shailendra tiwari

A new deal like this is essential as realignment of the world’s global infrastructure is not something that individuals or small companies can do alone .. it is in ( our ) government’s interests to nurture green companies so that the community can transit over to green technologies .

This is surely the time to establish which jobs ( threatened in an economic crisis that is probably only precursor to the danger that SME’s will be in , as oil becomes increasingly scarce and carbon tax costs chew into profitability ) are really worth saving and how those people , who’s jobs are threatened , might be retrained to work in the green sector .

Massive investment in transport infrastructures , alternatives to fossil fuel dependent processes and an IP protection environment that encourages innovation into working practices , new green technologies and un-thought of ideas , fast tracks these techs to the fore .. against established competition whose products might serve an outdated purpose that cannot fit in with the very real need to hold sea levels in check .

Continued research and , in the near term , Development of any product that addresses domestic or industrial carbon footprint is costly . our wide community may need to invest collectively , via governmental new deal , to bring these products forward , quick time.

It is been a happy Diwali time for automobile manufacturers in India. As per market reports Maruthi has sold about 12000 cars in this Diwali. Taking Maruthi’s market share of 60%, all others put together must have sold another 8000 cars in the last two days. They have every reason to enjoy and celebrate on this occasion.

As a human being, who has acquired an automobile it is a sense of achievement and satisfaction .He no longer has to depend on public transport to go to their office or for shopping or any other needs which requires transportation. Another reason for buying a vehicle could be one more vehicle for the use of family members or it could be up gradation from an economy model to luxury model. Human needs are varied and there is a product matching to their need in this materialistic world. With so many automobile manufacturers, it is no different in cars or two wheelers.

Let us work out some impact of these vehicles to our environment. On an average, length of a car is 4 meter and width is of 2 meter. Just in Diwali sales of 20000 of cars, it has occupied whopping 80 km in length and area of 40 acre of earth. 20000 cars would occupy one lane of road on both directions from Bangalore to Hosur. By adding these vehicles we are putting additional land for the use of vehicle for transportation and parking. This illustration is only for the 20000 cars. Sales of two wheeler, heavy duty vehicles, and buses on these days are not taken into account. Vehicle already on the road are not taken into account.

From where do we get land for driving and parking these vehicles? It is from the mother earth, where else do we go. We encroach on agricultural land, tank beds, water bodies, forestry, etc. By converting agricultural land, we reduce production of food grains and food prices are soaring. Occupying tank beds and water bodies, we reduce availability of water for us to survive and what ever little water we get is polluted. Deforestation will endanger wild animals and birds, climate change, scanty rain, land erosion, glacier melting. Building roads by asphalting and concreting, we make it impossible for earth to absorb rain water, instead it flows to drainage and into sea which is of no use to human being.

Vehicles are made of metal and plastic parts. Manufacturing of ferrous and non-ferrous components are highly power intensive. Power is generated by thermal and nuclear plants which are polluting in nature and add to global warming. Hydro generation plant causes flash floods and displacement of human and wild life settlement permanently. Plastics are not biodegradable again it causes irreparable damage to our environment and food production.

We use petrol and diesel to run vehicle again these fuels are derived from crude oil from earth. Exhaust from vehicle is the major contributor to climate change, pollution and global warming. They are also detrimental to our health. We breathe polluted air to survive.

By having a vehicle, we tend to use even for a short distance against walking or cycling. By doing so, we lose opportunity of exercise. We use own vehicle over public transport system even when public transport system is good enough for the activity.

In order to satisfy our need, desire and greed we exploit mother nature and earth blatantly .Mind you, if our exploitation becomes unbearable, they also show it in terms of natural calamities such as Tsunami, Flash flood, Forest fire, Earth quake, Climate change, Deprived rain, Unusual summer, pandemic, etc.

What do we do? As a concerned citizen, we must take informed decision rather than a casual approach. If we are greedy, then we tend to use more of natural resources. Avoid greed. We should not forget that we survive in this world only because of mother earth. It gives us air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat without which we won’t survive even for a second. We must also educate our younger ones these values, so that they become concerned citizens and act responsibly in future. Try vehicle pooling to reduce pollution and traffic congestion. Short distance, do cycling or walking. It is good for health. Use public transport system as far as possible. Use fuel efficient vehicle to reduce dependence on oil and to reduce pollution. Be concerned for fellow human beings, environment and surrounding.

As regard to government, they should improve on public transport system in terms of number and quality. Better infrastructure to be provided. Awareness campaign on environment and transportation so that people are well informed and act responsibly. Rather than tackling natural calamities as and when it happens, government should take preventive action well before a calamity. If we analysis these calamities scientifically, then it points to nothing but these are man made disasters where we exploit our environment and surrounding to the core.

Ask vehicle manufacturers to make fuel efficient vehicles.

We know these are challenging decisions we have to take. Initially it would be difficult for us to adjust. It is worth doing to save our planet and our future generation.

We have solution from within to solve every problem. If we do not act now, then there is no hope for the future.

As storage of electricity is possible in liquid form like bio-methanol for fuel cells. Small power-stations can be run with such backup, peak shaving systems at maximum efficiency all the time, with enough downtime to keep the system in optimum condition. As maintenance and continues operation is often a problem, such systems can be build a lot cheaper. DG has a more advantages and can save a lot on infrastructural works.

(*) http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/espana/reports/trabajando-por-el-clima.pdf