Question

Chapter 4 investigates opportunities and environmental threats. How much intrusion should the federal, state, and local government have in your life? Should the government be allowed to force you to go “green”? Does “global warming” exist? If so, is it a crisis? Are you concerned about your “carbon footprint”?

Answer 1

Ans. Usually the Federal Government distributes power between the central, state and regional authorities to serve. For an environmental perspective, it is not desirable to intrude too much into one's private life. Rules, regulations, laws are there to take care of. However, when environment is degraded adversely due to anthropogenic activities, Governmental intrusion is required. It is desirable when any human practice is going on having negative impact on the environment, and the concerned person or group of persons are not abiding by the laws. It is in this case, that the Governmental interference is required. For instance in some countries, there are laws regarding strict implementation of one or two child per family. This had to be imposed keeping in mind the increasing population and also reduction in per capita ecological footprint. This is because more the population is more is the per capita emission of carbon in some form or other.

The climate change that is taking place is almost near the tipping point. It means it will soon become irreversible in nature. Nothing could be done to offset the imbalance then. People are now well aware of the outcomes of their day to day activities which are increasing their individual footprints. In spite of this awareness, not many people take any step to protect the environment. This is why it has become important to impose people to go green. It could be in terms of making planting trees compulsorily, to adopt green technology, especially in the new built buildings, adopt rain water harvesting methods etc.

In spite of different opinions on global warming, it is no more a myth, but a reality. It is actually the enhancement of green house effect, which leads to excessive warming of the earth. There are evidences on increase in temperature by about 0.9^oC since the last decade. This can be correlated with increasing concentration of carbon dioxide - one of the most potent green house gases. Anthropogenic activities like burning of fossil fuels, deforestation have increased the sources of carbon dioxide and decreased the sinks of carbon dioxide. This has resulted in the increase in its concentration in the atmosphere, leading to temperature surge. So it is no more a misnomer, but the truth.

Indeed global warming is now a crisis with the imminent danger it is posing to life and property. There are shifting of seasons, there is change in ocean and atmospheric circulation of currents. This has a direct impact on the global climate. There is unequal distribution of rainfall - some areas are getting so much rainfall that it is leading to flood, whereas in some areas, it is so scarce, that it is leading to droughts. Then there is increase in the intensity and frequency of tropical cyclones. This is due to warming of the ocean water, the heat of which acts as fuel for a cyclone. Moreover there is melting of glaciers which are leading to increase in sea level significantly. Additionally thermal expansion of water is also leading to increase in sea water level. The result is frequent and devastating floods in the coastal areas which inundates most of the coastal regions. In a nut shell global warming is impacting the environment from every possible aspect and hence is a crisis.

Yes I am concerned about my carbon footprint. This is why I try to reduce it wherever possible. I always try to save energy; I turn off lights and electrical appliances when not in use. I turn off taps on roadways if left open. I also do not waste water. I take my cycle to nearby places or prefer to walk and not take any vehicle which can lead to emissions. I throw wastes in dustbins which are properly covered. Moreover, I give away my unusable items to nearby recycling stores. It saves a lot of energy.