Nature and Environment

Environment and Sustainable Development

Dr. Dibyendu Sarkar and Dr. Anshuman Satpathy
Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, 07030

Since the start of the industrial revolution in the late 18th century, humankind has achieved marvelous degrees of development in most spheres of life. We have far better access to basic needs like food, drinking water, clothes and education as compared to what our ancestors had almost 250 years ago. We have also been able to create engineering “wonders” like skyscrapers and airplanes as well as internet and smartphones. All these superior technologies have created today’s complex “Modern World” which is evolving and aspiring for even more superior technologies with passing time. With the plenty of “solutions” that the industrial revolution brought with it in the last couple of centuries, came an unsurmountable number of “problems” too. Notable among them is Climate Change.

Some of the symptoms of climate change can be listed as below-

1. Receding glaciers in the high-altitude mountains throughout the world
2. Melting of polar ice caps and consequent sea-level rising
3. More frequent and intense storm surge and hurricanes in the coastal regions
4. Frequent wildfires and instances of heatwaves in higher latitudes
5. Instances of severe floods and droughts throughout the world
6. Increasing desertification in large parts of Africa, China, and Southwestern United States

It is a scientifically proven fact today that our global climate pattern is changing due to unchecked emission of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide and methane as they contribute to global warming. As our aspiration for an ever-growing consumption-driven global economy is undamped, emission of greenhouse gases is also increasing with time. If collective global actions are not taken on time, it will be too late before these global climatic patterns can be reversed.

Technology, although an outcome of the industrial revolution, if used in an “smart” way, can enable us to “cut on greenhouse gas emission” without cutting on “consumption.” In addition to smart technology, adoption of “better” urban planning, implementation of “better” transport system and choosing “cleaner” energy resources also help us reduce emissions, without compromising with development. Such “smart” way of development is known as Environmentally Sustainable Development. In this new paradigm of development, environmental sustainability is the underlying principle. Scientists and Engineers, along with policy makers, work towards realization of such sustainable development goals through development and implementation of these smart technologies.

Nature

We will have a model of Bengal village :
It will be a scenery with mountains(plaster paris), trees, train station(brindawan), bridge , water fountain. We will put artificial green grass in the floor.

Exotic Birds:

Following with the jhulan, will keep birds like Indian peacock, Muscovy ducks, finch and Indian rooster. Indian male peacock have big tail and need extra more space to move/dance.

Animals:

Will display pygmy goats and rabbit both are very friendly and kids can feed them. Because of its small size (Pygmy)and ease of handling it may be used for scientific research; it has been found to be a good producer of antibodies for immunological research.