Thermographic Pictures taken by Greenpeace expose the energy wastage due to leakage from prominent buildings in Delhi. A recent IPCC report states that energy efficiency in new and existing buildings in India can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 30% by 2030.
Armed with this knowledge, and a special infra-red camera that
takes temperature-sensitive thermographic images, Greenpeace swung
into action.
We recently used this gadget to expose excessive energy wastage
in prominent buildings due to leakage. The Mumbai Stock Exchange,
the National Stock Exchange, the American Centre in New Delhi,
iconic hotels like the Taj Mahal in Mumbai and the Intercontinental
in New Delhi, all were found to be haemorrhaging energy in massive
volumes. The wastage is mainly on account of faulty design, use of
inadequate insulating material, and non-maintenance.
The most glaring instance of this wastage is the Mysore palace.
To create its world-famous illumination, this tourist attraction
uses around 96,000 ordinary light-bulbs, consuming close to 120,000
kWh of electricity every year. If the palace shifted to CFLs,
80,000 kWh of electricity could be saved (worth over Rs.41 lakhs in
taxpayers' money). This could also reduce annual carbon dioxide
emissions by 46,632 Kgs. Over five years (the average life of a
CFL), that's a whopping 233 tonnes!
When you consider that one-fourth of India's total electricity
is consumed in lighting, the Mysore palace appears to be less of a
tourist attraction, and more a monument to stupidity.
While on that subject, a mention of Philips is in order. This
company, as you know, has been ranked the No.1 Climate Criminal in
the lighting industry as it sells the highest number of ordinary
incandescent light-bulbs in the market, outnumbering its
competitors by a huge margin.
Given that the light-bulb hasn't changed in 128 years since its
invention, what better place to demand a design overhaul than the
Philips Innovation Centre in Bangalore? Dressed up as catwalk
models, Greenpeace activists arrived here in great style to
showcase creative alternatives of light-bulb usage - clothing
accessories, home décor items, jewelry, furniture - anything, as
long as it's not lighting.
That's about the No.1. Now, who do you think is No.2 in the
rogues' gallery of climate criminals?
Surprisingly, it's a company that projects itself as a
responsible corporate citizen with a sustainable environmental
policy, and whose MD was awarded the Environmentalist of the Year
Award in 1998.
That company is Surya. It continues to produce the
second-largest number of ordinary incandescent light-bulbs in
India. Its annual output of 97.4 milllion light-bulbs is
responsible for over 11 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year
- or a fifth of what the entire country emits from the use of
light-bulbs.
Spurred by these numbers, nearly a hundred Greenpeace activists
formed a human blockade by chaining themselves to the gates of the
Surya light-bulb manufacturing unit in Kashipur, Uttaranchal,
effectively shutting down the facility for over eight hours, and
preventing the movement of bulbs out of the factory. Our demand was
simple: shift production from light-bulbs to CFLs. Instead, Surya
reacted by running to the courts and seeking an order to keep
Greenpeace at least 400 metres away from its factory.
Taking our call to ban the bulb further, Greenpeace then floated
a giant life ring, 66 ft in diameter, by the Gateway of India.
Symbolic of what the future holds for Mumbai, this action was
spurred by the UN IPCC report mentioned earlier in this text. The
report predicts a global sea level rise of up to 50 cm by the end
of the century. This would have devastating impacts on the future
of the financial capital of the country, rendering most of Mumbai's
low-lying areas uninhabitable.
As we close this despatch from the frontline of environmental
activism, it bears mention that none of this would have been
possible without the support of 42,000 people just like you. Backed
by you, Greenpeace fights climate crime at the highest levels, but
you can join in as well. Simply visit www.BanTheBulb.in and sign a
petition to ban the bulb.