The Hindu : New Delhi News : Sibal’s call to save environment

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Saturday, May 31, 2008
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Sibal’s call to save environment

Staff Reporter

Time for action to tackle climate change

NEW DELHI: “We don’t inherit this planet from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. And whatever is borrowed is meant to be returned as it is,” said Union Science and Technology & Earth Sciences Minister Kapil Sibal delivering a lecture on “Climate change” here earlier this week.

“It is highly crucial to stabilise the climate and maintain the atmospheric balance. Even if there is a one per cent increase in the content of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere, the temperature will be boiling hot,” he observed.

“In order to save the environment, we need to think differently and change ourselves — the way we think, the way we live, and our entire relationship with nature,” he asserted.

“Instead of using energy options like oil and coal, which are not just non-renewable and fast depleting but also a source of environmental pollution, we need to utilise options like solar energy, which is the cleanest and readily available source of energy. Technology alone can save us from the environmental problems, but we need to come up with technologies which are both affordable and accessible,” he urged his audience of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University faculty and students.

Measures

Mr. Sibal said a lot of energy could be saved by taking small measures in day-to-day activities like switching off lights and computers when not in use, not leaving the mobile charger on, avoiding wastage of water at homes and so on.

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