Climate Change and I
-Shashi Sharma
Consider:
i)Planet Earth is hugely Carbon-Constrained – Our rate of emission of Carbon Dioxide is higher than the Planet can absorb and process.
ii) 2005 has been the warmest year yet
iii) The warmest 10 years came about after 1980
iv) 50%+ of all Fossil Fuel has been burnt after World War II
v)Freak Weather Patterns are becoming more unpredictable, frequent and manifest with greater virulence/force
vi)Scientists have established that the climatic changes we are experiencing are a result of the Planet warming up by roughly 1 degree Fahrenheit.
vii)50+ of the Global Fortune 500 Companies are convinced that Global Warming/Climate Change is not in the interest of society at large. In response they have started taking steps to
reduce not only their own carbon emissions but also started improving the Products that they put into the market
WHAT WE ARE THROWING AT NATURE 24X7 IS ENVIRONMENTALLY UNSUSTAINABLE – NATURAL SYSTEMS CANNOT HANDLE THE CARBON DIOXIDE AND WASTE THAT WE ARE GENERATING.
IN THE CASE OF THE HUMAN BODY, NATURE IS UNABLE TO HANDLE THE EXCESS WASTE AND TOXICITY.
Have I, as an Individual
i)Processed all that information?
ii)Do I believe that Climate Change is here and is affecting all of us - not just lifestyles but our livelihood?
iii)The Ganges which is considered sacred, is among the worst polluted rivers in the world. But it touches the lives of 600 million+ Indians. That is 50%+ of our Population. It also touches
over 50% of India’s Land under agriculture………..the area that has been called blessed and our ‘Food Bowl’
iv) Trees in Catchment area in Uttrakhand have been disappearing, landslides have increased, Population in towns on riverside has increased and not only more dwellings and business establishments
come up each year, they generate more human and other waste into the river…..So have the Polluting Industries in Riverside towns which discharge pollutants into the river 24x7.
SITUATION WE FACE IS SERIOUS AND EACH OF US HAS A ROLE IN DEALING WITH THE SITUATION. SHARE WITH THE IWC COMMUNITY WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO REDUCE YOUR OWN CARBON FOOTPRINT.
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