost of living. When you age of lights when not required purchase 10 sets of dress and switching off monitors when material in a month, remem- they’re not in use can save power. ber you are utilising resources Car pooling is another concept that are meant for two to three which is gaining momentum persons. Similarly, when you go now. To do all these little things shopping always remember to one doesn’t need a group; indi- carry jute bags or paper bags with vidual effort is enough. you. This does not mean you nev- “Energy is the core require- er use plastic bags. Just keep a tab ment for the IT-enabled sector. on the extent to which you use Around 64 per cent of the power them. ■ Mind your consumer behaviour Friday, June 5, 2009 05 Do something! Re-use me Most computer accessories like ink cartridges and India fells 17 trees and CDs and DVDs are made of materials that could be consumes 7,000 gallons of reused.