Opposites don't attract

Today, I received two pieces of information: one through an SMS, another through a forward on my official mail ID. The SMS was from an old friend of mine. He was jubilant on becoming an uncle. He, in his innocent self, was ecstatic on his sister giving birth to a baby boy. Considering his rhapsodic state, I felt honoured that he bothered informing me. I, in my enthusiastic self, called and congratulated him. I learned that they, his sister and brother-in-law, had even named the infant: Adam. I felt pleased that Adam had a bright future waiting for him with so many prospective infallible pilots anxious to steer his life to a meaningful existence.


Then there was this mail from a colleague of mine. It contained a link to a video showing the speech of Severn Suzuki, a twelve year old girl, at the UN Earth summit in 1992. She spoke on behalf of her generation, raising concerns on how the older generations were treating the environment, and how this behaviour would adversely affect future generations. She said she was scared to go out in the sun because she wasn't sure whether those rays were filtered through the fast depleting Ozone layer. She revealed many such fears, the thought of which sent shivers down my spine. If you would like to listen to the speech, you can link to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZsDliXzyAY.

After listening to her, I realised how oblivious I had been about Adam's future. I realised how insecure the existence of our future generation was. The thought that there were many more people in the same oblivious state, got me worrying. The least I could do was spread awareness. Here's my first attempt at it:

Global warming is an issue which needs perennial attention. The fact that global warming increases at a minuscule pace makes it an apt candidate for ignorance. There, I would insist, lies the grave danger. We just cannot ignore global warming on the basis that it is not going to affect us. What about the generations to come? Why should they suffer because of our ignorant behaviour? If you do not care about the future generation, then why do you care to give birth to a child and then consider it one of the most joyous moments of your life? I pity those new born babies, who will somehow have to discover how to survive in the polluted world that they are going to grow into. Just to support my concerns lets look at some facts.

Wikipedia says that global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century, and its projected continuation. The average global air temperature near the Earth's surface increased by 0.74 degree Centigrade during the 100 years ending in 2005. Although that might sound mere and anyone might want to discard this increase as insignificant, I would prefer throwing 'caution to the winds'(pun intended). This increase, as concluded by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC), is mainly due to increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations via an enhanced greenhouse effect, which is an outcome of industrialisation. They also project that temperatures would further rise between 1.1 to 6.4 degree Centigrade during the 21st century. Now, that's not insignificant by any standards.

With such impending predictions, what is the world doing about it? As late as December 1997, there was a Kyoto Protocol adopted, which came in to force in February 2005. This is a protocol to the international Framework Convention on Climate Change with the objective of reducing greenhouse gases in an effort to prevent anthropogenic climate changes. As of May 2008, 182 parties have ratified the protocol. USA which makes a significant contribution to global warming has not yet signed the Kyoto Protocol.

The above facts seem to have a lot of bureaucracy involved in them. Instead of getting appalled at the seemingly brutal governments and nations, lets glance at the mirror and face our own atrocities. There are a few brutalities that we might might be committing in our day to day lives, out of absolute ignorance. Here's a list of few of them:

1)Do we take part to reduce waste by choosing reusable products instead of disposables? Or is that too trivial a matter to even bother about?
2)Do we care about keeping the AC and heater utilization to a minimum? Or are we so discomforted at 25 degree centigrade that its almost impossible to work without the AC being switched on?
3)Have we ever cared to switch off a light before leaving a room.? Or is that too frequent a task to accomplish!
4)Have we ever planted a tree? Or is that too cumbersome a job to visit a nursery to buy a seed or a plant.

I could go on and on and fill out many more pages, but its high time we realise that burning fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal, oil and gasoline raises the level of carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere, and carbon dioxide is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect and global warming. We could play our part by helping to reduce the demand for fossil fuels, which in turn would help to reduce global warming.

Please, lets use energy wisely, so that many more Adams can be introduced to this world without any fear of being annihilated. Lets create a world where the birth of a child gives us immense joy instead of creating pitiful emotions within. Lets face the situation with a little more determination and not reconcile to tacit approvals of the threats of global warming. And I am sure these opposites don't attract and we would all want to be on the same side of the see-saw. There's nothing that cannot be tackled once confronted, and global warming is no exception.

Want a change?

Wow its been been really long since my last post. I think it would be really hard for me to summarise what has gone through since the last time I posted. So what I'll do this I skip all of that with a small apology. How easy it is to apologize? Isn't it? Nevertheless, I really for sorry for not writing for such a long time, and I'll try and avoid these unavoidable breaks. I think I have made enough apologies and its time I put the blame on someone. After all isn't that an easier way to prove yourself innocent? I think I could blame the entire world and come up with reasons for not writing. But what I have realised is that at the root, the fault will lie within me. So I'll take the blame on me and endeavour to be more regular.

Well let me see. How often have I put the blame on others though? If I hear news about women getting beaten up on TV? I say: Why isn't the government doing something about the perpetrators of the crime? If I see dirty streets? I say: Why isn't the municipality cleaning up the trash. The list could go on and on. I seem to have tacitly agreed that the government is incompetent and that there's nothing that can be done about it. But have I cared to change that? Have I even taken part in electing the government? Have I voted? No. Then what gives me the right to question the government? Why should a government act according to me when I haven't exercised my power to elect the government? What I deserve is what I get. I deserve anything that the government imposes on me because by non-participation I have agreed to any ruling body and any rule that it might impose on me.

But I don't want that to happen to me again. I want to participate. I want to elect my government. I want to vote. I will vote. But does that mean that I get to question every move the government makes? More importantly will the party, at the helm, be obliged to answer every question that I ask? Ofcourse not. Then what do I get out of voting? And in such a large country with this huge a population, will my vote make a difference? Allow me to reason with each question at a time.

What do I get out of voting?
I increase the chances of electing a government whom I think will bring about a change for the better. If it does not happen the way I expect, the next time the elections come, I will not vote for that party thereby reducing the chances of that party coming to power again. So, to get re-elected the ruling party would need to fulfil its promises. It becomes accountable and obligated.

Will a single vote make a difference in this huge a democracy?
In December '08, in the Rajasthan state elections, Congress candidate, C P Joshi lost out on one vote. Yes one vote! He was the chief ministerial candidate for Congress in that state. Congress did come to power but with Ashok Gehlot as its chief minsiter and not C P Joshi. Need I say more.

I need to vote. I have to vote. I am on my way to bring about a change. Please join in!