'Go Green' - The New Mantra

by : Sonali Punhani
India

Realizing the Inner Self through the Universal Self:

On 25^th June 2006, I boarded the Jammu Express for my first visit to the Heaven on Earth – Kashmir. My destination was the Holy Cave Shrine of Amarnath in the up hills of Jammu and Kashmir to pay my offerings to the ice Shiva Lingam. The Shivling is a natural ice stalagmite that waxes between July and September in the Holy months of Shravan and melts thereafter. It is believed to be one of the three abodes of Lord Shiva, where his Holiness narrated the story of eternal life and immorality to Mata Parvati. The Shiva Lingam which formed naturally for thousands of years is one of the most sacred pilgrimages of the Hindus.

My longing for cleansing and purifying the eternal soul was shattered when I reached the base camp in Pahalgam enroute Amarnath. There I was informed that the Shivling has melted completely due to unusual hot climatic conditions. From a majestic height of fifteen feet snow image that pierced the rocks, it was left to a mere seven inches. Hopes and beliefs of more than five hundred thousands pilgrims who had gathered to pay their respects to Lord Shiva – The Creator at the Holy Shrine were shattered.

Governor, Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. N.N. Vohra tried to pacify the pilgrims by citing the reason for the same. The depth of the snow around the caves which used to be around twelve meters earlier was only left to three feet. The regular advent of helicopters, deforestation around the area, large scale human activities all perpetuated to the dissolution of the Shivling. In nutshell the real culprit was – Global Warming that was adversely impacting us in all ways- environmentally, economically, socially and now even religiously.

On my return, I decided to find out more about this issue of Climate Change and see what could be done positively to make a difference.

The Hindu Philosophy- School of Thought:

In Indian tradition, the Earth is worshipped as the compassionate Mother Goddess. It is believed that, in her maternal aspect, mankind not only satisfies material needs but also has a chance to realize the Supreme consciousness. This according to me also has a scientific connotation to it.

Scientific evidence indicates that the Earth is a living being. Tracing history of millions of years of evolution of life on Earth, it appears that we are becoming conscious of the importance of preserving the earth’s heritage. According to Hindu mythology human consciousness has to find its essential identity with the universal consciousness for peace and tranquility. Whether humanity makes such a transition science is not certain. What is certain is that humanity is in severe crisis and cannot continue on its present destructive path for long or else it will perish.

This paradigm according to Vedic conception believes that the Earth on which man lives and works, loves and suffers is directly affected by man’s condition. Conversely, we can assume that Earth can also be hurt by man. Therefore, to strike an equilibrium Man has to be more sensitive to his usage pattern of the planet earth.

The hymns to the Mother Earth-Bhumi Sukta in the Vedas give due to the ancient sense of morality towards the Earth and also reveal a deeper sense of the significance of the World for realization of the Universal Self.

The Global Crisis:

According to Environmentalists change is a fundamental characteristic of the environment. From the ice age of the past to the industrial age of the present, the climate of the earth has been changing. Changes due to natural factors are acceptable but those due to increased human activities leading to greater acceleration, is a cause of grave concern.

The earth’s climate is changing - its atmosphere is warming at an unprecented pace rising by

0.6⁰ C in the last decade. By 2050 scientists predict that the earth will be warmer by 1.5⁰ C to 4.5⁰ C. Nine of the hottest years recorded in more than a century have occurred since 1988. These are alarming trends!! The earth’s climate is a complex interaction between the sun, oceans, land, air and the biosphere. Global warming imbalances these linkages creating havoc in the environment. In 1988, the United Nations set up the IPCC Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change. This was the first of its kind scientific body of international experts to investigate the issue of climate change. Mr. Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the IPCC cited that the increased Greenhouse Gases effect was the root cause of the problem.

One hectare of tropical forest is estimated to store four hundred forty five tonnes of carbon in its biomass and soil. When a forest is cut in the name of development, much of the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere as CO₂. As the green cover diminishes fewer plants are left to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, thus disrupting the eco-balance.

The release of GHG’s due to excessive burning of fossil fuels disrupts this optimal balance. I tried to speculate and find reasons for the same. We only have ourselves to blame for this mess. Our lifestyles which reflect obnoxious consumption are causing these changes. Flashy cars, wasteful use of electricity, the greed to acquire more and more material resource is causing pressure on mother earth. Man exists as if there is no Tomorrow.

Despite widespread concern over global warming, humans are adding carbon to the atmosphere even faster than in the 1990s. Latest research suggests that the Carbon Emissions have been growing at 3.5% per year since the year 2000, up sharply from 0.9% per year in the 1990s. We need to take urgent affirmative measures which are collective as we have only “One Earth to Live On”. If we do not act so, the earth’s fragile environment would evolve beyond us. The earth will go on without us. Eventually we will realize that if we destroy the ecosystem, we destroy ourselves.

The Indian Scenario:

The challenge in a country like India is tremendous. Being a largely agriculture economy, India is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of the climate change. The Himalayan temperature is increasing at an alarming rate of 0.6⁰ C annually. Rising sea levels in coastal region is damaging nursery area for the fisheries, causing erosion and flooding, coral bleaching, glacial lake outflow and altering the configuration of forest ecosystems.

Scientists believe that the fluctuating weather conditions in a country suggest that it is reeling under climate chaos. For more than a decade now, India has been experiencing contrasting extreme weather conditions, heat waves to cyclones at one end and droughts to floods at the other. Orissa, an important eastern state of India, is classic example of chaotic climate change events. There have been instances of destruction of mangroves along the Southern Coastal region, a steep fall in agriculture and forest productivity, coral bleaching etc. which are being experienced in the Indian sub-continents.

According to estimates, India as a contributor to climate change ranks amongst the top ten countries of the world with the highest Green House Gas emissions. It emits more than two hundred and fifty tonnes of carbon every year in the atmosphere, which has to be curbed by being friendly to the environment. Our huge populace is putting an unprecedented burden on the environment. Being a developing economy we have to be extra cautious. Remember, Pollution should never be the price of prosperity.

Though a fast developing country, India has one of the best records of climate change mitigation with one of the lowest per capita carbon emission in the world. Its automobile industry has better clean technology. Major cities have introduced clean fuel like CNG and LPG. The Government of India has proposed mandatory blending of ethanol in petrol. Price of energy, both electricity and fuel, is much higher than the developed world. Though its economy is growing at a rate of

7-8%, there has been a mere 3.7% growth in energy usage. These are cautious consumption trends. But much more needs to be done.

The paradox is that we are a developing economy. India and China need to chart a different growth path to develop low carbon economies to combat global warming. The experience of developed countries has proved disastrous. According to a study, the total carbon released into the atmosphere as CO₂ by an average US resident is two hundred and sixty tonnes per year with respect to by an Indian which is merely six tonnes per year. The total amount placed in the atmosphere by an American citizen since 1900 is more than forty times with respect to an average Indian.

The other side of the story is very bleak. We are more than a billion people in India. Therefore, the developed economics of the North need to address the issue of over consumption while the Southern developing world has to deal with over population. These two together–over population and over consumption are the most important causes responsible for the environment degradation. We need to address them simultaneously and not in isolation. The bargaining needed to get Southern attention to over population and the northern’s willingness to face the issue of over consumption will only help to bridge the global divide.

The Indian projections of Climate Change in the future (as presented below) will impact productivity of most crops. Water availability will reduce drastically. Increased droughts and floods are likely to increase production variability. Increasing sea and river temperatures are likely to impact our aquaculture and fisheries.

• Productivity of most crops would decrease due to increase in temperature and decrease in

water availability (especially in IGP). Greater loss expected in Rabi.

• Reduced frequency of frost damage in Punjab
• Impacts on food quality could be variable
• Considerable effect on microbes, pathogens, and insects
• Imbalance in food trade due to positive impacts on Europe and North America, and

negative impacts on us

• Increasing temperature would increase fertilizer requirement for the same production

targets and result in higher emissions

• Increased droughts and floods are likely to increase production variability
• Increased water, shelter, and energy requirement for livestock
• Increasing sea and river water temperatures are likely to affect fish breeding, migration,

and harvests.

Youth Participation in Green Endeavours:

Gandhiji, the great Indian Mahatma rightly said that the mother earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed. We, the youth of this world, should practice the Gandhian philosophy of simple living and high thinking. Over consumption of goods and services should be restricted. Each one of us in one’s own little way can make a positive difference.

Individual initiative to reduce over consumption should be done by adopting the 5R’s.

• Refuse unnecessary goods and services. Plastic bags should be a strict No-No as they are

non biodegradable. The Government of India has banned the use of plastic bags. It is

instead propagating the use of traditional, localized recyclable paper and cloth bags.

• Reduce - We, the inhabitants of the planet Earth, should minimize the consumption of the goods and services as much as we can. Switch off the computers, TV when not in use, walk or cycle to college, marketplace, propagate car pools, use natural electricity etc are some initiatives which can make a significant difference.
• Reuse - Today is the era of ‘Disposables’ which is considered as fashionable. We should reuse goods as much as we can and it will automatically reduce the demand for new goods. This is turn will reduce the demand for production of new goods.
• Repair- Old furniture, car, electric equipment and reuse them as they are cost effective and ecofriendly options.
• Recycle goods so that they can be used over and over again.

When I look back, I realize that my grand mother followed all these principle in her own subtle way. The traditional Indian living patterns were based on the 5R’s. There were no disposables and food was cooked and consumed in reusable metal utensils. Every time we went to the market to buy fruits and vegetables we carried a home stitched cloth bag from an old bed sheet which was reused for years. When it got torn, it was used as a floor mop or duster till it became completely tattered.

Those were indeed simple times. Simple living and high thinking was the guiding principle of life. There was so much sharing and more of “We” than “Me” as we see today.

In the ‘new age of convenience’ - Disposables Consumerism, we waste as much as we consume. In some cases, Packaging costs are almost 55% of the cost of the product. Therefore, we need to simplify our consumption habits by demanding for natural, organic products from the producers.

Green Initiatives:

Today, as a citizen of the 21^st century, I ponder and wonder “Have we truly developed”? When I look around, I see a meltdown in all spheres - moral, economic, social and environmental. The picture is indeed bleak and we, the youth of the country, have a national responsibility to take concrete steps.

In my college, we formulated an Eco Club responsible for creating awareness regarding environmental friendly practices. Through posters, slogan writing, puppet shows, street plays, and similar traditional media we spread the message of “Green Environment - A Sustainable Environment”. Eco Club runs campus-wide campaigns to promote water and energy conservation, organizes national intercollegiate recycling competitions, energy conservation contests and hosts annual celebratory events like Earth Day and Environment Day. We also have an “Each One Teach One” programme where each student imparts life skills to at least one individual from the under privileged section of the society. Through this personalized interaction, messages on eco friendly strategies are imparted which are localized to the community.

When I think deeper on this subject, I see a lot of hope as many Green Initiatives have been launched. People in the media, educational institutions, resident welfare associations (RWAs), Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are voicing their concerns and taking concrete measures to address the issue of Climate Change.

We have taken a pledge to plant a tree on our every birthday. The Delhi Govt. has started the ‘Green Delhi’ campaign, where free saplings are available to be planted anywhere, anytime by anyone.

Diwali - The festival of lights and crackers is one of the most auspicious Hindu festivals celebrated in India. A campaign by the school students for the students “Say No to Crackers” was launched. It has made a significant decrease in the pollution levels of the country, as the youth and children have voluntarily decided to boycott the use of crackers and celebrate a smoke free and noise free Diwali.

I was impressed to hear that many RWAs in Delhi, the capital of India, have tied up with schools and colleges, Multinational Corporations etc. to get waste paper completely recycled by collaboration with an NGO – Waste2Wealth. The RWAs collect paper from the area residents and hand it over to the NGO at the end of each month. These include old bills, visiting cards, newspapers, and magazines etc which are otherwise sold by each household to the scarp dealer who does not send it for complete recycling. The NGO has tied up with various recycling industry units who then make fresh paper from it again. The philosophy is that every scrap of paper should be recycled through ecofriendly options.

Statistics show that by recycling a tonne of waste paper we can save at least seventeen large trees, seven thousand gallons of water, enough energy to heat or air-condition an average home for six months, besides protecting the green cover to absorb the Green House Gases generated from human activities. Delhi alone consumes twenty thousand metric tonnes of paper and through citizen actions like these; we can help to make our city Green.

Another ecofriendly initiative in this direction is SmritiVan - a park where family members plant saplings as tribute to their departed. At a mere cost of US$ 10, a sapling of your choice can be selected. It is then planted with a stone plaque bearing the name and message of those loved ones whose memory is to be immortalized. Once planted the maintenance is the responsibility of the Municipal Corporation. We can go back to the evergreen whenever we want for strength and solace. Watching them thrive can make memories grow fonder even as the project helps the city become greener and its air cleaner. The idea is to adapt a tree and establish a relationship with it forever. Families draw comfort from seeing the tree flourish and that’s what memories are for. Trees, after all, make unusual but poignant memorials. Presently, around five thousand trees have been planted in the SmritiVan by Delhi residents in the memory of their beloved ones. Indeed a novel Green Idea – To plant a sapling and Grow a Memory.

Going Green – The New Mantra:

India has embarked on “Go Green”- New energy mantra. It has launched as ambitious mission of harnessing sunlight and wind to contribute at least 5% power to the country’s energy basket. The credit for this goes to the awareness campaigns pitched by young environmentalist who would also earn money by savings through carbon credits. I strongly feel that the global venture of trading carbon credits by adopting CMDs is a novel idea. According to economists, a green fiscal stimulus can provide an effective boost to the global slowdown. It will generate increased labour demand in a timely fashion and also build a foundation for a sound sustainable and strong growth in the future.

In view of the ever-rising need of Energy, India has addressed the need of Energy generation through non-conventional measures. In addition to hydro generation, India has forayed into wind and solar power generation as well. In Asansol West Bengal, the country’s biggest solar energy power plant of 100 MW is coming up. In Gujarat, the government has signed an agreement with several companies to provide solar lanterns. The change is also taking place at the community level. Many NGOs, spearheaded by many young environmentalists with a Green mission, are introducing innovative clean technologies. Pollution often disappears when we switch to renewable resources.

“Development Alternatives”- an NGO, handed over a solar power plant to villagers in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi District. This village did not have power supply since the country’s independence and now they have their own ecofriendly solar power plant.

Anticipating the possibility of load shedding in the summer of 2007, young green entrepreneurs in Mumbai embarked on a Save Power Campaign called “I Will and Mumbai Will”. These activities were initiated to educate and motivate the consumers to switch over to CFL lamps which, in partnership with Phillips India, were made available to consumers at discounted rates. Consumers were appealed, through advertisements in Leading Newspapers, to operate their washing machines and other electric gadgets at non-peak hours and set their air-conditioners to 24⁰ C and thus join the Conservation Campaign. This was backed up with Awareness Programmes on Energy Conservation and Electrical Safety held in schools and colleges. Visits of children from schools to thermal power station at Trombay were organized. The contents of all the awareness programmes focused on the need for energy conservation, easy to follow tips on conserving energy and precautions to be taken while using electric gadgets to avoid accidents. Such initiatives were replicated in various states of India and have led to green entrepreneurship.

As they say, Need is the Mother of all Inventions. Fly ash technology is providing relief to the over stressed resource base of soils being mined for the production of fired-bricks. This is demonstrated in the post-tsunami reconstruction project in South India. The massive task of reconstruction after the tsunami had necessitated the requirement of large amounts of high quality building materials in a short span of time; material that would also resist the deteriorating effects of the salt water in coastal regions. Fired bricks, the popular materials for construction have already stressed the scarce resource of available soil. Fly ash, available in plenty as a waste from the thermal power plants, is now rapidly gaining acceptance in producing bricks used for construction of eco friendly houses. The erstwhile waste of the power plants has become a manna for the building industry struggling to seek environment friendly, high quality and affordable alternatives. The use of fly ash block technology has shown a way to reduce the consumption of energy and the use of scarce agricultural soil required for the production of traditional fired bricks and at the same time provides a solution to the environmental hazards of dumping ash as has been the practice of most power plants in India.

The Delhi Government has banned the use of plastic bags by every citizen and has mandated commercial vehicles to use cleaner, greener fuel in Delhi. Presently over one hundred thirty thousand vehicles plying on Delhi roads use CNG as fuel. Garbage has been used as refills at large wasteland sites and these are converted to green parks.

Making IT Green, an initiative of the Indian IT industry, ensures adoption of green technologies and practices including green buildings, green computing infrastructure like energy efficient data centres, power efficient computers, sharing infrastructure, shared data centers and addressing issues like e-waste management.

Making Green happen through IT deploys IT solutions which help firms and businesses become green, including cloud computing, video-conferencing, intelligent transport systems, Web-conferencing, motion and heat detection sensors.

Making Green Warriors encourages over two million employees of the IT-BPO industry to adopt a green life-style and thereby become change agents to create a sustainable impact in the society around themselves through increasing awareness and more importantly changing behaviours.

The Indian IT industry has been at the forefront of many transformational initiatives and I am sure it will play a very important role in creating a more sustainable environment, not only in

India, but also across the increasingly flat world we live in today.

Green credentials are already becoming evaluation criteria and thus creating green solutions will enable firms to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market."

A Green Hope:

The present environmental crisis has a global impact. Regrettably, only in times of crisis, we learn that each one of us is an integral part of the whole. We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. What we do or fail to do have a very real impact on the existence of the Earth as it’s all inter related. Humanity has to change and must grasp the idea of Cosmic Unity in which the body, mind and surroundings all appear as one Entity, only then can we contribute effectively towards promoting a holistic way of life that will help to overcome this present environmental crisis. We have to devise strategies to change and focus on the complete well being so as to avoid a Global Catastrophe.

Muhammad Yanus, noble prize winner 2006, has called for global lifestyle changes to make the world a better place. We should adopt a lifestyle which is consistent with this decision as we cannot continue a lifestyle at the cost of the planet itself. Each generation should take a pledge that they will leave the world safer than they found it as “We did not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrowed it from our children”.

I see a lot of hope in these initiatives undertaken by the young Green Entrepreneurs. I am sure children, on their visit to Amarnath - the Holy Cave Shrine of Lord Shiva, will not be disappointed like me. They will get an opportunity to witness the tall natural ice stalagmite in all its glory and peace.