Takum Chang | Climate Change LEADer.
We know that climate change is caused by human activity. We know seas will rise by at least 17 centimeters in the next century. We know we can expect stronger hurricanes; we know we will face more droughts and heat waves; we know deadly diseases will spread to new regions. We know the climate demands action. We know all these things, and yet we do not act. Why? We don’t exactly know why we are not acting. Does someone have to do something for us? So we are just too drained and lack the spirit that motivates us to respond immediately to a personal threat and spring into action.
You know the climate menace prowling everywhere and it is too long since you have been saying these words “We have to do something on climate change”. Who will do what? And how about if someone just asked you “What are you doing about climate change?.
Do we also need legislative action and active popular support? Yes we do. But first we have to give our share of contribution to save the earth from the extreme effects of climate change.
So many advocate climate change at NGO level, Government level, Department level and individual level. We have spoken too much and it is fine to maintain the pace of creating awareness. But more imperative at this moment is to start acting on climate change, and I am talking of action from you “Climate advocates” and not from those people whom you have capacitated. These capacitated people will surely respond to your call “Let’s do it together”. Then what is stopping you to start acting on climate change right now? Maybe we don’t know where to start and what to do on climate change besides creating awareness.
I have been using 800 watts, all incandescent bulbs, for lighting purposes in my sweet home in Kohima the capital for the state of Nagaland. Just recently, I have replaced all the incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs of 20 watts and now I am using only 80 watts. Am I not saving 720 watts now? That’s a heavy reduction of 90% in my energy consumption for lighting. Any individual could do the same power saving act at your own homes. If you like it or if you think it is something you ought to be doing, do something of a similar kind. The Department of Power taking note of this and adopting similar energy saving changes to the current system would transform the face of Nagaland and perhaps even the power scenario. Can you imagine the scenario if the whole of Nagaland’s energy consumption for lighting was reduced by even 50%.
I have met many people who presume climate change is synonymous to forest and pollution, so we have seen that the department of forest is working hands on to create awareness on climate change. But it isn’t really only the work of this department. In the climate change regime, we have to deal with human activity, rise in temperature, sea level, droughts, deadly diseases, melting glaciers, environmental refugees, adaptative mechanisms for the poorest people, policy makers etc. all this demands action from each and every individual, department, government, NGO and group.
We have done a great job of communicating the problems, but not the solutions. Pinch yourself and feel the void in reality, we have provided very less solution on the effects of climate change.
For too long I have been hearing from you and you from me. We can either stop talking about climate change or talk less and act immediately. We have to change our attitude towards climate change issues. Every Government department has got so much to contribute. Think of saving paper in every school. Are there any possibilities of setting up of recycling units in every school? It will add value to the scores of useless papers which we throw or burn everyday in institutions. Road transport services in our state could be converted into CNG driven buses and vehicles which will save huge quantity of carbon emissions and in turn can earn carbon credits for this saved emission. Supplementing all these measures could be the tapping of the huge potential for renewable energy already known in Nagaland.
If you are living in Kohima and when you throw any garbage, just give a thought whether this garbage will land up in the dump area on NH39 and emit any stinking smell when you pass by. Just having a civic sense and acting upon that sense would help your individual action towards climate change in so many ways. The conscience of every citizen if exhibits more pro-environmental behavior you will surely find a relationship to civic sense.
It’s time to come up with tangible resolutions on conservation. Plantation of trees can be initiated by anyone and it is as easy as closing your eyes. We will strive for better future. In the climate change regime, it is eminent that all development works will fall flat if climate change issues are not considered. All planning for development, if carried out after considering climate imperatives, will be safer and more profitable in the long run.
Let ourselves be the change and envision that our actions be voiced out and be heard across the world. Yours and my action here will convince someone somewhere in the world to also act upon climate change as we know that climate change could be mitigated or slowed down only through the effort of the global people.
The Nagaland CCLs invite you to respond to this article online at www.morungexpress.com or email at ccl.nagaland@gmail.com.
