Our Rivers - Contempt and Compassion

Living in Northern suburbs of Mumbai, I happen to cross a river every day. I hear cries as I cross the bridge. The life of the river, the pure blood is poisoned. The soul of the river is killed each day bit by bit.

The friends of the river, the birds and animals who sometimes travel large distances to enjoy the water in hot summer day, no longer come. The black poisoned water is nothing but a health hazard to them. And so it is to us.

As humans we have displayed nothing but utter contempt for mother nature and its rich resources like trees and rivers. I paste here pictures of the Poisar river here, no wonder the river is now a sewer. And the story is no different about any river, anywhere in India (and may be outside). They are no inhospitable and uninhabitable thanks to our unrestricted flow of effluents and waste in them.

Such contempt over years has not benefited us or anyone. In fact we are poorer today. And if we don't do anything now, we are leaving a barren planet for our progeny.

Its a shame we cannot respect and love such a beautiful planet.

Advent of Solar Power - New Series - Part 1

I have been writing about renewable energy for quite some time. After a hiatus, I come back with the same theme. Except that, now I am having a feeling that several politico-economic forces are now coming to a point where the relevance of solar energy is increasing and capturing a greater mindshare in people's minds.

First up, the recent attacks on fuel convoys in AfPak region have cause the American military to reduce reliance on fossil fuels : U.S. Military Orders Less Dependence on Fossil Fuels. US Defence has been a pioneer in so many inventions and innovations (computer to computer networking, light materials, non-stick coatings,...the list is endless) that it is impossible to ignore this as a speck in the landscape. This will prove to be a turning point.

In US again, California's struggle to improve the share of renewable energy sources to its energy hungry population is well known.

As European economies force their citizens to enter the difficult phase of austerity, there will be no choice but to either reduce energy consumption or reduce oil dependence. To ensure the wheels of economy turn whilst they cut down on the fiscal excesses, Governments are bound to prefer the latter. Hence the argument for renewables.

More in the next post. And this time, the post will come in a weeks time.

Fiscal Deficits - View and counter view and others

Here are 2 articles about fiscal deficit. They take different views but they are being said in different contexts and are meant for different kind of economies.

Business Standard about India's budget

Paul Krugman in NYTimes on Fiscal Scare Tactics

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Something unrelated: Is Solar power picking up? Here is a NYTimes blog on it.