Long Essay -
Part 2 -
Long Essay (5,000 character limit, including punctuation and
spaces)
1.
In the
Georgia Tech spirit of innovation and improving the human condition, describe a
societal problem that exists locally, regionally, nationally or globally and
propose a feasible solution.
As a
human being, I am affected by many unfortunate situations around me. Poverty,
drought, famines, diseases, and many others leave a profound effect in my mind.
Though we may not be able to eradicate those that are caused due to nature’s
wrath there are many others which we can avoid. One of them is global warming.
Global
warming has been occurring throughout the world and this has resulted in
deteriorating the climatic conditions not only over a particular region, but
the world over. Now it is difficult for us to say that in India we have
primarily three seasons – summer, winter and rainy. No longer do these seasons
last for the average three to four months as before. The summers are harsh with rising temperatures,
the winters are barely noticeable, and the rains cease to stick to it pre-determined
timelines. All this has resulted in increasing poverty as farmers are not able
to sow and reap their harvests in time. The repercussions are even felt by the
consumer as the cost of necessary food supplies has gone beyond the common
man’s reach.
Since
global warming increases the current temperatures, the rate of evaporation
would increase extensively and would result in an increased precipitation along
with melting of ice packs and polar ice-bergs. This would result in lower
annual temperatures. The greenhouse effect is one of the main and initial
causes of global warming. The most common greenhouse gases are water vapor,
carbon dioxide, methane and ozone. These gases absorb infrared radiation of
light and trap the heat caused by it within the lower atmosphere causing the
heating up of the entire atmosphere. These gases have increased in volume due
to industrialization and use of fossil fuels. The air we breathe is turning
more and more poisonous with each passing day. Deforestation also caused a lot of
carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere as; forests remove and store carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere. All carbon dioxide is now being released into the
atmosphere. Scientists have come with strong evidence to suggest that these
phenomena are having a major role in the increase of intensity of extreme
storms worldwide.
When
I read about the effects global warming, a sense of insecurity seeps into me.
If this has already happened, what may happen to us in the future? It is a
worrying sign for the future generations and our survival on this planet. I
believe that all of this can still be reversed and our planet can still be
stabilized in a manner where it can sustain mankind for infinite centuries to
come.
Consumption
of fossil fuels especially carbon-intensive coal should be reduced
dramatically. Alternative sources of fuel should be developed and adopted for
regular use. Solar energy should be harnessed. Solar energy is renewable and
does not emit any harmful gases back into Mother Earth. Especially in a country
like India which is sunny all through the year. Every home in India should be
tempted to invest in these solar systems which in turn will become a source of
revenue generator for the family in years to come. This would also help each
individual in playing their part towards protecting the environment. Technology
should be developed in a manner which would allow us to store carbon emissions
underground and away from the atmosphere.
I
myself contribute to cutting down on carbon emissions by regularly using public
transport. I also am very particular about saving electricity and switch off
lights every time I leave a room and also make limited use of air conditioners.
In addition, I generally walk short distances rather than make use of an
automobile. I love cycling too. Not only does it help cut down carbon-emissions
but also helps keep us fit and healthy.
We
recently had a very interesting seminar in our locality and almost every home in
the locality has adopted measures to conserve energy and use appliances that
are energy efficient. All light bulbs got replaced with fluorescent low watt
bulbs. Living in a tropical country like India, we do not need a dryer to dry
our clothes. Most women present pledged to avoid the use of dryers. Cutting
down on garbage was another option everyone decided to follow. Planting trees
is one activity that I am happy to note is happening all over the place. In the
city I live in Mumbai, the municipal authorities have become very strict on the
use of non-degradable plastic bags. So we can combat global warming in small
ways too. All that it requires is commitment to do the right thing by every
individual. I believe that every human being should personally contribute to
reversing the effects of global warming first. If everybody contributes in
their own small way, it will make a huge difference in global warming intensity
and reduce atmospheric temperatures too. This is an issue of global importance
and should be taken very seriously or else we might face severe consequences in
the form of natural calamities and phenomena.
