Lets Talk About The Weather

At one time, discussing the weather meant either you are British or you have absolutely nothing else to talk about. But these days weather is the hottest topic around and the pun is intentional. You don't have to be a watcher of Discovery channel or other science programs to know what is happening to our climate - you can literally feel the oddity of every season shifting from the age old patterns that you were used to. Summer comes early, snows at the oddest times, not snowing when its supposed to, more rains and less rains...all erratic and out if its cycle.

So what is the causing this freaky weather? Its called global warming. In our solar system, Earth is the only planet that is currently livable because it has an atmosphere with enough oxygen, water, heat etc to make the surface suitable for us humans. Now this atmospherere consists of Green House gases, which filter the sun rays to reduce the radiation level that reaches the earth and lets the excess heat out of the atmosphere to keep the temperature stable. Now, due to the use of many new appliances and industries the percentages of green house gases in our atmosphere has increased dramatically, thereby throwing the filter off-course, and trapping more and more high radiation sun beams into our climate, increasing the level of CO2 etc. The result has been a gradual increase in our surface temperature. The effect- gradual meting of ice and increase of sea level, change in precipitation cycle that controls rain, - leading to increase in desert areas and decrease in forest area, extinction of many species in those regions and an allover imbalance in the ecological system - and if you are thinking Ice Age was a funny movie, you might want to read this.

I happen to watch a documentary this weekend -An Inconvenient Truth. Directed by Davis Guggenheim the documentary showcases the Climate change presentation that US Senator Al Gore has been making for quite sometime now. He has been campaigning quite long to get the US congress take initiative to take steps to stop the global warming phenomenon with little effect so far. Whatever be his political motives, the presentation IS quite an effective eye opener.

Except for the data on the actual rate of increase in CO2 emissions in our atmosphere and the resulting hike in temperatures, most of the results mentioned were familiar to me, as I am a rather avid watcher of Discovery and other such scientific programs etc. However, many facts seem to shock my fellow watchers, making me aware of how unaware most people are about the extent of the damage so far.

There was one animated segment in the documentary which shows how we react to situations. A frog is tossed into a beaker of hot water - it jumps right out with alacrity. The same frog is put into a beaker of cold water and heat is turned on. Now as the water gradually turns hot, the frog continues to sit there looking a little perplexed and confused but not reacting with the same alacrity as before because the effect is rather gradual. While the audience laughs, we are also hard pressed to admit how true the depiction is. We are apparently not moved by the melting and vanishing glaciers, the ever increasing storms and heat waves and droughts. After all unless climate change causes to set your seat on fire, its hardly any reason to react.

The sad truth that the program reflects is that we have already messed with the ecological balance quite too far to completely restore it back anytime soon. However, rather than despair, the documentary carries the message that - THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE, ITS NOW OR NEVER!

Now, most often people are asking what can we do about it? Isn't it the duty and responsibility of the Government and big organizations to cope with this? How did we contribute to this ourselves - its the effect of big industries! Here is a gem I picked from the net - Climate change has been happening since time began, we should not have to blame civilization now just because. Denial!

Well there are things you can do personally

1. Start with using less appliances like Refrigerator and Air- conditioning - when not needed switch it off.
   
2. Plant more leafy trees around - they absorb a lot of these gases thus reducing the level in the atmosphere.
   
3. Use energy efficient bulbs to reduce the pressure of the energy resource
4. Use less water, again to conserve the resource.
   
5. Keep your car emission low by taking it for periodic servicing etc
6. Carpool to reduce the overall use of fuel and emission into the system
   
7. If there is a municipal garbage recycle system, take time to throw the garbage in the bin rather in the nearest vacant plot.

On a more large scale, we as voters do have the right to push for laws that make emission check mandatory. We have the right and should take the time out to push against the destruction of forests and natural resources for Malls and Supermarkets - people in Goa stood up for their land, why can't the rest of us do the same. We can and should demand that our elected leaders put a better garbage disposal measure in place, introduce recycling etc. These are better reasons to call for a bandh or dharna anyday than the useless political ones that we come across always. Lets wake up and shake up people, or else will end up floating around in some space ship waiting for WALL-E to clear the mess.