Sunday, May 24, 2009

Mind Your 'Footprint'

Global warming has transcended debate to a growing reality with most educated people. They are slowly getting exposed to the ominous repercussions; the world is likely to face with this change. A fifth of global wetlands are threatened, up to 300 crore more people will face water shortages, 40 crore more people will be staring at hunger and so on. These facts are widely shared.
What is not so widely shared is that methane (20 times more harmful) and nitrous oxide (300 times more harmful) are the other two major green house gases, in addition to carbon dioxide. But people do know that the single biggest source of carbon emission is burning of fossil fuels, and certain industrial processes.
Yet, most of us consider themselves to be bystanders affected by this new reality, and not the contributors to global warming. We may even get offended if someone were to point out that at least some of our actions may be leading to more global warming and it is possible to be more prudent, without so much coming out of our comfort zones.
Home solutions
Let us take a check, whether we are a part of the solution, or we are a part of the problem.
1. We are being a part of the problem if we unnecessarily lower AC temperatures. Human comfort range is 24 to 28 degree Celsius with light clothing. Likewise, we can comfortably sleep if the temperature is below 27 degrees. There is no basic need to lower AC temperatures below these. Even 2-3 degrees can make a lot of difference to energy consumption. When I was working in a Japanese company, Denso, I saw that one was supposed to switch on Ac only when the room temperature went above 28 degrees.
Most of us counter that they are paying the charges. They do not realize that they are only paying conversion charges, and not the cost of side effects. After all, the electricity for air-conditioning may be coming from burning of fossil fuels, pushing up overall temperatures.
2. Do we switch off appliances, when we are not using? These appliances may be sipping electricity when they are in standby mode. Do we watch and promptly switch off chargers when mobiles, i-phones, etc. are fully charged, instead of leaving them on?

3. If we eat local, in-season agricultural produce then we are a part of the solution. If we have a fascination for exotic fruits and vegetables coming from faraway places, then we are a part of the problem.

4. Likewise, if we prefer bottled water over the one from water purifier at our home, we are being a part of the problem.

5. If we are predominantly vegetarian, we are part of the solution. Beef is especially harmful because cattle belch out methane, which is more harmful, as mentioned earlier.

6. If we prefer and use shower or a bath tub, instead of a bucket and mug bath, we are surely not being a part of the solution. The same goes for a car wash. In Denso, it was a serious offence, if a driver was seen washing a company car with a pipe!

7. If we plant gardens, especially low water consuming plants and trees, we are surely being a part of the solution.

8. If we hang out clothes for drying, instead of tumble drying, we are a part of the solution.
Likewise, if we do not use half filled dishwater or a washing machine, we are a part of the solution.

Travel
9. If we drive to the gym, instead of running, we are being a part of the problem.

10. If we leave the engine or AC idling at traffic lights, we are a part of the problem.

11. If prefer overnight train instead of flight, then we are a part of the solution.

12. If we walk or cycle short distances, we are a part of the solution.

13. If we do weekly or longer shopping in single trips, we are a part of the solution.

Office
14. If we use glasses, instead of plastic cups, then we are part of the solution.

15. If we use double sided printing, we are a part of the solution.

16. If we switch off lights etc. when we can do without them, we are a part of the solution.

17. If we unnecessarily use search engines, when we can do without it by remembering or recording sites, we are a part of the problem.

18. If we wear light clothing reducing the need for more air-conditioning, we are being a part of the solution.

19. More than anything else, if we champion change and spread awareness, we are being a part of the solution.

The underlying idea is that we should endeavour to reduce our ‘carbon footprint’ as a responsible citizen of the world. For those new to this debate, carbon footprint is the sum of greenhouse gas emission directly or indirectly attributable to a person or an entity.

2 comments:

Oswald Pereira said...

Full of very relevant facts that show the catastrophe we may be heading towards if we don't watch our steps and continue to violate the ecological balance. Our environment will be like a hell on earth if we don't take care.

Unknown said...

Very useful information, indeed.
How many of us put these in to practice? Almost all of the `enlightened', well-educated, highly paid Indian middle class seem to be splurging without any concern for itself, the environment, the disadvantaged, and sadly even for the immediate next generation (sons. daughters, and grand children). This denial mode is going to cost us dearly. I visualise with sadness a scene where people after twenty years would be carrying an oxygen mask along with a laptop. Scary. Scary.

S. Gopal
Bangalore