SN Tripathi Memorial Lectures (2011)…

'Every Individual Generates Half Ton of Garbage Every Year'
Dr Vikram Singh


Due to the vested interest of a group of people, renewable energy or the green energy is not able to get due attention of researches. There are five sources of renewable energy­ solar, wind, bio-fuel,water and geothermal. It is told that the amount of sun light that falls on the surface of earth for an hour is enough to meet our energy needs for one year. A single appropriate wind turbine can meet energy needs of three hundred homes.

Albert Einstein got Nobel Prize in 1921 on solar energy work and photo voltaic. Way back in 1990, a plane crossed the entire USA on solar energy without any fossil fuel. Germany and Japan have done pioneering research work to come out with cars that are totally on solar power. If that was possible in 1990, and also is currently possible in Germany and Japan why not we have pioneering researches despite having the best talents in our country to harness renewable energy?

A landmark work was done by E F Schumacher, who came out with a phrase 'small is beautiful' that the world cannot afford modernism. Firstly it is too demanding, secondly it is not cost effective. Well being to the largest with consumption at its minimum should be the aim. It is also well known that the Schumacher was greatly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and Buddhist thoughts. It is true that the earth has enough for everyone's needs but not for everyone's greed.

There are many legislations to monitor their implementation leaves much to be desired.It is better to have small number of laws that are faithfully implemented than to have a large number of laws loosely implemented.

Fish in Lucknow are selling at very low price currently, not due to any path breaking researches in sericulture or fish cultivation but because Gomti River has reached a level of toxicity that fish and other forms of aquatic life cannot exist and hence are dying in the water. In the form of these dead fish,people are buying poison and toxins at discounted rates. To quote our scriptures, the treasure of wisdom -

(These Swasti vachan pray for the well being of the world and exhort that peace should prevail upon the earth and the Universe.Oh God, let your eight elements viz.the heavens, space, earth, water medicines, flora, Vishvay Deva and Brahma spread peace in the Universe and ensure the well being of all)

The verses focus on pollution control, waste management, reduce reuse and recycling. Ultimately the focus is on our environment

'We should leave behind a legacy that is rich and positive'.