Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost

The Maldives is a stunningly beautiful tropical nation in the Indian Ocean. Most of its 1200 islands are no more than 1m above sea level, yet 80% of its islands will be underwater in 100 years. On Oct 17, 2009, its government held an underwater cabinet meeting to bring world attention to the plight of this nation.

Paradise Lost!

Developed nations like the US and emerging economies like China lead the world in terms of their carbon dioxide emissions, but the impact is felt across the world - even in the tiny and underdeveloped nation of Maldives.

One fifth of the low-lying deltas of Bangladesh frequently experience both river and coastal floods. An increase in atmospheric temperature would increase its precipitation rates and cyclone intensities. The increasing glacier melts of the Himalayas would cause increased river run-offs. A 1m rise in sea level could inundate 18% of its land and 40% of its mangrove forest area would forever vanish along with the 49 species of flora and fauna that it houses.

The phenomena of the melting polar ice sheets would expose darker surfaces, which absorb rather than reflect the sun’s heat, causing further increases in temperature.  The artic Narwhal may soon be a distant memory as its specialized diet and migration paths change. Warmer weather patterns would also increase the spread of vector borne diseases such as malaria. Higher altitudes would become accessible to warm weather insects exposing populations with no previous immunity to such diseases.

The list goes on, with effects on our health, forests, water resources, ecosystems and biodiversity and its impact will last generations more.

A Newsweek article in 1975 claimed the very opposite; that the world was headed towards global cooling from the 1940s, and indeed it was at that time. But the trend reversed from 1979 and we are now rapidly plunging in the other direction.  And the earth does naturally go through periods of cooling and warming, as does the intensity of our solar energy. The difference this time, it seems, is that it is largely man that is madly accelerating these changes.

Irrespective of the trends, there is a very fundamental question we need to address: - Do we not respect the home we live in? Our current knowledge knows of no other biosphere in the universe that can sustain us like Earth can. Planet Earth is our home. Why then are we trying to pull the rug out from under our own feet?

Man as a species, has both shocked and awed the world with his technological advances and knowledge over the ages. Yet, Man has often striven to create and advance such that it benefits his species. In fact he has often tried to promote the interest of his own sub group(s), to the detriment of other humans on earth.

But is Man not the most evolved species, amongst the biodiversity present on this planet? If he had destroyed in the past, he is equally capable of working to sustain and revive from now on. It boils down to awareness that our home planet is a whole entity and is inherently interlinked. It is ignorance to think that depletion of the Amazon rainforests will not impact outside of South America. It is equally naive to think that the rapid and uncontrolled expansion of cities like Las Vegas, will not affect the biodiversity of the Grand Canyon.

Global awareness is setting in, and that’s an important first-step. From the perspective of a nation, economics, profit and convenience often sway decisions detrimental to constructive logic. But this just serves as blinders that constrict our foresight. Such a narrow vision may have unparalleled short-term benefits, but it places too great a burden on the shoulders of future generations. Indeed it is these very nations that have the resources to help stem and reverse the tide.

Shifts in awareness needs to translate into real action. Governments can do much by imposing laws and regulations. The success of conservation efforts depend on sound public policies that back them up. At the national level, it is in efforts such as wetlands and forest management, pollution control and monitoring of oceans, rivers and lakes, encouraging sustainable agricultural practices, and programs that conserve biodiversity.

On average, 8% of the gas-fuel in the US, is the biofuel ethanol, thanks to federal and state regulations and incentives towards clean air standards. Brazil, the second largest producer of ethanol, recognized its potential early on - in the 1970s itself, and invested heavily in this renewable, alternative sugarcane-based biofuel.  The US is currently the largest producer of corn-based ethanol. It is however argued by some environmentalists that sugarcane based ethanol is more efficient and more environment friendly. And there are concerns that large scale ethanol production would lead to lopsided agricultural practices as farmers would prefer to grow government subsidized corn at the expense of other much needed food crops. It may even promote deforestation as the demand for ethanol rises, especially in South America where there are large areas of unfarmed land.

Global cooperation is essential such as the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol in which 37 industrialized countries and the European community gave commitments to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol has in fact created a new tradable commodity – “the carbon market,” which allows countries to trade their unused carbon emissions with others who have exceeded their quotas.

However, unless the need is felt at the individual level, laws will mean little, especially in a democracy, which is for the people and by the people. We have spent decades enjoying the benefits of our progress, which has often been at the expense of earth’s environment somewhere, sometime.  Why we’ve even managed to clutter up earth’s atmosphere with space debris from pieces of inactive satellite hardware. It’s gotten really crowded up there in a matter of decades, from the time Sputnik was launched back in 1957.    

Social responsibility has to become a factor for business as well. Why do we need a dozen different chargers in our homes, one for each device that we have? And when a device no longer works or is outdated, its perfectly working charger has to be discarded as well, clogging our landfills. Surely a standards based common charger would reduce the clutter of wires in our homes and therefore mean less clutter in our environment as well. The European Union has already agreed to a one-size-fits-all cell phone charger by Jan 2010.

Going green does not have to mean dragging bottom-lines. The photovoltaic solar panels on the rooftop of Google Inc. in Mountain View, California, produce 1.6MW of electricity. That’s enough energy to power 1000 California homes. Excess power from such measures, can be funneled back into the grid, reducing the need for electricity generation through traditional methods.  In addition to the obvious cost benefits, it provides the company in the long run; it elevates the perception of that business in the eyes of the consumer. Such positive publicity is priceless for any business.  And as more businesses start going green, the cost of going green will reduce for the individual through economies of scale, making it a reality for all.

Individuals can well make the difference in the operation of businesses. Businesses after all, operate on the premise of supply and demand. If the consumer perception and thus demand shifts towards sustainable products, the supply too will follow suit. Business are not some gray indefinable corporate entities. Businesses are run by individuals. Individuals operate as both the producer and consumer of goods in our society.  If the value-system of the individuals change, so will the output of these same businesses. All it takes is a seeming inconsequential action like the use of native plants in one’s yard, which require far less or no watering than just the traditional perfectly manicured lawns. It could be something as simple as limiting the use of paper or monitoring light usage or the types of bulbs used. Or recycling just so all your garbage does not end up in clogged landfills. A single drop of snow is all it takes to start an avalanche.

So used to comforts are we, that its difficult to make that shift in perception. A toy with simpler packing does not reduce its use or functionality in any way. Is the momentary joy of ripping through layers of complex packaging really worth the space it takes up permanently in our landfills? Packaging materials like plastics are not biodegradable. In addition, they may leech out chemicals, which will find its way into our groundwater and therefore into our drinking water supplies.

All said and done, the runaway commercialization and prosperity of developed nations, is bound to influence other lesser-developed nations. In order to attain the lifestyle example set by the developed nations, they emulate the methods to attain them - ironically this example too, was set by the very same developed nations. The result is rampant exploitation of natural resources even in those countries, especially in the burning of fossil fuels, all in an effort to catch up.  

The human race has over time immersed itself in a pattern of instant gratification and instant results.  The effects of conservation on the other hand may take decades or even generations to have noticeable effects.  It can take upto a hundred years for greenhouse gases like Carbon Dioxide to disperse in the atmosphere. So even if we stopped or reduced our carbon footprint now, it will continue to affect our planet for many many generations.

Is it really that hard for an individual or society to think of such a long-term global view? History shows us otherwise. The founding fathers framed the US Constitution such that it has survived unscathed 200 years later. And we continue to admire and be inspired by its basic principles. Our democracy is a model for people of countless other countries. All it took was a few brilliant minds with a really long-term vision.  Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luthur King Jr, are further examples in more recent history. Their vision was then translated into action by the belief and effort of every citizen to make it the success that it is.

The human mind is highly tuned, intelligent and capable. There is nothing that the human race can’t do, once we set ourselves on that path. In the short term there may be skirmishes and disagreements on what the exact path is. But the momentum has been set in motion and its only going to pick up speed and intensity.

We are not just mere citizens of a single country; we need to be proud citizens of Planet Earth. Man living in harmony with his biosphere can be nothing but a win-win situation for all.  

Earth In Peril

Our earth so wondrous when viewed from space
A glowing vibrant globe of blue and much more
With nourishing waters, forests and landforms manifold
A heritage worth preserving for generations more

Yet man of all species is destroying this earth
Enjoying its fruits with thought only for the present
Subjugate and destroy other species that stand in his way
Not to mention the domination he tries on other human races

Pollution justified in the name called progress
Exploitation of earth’s resources, second nature to man
Realizing not the limit, planet earth can take
Diseases and resulting problems rising by the day

Renew and recycle should be the motto of today
Conservation of resources the need of the day
Natural and organic, innately the better way
Change can be felt through all our own small ways.

Change in individual attitudes can lead to global change.
An avalanche starts with a single drop of snow
Change in our lifestyles to a simpler way of life
Green consciousness starts with the single mind

From one to many the change soon spreads
Society working toward collective consciousness
Harmony with nature, crucial to man’s survival
Lets help our planet Earth, precariously in peril.

Sources

1.BBC News South Asia Edition. 7/28/2004 - “Paradise soon to be lost” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3930765.stm
2.CBS World News, 10/17/2009 “Maldives Cabinet meet on Seafloor”
3.Dept of Energy estimates of CO2 emissions from all sources of fossil fuel burning and consumption. www.ucsusa.org/global_warming
4.Agarwal S, et al – 2003 Devt and Climate Change in Bangladesh. Focus on Coastal Flooding. Environmental Directorate Dev Cooperation Directorate, Working Party on Global and Structural Policies. OCDE
5.Newsweek, 4/ 28/1975. “The Cooling World”
6.Los Angeles Times, 11/7/ 2009 “Brazil raises cane over US ethanol tariff”
7.UNFCC – The Kyoto Protocol www.unfcc.int/Kyoto_protocol/mechanisms
8.European Space Agency – “Evolution of Space Debris” http://www.esa.int/esaMI/ESOC/SEMN2VM5NDF_mg_1.html
9.CNN 6/ 29/2009 - Europe gets universal cell phone charger www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/ptech/06/29/cellphones.universal.charger/index.html
10.Official Google Blog – An official tour of the Google Campus. googleblog.blogspot.com
11.National Geographic – Environment http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment