What can I do to help fight global warming?

There are many simple steps you can take right now to cut global warming pollution. Make conserving energy a part of your daily routine. Each time you choose a compact fluorescent light bulb over an incandescent bulb, for example, you'll lower your energy bill and keep nearly 700 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air over the bulb's lifetime. By opting for a refrigerator with the Energy Star label -- indicating it uses at least 15 percent less energy than the federal requirement -- over a less energy-efficient model, you can reduce carbon dioxide pollution by nearly a ton in total. Join NRDC in our campaign against global warming.

How can we cut car pollution?

Cost-effective technologies to reduce global warming pollution from cars and light trucks of all sizes are available now. There is no reason to wait and hope that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will solve the problem in the future. Hybrid gas-electric engines can cut global warming pollution by one-third or more today; hybrid sedans, SUVs and trucks from several automakers are already on the market.

But automakers should be doing a lot more: They've used a legal loophole to make SUVs far less fuel efficient than they could be; the popularity of these vehicles has generated a 20 percent increase in transportation-related carbon dioxide pollution since the early 1990s. Closing this loophole and requiring SUVs, minivans and pick-up trucks to be as efficient as cars would cut 120 million tons of carbon dioxide pollution a year by 2010. If automakers used the technology they have right now to raise fuel economy standards for new cars and light trucks to a combined 40 m.p.g., carbon dioxide pollution would eventually drop by more than 650 million tons per year as these vehicles replaced older models.

Is it possible to cut power plant pollution and still have enough electricity?

Yes. First, we must use more efficient appliances and equipment in our homes and offices to reduce our electricity needs. We can also phase out the decades-old, coal-burning power plants that generate most of our electricity and replace them with cleaner plants. And we can increase our use of renewable energy sources such as wind and sun. Some states are moving in this direction: California has required its largest utilities to get 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2017, and New York has pledged to compel power companies to provide 25 percent of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2013.

Do we need new laws requiring industry to cut emissions of global warming pollution?

Yes. The Bush administration has supported only voluntary reduction programs, but these have failed to stop the growth of emissions. Even leaders of major corporations, including companies such as DuPont, Alcoa and General Electric, agree that it's time for the federal government to create strong laws to cut global warming pollution. Public and political support for solutions has never been stronger. Congress is now considering fresh proposals to cap emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping pollutants from America's largest sources -- power plants, industrial facilities and transportation fuels.

Stricter efficiency requirements for electric appliances will also help reduce pollution. One example is the 30 percent tighter standard now in place for home central air conditioners and heat pumps, a Clinton-era achievement that will prevent the emission of 51 million metric tons of carbon -- the equivalent of taking 34 million cars off the road for one year. The new rule survived a Bush administration effort to weaken it when, in January 2004, a federal court sided with an NRDC-led coalition and reversed the administration's rollback.

Why aren't these technologies more commonplace now?

Because, while the technologies exist, the corporate and political will to put them into widespread use does not. Many companies in the automobile and energy industries put pressure on the White House and Congress to halt or delay new laws or regulations -- or even to stop enforcing existing rules -- that would drive such changes. From requiring catalytic converters to improving gas mileage, car companies have fought even the smallest measure to protect public health and the environment. If progress is to be made, the American people will have to demand it.

How can we cut global warming pollution?

It's simple: By reducing pollution from vehicles and power plants. Right away, we should put existing technologies for building cleaner cars and more modern electricity generators into widespread use. We can increase our reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind, sun and geothermal. And we can manufacture more efficient appliances and conserve energy.

What country is the largest source of global warming pollution?

The United States. Though Americans make up just 4 percent of the world's population, we produce 25 percent of the carbon dioxide pollution from fossil-fuel burning -- by far the largest share of any country. In fact, the United States emits more carbon dioxide than China, India and Japan, combined. Clearly America ought to take a leadership role in solving the problem. And as the world's top developer of new technologies, we are well positioned to do so -- we already have the know-how.

Could global warming trigger a sudden catastrophe

Recently, researchers -- and even the U.S. Defense Department -- have investigated the possibility of abrupt climate change, in which gradual global warming triggers a sudden shift in the earth's climate, causing parts of the world to dramatically heat up or cool down in the span of a few years.

In February 2004, consultants to the Pentagon released a report laying out the possible impacts of abrupt climate change on national security. In a worst-case scenario, the study concluded, global warming could make large areas of the world uninhabitable and cause massive food and water shortages, sparking widespread migrations and war.

While this prospect remains highly speculative, many of global warming's effects are already being observed -- and felt. And the idea that such extreme change is possible underscores the urgent need to start cutting global warming pollution.

Is there really cause for serious concern?

Yes. Global warming is a complex phenomenon, and its full-scale impacts are hard to predict far in advance. But each year scientists learn more about how global warming is affecting the planet, and many agree that certain consequences are likely to occur if current trends continue. Among these:

Melting glaciers, early snowmelt and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages in the American West.

Rising sea levels will lead to coastal flooding on the Eastern seaboard, in Florida, and in other areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico.

Warmer sea surface temperatures will fuel more intense hurricanes in the southeastern Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

Forests, farms and cities will face troublesome new pests and more mosquito-borne diseases.

Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine meadows could drive many plant and animal species to extinction.

Is global warming making hurricanes worse?

Global warming doesn't create hurricanes, but it does make them stronger and more dangerous. Because the ocean is getting warmer, tropical storms can pick up more energy and become more powerful. So global warming could turn, say, a category 3 storm into a much more dangerous category 4 storm. In fact, scientists have found that the destructive potential of hurricanes has greatly increased along with ocean temperature over the past 35 years.

Are warmer temperatures causing bad things to happen?

Global warming is already causing damage in many parts of the United States. In 2002, Colorado, Arizona and Oregon endured their worst wildfire seasons ever. The same year, drought created severe dust storms in Montana, Colorado and Kansas, and floods caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in Texas, Montana and North Dakota. Since the early 1950s, snow accumulation has declined 60 percent and winter seasons have shortened in some areas of the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington.

Of course, the impacts of global warming are not limited to the United States. In 2003, extreme heat waves caused more than 20,000 deaths in Europe and more than 1,500 deaths in India. And in what scientists regard as an alarming sign of events to come, the area of the Arctic's perennial polar ice cap is declining at the rate of 9 percent per decade.

Is the earth really getting hotter?

Yes. Although local temperatures fluctuate naturally, over the past 50 years the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. And experts think the trend is accelerating: the 10 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1990. Scientists say that unless we curb global warming emissions, average U.S. temperatures could be 3 to 9 degrees higher by the end of the century.

What causes global warming?

Carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up. Coal-burning power plants are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide pollution -- they produce 2.5 billion tons every year. Automobiles, the second largest source, create nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually.

Here's the good news: technologies exist today to make cars that run cleaner and burn less gas, modernize power plants and generate electricity from nonpolluting sources, and cut our electricity use through energy efficiency. The challenge is to be sure these solutions are put to use.

posted by N

GLOBAL DIMMING

Global dimming is the gradual reduction in the amount of global direct irradiance at the Earth's surface that was observed for several decades after the start of systematic measurements in 1950s. It is thought to have been caused by an increase in particulates such as sulfur aerosols in the atmosphere due to human action. The effect varies by location, but worldwide it has been estimated to be of the order of a 4% reduction over the three decades from 1960–1990. The trend reversed during the past decade. Global dimming has interfered with the hydrological cycle by reducing evaporation and may have caused droughts in some areas. Global dimming also creates a cooling effect that may have partially masked the effect of greenhouse gases on global warming.
Ozone depletion, the steady decline in the total amount of ozone in Earth's stratosphere, is frequently cited in relation to global warming. Although there are areas of linkage, the relationship between the two is not strong.

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Existence of the greenhouse effect as such is not disputed. Naturally occurring greenhouse gases have a mean warming effect of about 33 °C (59 °F), without which Earth would be uninhabitable. The debate centers on how the strength of the greenhouse effect is changed when human activity increases the atmospheric concentrations of some greenhouse gases.

On Earth, the major greenhouse gases are water vapor, which causes about 36–70% of the greenhouse effect (not including clouds); carbon dioxide (CO2), which causes 9–26%; methane (CH4), which causes 4–9%; and ozone, which causes 3–7%. Some other naturally occurring gases contribute very small fractions of the greenhouse effect; one of these, nitrous oxide (N2O), is increasing in concentration owing to human activity such as agriculture. The atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and CH4 have increased by 31% and 149% respectively above preindustrial levels since 1750. These levels are considerably higher than at any time during the last 650,000 years, the period for which reliable data has been extracted from ice cores. From less direct geological evidence it is believed that CO2 values this high were last attained 20 million years ago. Fossil fuel burning has produced about three-quarters of the increase in CO2 from human activity over the past 20 years. Most of the rest is due to land-use change, in particular deforestation.

Cure For Global Warming

After years of debate, consensus among most of the world's scientists holds that we are warming the planet. Unless we take steps now to curb global warming, our way of life, our planet, and our children are all in grave danger. There is hope. Each us can make simple decisions that will reduce global warming pollution. The Sierra Club is working with churches, labor unions, mayors and state governments to bring about a cleaner, smarter energy future.
I hope that I can be forgiven for feeling like a bystander in the national debate on global warming. As I try to sift through the news coming out of Washington, the problem seems to pose a high environmental as well as economic danger.

Climate change, a common concern

AS we commemorate anoth¬er World Environment Day, there is little doubt that cli¬mate change is a reality that calls for urgent, collective action. Evolving and accepting a global framework to arrest the emission of greenhouse gases is the challenge that leaders face. The issue is as contentious as ever. America's traditional hostility to the Kyoto protocol is well known. President George Bush has now pro¬posed, however, that the 15 most polluting countries, including the US, China and India, agree to a tar¬get to reduce greenhouse gases by 2008. Bush sees the talks as even¬tually leading to a framework that may replace the 1997 Kyoto Proto¬col, which expires in 2012.
European countries, which have always seen themselves as being on the frontline of the fight against global warming, are none too impressed with what they see as vague proposals. Since the talks will be US-led, some, like the Ger¬man environment minister, have gonesofarastosuggestthatthe US is merely hijacking the process without any serious intentions to
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put in place a tough regime. The US never ratified the Kyoto Protocol, which also exempts developing countries. There will now be increasing pressure on countries like India, China and Brazil to join a new protocol.
Developing countries have always argued that their efforts cannot be proscribed by the environmental concerns of developed countries, who have done the bulk of their polluting in the early stages and would like now to pull back. Indi¬an officials have already indicated their wariness of any cap on emis¬sions, which could affect develop¬ment plans and poverty alleviation. But an emissions target that takes into account all concerns and ensures a fair outcome for all par¬ties needs to be attempted in light earnest. India has its own share of urgent environmental concerns that need to be addressed if our air, soil and waterways are to be kept healthy. And while the state should do its part, a World Environment Day is nothing if not an opportuni¬ty for all of us to reflect on our own practices and excesses.

Climate change: due to pollution

Climate change, a common concern
AS we commemorate another World Environment Day, there is little doubt that climate change is a reality that calls for urgent, collective action. Evolving and accepting a global framework to arrest the emission of greenhouse gases is the challenge that leaders face. The issue is as contentious as ever. America's traditional hostility to the Kyoto protocol is well known. President George Bush has now proposed, however, that the 15 most polluting countries, including the US, China and India, agree to a target to reduce greenhouse gases by 2008. Bush sees the talks as eventually leading to a framework that may replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
European countries, which have always seen themselves as being on the front line of the fight against global warming, are none too impressed with what they see as vague proposals. Since the talks will be US-led, some, like the German environment minister, have gone so far as to suggest that the US is merely hijacking the process without any serious intentions to

put in place a tough regime. The US never ratified the Kyoto Protocol, which also exempts developing countries. There will now be increasing pressure on countries like India, China and Brazil to join a new protocol.
Developing countries have always argued that their efforts cannot be proscribed by the environmental concerns of developed countries, who have done the bulk of their polluting in the early stages and would like now to pull back. Indian officials have already indicated their wariness of any cap on emissions, which could affect development plans and poverty alleviation. But an emissions target that takes into account all concerns and ensures a fair outcome for all par¬ties needs to be attempted in light earnest. India has its own share of urgent environmental concerns that need to be addressed if our air, soil and waterways are to be kept healthy. And while the state should do its part, a World Environment Day is nothing if not an opportunity for all of us to reflect on our own practices and excesses.

Melting: icecaps

EACH year, on 5th June, World Environment Day provides an opportunity for communities and governments around the world to reflect on the essential role that the environment plays in our daily lives and our plans for the future. This event is one of the principal vehicles through which" the United [Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.
Global wanning has emerged as one of (he most important environmental issues ever 10 confront humanity. This Concern arises from the fact that our everyday activities may be leading to changes in the earth's atmosphere that have the potential to significantly alter the planet's heat and radiation balance. It could lead to a warmer climate in the next century and there-after, portending a potpourri of possible effects - mast I y adverse. The theme for this World Environment Day is aimed at these concerns and The World Environment Day slogan selected for 2007 is Melting Ice a Hot Topic? In support of International Polar Year.

the WED theme focuses on the effects that climate change is having on polar ecosystems and communities, and (he ensuing consequences around the world . The Earth has warmed by approximately 0.75 ^C since pre industrial times. There is overwhelming consensus that this is due to emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), from burning fossil fuels. Warming in this century is projected to be between 1.4 and 5-8 °C.
Until recently, such talk seemed the prattle of doom sayers. No longer. The devastating impact of melting snows, rising seas and drying rivers is virtually upon us. With¬in the lifetime of many of us. The ganga could be a pale shadow of its current glory; shoreline cities and towns, including Mumbai, could be compelled to build dykes to keep out the invading seas; agricultural yield in the.fecund Gang plains could become insufficient to feed our billion-plus population. That is unless we act now.
Here's how Hie disaster scenario could pan out. As temperatures rise, glaciers will melt faster and receive

less snowfall. Snowfall in the upper reaches of the glacier adds weight on top, and Hie pace of melt at its mouth creates a delicate balance, keeping the ice mass in place. When this balance is upset, the- glacier either recedes or comes forward dramatically or simply bursts. Any which way, it's a calamity.
At one level, accelerated glacial melt will initially cause excess dis¬charge of water in the rivers. A study has been done on the behaviour of 100 Himalayan Rivers. As an illustration, let take the Ganga at Uttar kashi,the river level is expected to rise 20-30% within the first two decades and then gradually recede to 50% of its original level over the next decade, signaling that the river is drying up.
Glaciers cover, nearly 38,000 sq km of the Himalayan Mountains, which, in turn, accounts for 800 cubic km of water flow annually. This nurtures the great Indian civilization, as we know it. Many of Himalayan glaciers, including Gangotri are shriveling up in varying degrees. The Pindari glacier is receding by 23 meters a year, Bara Shigri by 36 meters a year,Dokriani by 18 meters. Meola by 35 meters, Sonapani by 17 meters, Milam by 13 meters, Zemu by 28 meters to name just a few. Cumulatively, this melt, could change (he way. we know our world. If global warming isn't arrested, rivers will first flood and then dry up; seas will rise and fer¬tile lands will lurn barren.
Due to the rising seas, we have already lost 31 sq km of the Sagar Islands in the Sunderbans. a world heritage .site, as well as four smaller islands, rendering 6,000 families homeless, if the trend is not checked, another'15% of the area's hospitable land will be under sea by 2020, displacing 30.000 families. Actually by 2020, the disaster area will not be limited to far-Hung, tow-lying areas like the Sunderbans. ft will be much closer to us, say, in Mumbai or Panaji, Kochi, Chennai, Vizag, Puri, Kolkata in fact, all along India's 7,600-km coastline where 20% of the country's population lives.
Climate change is projected to impinge on ustmnuble development of countries like India as it compounds the pressures on nat.

Growth: changing dimensions: reason global warming

The climate change scenario in India is much worse than it looks. The inequity of climate change is writ large everywhere. ,iM. The only glacier that feeds our seven rivers will flood India's waterways for the next 40 years and then will dry up completely. So our grandcliildren will have no fresh water and face severe drought con¬ditions within half a lifetime.
Yet, the action we are taking is nothing more than making a few movies and engag¬ing in symbolic acts. It js an, irony that while the world has been polluted by the . rich industrialised North, the real sufferers of climate change will be the poor of the East and inhabitants of Africa.
The developing countries are being criti¬cised today for being unmindful oT envi¬ronmental damage caused by high growth economies like India, China and Brazil. Whilst there can be no mercy for any kind, of environmental pollution North coun-tricrirave to-Terslisirttiat developing coun- ~ tries have a right to grow and that it is only fair that the North meets the costs of the South's gsowth, at least upto a take-off stage. In fact, it was this moral compulsion that brought in the concept of carbon cred¬its. But over the years the price of these carbon credits has reduced so much that they have lost their shine.
There are already 25 million climate refugees displaced by climate-induced dis¬asters such as those in the Papua New Gumean Carteret Islands. They have been forced to relocate because of the rising ocean level. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in'the world. 259 km of river delta islands near the Bay of Bengal have vanished in the last 30 years.
The strategy, therefore, to deal with cli¬mate change, is going to be different for poor countries. While carbon tax, finan¬cial incentives and increased insurance premia can force people to go green in developed countries, the grim poverty of Asia and Africa calls for an integrated action plan, where the North implements

the "polluter-pays" principle and pro-vides scientific and technological know-how, as well as infrastaictural support, ancHransfer of technology to the South to bring it to a level playing field.
The environmental footprint of the poor is a fraction of their rich counterparts. Creat¬ing wealth through unbridled consumerism and proliferation of products that create unneeded wants can be disastrous for the ecology. India's ecological footprint i.e. the natural material used per person per year, is one twelfth of US and Europe.
If the rapid rate at which the develop¬ing economies are growing translates itself into consumerism, our mission of the bridging the gap is going to result in
Climate change calls for
an approach designed
to reduce the human
footprint on the planet by making a 180-degree
shift in lifestyles
an ecological catastrophe. We therefore need to change our growth model and move our economy from ah acquisitiona! mode to an 'experiential' mode.
We have to find ways to dematerialise products and opt for minimalist designs. India will thus have an even more legiti¬mate right to demand from the North, credits for saving the environment by adopting a dematerialised, low carbon, experiential model of growth.
Just as it is real that climate has changed diie to human activity, humans have the power and technology to reverse the dam¬age. For this to happen business has to be brought to the forefront of the climate •change agenda. Our focus has to be on 'galvanising businesses for a robust response to climate change in a way that opens new vistas of growth and develop¬ment, advancing human happiness.

The 8th Environment Conference in Palampur brought to the fore an eleven point plan called PROACTIVATE. The acronym denotes the action required for regeneration of the planet. It calls upon businesses to Price natural capital; Radical¬ly increase energy efficiency; Opt for mini¬malist lifestyles that emphasise the value of experience as opposed to acquisition; Adopt zero waste and closed loop systems; Cap-ture CO2 through forestation; Turn to renewables; Invest in green issues; Vigor¬ously pursue market mechanism to punish polluters; Activate women and children.to drive the change; Train staff to eco-inno-vate and focus on Execution by example rather than exhortation.
Climate change calls for a holistic approach designed to reduce the human footprint on the.planet by committing to make a 180 degree shift in lifestyles. It challenges our current paradigms of wealth and prosperity. Who would prefer to be a billionaire with a parched throat in the arid world of 2050? .
It is time we started recognising the price of natural capital - of greenery," rivers, mountains, oceans and glaciers and moved our natural assets way above the financial capital in the balance . sheets. The pendulum of asset valuation has moved beyond tangibles. People have begun to question the very purpose of work and wealth creation.
In 1930 John Maymml Keynes imag-ined that richer societies would become more leisured ones, liberated from toil to enjoy the finer things in life. Yet, most people today work harder, have less leisure and less happiness.
In'1927, Mahaima Gandhi wrote in Yoimg India: "A time is coming when those who are in the mad rush today of multiplying their wants, vainly thinking that they add to the real substance, real knowledge of the world, will retrace their .steps and say: 'What have we done?"'
After 80 years, these words ring true.
The writer is President, World Council for Corporate Governance, UK and WorldEnvi-ronmentFoundation. f?K+.r

Dying earth

ENVIRONMENT, literally, means everything that surrounds us and it com¬prises all living and non-living things that exist naturafly on Earth or some part of it. This may include the Mother Nature, plants, animals and also the people around us. All living organ¬isms- microbes, plants, animals, humans- have survived by adjusting themselves to the environment and attuning their lives to its rhythm.
Our planet is shared by 6.4 billion people and millions of species, The wide variety of life on earth is called biodiversity. We share the planet earth with plants and trees, flowers, insects, fish, whales and many other animals. Each species of animals or plants has its place on Earth, and each one is dependent on others.
But with the advancement and modernization of the world, there is a rapid degradation of the environment. Many activities of the people on the planet are seriously affecting environment. Our once green and clean earth has now become a subject of grave concern during the recent years. The development of infrastructure is basic to all sorts of developments in the present scenario of globalization. In a mad race to have high¬er and higher economic benefits, humans have forgotten the principle of sustainable development. The natural biotic and abi¬otic resources have been over-exploited. Thus, the laws of nature have been violated to a major extent and therefore, we are punished by the super power of nature from time to time. gandhiji stated," Nature has provided man enough for his need but not for his greed." The degradation of environment may include extinction of many species of plants and animals, lesser land under forest cover, uncertain rise and fall of temperature of the earth due to glob¬al warming and much more devastation. According to the final technical report of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), India has lost 40% of its mangroves, 50% of its forest cover, and a significant part of its wetlands in the past couple of centuriesrf/ * lp-ast 40 of plants am
has become extinct including the cheetah, while several hundred more are under the threat of extinction. All 18 of India's poul¬try breeds are also under threat.
The reasons sited are habitat destruction, hunting and over-exploitation of natural resources as the immediate causes of bio¬diversity loss, besides an unsus¬tainable and insensitive model of development, breakdown of tra¬ditional management practices and institutions, centralization of decision-making powers in the government, changes in the moral and cultural values and lack of recognition of the full value of biodiversity in eco-nomic planning. Tremendous increase in population is also one of the major causes of increasing pollution. In the past 50 years, human population the world over has increased to an extent which it did not in 10,000 years. According to WWF, 1932 species of animals are endan-gered or threatened today. Due to the excessive use of pesti-cides, many species of insects and birds are on the verge of extinction. Vultures, known as natural scavengers, once very commonly sighted in the sky or in fields have now become almost endangered.
Industrial development is an important constituent in one's pursuits for economic growth, employment generation and bet¬terment in quality of life. But industrial activities, and rapid urbanization followed by mod¬ernization without proper pre¬cautionary awareness for envi¬ronmental protection are known to cause pollution and associat¬ed problems, so much so that sacred waters of Ganga and Yamuna have also not been spared. So is the world wide sce¬nario. Increase in pollution con¬tent and various hazardous gases in the atmosphere have been instrumental in the Ozone layer depletion. The ozone layer pre¬vents the harmful gases and Ultra-violet rays entering the earth's atmosphere and thus, helps in reducing Global Warm¬ing which is caused due to excessive evolution of nitrous oxide and other harmful gases in the atmosphere at a certain degree constantly causing abrupt changes in the climate of the

earth. Global warning is the greatest concern of the environ¬mentalists and scientists around the globe, to be resolved. When the highest peak of the world. Mount Everest was scaled, it was called 'Conquest of the Everest"; little realizing that nature can never be conquered, as it is invincible. What shall be left of the Mount Everest when the whole snow melts? Writing on the wall is imminent.
We have not yet learnt to man¬age the proper and scientific dis¬posal of municipal solid waste and Bio-medical waste generated out of hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and laboratories. Proper incineration needs to be done for toxic wastes. Use of plastic, ihe great pollutant of the modern world, needs either to be mini¬mized with banning of poly-bags atleast or some recycling mecha¬nism needs to be introduced. Clean development mechanism, yet to be achieved,,? need of the hour. The three Rs- Reduce, Recycle and Reuse should be everyone's motto. Awareness should be generated through school children for saying no to crackers on festivals like Diwali.
With the excessive use of pes¬ticides and chemicals also in our agricultural fields, the deteriora¬tion of our flora and fauna has been caused to a great extent which in turn reduces the fertil¬ity of the soil alongwith unhealthy food yield. With the lowering of the water table in the present world, the depletion of ground water has also affected the growth of the food-crop and also raised serious warning about the drinking water scarcity. The industrial units also do not lag behind in withdrawal of ground water and further polluting it. It is, further, shocking to find out that the developed nations are greater polluters than the devel¬oping nations yet the later have to face the outrage of nature more intensely. Had there been some mandatory provisions that only the polluters should pay for the imbalance they are causing to nature, there would not have been such devastation.
Humankind may afford to remain happy and untroubled if pollution is kept within the absorptive capacities of Nature. But the limits are already being

crossed and there is the para-mount need to engage in efforts to minimize and reduce the wastes and pollution from the face of the earth. Affluent treat¬ment plants should be installed for all water polluting industries and air pollution control meas¬ures for air polluting units. Plan¬tation of trees within the prem¬ises of industrial units may be made mandatory. Also the plan¬tation of more and more trees should be encouraged along with the wild-life preservation. Law should be implemented firmly and strictly and the violators should be punished. Various other measures like protection of natural resources and use of renewable resource like solar energy should be increased.
Along with these steps envi-ronmental laws should be made more stringent and be imple¬mented so that no individual or organization as Gandhiji's words carry great relevance: "I bow my head in reverence to our ancestors for their sense of the beautiful in nature and for their foresight in investing beautiful manifesta¬tions of nature with a religious significance."
1 f we could rewind the wheel of time bj about fifty years and be back in the pre-independence era-a period of significant production and insignificant pollution - we would feel the natural clean and green earth with an impression of divine land to a beholder.
My heart leaps with joy
When I behold a rainbow in the sky.
Let the nature lover Wordsworth and many more like him relive their dreams. Protect the Mother Earth from getting perished and let the civilization flourish.
"We won't have a society if we destroy the environment." jaiwanti Sheokand Director Environment Govt. of Haryana

Public concern over climate change:Survey

Global concern about climate change has risen dramatically over the last six months and consumers increasingly expect their governments to act,according to a survey published. the survey by the Nielsen Company and Oxford University's Environmental change institute ,fond 42 percent of global online consumers believe governments should restrict companies emission of carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
Two of the worlds largest and fastest growing polluters are INDIA and CHINA. An 11 percent jump in concern about the environment over the last six months left 19 percent of Indian's fretting about global warming, while only 9 percent of Chinese respondents
said the issue was very important, up 7 percent.

Introduction To Global Warming

This is my new blog on "Global Warming".

Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation.

Global average air temperature near the Earth's surface rose 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the past century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes, "most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations,"[1] which leads to warming of the surface and lower atmosphere by increasing the greenhouse effect. Natural phenomena such as solar variation combined with volcanoes have probably had a small warming effect from pre-industrial times to 1950, but a small cooling effect since 1950.[2][3] These basic conclusions have been endorsed by at least 30 scientific societies and academies of science, including all of the national academies of science of the major industrialized countries. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists is the only scientific society that rejects these conclusions.[4][5] A few individual scientists disagree with some of the main conclusions of the IPCC.[6]
For more information visit wikipedia.