Unit V: Green future (6 hours) Agenda of green development; reduction of ecological footprint;

role of green technologies towards a sustainable future; major challenges and their resolution for
implementation of green technologies; green practices to conserve natural resources (organic
agriculture, agroforestry, reducing paper usage and consumption, etc.); emphasis on waste
reduction instead of recycling, emphasis on innovation for green future; role of advancement in
science in developing environmental friendly technologies.

UNIT V: GREEN FUTURE

Ecological Footprint:

Developed in 1990 by Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees at the University of British
Columbia, it is a sustainability indicator that measures how much of the Earth’s natural resources
a population or individual consumes and how much waste they generate. It measures the amount
of biologically productive land and water required to support a population and absorb their
waste. It includes the demand for resources and services from natural ecosystems, such as
cropland, grazing land, fishing grounds, built-up land, and forest area. It is expressed in global
hectares (gha) and may include cities, regions, countries, organizations, services, products, and
processes. It helps understand the impact of extracting more natural resources than the planet can
regenerate.

Carbon Footprint:

A carbon footprint is a measure of the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that an activity,
product, company, or country releases into the atmosphere. Carbon footprints are typically
reported in tons of emissions per unit of comparison. Carbon footprints include emissions from
compounds like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons,
and sulfur hexafluoride.

Carbon footprints are usually expressed in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). This
makes it easier to compare activities, events, or industries that might otherwise be difficult to
compare directly.

Knowing your carbon footprint can help you identify and reduce GHG emissions, raise
awareness of environmental costs, and manage your environment and energy.

Ways to reduce ecological and carbon footprint

 Recycle: Recycling reduces landfill waste, pollution, and energy consumption.

 Use renewable energy: Renewable energy can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
pollution.
 Eat vegetarian diet: Livestock production requires a lot of land, water, and energy.
 Conserve water: It takes a lot of water to produce food, energy, and other things we buy.
 Reduce energy usage: You can reduce your carbon footprint by 10 tons per year by
reducing your electricity usage by 10%.
  Buy eco-friendly products: Using eco-friendly products can reduce your environmental
impact.

 Compost: Composting kitchen and garden scraps recycles nutrients into the soil and
reduces the amount of waste that goes to landfills.
 Minimize food waste: Food waste contributes 8–10% of total manmade greenhouse gas
emissions.
 Use less air conditioning: Using your air conditioner less can help reduce your carbon
footprint.
 Unplug appliances: Unplug appliances when they aren’t in use.
 Switch to LEDs: Switching to LEDs can help reduce your carbon footprint.

Earth Overshoot Day:

Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and
services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. It means this deficit is
met by liquidating stocks of ecological resources and accumulating waste, primarily carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere.

To determine the date of Earth Overshoot Day for each year, Global Footprint Network
calculates the number of days of that year that Earth’s biocapacity suffices to provide for
humanity’s Ecological Footprint. The remainder of the year corresponds to global overshoot.

Earth Overshoot Day is computed by dividing the planet’s biocapacity (the amount of ecological
resources Earth can generate that year) by humanity’s Ecological Footprint (humanity’s demand
for that year), and multiplying by the number of days in a year. This year, as we are in a leap
year, it is 366 days.

(Earth’s Biocapacity / Humanity’s Ecological Footprint) × 366 = Earth Overshoot Day

Role of Advancement in Science & Tech in Promoting Green Technology

 Hydrogen Energy and Hydrogen Fuel Cell

 Hybrid and electric vehicles / mass transit
 Smart Metering System
 Biorefinery
 Carbon Capture and Storage
 Nuclear Fission and Fusion Reactors
 Use of plastic waste in road construction
 Green Architecture
 Use of plants and bio-components in medicine
 Carbon capture and storage technology

Challenges to Implement Green Technologies

 High initial cost

  Insufficient infrastructure
 Policy and regulatory barriers
 Supply chain challenges
 Lack of public awareness and participation

Green Practices to Conserve Natural Resources

Organic agriculture is a method of farming that uses natural processes and resources to produce
food while preserving the environment. It involves avoiding the use of synthetic substances like
pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Organic farming system is a
method of farming system which primarily aimed at sustainable agricultural production in an
eco-friendly pollution-free environment and being followed from ancient time in India. Organic
Production system, keeps the environment and ecology alive and in good health by use of natural
resources to harness desired agricultural production for human consumption.

In organic production, environment focus is on using naturally available resources such as

organic wastes (crop, animal and farm wastes, aquatic wastes) and other biological materials
along with beneficial microbes (biofertilizers/biocontrol agents) to release nutrients to crops and
protect them from insect pests and diseases for increased agricultural production.

PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

 Principle of health: Organic agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil,
plant, animal, human and planet as one and indivisible. It should avoid harmful effects of
synthetic pesticides, animal drugs and food additives that may have adverse health
effects.
 Principle of ecology: Organic agriculture should be based on living ecological systems
and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them. Those who produce,
process, trade or consume organic products should protect and benefit the common
environment including landscapes, climate, habitats, biodiversity, air and water.
 Principle of fairness: Organic agriculture should build on relationships that ensure
fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities.

 Principle of care: Organic Agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and

responsible manner to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations
and the environment. Decisions should reflect the values and needs of all who might be
affected, through transparent and participatory processes.

Agroforestry

Agroforestry is the interaction of agriculture and trees, including the agricultural use of trees.
This comprises trees on farms and in agricultural landscapes, farming in forests and along forest
margins and tree-crop production, including cocoa, coffee, rubber and palm oil. Interactions
between trees and other components of agriculture may be important at a range of scales: in
fields (where trees and crops are grown together), on farms (where trees may provide fodder for
livestock, fuel, food, shelter or income from products including timber) and landscapes (where
agricultural and forest land uses combine in determining the provision of ecosystem services).

Agroforestry is agricultural and forestry systems that try to balance various needs:

1. To produce trees for timber and other commercial purposes.

2. To produce a diverse, adequate supply of nutritious foods both to meet global demand
and to satisfy the needs of the producers themselves.
3. To ensure the protection of the natural environment so that it continues to provide
resources and environmental services to meet the needs of the present generations and
continue to those to come.

Agroforestry involves a wide range of trees that are protected, regenerated, planted or managed
in agricultural landscapes as they interact with annual crops, livestock, wildlife and humans. As
natural forests are cleared for agriculture and other types of development, the benefits that trees
provide are best sustained by integrating them into agricultural productive landscapes.

Prominent agroforestry systems in India

Twenty common agroforestry systems are practiced across India:

1. Agrisilviculture: This is the most prominent agroforestry system in India, practiced in

several agroclimatic regions. These are production techniques that combine the growing
of crops with simultaneously raised and protected tree crops.
2. Agri-horticulture: Practiced in six agro-climatic regions; it combines fruit trees with
crops.

3. Agri-silvi-horticulture: Practiced in two agro-climatic regions; it combines trees, fruit

crops, and crops.
4. Agri-silvi-pasture: Practiced in two agroclimatic regions. This is a collective name for
land-use systems involving the deliberate association of a woody component (trees or
shrubs) with cattle on the same land unit.
5. Boundary plantation: Where trees are planted at a vast distance around agricultural
fields.
6. Block plantation: Practiced in the Eastern plateau and hills and Central plateau and hills,
tree plantations with closed spacing in compact blocks of more than 0.5 hectare lands
outside recorded forest areas.
7. Energy plantation: Practiced in the lower Gangetic plains, in this system, trees are
grown as energy crops.
8. Alley cropping: An agroforestry system in which species of shrubs or trees are planted at
relatively close spacing within rows, and widely spaced between rows, to leave room for
herbaceous cropping in the alleys in between.
9. Silvi-olericulture: A combination of trees and vegetables.
10. Horti-pasture: This system combines fruit trees with pasture animals.
11. Horti-agriculture: Combines fruit trees and crops.
 12. Silvi-pasture: An agroforestry practice that integrates livestock, forage production, and
trees on the same land management unit.
13. Forest farming: Combines forage trees and pasture.
14. Shelter belts: Practiced in the East Coast plateau and hills and Western dry regions;
these protect crops from wind and erosion.
15. Wind breaks: Combine trees and crops.
16. Live fences: Where shrubs and under trees form the boundary.
17. Silvi or Horti-sericulture: Trees or fruit trees with sericulture.
18. Horti-apiculture: Fruit trees with honeybees.
19. Aqua-forestry: Trees combined with fisheries.
20. Homestead: Multiple combinations of trees, fruit trees, vegetables, etc. There are also
specialized systems such as Jhum (shifting cultivation) in Eastern Himalaya and home
gardens in East coast plateau and hills, West coastal plains and ghats, and islands.

Case Study 1 – Delhi Metro (India)

 Uses regenerative braking

 Saves energy (~30%)
 Reduces CO₂ emissions
 Promotes public transport

Example of green urban transport

Case Study 2 – Sikkim Organic State

 100% organic farming state

 No chemical fertilizers
 Improved soil & biodiversity
 Boosted tourism

Best example of organic agriculture

Case Study 3 – Tesla Electric Vehicles

 Promotes clean transportation

 Zero tailpipe emissions
 Reduces fossil fuel dependency

Innovation-driven green technology

Case Study 4 – Chipko Movement (India)

 Forest conservation movement

 People hugged trees to prevent cutting
 Raised environmental awareness
Example of community participation

Case Study 5 – Sweden Waste Management

 Less than 1% waste to landfill

 Converts waste to energy
 Imports waste for recycling

Model for waste reduction

Case Study 6 – Agroforestry in India

 Farmers grow trees + crops

 Improves income & soil fertility
 Reduces climate risk