Climate change is becoming a big issue in this year’s US presidential election. Democratic Party leaders are promoting a budget of billions of dollars in clean energy projects. On the other hand, Republican Party’s Donald Trump and his supporters say that adopting green technology will increase China’s dominance, and energy prices will rise. Trump promises to repeal the Biden government’s rules regarding vehicle emissions, increase oil production and take the US out of the Paris Agreement on climate change. If the Republican Party emphasizes on China’s intrusion into American schools, large-scale job losses, and increase in energy prices due to reduced use of fossil fuels (petrol, diesel, gas) in the efforts to advance green technology, then this campaign may weaken.
Today most intellectuals, institutions and leaders are trying to do something to solve the problem of climate change. But the traditional methods of finding solutions are not giving us the desired results. Since the year 1997, we have been looking for solutions to this terrible problem in policies like the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Renewable energy such as solar and wind have developed significantly, costs have come down and efficiencies have increased. Meanwhile, economic growth has also continued. Despite this, global temperatures are not only rising, but it is also gaining momentum.
Even when we talk about solutions like the use of renewable energy, our focus is on generating more renewable energy, not on reducing energy consumption. Due to this mindset, the production of solar panels, electric vehicles and batteries etc. is increasing and in the same proportion the consumption of necessary resources, materials and electricity is also increasing. Recycling of all these materials and products is a problem. The environmental impact of renewable energy technologies is less than that of fossil fuels, but it is not zero.
Today, the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere is rising, global temperatures are increasing, and weather events are increasing. The great scientist Einstein said, ‘We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used to create them.’ Our mindset of over-consumption and economic growth has created ecological stress on the earth today. The result is depletion of natural resources, global warming and climate change. Contrary to popular belief, my proposal to deal with this problem is ‘do nothing’. The logic behind this idea is that doing something means more energy use, more carbon emissions, more climate change.
In our country, we observe fasts to cleanse our mind and body. Similarly,
Do ‘Energy Fast’ and save your home, your earth. Deciding not to buy new clothes for a year can be ‘Clothes Fast’. Not travelling to far-off tourist destinations becomes ‘Travel Fast’. Avoiding packaged food is ‘Packaged Food Fast’ and not using hot water for bathing is ‘Hot Water Energy Fast’, wearing clothes without ironing is ‘Electricity Energy Fast’.
Any person from any background, country, education level and economic status can decide his/her own ‘Energy Fast’. On a larger level, energy fasting means, less energy use, i.e. less carbon emissions i.e. climate improvement. This approach also promotes our conscious living and sustainability mindset.
Any person from any background, country, education level and economic status can do ‘Energy Fast’. It means, less energy use, i.e. less carbon emissions, i.e. climate improvement. It promotes mental stability.
No need for additional financial resources for energy fasting. In fact, it often saves money by reducing the consumption of goods and services. For example, not buying a new car or electronic device saves both money and the resources needed for production. By avoiding unnecessary tasks, we conserve natural resources. This reduces pressure on the environment and helps maintain ecological balance. This is in contrast to technology solutions, which often require time for development, implementation, and scaling.
By consciously reducing energy consumption, reducing waste, and deciding to live more simply, we can substantially reduce our carbon footprint and promote a more sustainable future.