WHAT IS GREEN TECHOLONGY
What is GREEN technology? This question is mostly asked in places like Asia and Africa where green technology is in its rudimentary stages of development. Both continents remain the worst victims of global warming and ozone depletion in the world and are in dire need of green technology more so than others.
United States Green Building Council (USGBC), which is the mother of all the green councils of the world and is responsible for the creation, execution and implementation of all green projects in the United States of America, says that the main reason why people everywhere need green technology is because of “our health – the human health.” Such issues as green energy, pure air, and a sustainable Earth are connected to this one thing – human health in every corner of the globe. Let us start with the two root causes of human problems and changing ecology on the earth’s surface – global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer. The ozone layer around the surface of the earth has been protecting the earth and its civilizations for millions of years. Now, the carbon emission from burning natural gas, coal and other petrochemical products has depleted this layer. It is said now there is a big hole in the ozone layer of the size of the state of California. Scientists say the hole is above the African continent and also moves towards Asia. As a consequence, there are a lot of problems facing human beings and those with cancer remain at the top of the list. Furthermore, ozone layer depletion affects rice and wheat crops, dries water from oceans and rivers and kills forests. These are the resources upon which human beings depend for their own survival.
According to Union of Concerned Scientists, African countries are most likely to suffer from the worst consequences of climate change and global warming. The result is the 1
onslaught of droughts, famine, desertification, and population displacement. Ample evidence of these already exists in some African countries. Africa, along with South America and South East Asia, has already suffered from significant loss of tropical forests during the last two decades. The importance of these resources as vital economic assets cannot be overemphasized. The only solution to avoid this tragedy is renewable energy which comes from the sun, wind, ocean tide and even the sub-surface of the earth.
The United States Institute of Peace has a special report on Nigeria and how climate change affects the country. The report says Nigeria has already been suffering from the effects of climate change and has given warning against more adverse consequences in the decades ahead. The Institute regrets the fact that the entire world is alarmed at the effects of climate change in Africa in general and Nigeria in particular except the leaders of Nigeria and African countries themselves. The report says that climate change results in shortages of fertile and arable land and surface and sub-surface water and this has social, economic and political implications. For example, lack of resources breeds poverty which results in individual frustrations and social unrest in the form of violence. The institute blames the Federal Government of Nigeria as well as its state governments for their collective lack of knowledge, awareness or concern over this rather critical matter and the lack of appropriate actions or countervailing measures to address it. At this point in time, scientists agree that Green technology is the only tool which can prove a panacea to all the problems facing the world in the form of natural disasters. Green technology impacts five levels of life:
- Individual or personal
- Family
- Social
- National
- International.
These impacts leave no aspects of life untouched including such issues as:
- Social
- Economic
- Health
- Education
- Local sustainability of natural resources.
- The entire Earth’s climate.
There are several reports available on climatic changes in Africa and in Nigeria which can be accessed through Google, Bing and Yahoo by any conscious person/s, groups or institutions. Most of them say the same thing – Nigeria’s climate has already suffered from growing shifts in temperature, rainfall, storms, and sea levels resulting in shorter supplies of arable land and potable water. The fear of growing hunger and unemployment may result in more political consequences such as violence and war, some of which are already being witnessed today. It is likely to grow worse unless the nation of Nigeria takes urgent steps in this regard to reverse it, the reports caution. GREEN GLOBE’s Role: Dr. Philip Nwankwo& Dr. UpendraSabat: Here comes a non-governmental agency and institution, Green Globe USA, to help Nigeria overcome this natural tragedy of national and international magnitude. Dr. Philip Nwankwo, a Nigerian by birth, whose higher education took place in the United States, has been observing this trend and has witnessed how the government and institutions in America and European countries are fighting this dual danger of global warming and ozone depletion. In light of his dedication and commitment to bringing about changes in Africa in general and his motherland, Nigeria, in particular, Dr. Nwankwo co-founded Green Globe USA along with Dr. UpendraSabat, a veritable guru in all aspects of green technology. Together, they took upon themselves the onerous task of fighting these two demons. Since it is impossible to fight such natural monsters singlehandedly, he decided to return to Nigeria and spread, so to say, the new gospel of green technology. Their trip to Nigeria in March-April, 2014, brought Dr. Sabat face to face with the realities of Nigeria’s overall economic development. Dr. Sabat left Nigeria resolved to return to open wide the doors of green technology throughout the country.
HOMES:
Scientists conclude that carbon emission is the biggest problem for global warming and ozone depletion. Burning of coal, gas and petrochemical-derivatives are the main reasons for emitting carbon into the atmosphere. It is said that homes contribute 45% 3 of carbon emission in the United States and that the transportation sector is responsible for 35% of carbon emissions. It can be much more in Nigeria as most people use diesel generators, one of the main reasons today for global warming in the African sky. That is why Dr. Nwankwo decided to introduce the use of solar-powered electricity which is renewable and can provide pure power to millions of people in Nigeria. Nigeria has less than 5000 MW of electricity against its need of 16000 MWs of electricity. Lack of electricity affects everything in life – natural and comfortable living, education, transportation, business, industries and everything else. Homes consume the maximum of electricity in any country. So, Dr. Nwankwo decided to invite his company, Green Globe USA LLC, to direct its efforts towards the use of solar power to light up millions of existing and future homes to be built in the next decade.
Apart from solar power, water is a big scarcity in Nigeria. Green technology has its own technique of treating water on site and providing pure water to every house it builds. Apart from pure electricity and water, the houses to be built by Green Globe USA will provide censor-based lighting to save electricity and provide pure air inside the house—the best internal air quality available and applicable anywhere in the world. Nigeria is a hot country and is located in a tropical zone. The sun shines 12 hours a day and there is an abundance of sunshine throughout the year. So, Green Globe USA can use this ever-present sunshine and turn it into electricity in every house it builds, thus making people healthier and countering global warming and ozone depletion. FOCUS:
Green Globe will focus on the following aspects of a typical house:
- Plumbing
- Mechanical systems
- Insulation
- Framing and air sealing