India is joining the Earth Hour 2009 for the global fight against climatic change. The alarming climatic change has finally made people realize it is a bigger threat which questions the existence of human race. Lights will be switched off for one hour on March 28 at 8.30 pm Saturday to start off the campaign.

What’s climatic change?

It’s the abnormal variations in the climate in earth’s atmosphere and it’s subsequent effects on other parts of earth.

What are the causes for it?

They are as follows;

1. Variations in glaciers.

2. Ocean variations- interaction between atmosphere and ocean.

3. Volcanic eruptions and Earthquakes.

4. Solar variations.

5. Orbital variations

6. Human Influence.

The other factors are beyond our control. The only one which is in our control is the human activities.

What are the human activities?

Burning fossil fuels:

Human consumption of fossil fuels has increased the levels of Carbon di oxide, nitrous oxide and methane in the atmosphere. This gases cause the green house effect which is the cause for global warming and climatic changes.

Land usage:

Indiscriminate deforestation, wildfires had taken away large quantities of trees, acting as balancers, from earth.

Industrial wastes:

Emissions from industries are another prime cause of concern. Cement manufacture contributes carbon di oxide to atmosphere.

What are the effects noticeable?

Well there are lot too many. I will touch upon the important few;

1. Changes in the sea level.

2. Changes in glaciers.

3. Changes in climate (uneven rains, very hot summer, disturbances in oceans, cyclones to name a few}.

The only way to reduce the greenhouse effect is through an international treaty on climatic pollution when global leaders come together and sit and take notice.

The Earth Hour initiative was started in Sydney in 2007 by World Wildlife Fund. In 2008 it spreader to 35 countries and now finally in 2009 film star Aamir Khan is the face for the same in India. This will surely be a positive step for a better future. A failure to come to terms with the realities will result in disaster for the human race.

Image Credit: AussieGall

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