Use of Traditional Methods to Save Energy and Environment in the Indian Context

The world is getting increasingly mechanized today

, and in the rush to aid our lives with more gizmos and gadgets, we are forgetting some tried and tested practices that have helped us over the generations. Today as the world faces a crunch in energy and a depleting environmental standard, it is time to look back at some of these practices, analyse them, tweak them a little, and if need be, reclaim them.

How many times do we come across headlines in the newspapers that report water shortage in an area of the city, or a power blackout? Well, in a city like Delhi for example, especially during peak summer or winter, it is almost on a daily basis. It is interesting in such situations how the government blames the municipal corporation, and it blames the public works department, who in turn blame someone else and so on. In all this blame game, the most important question is never asked, neither by the public, nor by the authorities. And the question is why there is a shortfall? The answer is equally simple; resources like fresh water and energy sources like coal are limited and scarce. When there is an unavailability of resources, no one can meet the demand shortfall. So, is it not time that someone looked at other alternatives. Work is being done on alternative energy sources. But why not employ alternate practices to save our precious energy and environment? In the following sections, I look at some of the core areas that are I believe, essential for survival of human beings.

Water sources, food sources and cooking gas to cook the food are something that every household needs for sustenance. LPG, or liquefied petroleum gas, is the primary cooking medium used in cities and towns. LPG is very expensive and government has to subsidise it to a large extent to keep its price under check. But recently, government took the step to deregulate the prices of petrol and diesel, and if keeping with this trend, it were to deregulate the price of LPG, it would place a huge financial burden on the common man. Hence, it is imperative that we seek an alternative cooking fuel. And in looking forward, we might do well to look back. In the old days, and even now in villages, cow dung cakes are used for cooking. While it may not be entirely possible to replicate the model in urban areas, it can be tweaked a little and its derivative, biogas may be used as cooking fuel. Biogas is something that can be produced with the help of biodegradable objects like cow dung and other organic matter. Considering our cattle, livestock and human populations, biogas can be produced in required quantities. If every household were to contribute the organic waste it generates, it will be sufficient to meet the needs of a locality [1].

It is also interesting to note from a passive point of view and really disturbing from a subjective point of view to note that despite India's great showing in the world market in terms of growth of GDP and FDI and FII influx, it still accounts for a huge number of suicides by farmers in the agricultural sector. Is it not unfair that the one who feeds us has nothing to feed his family? The main reason for the suicides is back-crippling loans that lead to huge amount of debts. The farmer has to take loan to ensure proper yield. He needs to buy fertilizers, pesticides, tools and machinery, and despite that if the crop fails he is left in a lurch; a lurch so grave that it can cause him to take his own life. Many are calling for a second green revolution. I believe if such a revolution were indeed to occur, a major area of it should focus on replacing fertilizers by high quality and green manures. Cattle faeces, fallen leaves and any other sort of bio degradable matter that add nutrient value to the soil should be used as manures[2]. It was done before chemical fertilizers became available. I believe that a cottage industry can be set up, and unemployed or extra farmhands can be taught to make the right mix of these substances along with perhaps putting a green manure cover of maybe legumes which increase the nitrogen fixation rate, to produce a marketable quality of manure which can then have the dual benefit of manures viz. biodegradability and organic nature, and fertilizers viz. high nitrogen fixation etc [3]. Such a scheme will lessen at least part of the financial burden on the farmers and also may add an extra source of income for the family if some member were to become a part of the cottage industry.

Water is another resource that is fast depleting and though there are substitutes for many other resources, this is one resource that we cannot do without. So how can we do our bit to save water? Switching off taps and repairing drips is a way to conserve but I believe that there are other major sources that cause a lot of water to go waste. A primary example is sanitation [4]. If we go to use the pot some 7-8 times a day on an average, then flushing every time we end up with 50 litres of water literally going down the drain. That is per person; imagine that for a whole community! It causes the mind to wander back to the days of Mahatma Gandhi and his portable toilet that he built at his ashram. The toilet would be used by the ashram members and it would be the responsibility of the user to cover the excreta with a bucket of earth. Not only does it enrich the soil, it is perfectly hygienic and saves a lot of water. This practice is age old and is natural. Most animals cover their excreta the same way. This practice is even prevalent in villages but what makes it unhygienic is the fact that it is done in the open. If proper steps are taken to maintain hygiene by the users, then this could be the answer to saving a lot of water from going waste.

These are just some of the ways that can be implemented to save energy and the environment. Others can also be implemented. What this article would want its readers to understand is it is not always right to blindly follow whatever modern techniques come into the market. The tried and tested policies should be brought back if they are better. There is no shame in going a step back to go a step ahead.

References

1. Gladstone, N., Action Sheet 66 (Biogas), PACE.

2. LeaMaster, B., Hollyer, J.R., Sullivan, J.L., Composted Animal Manures: Precautions and Processing, CTAHR, Manoa, 1998.

3. Kuepper, G., Manures for Organic Crop Production, Soil Systems Guide (ed. Zodrow, D., Williams, P.), ATTRA, 2003.

4. Water Efficiency, Water Management Options, North Carolina Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance, Raleigh, 2009.

Use of Traditional Methods to Save Energy and Environment in the Indian Context

By: Rit Nanda

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