Green Economy: Does it include you?

         How to grow green? This is the question for which we are trying to figure out solutions. It’s a global issue! Recently, we have become more conscious about how to generate economic activity that preserves and enhances environmental quality while using natural resources more efficiently. Our concern has suddenly shifted to link the three E’s (environment, economy, and equity) of development. This happened as we have realised that we have been deteriorating the health of our planet by changing the climatic conditions leading to global warming. We, the citizens of our own world sustain due to the presence of natural resources on earth. Due to rapid increase in the population and standard of living, we are facing the energy crisis. If we deplete it by industrial or human activities, we would not leave anything for our grandchildren to survive here.

         Hence, emerged the concept of “green economy” several years back. A green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. The green economy is the clean energy economy, consisting primarily of four sectors: renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal); green building and energy efficiency technology; energy-efficient infrastructure and transportation; and recycling and waste management.

         As citizens of the world, we have a moral responsibility to take green steps right now. We can halt and undo our prior environmental damage to survive and let our future generation survive and enjoy the resources. But, while taking mammoth steps to do this, we also have to figure out ways to benefit our economy, of which we are a part. So we need a “Green Economy”, which harnesses the productive potential of nature to increase Earth’s bio-capacity, and thus to ensure greater human well-being and its equitable distribution.

       Discussions on climate change must encompass not only “how much” we will reduce, but also “how” we will get there. By utilizing the solar, wind, water and other natural renewable sources for power we can protect the earth and its non-renewable resources such as oil and coal; and also stop chopping our rain forests. If employees, clients, consumers are encouraged to think and work in a greener way and our products/services be designed following a green technology, this will help to make our planet greener. The green economy is not just about the ability to produce clean energy, but also technologies that allow cleaner production processes, establishing growing market for products which consume less energy, from fluorescent light bulbs to organic and locally produced food.

        Green jobs also provide the opportunity in green growth by doing good while doing well. Green jobs are those positions in agriculture, manufacturing, research and development, administration, and the service sector that contribute substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality. In the transition to a lower-carbon, green economy, the lines between environmental jobs and jobs in more traditional sectors is becoming increasingly blurred. Advancements in the green economy are closely tied to investments in green technologies: wind, solar, biofuels, and biomass and waste-to-energy.

  

         Technologies are available to go green. We have solutions to make the products eco-friendly, but how far will the industries implement them? Not all, only a few of the companies are adopting greener technologies. If some companies could forget their individual profits for a second and have the vision for profit that our generation next will gain, then we can imagine of a greener world, reaching the pinnacle of growth in green economy. Because “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”