Time to face global warming

The warming environment is real. Its impacts are visible, changes seen and felt. Environmental conditions like tsunamis, dry spells, hurricanes and tornadoes are already impacting us all globally. Also, the sea level continues to rise due to glaciers melting, yet many parts of the world face acute shortage of water due to delayed or no rains. In short, the weather patterns have gone off rhythm, a dangerous situation pretty visible.

Then the problems of the growing world population and increasing global demands are adding fuel to the fire. Also, deforestation due to mass cutting of trees for timber to build houses has tilted nature's balance adversely.

It is almost common knowledge as to what are the factors responsible for this situation. They are emissions from a very large number of autos and burning the fossil fuels. Globally, there are millions of autos in use polluting the environment. Then add to it large emissions from power plants as well as other industries burning fossil fuels everywhere.

At first we must design and manufacture lightweight electric cars for cutting the use of gas and reducing emissions. Then we must plan alternate sources for power generation. We do not have much time. Immediate steps must be taken now or else it may be too late. If we start planned efforts now, their impact may be visible only after several years, since a lot of damage has been done. Thus, time is of great essence.

It does not require many discussions of the armchair philosophers but action, which means let us sit down and seriously review our options. This will help us determine our best approach towards this catastrophic situation we are in. If we agree that emissions are the main culprits then we must look to some specific and identified alternatives that are practically feasible.

Presentations could be organized for healthy and critical reviews to formulate a practical work plan for immediate implementation. Those presentations will be in two parts, situational analysis and our possible options.

Truth is bitter, but if ignored it could be a disaster. Mahendra Goel Moorpark