Earth summit 411 the final show

GREEN OPTIONS

THE NEED OF THE HOUR

GOING GREEN.. THE GREEN OPTION..

Going green does not only involve recycling. Going green involves much more.

Basically, going green means to live life, as an individual as well as a community, in a way that is friendly to the natural environmental and sustainable for the earth.

In practice, going green means adopting five basic principles in our daily life:

Reducing pollution

Conserve resource

Conserve energy

Reduce consumption and waste

Protect the earth’s ecological balance

All five principles are important in protecting the environment from harm, as well as helping to ensure that living (for humans and other creatures) on earth is sustainable.

CAN UNIFIED HUMAN ACTIONS REVERSE THE TRENDS…

BEFORE TALKING ABOUT INDUSTRIES LETS DEVOTE A FRACTION OF MINUTE OVER THINKING THE FOLLOWING FEW DAY TO DAY ACTIVITIES BY US:

About the shampoo, soap and cleaning detergent that we use.

About the fast-food lunch we have.

About the car that we drive to work, or even the bus or cab that we take to our office or colleges.

More and more trees being cut down to produce moreand more paper.

More oil, coal and other natural fuels being extracted from the earth.

In our day-to-day activities, we are actually releasing substantial amount of toxic substances into the environment which we are also unaware of.

LETS CHECK IT HOW..

The shampoo and conditioners used by us in our day to day course of life.

SOLUTION:Switching to more natural cleaners and personal products, such as -

Natural Detergents.Organic Detergents.Organic shampoos and lotions.

The wrappers which are used in packaging the fast food meal are bound for the landfills and incinerators.

SOLUTION:

Switching to organically grown

food.Organic foods are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

Also such organic foods are more healthier.

Vehicles emit greenhouse gases and toxic substances like lead (harmful to living things, including the human body) into the atmosphere.

SOLUTION : going green in practice means to drive less, and use the public transport instead.

THUS, for a long time, we humans have lived our lives on this planet as if we own the Earth.

We have destroyed natural habitats of many plant and animal species.

We have striped other creatures of their lives.

With the destruction of forests, we have also hindered our Mother Earth’s ability to clean itself of excessive pollutants and carbon dioxide also resulting in soil erosions.

To feed our increasing population, we have stretched the earth beyond its limits.

YET ITS NOT TOO LATE FOR US :

ENERGY CONSUMPTION

http://www.usaref.org/EnergySourcesPieChart.jpg

COMBATING POLLUTIONWind farms are one viable way to help solve the energy problems that our planet is facing..

The advantages of using wind as a source of renewable power are sometimes overshadowed by a few who protest the wind turbines…

That wind farms DOESN reduce the amount of fossil fuels used

That wind farms DOESN reduce the amount of fossil fuels used Turbines do reduce the

need to opt for fossil fuel energy supplies.. In fact, when combined with other ecologically friendly resources, wind farms can also continue to make a significant change in the way energy is produced.

Turbines do reduce the need to opt for fossil fuel energy supplies.. In fact, when combined with other ecologically friendly resources, wind farms can also continue to make a significant change in the way energy is produced.

MYTH 1

living close to a wind farm significantly decrease the value of home.

NOISE BEING ITS MAJOR FEAR….

living close to a wind farm significantly decrease the value of home.

NOISE BEING ITS MAJOR FEAR….

The noise has been greatly reduced from the original turbines made twenty years ago.

The noise has been greatly reduced from the original turbines made twenty years ago.

MYTH 2

A final myth involves the local economy being adversely affected……There is also the MYTH that winds would not be able to supply a constant flow of energy, resulting in black outs..

A final myth involves the local economy being adversely affected……There is also the MYTH that winds would not be able to supply a constant flow of energy, resulting in black outs..

With introduction of Wind Farms the locals are often given an employment boost.. Also the proposed site are carefully evaluated by a variety of experts to make certain that it is a good place to harvest wind before the turbines are placed.

With introduction of Wind Farms the locals are often given an employment boost.. Also the proposed site are carefully evaluated by a variety of experts to make certain that it is a good place to harvest wind before the turbines are placed.

MYTH 3

CFEW DREAMS.. FEW HOPES..

Home hydrogen fueling station.

Toxin-eating trees.

Autonomous ocean robots.

Sonic water purifier.

The Peruvian Tree.

HOME HYDROGEN FUELLING SYSTEM

Scientists in Melbourne, Australia, have developed a prototype of a device which is -

about the size of a filing cabinet ,runs on electricity which is generated by

standard-issue rooftop solar panels.

The home fueling station is expected to produce enough hydrogen in a day to give - -

Runabout range of around 100 miles .Without emitting a molecule of planet - warming greenhouse gas.

Home Energy Station IV Fuel Cell

TOXIC EATING TREESTHE IDEA- Is to plant a forest, and clean up a Superfund site.

PHYTOREMEDIATION• A technology that

uses vegetation to absorb hazardous waste from industrial plants and other polluters.

THE NEW TWIST ---Bacteria producing an enzyme which zaps RDX..

AUTONOMOUS OCEAN ROBOTS..

The world's seas are in an ocean of trouble of-

Climate change,Vanishing fish, Coral bleaching….

Time to send in the robots.

THE STARBUG

4-foot-long yellow robot Operates autonomously Highly maneuverableWill monitor water qualityMap fish habitatsSurvey threatened coral reefs

Robot's initial cost to be :

$24,000

SONIC WATER PURIFIER

Scientists are retooling the devices to decontaminate large tanks of water, by a process called sonolysis.

WORKING :

BY BEAMING IN THE ULTRASOUND WAVES IN THE CONTMANITAED WATER..

ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR NETWORKS

ALSO TERMED AS THE NETWORKED ENVIRONMENT..

Small as a dime - wireless sensors lining

• lake beds and ocean floors, • ground, and • floating in the air.

The Result would be: real-time data on a variety of phenomenon that affect the economy and society as in--

climate change, hurricanes, air and water pollution. ..

THE SUPER TREE

--By PERUVIANS

Acts like 1200 real trees, purifying the air for approximately 20,000 people a day, at the cost of only about $6.

The Super Tree :

Sucks in outside air,

With thermodynamic pressure combines the toxic elements,

And pumps out clean air.

Cleans about 200,000 cubic meters of air per day..

JAPAN – AN

INSPIRERGreen Buildings... An approach to real estate development and redevelopment

Minimizing the negative impact

Through use of specific technologies and building methods.

Green Building in Japan

The green building movement in Japan is a bottom-up process.

More than 90 percent of construction projects in Japan incorporate some form of green building technology.

Practical and cost-efficient systems widely used.

LETS KNOW ONE SUCH GREEN BUILDING OF JAPAN

The most sophisticated, energy-saving window glass.

Intelligent (self responding),

Automatically respond to changes in weather and temperature.

THE BENEFITS

Reduces solar radiation by up to 80 percent

Affinity window product permanently blocks 100 percent of UV radiation.

The temperature point of panes transition can be customized by the user.

Mizusumashi “Mini Water Beetle”

uses solar energy to generate a spontaneously re-circulating water column.

Requires 17 percent less energy than conventional air or water pump systems.

Runs exclusively on solar power.

Mini Water Beetle is a zero carbon emission product.

Mini Water Beetle is compact, lightweight and requires no external power(Dimensions: 27.56 x 14.37 inches. Weight: 44 pounds.)

Before After

Daikin system monitors ambient temperature and dynamically micro-adjust to minimize temperature fluctuations

Daikin AC’s advanced inverter-powered units mitigate costly amperage spikes.

Reduces overall power consumption by 30 percent.

R-410A refrigerant exhibits low warming emissions potential and a short atmospheric lifetime.

It does not deplete ozone.

Light weight roof soilTo maximize productivity in dense urban

environments where space is limited.

Does not dissolve in water and is highly resistant to freezing.

Freeze depth is limited to a shallow 1.6 inches.

Free of contaminants like pathogenic bacteria, weed seed and heavy metals

HELPING THE URBAN GARDEN BLOOM

Principle : Resource conservation and sustainable manufacture which yields superior product.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified

Forest Management (FM) certified

FSC Chain of Custody (CoC) standard.

Reduce use of formaldehydeEmploys alternative resins, adhesives,

Low volatile organic compound performance.

2005: Wood One’s 2004

corporate environmental

report

receives

the

Environmental

Communication Award

from the

Global Environmental

Forum.

GREEN BUILDINGS IN INDIA

The list of few top green buildings in India are :

• Suzlon Energy Limited – Pune

• Biodiversity Conservation India Ltd (BCIL) – Bangalore

• Olympia Technology Park – Chennai

• ITC Green Centre – Gurgaon

• Nokia – Gurgaon

• Rajiv Gandhi International Airport – Hyderabad

• Raintree Hotels – Chennai

• Doon School – Dehradun

• La Cuisine Solaire – Auroville

• The Druk White Lotus School - Ladakh

STATUS OF GREEN BUILDINGS.. The Leadership

in Energy and Environmental Design is a GreenBuilding Rating System nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction andoperation of high performance green buildings.

ITC GREEN CENTRERenowned as one of the early adopters of the green building movement in India.

It was the first 'Platinum' rated Building

Endeavoured to adopt green practices that go beyond recycled waste and day-lit offices.

Within a built-in area of 180,000 sq.ft., the building features alternative transportation facilities,

storm water management system,

solar thermal technology,

reflective high-albedo roof paint,

minimal exterior lighting,

separate smoking rooms with exhaust system and

zero-water discharge.

OLYMPIA TECHNOLOGY PARKThe world’s largest LEED ‘Gold’ rated green building.

It is Constructed with energy saving technology,

Autoclaved blocks containing 30 per cent fly ash,

Wooden door-frames made from compressed sawdust and low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints

Olympia's green construction is compatible with the needs of an IT company and also ensures efficient space utilisationhttp://www.olympiatechpark.com/current%20status.htm

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATIONINDIA LTD.

BCIL has created some of the most energy-efficient residential homes India has ever set eyes upon.

The first residential apartment in the world to be rated ‘Platinum’ under LEED.

TZed, means “Towards Zero Energy Development”

Designed to reduce lighting and energy by nearly 70 per cent.

No home at BCIL TZed Homes uses incandescent lamps, halogens and fluorescent tube lights http://www.civilsocietyonline.com/April08/april081.asp

LA CUISINE SOLAIREBest demonstration of the use of solar energy to produce steam.

This 1700 sq. m. kitchen is named thus because of the huge 15 diameter solar bowl that has been fixed at the top of the structure to harvest solar energy.

This green structure can generate enough steam at a temperature of 150°C that can be used to cook meals for 1000 people, three times a day.

This building puts to use appropriate technologies and passive solar concepts to achieve energy-efficiencyhttp://www.auroville.org/society/solarkitchen.htm

WOW.. A INITIATIVE BY ITCITC's Wealth Out of Waste is a recycling initiative that works towards spreading awareness about recycling,

encouraging people to segregate and dispose waste responsibly.

WOW reaches out to schools, institutions and homes through its awareness building teams, about source segregation of waste.

Through WOW, ITC helps to deal with various issues like

environment protection,

reduction of global warming,

improving green cover,

reducing landfills,

improving ground water quality,

general health and hygiene,

reducing garbage handling costs.

For example, ITC's Kovai unit is exclusively dependent on recycled fibre, as are some machines in Bhadrachalam as well. By end 2011, ITC PSPD would be using close to 210,000 tonnes of waste paper per annum.

WOW helps ITC collect this raw material from India.

TO CONCLUDE….Ultimately, all these boil down to the rate that we humans, as a single species (amongst the millions other species on this earth), are consuming the earth’s natural resources. It is time we reflect on the situation and put a halt to the situation.

What does going green mean is that we need to evaluate what we really need, as opposed to what we want. Is the new car really what we need? If not, then don’t buy it.

We need to learn to consume only what we need, and be considerate in our consumption. In other words, remember that we are not the only ones that the earth has to provide for.

What does going green mean as a race is that we need to be more responsible and proactive in protecting the earth’s ecological balance. This environmental consciousness should be present, whether we are dealing with government policies, or industrial and economic activities, or in our daily living.

Whether it is for ethical reasons (i.e.. taking responsibility for the harm we have), or for selfish reasons (i.e.. to ensure the continued health of our human species and the earth we live in for our future generations), we need to do something today, before it is too late.

All these efforts will contribute now and in the long run to keeping this MOTHER EARTH sustainable.

BY ABHISHEK BAJAJBCOM(H)ST.XAVIERS COLLEGE , KOLKATA