Need for Going Green!

Manisha Gupta, Researcher Trainer & Consultant

“The energy sector is critical for rapid and sustained economic development” said the then Minister of state for Petroleum and Natural Gas. Yes it is. Well, that was a couple of years ago in Mumbai. But it still holds true, in fact more true in this day of energy crisis. Thus energy management has become a challenge for us and our future generations. The judicious utilization of energy resources is one of the issues being given top priority on the agenda of national decision makers. Most of the energy in use today is non-renewable and thus portends acute shortage in the future. Further, it causes irreparable environmental damage. With the population clock ticking away at an alarming rate, there is an enhanced pressure on the energy front.
The concept of sustainable development connotes “development that meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.” In these circumstances, it is extremely important to create awareness for conservation of energy. There is a need to develop sensitivity towards such issues and inculcate a spirit of energy consciousness in the population at large and the youth in particular. Creating such awareness in the youth is especially relevant since they have a much higher stake in this movement. Otherwise developing countries will continue, as they have been doing, not with sustainable development but with sustained crisis management.
A lot of debate is going on, globally and within the country, on such issues at the macro level but scant attention is being paid at the micro level. The issue of energy management at the micro level is not being viewed in an integrated and holistic manner. It is observed that a lot of human energy is being substituted with electrical energy in a number of devices and in turn to maintain health standards, people are resorting to strenuous exercises in the confines of air-conditioned health clubs and spas. This puts a dual pressure on the energy front, one by way of dissipation of valuable human energy and the other by way of wastage of precious energy in air-conditioning or exercising devices.
There is also the example of gadgets like washing machines, dish washers and vacuum cleaners where we are replacing human effort with electrical energy. On the one hand it creates lesser opportunity for employment while on the other scarce capital is being used in unproductive areas.
Similarly one sees the opportunity to save fuel if people are willing to take the minimum desired walk every day. The gains in terms of savings in energy, fuel, health and body conditioning would be phenomenal. It would not only bring about noticeable improvement in the basic health standards but also improve productivity on the workplace, apart from saving a precious, scarce energy resource. Moreover instead of each one driving in one’s own car to office, car-pool or public transport could be looked at. Further to cite an example, a technologist at Pune has developed an Auto service Lift which operates on the principle of a simple lever and is a mechanical operation. There is no usage of electrical energy and is becoming extremely popular across service stations in the country. This if employed, would save considerable amount of energy in servicing of automobiles.
Forests are another of our fast disappearing energy resources. The ever increasing population is proving to be a double edged sword for our nation’s “Green Gold”. On the one hand dense forests are being constantly replaced by concrete jungles in order to provide housing & shelter for the growing population, while on the other, as per the age old customs, a lot of wood is used for funeral purposes. According to estimates, something like 1.5 tonnes of firewood is required for one burial. Thus if one is the least bit concerned about this “dual disappearance” of our major and precious energy resources, one should think of ways to a least slow down the process, if not stop it completely. Apart from trying to curb the increase in population, one should even start looking for alternatives to the age old customs.
Each one of us can take part in this ‘Energy Management Movement’. It is the little-little drops that make an ocean. Thus by doing our little bit, each one of us can contribute to contain this global problem.
All in all, there is a need to bring about a social consciousness of such issues before it is too late. One should go in for energy saving techniques and devices. One is not trying to persuade people to forgo the benefits of modern technology and go back to the age old traditional ways of existence. But one should surely wake up to the need of the hour and carry out a cost-benefit analysis, keeping in mind both the tangible and intangible costs and benefits, not only at the individual level but also at the societal level. Necessities need not re-substituted but fads and fashions surely have no place for such environmentally sensitive parameters.