Energy is life

Youth power 2018-19 Experts Speak PART 2

Which Is Why It Needs To Be Saved; If We Want To See A Bright Future

Youth Power is an annual social leadership programme organised by The Global Times. It witnesses 10 teams from Amity schools engage in varied social causes in several stages. One of them is ‘Panel Discussion’ where experts discuss several aspects of the chosen social cause. Here’s presenting Part 2 of this exclusive eight-part series, based on the panel discussions organised by YP teams, and a host of opinions as experts debate on ‘Electricity Conservation and Sustainable Energy’, the cause chosen by YP team of AIS Gur 46.

Every misstep hurts us

Ravi Kalra
Founder & President,
Earth Saviours Foundation*

“Ask around and most people will tell you that they do not waste energy. But do these people carpool to work, cook at least one meal on a solar cooker, or even check energy ratings before buying an appliance? The answer is no. Add up all these things and the result is a lot of energy wastage. Every small action taken without the environment in consideration results in substantial damage.”
*Earth Saviours Foundation is an internationally acclaimed NGO that is dedicated to the betterment of the society. The foundation is the proud recipient of the prestigious Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Prestigious Award for Excellence in Humanitarian Services.

Mobilise resources

 RJ Aniket
Radio jockey, 94.3 FM

“Energy conservation is a matter of urgency, something that needs to be tended to with immediate effect. We all need to mobilise the resources that are available to us to work towards this issue. For instance, I am a voice of the commoners and can use my medium of radio to reach out to more people and spread the message. Students, on the other hand, can perhaps tap the power of social media and drive the message to more and more people. The idea is to use the available resources or means and help save energy so that we still have enough of it for the future generations.” 

Three Rs for energy

Bhavisha Buddhadeo
Social activist

“Starting right from school, we are taught the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The same goes for energy. It is important that we practice the three Rs for energy usage, if we wish the world to run its normal course. Simple steps like switching to alternative sources of energy, switching lights off when not in use, planting more trees, etc. can go a long way in restoring the balance of life.”

New sources

SV Eswaran
Visiting Scientist, UNESCO*

“Dr APJ Abdul Kalam emphasised on increasing efficiency of solar cells. We have not achieved that in India but with conscious effort, we can inch towards it. Solar energy is definitely the way forward and the sooner we tap on this energy source, the more balanced our energy requirements will be.”
*UNESCO’s DBT Regional Centre for Biotechnology, India provides multidisciplinary education and training in Biotechnology.

Be honest

Vivek Pathak
MD, SRJNA*

“I  just wish to say that whatever one does, one should do that with complete honesty. When you study with honesty, you can implement the knowledge in your life, which leads to change. Similarly, if we work towards the betterment of the environment with all our will, we’ll definitely find a way. We need to work together to find a solution and on our way, we can come across a positive outcome.”
*SRJNA, an initiative by IIT Delhi & XLRI alumni, helps schools to make STEM subjects easy and interesting by setting up Innovation Labs and Tinkering Labs.

Changing mindsets

Ayushman Jamwal
Senior News Editor, CNN-News 18

“The first step towards ushering change in any field is always changing the mindsets of people. Unfortunately, the mindset in India towards environment is that of inconsideration. We hardly believe that damage to the environment can, in any way, damage us. We are worried about development, making more money, even if that comes at the cost of the environment. This mindset needs to change. And it is only when the common populace changes their belief patterns, that the decision makers will change the way they think. That said, changing the mindsets of people is a very long-term strategy and the process requires a great deal of perseverance and patience.”

Green future

Parag Diwan
CEO, EVOracle*

“We must realise that there has to be a converging gap between solar energy, bio fuels and the possibility of making use of tidal energy. All renewable sources should be harnessed effectively and efficiently.”
*EVOracle is a consulting firm that specialises in energy, education and entrepreneurship. It mainly focuses on e-mobility in order to decarbonise the transportation system.