Think and act on green technology for a sustainable earth
by Prof. K.D.N. Weerasinghe
Green is eco conscious thinking, and act eco consciously or in
another words it is conscious eco friendly and mindful way of living for
deep sense of satisfaction. Green technology, Green jobs, Green
products, are some of the jargons which we come across in our day-to-day
affairs aiming to create a more sustainable and eco-friendly world.
'Going green' means the process of transforming the society to a more
eco oriented path way. Under the circumstances the Governments take
actions to protect the environment, to encourage green technologies; The
industries are investing in green technologies, using eco-friendly
energy sources as much as possible; individuals are doing what they can
do to reduce their own carbon footprints, through reduced energy use and
consumption and recycling.
Thus, the main purpose of going green is to create a positive impact
on the environment and reduce the harm that already has done to the
environment by the man.
The main purpose of Green philosophy is adopting an eco-friendly
lifestyle and making conscious decisions to reduce the harm to the
planet and create positive conditions for the environment to flourish.
As defined by the UNEP (2010), Green economy is defined as improved
human well-being and social equity while significantly reducing
environmental risks and ecological scarcities.
Silent Spring
The main eye-opener to the green movement came in 1962 with Richard
Carson's book on Silent Spring.
The book documented detrimental effects of pesticides on the
environment, particularly on birds. Carson accused the chemical industry
of spreading disinformation, and public officials of accepting industry
claims uncritically. The environmentalism is in American philosophy
existed for more than 200 years.
Two world wars have shifted back the environmental thinking and
people had less attention on environment which resulted with
catastrophically separations of man from the environment. After the
Second World War Environmental efforts focused more personal issues such
as food safety, or consumer products, on conservation of lands rather
than environment as a whole.
Going green is a way of life, which is very much in the heart of the
Buddhist way of thinking. It is a conscious thinking to make a personal
contribution to improve the earth's health.
For instance, in a green society, workers are healthier and happier
work under natural light and green foliage, individuals live more
efficiently in homes, saving money on energy and water, growing their
own organic gardens (Home garden).
People breathe fresh air, Oxygen rich quality air which is a
foundational path for good health.
Green thinking along with the technology adoption is receiving
additional dimensions in the new millennium due to the enormous
challenges on the earth's survival. Threats exerted on Biosphere,
Lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere are closely associated with human
activities.
The declining of fossil fuel sources, dumping of wastes, are the
major challenges.
The oil reserves will be depleted in 50 years. (At the present
consumption rate of about 90 billion barrels/year, the reserve will be
exhausted unless new oil wells are opened). Other fossil resources (coal
and gas), will also be sufficient only for 150-200 years.
Therefore the whole world is now looking for the Green technologies
to utilise alternative energy sources (hydro, wind, solar, bio energy,
geo thermal, ocean current), to overcome the energy crisis.
In December 2010 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution
proclaiming 2012 as the international year for sustainable Energy for
All.
This promotes the promotion and use of new renewable energy
technologies. Based on this, the Sustainable Energy for All Acceleration
Framework (SEAAF) link to Millennium Development Goals is adopted by the
UNDP, which intends to work towards ensuring energy access for all and
to protect the environment through the sustainable use of traditional
energy resources, leaner technologies and newer energy sources.
It encourages all member states, the United Nations system and all
other actors to take advantage of the year to increase awareness of the
importance of addressing energy issues, including modern energy services
for all, access to affordable energy, energy efficiency and the
sustainability of energy sources and use, for the achievement of the
internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium
Development Goals, sustainable development and the protection of the
global climate, and to promote action at the local, national, regional
and international levels;
One of the themes set in Rio+20 (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 20-22
2012) was, "a green economy in the context of sustainable development".
In the summit Under the Food and Nutrition dialogue, the right of all
people to good nutritious food and need to support small farmers and
promote ecologically sound agricultural methods was accepted.
In addition, the need for ecological farming with special emphasis on
women, were recognised as the key to the present and future of
agriculture.
A country like Sri Lanka has a number of reasons to take advantage of
the International Year of the Sustainable Energy declared by the UN, to
strengthen alternative energy arm of the country.
Firstly Sri Lanka plans to be the wonder of Asia by the year 2016.
The energy availability is one of the basic parameters to reach this
target. At this juncture it is worth noting the statement made by Lenin
V.I, just after the Great October Socialist Revolution in USSR, in 1920,
pertaining to energy and power; "Socialism is the electrification of the
whole country plus the Soviet government. Otherwise the country will
remain a country of a small peasant economy, and it is up to us to
realise this quite clearly".
The need of both, the Physical (Electric power), and people (Soviet
power) for the accelerated development process of the newly born State,
is well documented in this vision.
The writr is Senior Chair Professor, - Consultant Asian Disaster
Preparedness Centre, Bangkok, Thailand.
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