Clouds with no silver linings

ABC and no D, yes, I am fearing the brown clouds, without any silver linings, again. ABCs (Atmospheric brown clouds) , eagerly waiting to return the acid back to us and penalizing us by contributing to global warming as well as global dimming, takes control of environment (mostly Asian) as the winter starts.

Contents and formation:

ABCs are aerosol consisting mainly carbon particles (10%), Sulphor di Oxide, Nitrates and fly ash. The major contributors to ABCs in urban areas are fossil fuels and in rural areas are bio fuels (wood and dung cake) and crop burnings. To our surprise bio fuels accounts for 94% of Sulphor emissions in India, and wood fuel and crop waste accounts for 74% of total carbon emission in India.

Affects and implications:

Identified ill effects are many.

1. They cause acid rain
2. Decrease in Indian monsoon rain, especially in northern region
3. North-South shift in rain fall patterns in China
4. Melting of glaciers and decrease in snow peaks
5. Cardiovascular and pulmonary effect, leading to respiratory problems

Apart from these few identified risk, such pollution is continuously aiding to climate shift world wide. Such clouds doesn't allow heat to escape in the nights, and during the day time, they obstruct the Sun. Hence contributing to global warming as well as global dimming. Both are detrimental, and unless dealt properly, may wreak havoc.

Solution:

First and the most imporant one, avoidance of biofuels in rural areas is the mandatory step to start with. The cost appears big incially, but nothing is big when survival of the man kind is at risk. Rural people must be educated so that they can understand the affect of their 'incomplete buring' fuels, at the same time they should be provided an alternative.

Second, heavier investment in non-traditional enegery sources is the need of the era. Each country should explore the possiblity of tapping renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy, geo thermal energy, ocean energy and safe nuclear energy.

Third, subsidizing energy for any developement of any kind must be discouraged. Same holds true for subsiding petrol and diesel (by which we actually help OPECs, not ourselves). In the price calculation, cost to reverse the damage caused to environment in the name of developement must be included, and it should be borne equally by consumer and producer. Such a tax will achieve two purposes, first high cost will deter people from wasting energy and second it will encourage poeple to invest more in power saving technologies.