Thinking sustainability

Wipro Earthian Team
Wipro’s Earthian initiative on Sustainability launched earlier this year was the outcome of a realisation that the issue required greater attention in schools and colleges. Solutions to these issues can be arrived at only if there is a change in mindsets and approaches and who better to lead this change, than those in schools and colleges.

Why do we live unsustainably?

Clive Elwell

Does sustainability exist at all in the present society? Growth, as we have known it, does not seem to be possible. Every living system on the planet is in a state of decline and the rate of decline is accelerating. What part is education playing in at least trying to bring about a transformation in the mindsets of students? Clive Elwell tries to answer these difficult questions.

What is education for?

David W Orr

This interesting article lays down six principles on how one can rethink education in the context of sustainability, and busts a few myths as well.

Twelve questions to prepare for 2012 and beyond

Sreekumar N and Ashwin Gambhir

The energy sector is the single biggest contributor to climate change accounting for 60 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. By thinking aloud, the authors begin by trying to understand energy, put renewable energy in context and move on to understanding its different aspects. There are also some interesting ideas for action for each and every one of us. Try them out.

Why and how should we care?

Sharachchandra Lele

Climate change is a peculiar problem. Everyone is affected by it and everyone contributes to it. In order to engage with climate change, there has to be genuine global cooperation. A major responsibility for mitigation lies with developed
countries, as also the need to help developing countries to adapt or ‘climate-proof’ themselves to a small degree.

Social innovation – need of the hour

Harish Hande

For a country like India to prosper, decentralisation is the mantra. Decentralised energy, solutions, enterprises and eco-systems are the need of the hour and for this we need social entrepreneurs. These are the fundamentals for creating a strong nation.

Sustainable development – an oxymoron

Sagar Dhara

Implementing community level programmes is the first step to sustainable living. Wherever possible, one needs to reduce energy use and move towards energy equity.

The new facts of life

Fritjof Capra

In the coming decades, the survival of humanity will depend on our ecological literacy – our ability to understand the basic principles of ecology and to live accordingly. This means that ecoliteracy must become a critical skill for
politicians, business leaders, and professionals in all spheres, and should be the most important part of education at all levels – from primary and secondary schools to colleges, universities, and the continuing education and training
of professionals.

Forests and tribals

Sujatha Padmanabhan

One of the biggest controversies over who owns natural resources has to do with the competing rights of tribal communities to their forest homelands and the need to protect the animals within those forests. Add to this the insatiable appetite for forest wealth to fuel industrial growth, and you have an explosive situation. This article discusses the history of forest rights activism and the way in which the state has dealt with these rights.