psaram42 - 28 April, 2010 | Bangalore | environment | Citizen Reports | Living | global warming | governance | Town Planning | SCEP | legislature

 We have a weekly SCEP (Senior Citizen Enrichment Program) meeting on every Wednesday at 4:30 PM at Mother Tree a beautiful place provided by one of our SCEP members We were about 20 senior citizens at this meeting to day. It was a very hot evening and the welcome rain was the saving grace. 

The speaker of the day was Ms Arun Shivasaran a young and upcoming Architect of repute. 

The speaker started the talk on a poignant note of alluding to the commonly used greeting when we meet viz “how are you” meaning how is your health. Now it is high time we talk about global warming instead. For Architects it is now common to grade Silver gold and platinum standards based on Global warming compliance. 

“A carbon footprint  is the total set of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event or product" . For simplicity of reporting, it is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted."

The concept name of the carbon footprint originates from ecological footprint discussion. The carbon footprint is a subset of the ecological footprint and of the more comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).” 

The Table of CFP 

1. India                 1          Ton per person per year
2. Quatar             55.5                 ….
3. Kuwait              38                    ….
4. USA                  23                    ….
5. Canada            22                    ….

 The above Table one would feel that Developed countries are the culprit or spoil sport. However Mr. PR Venkatramanan took some pains to explain the issue by arguing that the developed countries are developing means to reduce their CFP. However Under developed countries may feel justified to increase their CFP so that when we meet the the CFP devil may be contained. 

Ways to fight global warming Guard our:- 

1. Forests
2. Ocean
3. Air
4. Water
5. Fossil fuel 

Use

1. local materials
2. Less CFPs
3. Less Gadgets 

The CFP Triangle:-    [ Social – Economic – Environment ] 

Major Culprits 

1. Packaging
2. plastics being not recycled
3. non composting
4. in efficient use of water (only 2% water is potable of the 70% total) 

Comparison of Eifel tower and St Louise Welcome arch shows that ET uses only 490 tons of steel for its 365 meters height where as the St Louise welcome arch uses 17220 tons of steel for a 195 meter tall structure. Where as the Eifel tower got back its investment very fast while the St Louise venture which by the way was a state venture using public money has made irrecoverable loss. 

We in India do need to set an example to the whole world to restrict our increase rate of GW CFP. Already the two Indians and one US citizens have set an example 

1. Pachauri
2. Venkataramanan
3. Warren Buffet 

We need to use Banana leaf not a Banana leaf printed on melanoma plate. There was a heated discussion on all familiar (compulsory) RWH and In situ ground water charging. At the end I tried to impress upon the speaker that as responsible citizens we are going to be RWH / GWC complaint. Are BWSSB BDA BBMP also going to be global warming complaint? This is the larger more important issue and the stumbling block!

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