Saturday, March 27, 2010

Earth Hour - This Little light of Mine

Today is being marked as Earth Day in 125 countries all over the globe and people are being asked to switch off their lights etc between 8.30 and 9.30 pm local time. There is a huge media campaign going on in India. And I do appreciate the efforts of people trying to reduce their carbon imprint and conserve energy.
But if you look at the other side of the coin or globe then you will find that in India and other less developed countries we are natural conservators of energy and resources and these green shenanigans are passe for us.
We are already facing severe power shortages. Everyday we have power outage lasting 3 to 4 hours maybe more. The voltage is so bad that our household appliances are affected. With voltage fluctuation my fridge makes such a horrible noise, one would think there are a dozen rattle snakes living inside it. My microwave oven blew out in Jan. I have not been able to get it fixed.

Horrible as it may sound but we are natural conservators due to power, water and food shortages , unequal distribution of wealth and technology and illiteracy.
The area where my sister Namrita lives (Meghalaya) is facing severe drought. They get a meagre water supply for half an hour morning and evening. Even doing her laundry is a struggle.
I don 't need my newspaper to tell me that in India people are not dying of starvation they are living in it.
What we need is to educate people to conserve forests, manage garbage disposal and industrial waste, and harvest wind and solar energy. Work is being done in these areas but it is just a drop in the ocean. I would like to see solar powered appliances made available to us.
You can read about Earth Day HERE
So I am not switching off my little bulb. And if I could I would watch
this video as it has no stars in it.
I have not played safe in this post. Go on flail me.

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