Never before has it been so evident to me - the effect of Climatic changes.
Bangalore (Karnataka, South India) WAS known for its ideal climate a lot more than it is known for the IT services it offers to the rest of the world today.
The old-timers will tell you (and complain too) when the city was Green and clean.
Sure enough the IT wave which swept through Bangalore, coupled with an ineffective Government - much of the Green was lost.
BUT it isn't the IT Wave which accounts for the drastic change in weather here. Middle of April - 35* Centigrade in the shade - with the dry heat. Heck even 2 years back it wasn't so.
Moving a little further up north of India to Maharashtra and another hill-station named Devlali (see previous posts on this town).
- No IT Wave has ever hit this town or its neighboring ones.
- No influx of people from other parts of India.
The population of this town and neighboring Nasik has remained constant over the last 10 years. But the climate - nothing constant about the climate. From un-seasonal downpours - to extreme heat; 37*C plus - dropping down to a ever-low of 10*C in the middle of March/April. Some say it's Crazy. I say it's Scary!
Yeah I have read about it - Green house gases, Melting Glaciers, Rising sea-levels, Holes in the Ozone Layers, Disappearing flora/fauna - some which I never saw/knew/will-know. But Never - ever before have I felt this change as I feel it now.
There is a lot of text available online, and in print, on what YOU can do to save this earth. For starters go Here
I'm doing my small bits by switching over to CFL Lighting, Using my bike more often than the car, not printing paper, reusing plastic bags and very consciously not picking up new ones. And by all means I could do more.
But is it enough - I doubt it. The measures we should take to save this earth have to be drastic. Little bits, like I do, are nice - and might shave off a few years from this dying earth - but like I said - It's just a matter of time...maybe our children, maybe grandchildren...
Unless we do something NOW. Think BIG. Think not home/town/city/state/country - Think Global. Think Green.
- Gautam
