Green Future Technology

Green Future Technology

Gene Revolution-Boon or Bane?

Posted on January 16, 2013

Gene Revolution-Boon or Bane? How does a government feed a developing nation populated with over 1.22 billion people. Does it grow all the food, export more or adopt agricultural practices which are fast yielding and technically sound. Reading reports about food security in India from two controversial opinions can get a reader confused. After all, with so much information overload sometimes it gets difficult to form an opinion especially if one is not technically savvy in what is termed as ‘Gene/Biotechnology in agriculture’ language. 

A report in The Hindu suggests that genetically modified crops (or GM crops as they are called locally) being used by farmers in India should go back to the lab for further testing as these crops showed  high levels of toxicity resulting in serious health impacts. In a report published by scientific journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, long-term feeding trials on rats showed that females developed fatal mammary tumors and pituitary disorders while males suffered liver damage, developed kidney and skin tumors and experienced problems with their digestive system.

It is no wonder that in October 2012, a Technical Expert Commitee (TEC) appointed by the Supreme court of India issued a 10 year ban on field trials of genetically modified food crops. Basudeb Acharia, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture opines that  GM (genetically modified ) crops  is not the panacea for food security in India. According to him, way back in the 1950′s we were producing 52 million tonnes of grain and are today producing 257 million tonnes without using GM technology.

So what is GM technology and how does one define Gene Revolution? It is the application of bio-technology in food production. It provides disease-free planting material and develops crops that resist pests and diseases, reducing use of chemicals that harm the environment and human health.

In India the process of using genetically modified crops began with the Green Revolution between the years 1960 to 2000. The then Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr. C Subramaniam gave directives to farmers to use high yielding cereal crops which proved to be a boon for a nation close on the brink of a hunger disaster. India’s wheat yield increased more than threefold dramatically.

Clive James, founder and chair of ISAAA, has illustrated the importance of GM BT Cotton crops that have been delivered to India. These have brought spectacular benefits to farmers in the country.

Malcolm Elliot, the founding director of of the Norman Borlang Institute of Global Food Security says that he is deeply distressed by the outrageous claims made by the Anti Biotech groups in India who are campaigning against the use of this Green Technology . He further states that India’s consensus that gene techniques confer incremental toxicity is false and that newer and more precise techniques makes the product even safer. 

The debate on the pros and cons of genetically engineered/modified crops is universal and ongoing. The important question here is moving forward, by 2050 the world’s population will exceed nine billion and combined with environmental crises of producing food on less land with less water, few agrochemicals and less fossil fuels -how will the task of feeding the world be accomplished ?

Green Technology in the Future

Posted on January 15, 2013

Green Technology in the Future…..what do we mean when we say green Technology? Without sounding too technical and putting it simply , it means any technology that will use less energy and will be environmentally friendly. You have all heard of green products, green business and green buildings -today i want us to envision what the future will be like if we were to use Green technology. 

Green technology started in 1970′s as a reaction to the fact that oil prices were soaring and reserves and fossil fuels would run dry in the future.  Adopting a sustainable approach would certainly ensure a cleaner world for tomorrow. Green technology in the future is not about solar panels and wind turbines , it is in fact about the creative ideas and new areas of application of green technology. when the planet will be at the crossroads of a new upheaval…That is the time when these innovative green tech ideas will help us through.

• iFixit  with the help of Healthystuff.org analyzes the Chemicals in Your Cell Phone . According to the company all cellphones have components  made up of hazardous flame retardants, PVC, bromine, and heavy metals like lead, mercury, tin, calcium, and chromium. Many of them are hidden from the naked eye but can harm because of their toxicity. Given below is the result of the analysis on latest smartphones
  

• Solar Spray- A Norwegian company called EnSol AS is developing a solar spray which can be sprayed on windows converting them into Solar Panels…these can then be used to power your house by converting the Sun’s energy into energy. The spray is transparent so does not block out the light.

• TaHomA or “Total Home Automation”  promises to control the devices in your home by a touch on your ipad or iphone . It uses a professionally installed system called  ZWave  that talks to a central box. which is connected to your home via WiFi. Users can then control motorized shades, the thermostat and lights all from a single point.

• Powerleap- This company is harnessing the power of footsteps in public places with Spot( Self powered occupancy tag) its harvester energy from kinetic activity is sent to power wireless sensors where it is stored for use. Public places like train stations, parks, sidewalks and airports are some of the places where this can be used in the future.

• Smartphone to PMC (Personal Mobile Computers)- The future holds exciting new prospects or our smartphones, They will move to your wrist and take the place of the watch. They will become your interface to every other device or machine you interact with. You only only need to wear that wristwatch or information glasses or headsets to control everything from a single location.

• Information Glasses- Eye tracking companies like Tobii will combine their technology with Augmented Reality where by these Information Glasses will send back information of the object you are viewing to your PMC and will interpret your intent. The results will then be transmitted back to you helping you to make decisions. Also called Hands-free control of electronic devices the user not only uses the eyes to navigate, but also to select on screen. Such Eye control is used by people who have speech impairments or physical disabilities. 

So there you are , these are glimpses of the future and they are not just ideas but are projects in the making…..The future of Technology is sure looking a lot greener.

Human impact on the Environment.

Posted

For 200 years we’ve been conquering Nature.
Now we’re beating it to death.
~ Tom McMillan

We Humans who have been on the planet for only 200,000 years have impacted the planet in ways that is difficult to imagine. Our life which is a miracle in the universe appeared some 4 billion years ago and yet our species has succeeded in disrupting the balance so essential to this  life.

Our Earth relies on a balance where every species has a symbiotic role to play. This is a  subtle fragile harmony which we humans, are slowly disrupting. We have changed the face of the world . Despite being vulnerable we have taken possession of every habitat and conquered territories like no other species before us. By simply existing in the over consumptive way that we do ,we humans have left an imprint on the world. 

Information regarding Human impact is vast and difficult to assimilate yet i put down a part of it that has caught the attention of many…

Air —-

Perhaps the largest impact that we have had is on the very air that we breathe. Household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air pollution. The WHO estimates that about 2 million people die prematurely every year as a result of Air Pollution. Vehicular Emissions, aircraft pollutants, overuse of coal based industrial units, brick kilns, cooking on coal cooktops have made India to be the largest air polluter in the world. The effects are here to stay as rice crop yields in southern India are falling, the brilliant white of the famous Taj Mahal  is slowly fading to a sickly yellow and birds and species are severely affected declining to more than half in just 10 years. Vapi in Gujarat is the  most polluted city in the country according to Central Pollution Control Board’s interim report on May 21, 2012. Beijing in China has recently been declared the most air polluted city in the world. New Delhi, the capital is covered with thick smog in winters which arises from the 1000 cars being added daily to the city. Asthma, choking, blindness, wheezing and even lung cancer are some of the diseases on the rise.

Water—–

 

Few realise the importance of water reserves left on the planet and know just how much is available. It is no surprise that we use the supply without a second thought. Polluting our remaining 69% of freshwater supply with chemical pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers and contaminating it with fossil fuels and emissions from heavy machinery. This water impacts plants, animals and marine life, its acidity leading to acid rain. According to a report by the UN, 90 percent of wastewater discharged daily in developing countries(80 % of urban waste in India) is untreated. This leads to the death of nearly 2.2 million people a year from diarrheal diseases. The rivers in India especially the Ganga and the Yamuna are so polluted that the smog can be seen from Google Earth.

Land—–

Polluting the land we live on is nothing short of shortsightedness. Over years we will realise the mistakes we make today. Human beings have degraded the soil of the planet. Our present culture knows only how to consume and misuse the natural resources. Mismanaged urban sprawls, migrations to cities and exposed landfills cause the highest amount of pollution. We have cut our forests, run our topsoil and expanded our agricultural practices to the extent that we do have made it a habit to overuse resources without a thought for tomorrow. Plastics from industries which are chemical laden are producing toxins and illegal dumping of waste is affecting us all. Our country India, which has more than 5000 cities generates about 40 million tonnes of Municipal Solid Waste per year today. The disposal of this waste is considered the responsibility of the government, yet what are we to achieve without the joint effort of the billion citizens who live in this country today. 

What we don’t realise is that we will never truly destroy the planet, it adapts to our actions and will change continuously. It is us as a species that will suffer, will we change our environment in such a manner so as to drive ourselves to extinction?

All species have been living in natural surrounding for years, it is only recently that humans have adapted to living in an inorganic world. We need to feel the responsibility , how will it be possible to live without clean drinking water, to not breathe clean air and to not have abundant fertile soil. Empowering ourselves with valuable information is the first step in this direction and that is what this website endeavors to do.It is always good to do something with what you know ……so Happy Reading…

India’s Mission to Mars

India’s Mission to Mars begins this year i.e 2013. After the unveiling of the probe ‘Mangalyaan’ at the Indian Science Congress in Kolkata on January 6, the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh formally announced the launch of a Space Exploration Programme to the Red Planet Mars in November 2013. 

This unmanned Scientific Space Mission follows on the heels of the launch of Curiosity, NASA’s Rover which successfully landed on Mars on August 6, 2012. This Rover has been sending back information which will serve as the foundation for possible manned missions to the Red Planet. Packed with cutting edge technology this probe is able to explore the surface of the planet with ease trying to determine if Mars has any microbial life.

India’s Space programmehas completed 29 Space Missions and using the help of private investors, the country hopes to fulfill long cherished dreams of leaping forward in a Space Age second to none and also becoming the only Asian country to send a mission to Mars.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will provide the launch Vehicle PSLV  at Sriharikota. The goal will be to study the climate, geology and the sustainability of life on the planet.

These formal announcements of Space exploration have come under deep criticism from British and American media as an estimated Rs 4500 crores are to be spent on the project which critics believe could be spent otherwise wisely as India is a developing country and needs to address other critical issues.

The Prime Minister has defended the programme saying that the step will benefit the Nation  in the long run leading  providing huge returns on the investment. It will also inspire the young  and talented citizens to take up careers in Science and Technology. After all it is the right of every Indian Child to explore Space.

Countries like China, Japan, UK, France and the US have already forged ahead in their mission to send unmanned scientific exploratory probes to Mars and a new exciting mission awaits called Mars One. This mission is launched by a Private Dutch Enterprise, its goal being to establish a Human settlement on Mars.

A global selection procedure will kick off this year to recruit healthy, resilient, adaptable, creative and resourceful people for a 8 long training programme to travel to Mars. This team will carry 2500 kg of cargo to set up residence on the Red planet in what can be named the first dream voyage of its kind.