For all those people who read my first article on Efforts on Global Warming…Need to reach the grass root level (published 6th October 2008), this is an extension. While I pointed out in the article that we need to do a lot of things at the grass root level and how IPCC, NGOs and various governments could help drive the initiative; I will now go into more detail and help all of us understand some of the grass root level issues.
Following picture will highlight one of the issues……
This is one of the most common sights on Indian roads and colonies every morning, where 1000s of government assigned workers and cleaners clean the surroundings, and then happily set the garbage thus collected on fire. I am sure they will not have the slightest of the clue that by this action, they not only contribute a sizeable chunk of gases and heat to the environment (hence contributing to global warming); they also end up burning some non-biodegradable matter like plastics and others, which many a times release toxic gases hazardous to the surroundings.
All this garbage should have been collected by the waste management cell of the government, where the recyclable, non- recyclable and the hazardous waste should have been segregated through source segregation, and assigned to proper locations for further treatment.
Coming back to global warming issue, all the governments are aiming to have clean energy; India has just now signed a pact for nuclear energy to curb the use of coal as a source of power production, but I hope in the efforts to gain clean fuel, we don’t overlook these basic issues. I will again reiterate my point; THINK at the grass root level.
• Isn’t this issue worth noticing?
• Isn’t the government supposed to ensure that the garbage is not burnt on the streets so that it is not a partner in crime? YES, adding to green house gases is definitely a crime which could eventually lead to the extinction of mankind.
• Has anyone thought about it as yet, or it’s just the public opinion which is floating till now?
Come on people, wake up. Do not let this happen. Let’s have an effective management of garbage. When we talk of the glaciers in Himalayas melting, and chances of flooding in Indian rivers, did we ever think that burning the garbage every morning could have been one of the causes?
Each and every resident of every locality can help overcoming this issue.
• Let’s tell the people who clean the roads, not to burn the garbage and let the waste management cell pick up the stuff.
• Let’s have waste management pits at nearby locations, so that we can have an effective waste disposal system.
• Try and educate them, what they are contributing to.
Let’s join hands and drive this forward. We all will have to do it together. I will come up with some more Grass Root level issues in my next article.
Help reducing global warming. I need your support to do this…
