Please take a moment to read!

[ssanjinika]

Morning everyone.
The following is an email sent by one of my friends.
We have been discussing about Global warming and how to save
the environment and prevent depletion of our natural resources.
Please take a moment to read the email and try to implement what
ever you can to save our planet.


Real change can happen only if Govt policies
are aligned towards conservation. But, this will never
happen. May be in some Communist state, but not in any
capitalistic market. So, where do we start from. Every
single person? How long would it take?
In many coutries, I think that the people influence
the Govt to make policies (like in India). In terms of
demonstration, popular vote, media etc. So the Govt is
not going to open its eye to conservation as long as
people are protesting oil-price hike. Before we get
into Sridhar;s approach, the ground work needs to be
done at people level. Atleast 35-45% of population
should be aware of Global Warming and its
consequences, so the Govt can start getting into
conservation mode.


Reasons:
Comfort before greed:
Even before greed comes into picture, I would say
'comfort' is the reason. It is for this that humans
are spending more and more money. Not that they are
greedy. Greed is the extreme end. Comfort, is what
every mortal succumbs to. Incuding a puppy, which
likes to sleep on a sofa rather than a floor (knowing
very well that all its previous generations slept on
floor and its co-brothers are still on roads).
How much are we willing to compromise on our comfort
to save the environment? There is a big hue and cry
even at the slighest inconvenience the govt might
expose to them.
e.g. At home: Do we really need bounties? Wouldn't a
piece of cloth do the work. But, we need to wash it
and dry it. Boy, how uncomfortable this is?

So why are Americans living in bigger and bigger
houses and buying bigger cars. Because that's a
comfort they can afford.
yes, at this point, the affordability should be
cut-out.

Cutting affordability:
The trick is to cut it at a level you are
uncomfortable, but would still survive. This applies
to eveything, water, oil, any product using
non-renewable natural resources.

Wastage due to affordability:
In u.k, recently a survey result showed that more than
80% of household has toasters. And half of them never
used it more than once.
If you go take a guided-tour in your house and
identify all the waste products at home, am sure
everyone of us will find 100$ worth of such
products/gadgets.

Cut production:
These factories that use so much bakelite, and
non-renewable resources, should have a high-tax
ceiling. Can this be done?


Rationing:
While thinking about this topic, I remembered the
Indian ration card. I was wondering, if it really was
the idea to distribute food equally to all. So that no
one eats more than the other. or vice-versa? Why
shouldn't this still apply for non-renewable/natual
resources. Like oil, water, wood etc.
OR
Slabs:
or taking it further, introduce the slab system.
This is happening in India, in electricity
consumption.
The first 30 units you pay Re 2
The next 40 units you pay Re 5
The next 100 units you pay Re 10
so on.. This should be applied to all.If the rich wants to use A/C in his house for all
rooms, let him pay 8000Rs per month or more.
Inconvenience his affordability. You wont kill him.

Same should apply for oil and water.

I know, to survive i need x gallons per day per
person.
The rest should be very very expensive.
IN US, i think this is very much implementable.

Same for oil, link your oil consumption to SSN.
If you are using oil just for survival, going to
office etc. They wont get killed. They would still pay
5$ because they are not using public transportation.
But, if you are going on a trip, you would be paying
much more.
So if you are eligible for 50 gallons per month, then
you wont get hurt. But if you need more than that,
then you would haev to shell out much more. Something,
in those lines.
This would trigger lots of working-from-home
scenarios.


What i already do?
1)I take a bag when i go for shopping. (unless of
course, I buy something on my way from office and i
dont have a bag)
2) I walk down to the nearby shops and not take the
bike.
3) I dont go shopping these days. Even if i want to
buy clothes, i think twice if i really need more
clothes.
So, first i need to distribute my old clothes , before
i can think of buying new ones.
4) I recycle all bottles, papers, plastic at home. I
know this guy down my street who goes and sells it to
a factory in Salem. he takes everything he can think
of making money! So, i dont dump any of this is
garbage. Store it at home and give it to him.
5) I fit energy-saving bulbs in my bathroom and we
dont use shower in the bath. So water is used from
bucket and less wastage.

What else?
1) Do we really need F1's
2) Do we really need NASA expeditions to find water in
Moon or whatever in mars. I am against all expeditions
which are not for environment, health reasons.
3) Do we need the movie industry to burn down copters
and fuels for a 2 min adrenalin pump. All such movies
must be fined heavily which will force them to use
graphics. So wasting resources in movie sets



What more to do?
Lots.
1) Spread awareness to many people. You colleagues,
neighbours, parents etc. How do we go about it without
sounding rude.
2) Find out NGO's who are already working on this and
try to see how you can pitch in
3) Get in touch with some movie critic or any media
and write about such wastes happening.
4) Govt can give concession to movies with strong
social/environmental messages.
5) All industry wastes should be re-evaluated and
strict taxes brought in..

What every person can do in everyday life....
1)Have a few bags in the car trunk..so that you can use and reuse them.
2)Switch off all lights/fans when you are not in the room/house and set the temp setting on the AC/Heater to high/low so that it dosent un necessarily go heating /cooling the house when you are not there.
3)Dont throw away extra food/old clothes instead find a homeless person and give it to him.

and many more...

Our planet is an amazing creation.In the vast universe among so many heavenly bodies ours is the only planets where life exists(at least as far as we know) .It is our job to preserve the natural resources and save it for future generations.Callous usage of these resources would lead to the destruction of Earth.Please I urge you to atleast think about this email.

Thanks!

[Sandeep]

REDUCE RECYCLE REUSE.

[ssanjinika]

Well...
When I posted this post I must say I expected more than just 82 views and 1 reply.
Either people are not interested in our environment or plainly the concern over the misuse of natural resources hasnt concerned a lot of people yet.

[Anoushka]

sanjinika,

Here are a few things I do:

Seperate my waste - regular garbage, compostable waste, recylable waste! Some of the recyclable waste will go in my green (recycle) bin, for others I will have to go to the recycling centre, which I do once a month.

All the electrical appliances that I have at home are grade/class A. All my electric bulbs are energy efficient.

All old clothes are given away to the charity guys who leave bags outside homes.

I always have bags in the car so never get plastic bags from shops.

I never waste food!

This is my bit to save mother earth

[ssanjinika]

A Direct consequence of Global Warming

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9255431/

I esp like the last paragraph...

[Sandeep]

Well...
When I posted this post I must say I expected more than just 82 views and 1 reply.
Either people are not interested in our environment or plainly the concern over the misuse of natural resources hasnt concerned a lot of people yet.

No its not because people are not conserned, its because the writting is simply too long (not long considering the danger).

If you had bolden or redden the main message I am sure more people would have responded.