Onus is on the shoulders of mankind
Severe weather changes, threats to our food and water supplies, rising sea levels, melting glacier, endangered plant and animal species and the spread of deadly diseases. These are some of the untold harm of global warming. And its manifestation has already begun.
The 2004 tsunami that hit many parts of the southern Indian coastline is one concrete example of how global warning can take a toll on our people. Thousands died and millions lost their homes.
Today is World Earth Day. As the world observed this day each year, a reminder is passed on of the challenges we face in saving the Earth. The idea behind the yearly celebration evolved over a period of several years starting in 1962. Then on 22 April, 1970, the First World Earth Day was celebrated in the United States. On 26 February, 1971, United Nations Secretary General U Thant signed a proclamation for the annual celebration of Earth Day.
This year's worldwide celebration of Earth Day calls for an action on climate change. Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing us today. To protect the health and economic well being of the current and future generations, we must reduce our emissions of gases by using the technology, knowhow, and practical solutions already at our disposal.
The time to act is now. We can do something in our own little ways if we all commit to begin our journey to save the earth.
Change your light bulbs. There are now highly efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) that last for years and use a third of the energy of regular bulbs and actually produce more light. These may cost you more at the time of purchase but we must remember that there are two price tags - what you pay at the cash counter and and what you pay in energy costs over the bulb's lifetime. You may pay more up front, but you will actually save hundreds of rupees in your household budget over the long-term because of their long life.
Drive your car less or don't drive it altogether. Try and go for a car pool, take the public transport or go on the highly efficient train now operating in the city. Even piling multiple errands into one trip helps and if you can walk instead of drive, even better. The sad truth is that a gas guzzler emits as much CO2 as some homes!
As Chennai's climate gets hotter by the day, the use of air conditioning cannot be avoided making our household fuel efficiency swing on the upscale. Replacing older air conditioning systems with new efficient models can cut your annual energy costs by 20 per cent. So replacing the old with the new is a wonderful idea, but not very practical for most of us. Things you can do right now to make sure you're maintaining the right temperature in your house efficiently include keeping your air- conditioning unit clean at all times. Make sure windows and doors are sealed. Again, this will dramatically improve your household fuel efficiency. Sealing air leaks and adding insulation can reduce your annual energy bill by 10 per cent. Of course, if you can stand it, by far the best approach is to avoid using air-conditioners. Ceiling fans use 80 per cent less energy than central air- conditioners.
While it is true that planting more trees will help in the short- term because they essentially soak up carbon, they also release carbon dioxide when they die. So it just postpones the problem. But there are other reasons to plant trees - as wind breaks to save energy, and as shade to lower cooling costs. As for plants, do everything you can in your yard and garden to create ways in which plants use less water. Choose hardier plants, plant things in groups that need more water and put in mulch to help keep moisture in.
The task to save Mother Earth becomes more urgent today. We are not the masters of Earth. We are mere transient residents whose activities affect future generations and the future of Earth. If only the flora, fauna, and the land we live in can speak, they would have condemned us a long time ago. So many species have become extinct because of our irresponsible ways in undertaking our stewardship of Mother Earth.
The web of life imposes on us the message that all living things on Earth, including man, are interdependent members of the whole of life. The extinction of one living species creates a void and produces a chain reaction that will ultimately lead to the extinction of man
Earth Day is a time to celebrate gains we have made and create new visions to accelerate environmental progress. Earth Day and every day is a time to act to protect our planet.
Severe weather changes, threats to our food and water supplies, rising sea levels, melting glacier, endangered plant and animal species and the spread of deadly diseases. These are some of the untold harm of global warming. And its manifestation has already begun.
The 2004 tsunami that hit many parts of the southern Indian coastline is one concrete example of how global warning can take a toll on our people. Thousands died and millions lost their homes.
Today is World Earth Day. As the world observed this day each year, a reminder is passed on of the challenges we face in saving the Earth. The idea behind the yearly celebration evolved over a period of several years starting in 1962. Then on 22 April, 1970, the First World Earth Day was celebrated in the United States. On 26 February, 1971, United Nations Secretary General U Thant signed a proclamation for the annual celebration of Earth Day.
This year's worldwide celebration of Earth Day calls for an action on climate change. Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing us today. To protect the health and economic well being of the current and future generations, we must reduce our emissions of gases by using the technology, knowhow, and practical solutions already at our disposal.
The time to act is now. We can do something in our own little ways if we all commit to begin our journey to save the earth.
Change your light bulbs. There are now highly efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) that last for years and use a third of the energy of regular bulbs and actually produce more light. These may cost you more at the time of purchase but we must remember that there are two price tags - what you pay at the cash counter and and what you pay in energy costs over the bulb's lifetime. You may pay more up front, but you will actually save hundreds of rupees in your household budget over the long-term because of their long life.
Drive your car less or don't drive it altogether. Try and go for a car pool, take the public transport or go on the highly efficient train now operating in the city. Even piling multiple errands into one trip helps and if you can walk instead of drive, even better. The sad truth is that a gas guzzler emits as much CO2 as some homes!
As Chennai's climate gets hotter by the day, the use of air conditioning cannot be avoided making our household fuel efficiency swing on the upscale. Replacing older air conditioning systems with new efficient models can cut your annual energy costs by 20 per cent. So replacing the old with the new is a wonderful idea, but not very practical for most of us. Things you can do right now to make sure you're maintaining the right temperature in your house efficiently include keeping your air- conditioning unit clean at all times. Make sure windows and doors are sealed. Again, this will dramatically improve your household fuel efficiency. Sealing air leaks and adding insulation can reduce your annual energy bill by 10 per cent. Of course, if you can stand it, by far the best approach is to avoid using air-conditioners. Ceiling fans use 80 per cent less energy than central air- conditioners.
While it is true that planting more trees will help in the short- term because they essentially soak up carbon, they also release carbon dioxide when they die. So it just postpones the problem. But there are other reasons to plant trees - as wind breaks to save energy, and as shade to lower cooling costs. As for plants, do everything you can in your yard and garden to create ways in which plants use less water. Choose hardier plants, plant things in groups that need more water and put in mulch to help keep moisture in.
The task to save Mother Earth becomes more urgent today. We are not the masters of Earth. We are mere transient residents whose activities affect future generations and the future of Earth. If only the flora, fauna, and the land we live in can speak, they would have condemned us a long time ago. So many species have become extinct because of our irresponsible ways in undertaking our stewardship of Mother Earth.
The web of life imposes on us the message that all living things on Earth, including man, are interdependent members of the whole of life. The extinction of one living species creates a void and produces a chain reaction that will ultimately lead to the extinction of man
Earth Day is a time to celebrate gains we have made and create new visions to accelerate environmental progress. Earth Day and every day is a time to act to protect our planet.
******
Published in the International Earth Day issue of Newstoday, 22 April 2007, page 3.
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