RALLYING FOR REFORM: Commissioner of Police Letika Saran flags off an awareness walk on climate change organised by Greenpeace in Chennai on Sunday. — PHOTO: K.V. SRINIVASAN

CHENNAI: Do melting glaciers and disappearing forests mean anything for those living in Chennai's urban concrete jungle? According to the group of thirty activists who gathered at the Marina beach early on Sunday morning for an awareness walk, climate changes involves just about everyone, from the industrialist scrounging on his carbon credits to the ordinary citizen who uses up more than his share of electricity.

Commissioner of Police Letika Saran walked the first few steps of the Greenpeace Awareness Walk, after flagging it off, in which volunteers, school and college students and activists sought to draw the attention of the public to the implications of global warming and climate change.

"International perspective"

"This is a local initiative with an international perspective. We are trying to inculcate awareness on how small lifestyle modifications — such as switching over to a CFL (compact fluorescent lamps) instead of the conventional bulb — can go a long way in fighting the battle. The CFL consumes only 20 per cent of the energy of the latter, ensuring greater energy security," said Jagan Mohan, territory manager, Greenpeace, Chennai. The switchover would cut down greenhouse gas emissions by four percent, he said.

"A larger public debate is needed on how to promote solar energy power projects, as against thermal projects. We will soon be bringing in schools and colleges into the awareness campaign. One initiative we have planned is to distribute free saplings to whoever comes to our Chennai office," said campaign co-ordinator P.S. Abilash.

Greenpeace would be working on creating awareness on the larger matrix of problems: on how countries such as the U.S. and Australia are scuttling pro-active action on cutting down global emissions, how developing economies like China and India are made to bear the brunt of climate change negotiations and how to reduce global electricity consumption patterns.

The campaign would also focus on ways of cutting down on emissions by restructuring business strategies.

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