CleanTech.Org

The present day euphoria and emphasis on merely Energy and Carbon footprint, without viewing these two aspects in entirety, would take us to more disasters than contemplated! The world total population of 6.6 billion includes about 4 billion people who are unable to earn more than an average percapita of $150 per annum (at least two billion in these do not earn even $100 per annum per capita). All our attempts are directed toward the "other" 2.6 billion, who form the "real" consumers for all the energy, gadgets, cars, travel and everything else that average humanbeings need.

The question is: How do we develop holistically and sustainably, instead of attempting to look at only one "consumer group"? Further, any attempts to consider the "other group" as merely a market for the "clean-tech" products are fraught with further dangers. This is the very thing that seems to happen at this moment, when we talk of empowering the "other" group. For example, when we support such projects like "Led Lights" for the poor villagers in India/ Kenya etc, we do this without understanding that the targeted villagers would have better meaning if they are also supported with "full time" and sutainable Jobs. These would offer livelihood benefits (more than what the gadgets would offer!). Most projects do not attempt to look at Sustainable development holistically.

This writer and a few associates have teamed up together and are working out a project that would be truly Sustainable and totally inclusive. The said project details may be noted here: http://zerowastezerocarbon.wordpress.com/

We shall be happy to associate with like-mided people all over the world for developing such projects that look at Global Warming and Poverty (GWP) as corollaries. We have estimated a worldwide business of over $4 trillion on GWP business

I’m usually one of the last people to jump on the “let’s name a day” bandwagon, but Blog Action Day for Climate Change was one I could embrace.  Beyond the “sexy factor” of climate change, green, sustainability and the like, is a real need for people to understand what climate change is and why it’s relevant now.

The Environmental Protection Agency defines climate change as ”a change in long-term weather patterns. [Weather patterns] can become warmer or colder. Annual amounts of rainfall or snowfall can increase or decrease.”

Climate change seems to be a normal occurrence, natural even.  But, problems arise with the degree and rate to which our climate changes, resulting in global warming, the greenhouse effect and sea level rising, among other things.

How are we doing?

Climate Change in ºF
(Environmental Protection Agency)

• Average global temperature has increased by almost 1ºF during the past hundred years
• Scientists expect the average global temperature to increase an additional 2ºF to 6ºF over the next one hundred years.
• At the peak of the last ice age (18,000 years ago), the temperature was only 7ºF colder than it is today, and glaciers covered much of North America.

It’s easy to take for granted that the world as we experience it today will remain the same for all of OUR tomorrows, but what about when our children and grandchildren are planning for the future of their families?

What’s happening in California
(California Department of Water Resources)

• Snowpack: By 2050, scientists project a loss of at least 25 percent of the Sierra snowpack, an important source of urban, agricultural and environmental water.

• Floods: An increase in extreme weather will lead to higher winter river flows, runoff and flooding.
  • Runoff water contaminates the water supply by carrying soil contaminants, motor oil and other ground coverings into bays, watersheds and out into the ocean.
• Water Quality: Less fresh water flowing out of the Delta in spring and early summer will allow more salt water to intrude.
  • Salt water is great for soaking, not so great for drinking.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not the doomsday type. I am not ready to go off the grid. I realize that I am very privileged to have a life where water magically flows at the twist of a lever and I can communicate via gadgets galore.

I also realize I have a responsibility to not only do less harm, but to do more good; look at the little things I can do to contribute to making a big difference.

More than 10,000 people from more than 150 countries took one day to blog about climate change in an effort to get your attention.

Want to know what you can do to make a difference?

Following are some resources to get you started.

EPA
Climate Change: What you can do

TUAW
Five Apps to help save the world

Ecology Center
Ecology Center resource page

On Twitter: Follow #BAD09 – @AndaPR – @blogactionday

Dear Sir,
There is an urgent need to combat climate change effectively,
as we are all waiting for a "time bomb" to explode with regard to capping
carbon emissions from fossil fuel.
The rate of daily Global fossil fuel consumptions stand at around 85millions
to 90millions barrel, and the rate of emissions are not decreasing any
time soon. There are daily catastrophic climate change related disasters
all over the World now. From India to Pacific and fire to USA and
Australia and etc etc catastrophic floodings in Filippines.
The Maldives cabinet will be having an underwater parliament soon,
to dramatise the danger and urgency of using lesser fossil fuel.
The IEA www.iea.org is advocating that fuel and energy efficiency
are the major parts of ecosolutions to reduce ghg emissions.
The lesser fossil fuel we burn with lesser with carbon intensity the
lesser the ghg emissions. But, there are more rhetoric forum than
real actions to reduce carbon fuel consumptions.
Policy makers are still sleeping in their bed on the issue of climate
change, although more are aware now. But, the World needs urgent
actions to cap CO2 emissions to 450ppm, and below the threshold
of 2 degree hike in global temperatures.
To all policy makers , please wake up from your sleep and jump
into http://www.infernofuel.com
to reduce carbon fuel consumptions now. The danger maybe,
we are late at the tipping point of no return.That will be
catastrophic and too late. Act now on www.infernofuel.com