Lets fight Global Warming

As the world bears the brunt of climate change, here's something that comes as an encouragement for those who are really concerned about the environment. "Lighting a billion lives campaign" initiated by the Indian people is one movement that will go a long way in fighting climate change and creating awareness among the rural masses which constitute of millions of Indians. Recently, California governer Arnold Schwarzeneger has lauded the people of India for initiating this project and urged other nations to follow suit. So... what is the campaign about and what does it intend to achieve? Here's all you want to know about this ambitious project:

Over 1.6 billion people in the world lack access to electricity; roughly 25% are in India alone. For these people, life comes to a standstill after dusk. Inadequate lighting is not only an impediment to progress and development opportunities, but also has a direct impact on the health, environment, and safety of millions of people, as they are forced to light their homes with kerosene lamps, dung cakes, firewood, and crop residue after sunset.

Recognizing the need to change the existing scenario, TERI, with its vision to work for global sustainable development and its commitment towards creating innovative solutions for a better tomorrow, has undertaken an initiative of 'Lighting a Billion Lives' (LaBL) through the use of solar lighting devices.

The Campaign aims to bring light into the lives of one billion rural people by replacing the kerosene and paraffin lanterns with solar lighting devices. This will facilitate education of children; provide better illumination and kerosene-smoke-free indoor environment for women to do household chores; and provide opportunities for livelihoods both at the individual level and at village level. In terms of physical targets, it translates into 200,000,000 solar lanterns in use, assuming that each solar lantern benefits five members of a family.

At the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting in 2007, TERI committed to bringing light into the lives of one million rural people over four years by displacing kerosene and paraffin lanterns with solar lighting devices, and providing opportunities for livelihoods both at the individual and village level.

This since has been expanded to the ‘Lighting a Billion Lives’ Campaign to benefit many more people in India and around the world. The campaign was formally inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, on 7 February 2008 during DSDS (Delhi Sustainable Development Summit).

What are the benefits?

-The Campaign offers local and global environmental benefits. Each solar lantern in its useful life of 10 years displaces the use of about 500-600 litres of kerosene, thereby mitigating about 1.5 tonnes of CO2.

-Each Solar lantern saves:
40-60 liters of kerosene/year
100 Billion Rupees burned each year in kerosene and wick lamps

-There are several social benefits too. The Campaign benefits both the user and the supplier of services. The rural entrepreneurs are trained to manage and run a central solar lantern charging/distribution centre where lanterns are rented. This creates financial opportunities for the entrepreneur. Thus apart from providing reliable and ensured lighting to households at an affordable rate, the Campaign also facilitates entrepreneurial development among rural communities.

To know more about this project and to be a part of it visit their site:
Lighting a Billion Lives