Would you sit still if the earth was shaking under you? Or if being attacked by a robber armed with a knife? Why then do most of us stare calamity in the face and stay unmoved? Any reason why climate change leaves us cold and unperturbed?
Do you believe climate change induced effects are blown out of proportion? Or do you think there is no danger?
What has the media been telling you?
Are you aware that science has been throwing up proof of human induced climate change, and that the results are already upon us? You can find umpteen studies online. The latest is the U.S. government’s newest survey of the impacts of climate change which lays out a detailed picture of the impacts of rising temperatures in the U.S., from rising sea levels that threaten the Southeast, to water shortages that will dessicate the Southwest, to the decline of the maple syrup industry in the Northeast.
Nasa pictures have shown the shrinking polar ice caps down the years and taken during the same season.
Infectious diseases are on the rise. Why? Again, studies in the Lancet have shown the link to climate change. Researchers believe that global warming is already responsible for some 150,000 deaths each year around the world, and fear that the number may well double by 2030 even if we start getting serious about emissions reductions today.
A team of scientists from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the University of Wisconsin at Madison published these findings last year in Nature. Besides killing people, global warming also contributes to some five million human illnesses every year, the researchers found. This happens through the speeding the spread of infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue fever; creating conditions that lead to potentially fatal malnutrition and diarrhea; and increasing the frequency and severity of heat waves, floods and other weather-related disasters.
In the US, a Stanford engineer showed the direct link between rising levels of CO2 and human mortality. . He found that the added air pollution caused by each degree Celsius increase in temperature caused by CO2 leads to about 1,000 additional deaths in the U.S. and many more cases of respiratory illness and asthma. As many as 20,000 air-pollution related deaths may occur worldwide each year with each one degree Celsius increase.
Heavy downpour in parts and droughts elsewhere. Why?
What will make the public accept the truth? Any bright idea?
Share your thoughts as we try to understand what drives public opinion.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
The awareness among people on the effects of Global warming especially among the urban population is reasonably good. Media in the form print, radio and Television are reaching out to people on this all important aspect on the effects of global warming.
Nowadays many companies have started Green initiatives by sensitizing employees on the importance of environmental protection and energy conservation by promoting Green as the future.
Some of the initiatives being taken by companies in building awareness among people are
1. Organizing a Green Run on world environment day
2. Commitment from senior leadership environment sustainability
3. Encouraging people to Car pool, Cycle, Buses to commute
4. By organizing Street plays
5. By switching from polybags to cloth bangs
6. Keeping plants
7. Joining the Earth hour
8. Having a ‘No print Week’
9. Switching off the desk top power while leaving for the day.
10. Having the ACs run at a higher temperature
11. Water conservation by using recycled water for toilets etc etc
All these initiatives will certainly help Organizations in optimizing and improving energy efficiency and spreading the awareness among people on environment protection.
At an individual level do people have the time to accept the truth and do something and contribute towards the cause is a big question mark. With the current economic scenario and changing times where a decent school education for a child costs easily around 70000 per annum, both parents are busy in managing the house hold and have hardly anytime to think about the environment.
Such awareness exercise has to now be taken to the next level such as the community level. People within communities will have to be identified to spread awareness of environmental protection and the future that unfolds for our children if we continue to abuse our environment.
By demonstrating simple things that can be done at home would lead to a more sustainable environment like
1. Regular maintenance of all Taps, flushing systems in ensuring there are no water leakages
2. Using energy efficient CFL lamps for lighting
3. Using the flush diligently. In cities we waste so much water in flushing while in many parts of India people don’t even get water to drink.
4. Switching off lights when not necessary
By investing a bit on energy conservation equipments such as
1. Solar water heaters
2. Rainwater harvesting which can be used for Car cleaning, Washing, Garden and in toilets for flushing
In addition the Government has a major role to play in building the awareness exercise. It could be a public private partnership model where by government implements policies for the benefit of the environment such as the recent rainwater harvesting which is mandatory for building plan approval. Similarly very recently they have made Solid waste management mandatory in large complexes and apartments which is good. Similarly they could insist on usage of energy efficient lighting in households and large complexes, solar water heating, solar lighting etc to waste water management at large complexes. In addition the building plan itself should be designed in a manner that is energy efficient.
A specification document for building plans can be prepared where by
1. Natural lighting and ventilation provisions are taken care off
2. Energy efficient Building materials to be used
3. Provisions to be made for RWH, Separate Plumbing lines for Toilets
4. Provisions for Solar heaters, solar lighting etc.
Energy experts have to build solutions that are easy to implement. Probably the flushing mechanism available in Aircraft toilets where water is minimally used could be thought of as the future solution for homes and offices.
Post a Comment