No, I mean, really, are you serious about global warming?
Does it really cause anxiety in you, or is it just a showoff to match society’s standards?
Yes, the above two questions might seem a little harsh and rude, but the weather we are going to encounter in the coming years will be more brutal. This year only, we have seen really devastating effects of Global Warming in our Bihar. Yes, the Bihar Flood swept away shelter, livelihood, and hope from the lives of many people. The effects are countless, but even after knowing that, where are the sound steps?
Okay, now you must be thinking, why is arent the Government doing something? Right?
Think once again, is it not our duty to learn those little things by ourselves and teach the same thing to our kids that will collectively reduce the effects of Global Warming?
Government can make rules, appoint people to do a certain set of tasks, but we are the people who need to do certain things at a personal level to save the Earth from massive destruction.
GD Goenka, Bhagalpur, has a serious love for nature and Mother Earth. So we are trying to inculcate a sense of love for nature in our kids so that they can flourish as better human beings and think not just about their growth in life, but global growth becomes their aim. We are not worried about kids’ careers because we are damn sure our students will excel in their careers. We are on a journey to make our kids global citizens.
We all are well aware of what Global Warming is. We also know what Global warming is doing to our Earth. We need to rethink what we can do that will help minimize the effects of Global Warming, and in the long term, we could avoid the entire phenomenon of Global Warming.
It’s not like we don’t have the solution to this problem; we just don’t want to take responsibility on our shoulders. But remember, Earth is your home, the way you take care of your home, you should also take care of the Earth. Once you have some issues with your home, you have the privilege to change it and move to another location. But, can you leave Earth and move to another planet? I know your answer now; you will say we will move to Mars. Let me give you a fact check “NASA is still aiming for human missions to Mars in the 2030s, though Earth independence could take decades longer.”
Controlling industrialization or deforestation is not in our hands, but we can raise our voice to ask questions, be aware of the people, and teach our children to take the right step. You, a private citizen, have an equally important role to play by contributing to the cause. “People can only make a difference when they take action.”
We have a simple objective. The biggest threat to the climate is carbon dioxide. Burning fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural gas releases carbon dioxide. This is the same fuel we use to power our homes, cars, and smartphones. If we use less of it, we can help curb climate change and save money at the same time. We can enact change in one or more of these simple, effective ways:
1. Speak up!
What is the single most impactful thing you can do to slow global climate change? Don’t hesitate to talk to your friends and family, as well as to your representatives. Your participation in social media or direct contact with your local elected representatives, or both, is an ideal way to show that you are concerned about global warming. Enjoin local government bodies to pass new legislation that will enforce carbon emission limits and make polluters accountable for their emissions. Politicians do difficult things because their constituents compel them to do so. By protecting public lands, stopping offshore drilling, and more, you can help the environment.
2. Plant a Tree and showoff
Put a tree in the ground if you can. Plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen during photosynthesis. As part of Earth’s natural atmosphere exchange cycle, they play an important role, but there are not enough of them to completely counteract the increase in carbon dioxide due to automobile traffic, manufacturing, and other human activities. Mitigate climate change by planting trees: one tree can absorb over one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime.
Even if you don’t have a massive piece of land to plant a tree, use your corridor or terrace area to plant medium or small plants. An average living room plant with 15 leaves and gives 5ml of oxygen per hour for 12 hours per day produces 900ml of oxygen per day or 27 liters of oxygen a month. If you are done with planting, please show it off and post it on social media. Maybe your step can influence others, and 10 more people will take the initiative.
3. Weatherize, Weatherize, Weatherize
It takes a large amount of electricity to heat and cool buildings. The actual consumption of energy within the home is almost half that of heating and cooling. Ensure your space is adequately insulated and seal drafts to make it more energy-efficient.
It’s possible to reduce your home’s heating costs by 15 percent or more by insulating your walls and attic, caulking, and weather stripping around doors and windows.
4. Invest in Energy-Efficient Appliances
As a result of efficiency standards implemented nationwide in 1987, 2.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide have been avoided. Nearly 440 million cars produce the same amount of carbon pollution every year. Emissions can be reduced most cost-effectively by increasing energy efficiency. You should look for the Energy Star label on appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines. Using it, you will find out which ones are most efficient.
5. Reduce Water Waste
Carbon pollution can also be reduced by conserving water. Pumping, heating, and treating your water use a lot of energy. Therefore, you should take shorter showers, turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth, and use fixtures. If one out of every 100 homes was retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, about 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity would be saved a year, saving 80,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions hence the same amount of global warming pollution.
6. Actually, Eat the Food you Buy
In the process of growing, processing, packaging, and shipping food, roughly 10% of the world’s energy are used-about 40% of which ends up in the landfill. Your energy consumption will be cut if you waste less food, which will likely reduce energy consumption.
7. Change a Light Bulb
LED bulbs are superior to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) wherever practical; they save energy and are environmentally friendly. A LED bulb that qualifies for the Energy Star program uses between 20 percent to 25 percent less energy and operates 25 times longer than an incandescent bulb. In the course of their lifetime, 10-watt LEDs will save you INR 5000 as compared to 60-watt bulbs.
8. Pull the plug(s)
You are likely operating about 65 different devices from the outlets in your home, which is the average load in a home. Audio and video devices, cordless vacuums, power tools, and other electronics use electricity even when not charging. Together, all this “idle load” produces more electricity than 50 large power plants. Consequently, unplug fully charged devices from your home’s outlets, plug seldom-used devices into power strips and timers, and set your computers and monitors to turn off if they are not in use. By turning off lights the moment you leave a room and only using as much light as you need, you can save electricity and reduce global warming.
9. Drive Less and Drive Smart
Emissions are reduced when fewer people drive. Exercise is one of the benefits of walking and bicycling, along with saving fuel. Take advantage of the mass transit system in your community and consider carpooling. You can reduce your carbon footprint even on vacation.
Maintain your car to ensure it is running at its best when you’re driving. Your fuel mileage can increase by over 3 percent when your tires are properly inflated, for example. The carbon dioxide emissions you prevent with every liter of fuel you save help your budget as well.
10. Shrink your carbon profile
Carbon offsets allow you to reduce your carbon footprint by replacing fossil fuel-generated power in the nation’s energy grid with clean power produced from renewable energy sources. The carbon offset industry is not all the same. Be sure to do your homework before deciding on a supplier.
Every school indeed has a chapter related to Global Warming, and there are a lot of discussions also in every class. But after the class is over, children barely think about this issue because they take it as a course curriculum. At GD Goenka, this is not merely a chapter, this is an issue which we are concern about, and that’s why we are making roadmaps for our kids to understand the issue, and by the time they will be excelling in their career, they will put efforts in solving the problem of Global Warming too.
