How to Take Action to Reduce Global Warming

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The future is not somewhere we are going. It is something we are creating. Every day we do things that make some futures more probable and others less likely.[1] Global warming already disrupts millions of lives daily in the forms of destructive weather patterns and loss of habitat.[2] What is already happening is only the tip of the melting iceberg, for it is our children and grandchildren who may suffer most from the effects of global warming. [3] Hundreds of millions of people may be exposed to famine, water shortages, extreme weather conditions and a 20 - 30% loss of animal and plant species if we don't reduce the rate of global warming and reduce GHG emissions.[4] On the other hand, warmer winters means longer growing seasons in temperate and subarctic climes, sometimes allowing an additional crop to be planted and harvested each year, or simply making the existing crops more productive.[5][6] This article outlines some ways that you can act to help prevent the Earth from warming further. While humankind has the ability to destroy the planet, we can also help protect and sustain it. Reducing your carbon and greenhouse gas emissions will not only make your personal living space more sustainable but it will save you money in both the short and long term. Global warming is occurring more rapidly than it was originally expected to -- only forty years ago, [7] the big worry was global cooling. Even if you remain a cynic, however, and believe that the majority of scientists are wrong, you'll benefit from reduced pollution, a more healthful lifestyle and increased savings from enacting these simple activities that will not reduce the quality of your life.

Environment Cell June 2008

AID Delhi chapter planned to celebrate environment week in an innovative and informative manner. Accordingly we thought of conducting life size games on environment issues. The theme we picked up was water conservation and air pollution. We designed a life size snake and ladder game for both the themes. A few of our volunteers took the responsibility of designing the game. The game goes on as follows.

A Life size snake and ladder board will be made with colorful ribbons
Green boxes indicating Ladder boxes
Red boxes indicating Snake boxes
White / Yellow boxes are safe ones.
Each box would be 2 x 2 feet.
The entire snake box would carry a message which affects environment and as per the effect of the message he gets negative points and move to the snake tail.
All ladder boxes would carry a message which saves environment and as per the effect of the message the person gains positive points and move up the ladder.

With this game we approached a lot of corporate offices to conduct the game in their office as a part of their CSR cell activity during the environment week. We started to perform the game from 3^rd June and still performing. The following are the companies which we’ve conducted the game so far.

ST Microelectronics, Greater Noida with employees of 2000.
TCS, Gurgaon office with number of employees more than 2000.
HCL, Sec – 125, Noida with number of employees more than 700.
Freescale Semiconductors, Sec – 16, Noida with number of employees more than 600.
TCS, Sec – 3, Noida with number of employees more than 250.
TCS, Noida Phase II with number of employees more than 600.
Evalueserve, Sec -29, Gurgaon with number of employees more than 2000.
Corporate Executive Board, Gurgaon with number of employees around 225.
Newgen, Sec – 62, Noida with number of employees around 800. [Game yet to be performed].

When we approached the companies, we got help from the volunteers of the company in setting up the game. We divided 4 teams in one round in which each team would have maximum of 3 people. One person would throw the dice and the others move on the board. Whenever a person reached the snake / ladder box, they would take the message and read out loudly and keep it back, then move down / up respectively. The team which ends in the finish box [ 8 x 8 boxes, 64^th box is finish], wins.

We also had a streetplay performance on the issue of Global Warming by our partnering NGO Jamghat at ST Microelectronics and Freescale Semiconductors, Noida.

A few pictures of the event :

The Winners

A game in progress

Environment Cell May 2008

Finally AID Delhi’s Environment Cell is about to take off with this years World Environment Day. With the help of our partner organization Jamghat we will be performing life size games of Snakes and Ladders on Environment, along with a street play by Jamghat at ST microelectronics on 4^th of June. AID Delhi plans to celebrate the entire week from 4^th to 11^th as Environment week and various activities has been planned. Like performing the life size games at various public points and performing street play along with it. Issuing pamphlets to people which will contain tips on reducing eco-foot prints. Recommending the use of paper bags etc.,

The Life Size Snake and Ladder game is planned in the following way.

We will have two members playing in a game and we will be having games on different themes Team Water, Team Earth, to play the game. It will be played with 2 regular dice. Basically the boxes would contain messages / activity from day to day life and the one who gets to the box which has environment friendly message / activity gains bonus points and / or moves up the ladder and one who gets the message / activity which is not environment friendly gets down by snake.

A screen shot of the game and how the messages would be is given. We are planning to perform such games in corporate offices in a latter stage too.