Some Musings

The doctor looks at the sphygmomanometer disbelievingly for a minute. "Why! Your BP is 150 by 100. And you are barely thirty."

I wait for the inevitable question. It takes him just about a couple of seconds more to pose it.

"Have you got your Kidneys tested?"

I tell him that I've been getting my body tested at least twice every week and so far nothing alarming has been found – provided we discount the extra pounds across my waist.

He takes his prescription pad and scribbles furiously. "I am not putting you on any medication. You just reduce your salt intake and walk daily for at least half an hour."

I politely point out that I've been doing all that already.

"Walking too?" he asks.

"Walking too" I answer.

"I am not talking about walking your dog. This should be focused walking – till you sweat."

I tell him I do that every day.

"Great." He says.

I add that I do climb stairs too every day – most of the days to the third floor of the Multi Level Car Parking.

He frowns. Then he asks me. "Rewind a bit. Tell me more about your walking."

I explain my walking process to him. It takes about fifteen minutes for me to walk leisurely to the MLCP.

"Boss, I told you it should be focused walking – sweating is important."

I nod and advise him to take a walk at 10 in the morning to the MLCP. "Ask me if you don't sweat."

He then takes back his prescription and writes boldly – the all important amendment – "Walk before or after sunrise. Walk fast – at least eight kilometers per hour – Half an hour of such walking everyday and no Avakaaya pickle."

I go home – sit on the couch and switch on the TV. The calling bell rings.

"Good morning sir. If you continue abusing the environment, this may be one of the final "good mornings" in this world"

I am taken aback. I ask him who the hell he is. He tells me that he is from Greenpeace.

I immediately grab his collar, "Boss, you've been taking around 150 rupees per month from my account. Tell me how to stop it."

"Sir, your contribution helps us in delaying the inevitable." He gasps for his breath.

"What exactly is the inevitable?" I ask him.

He takes the remote controller from my hands and shows me a report running on CNN IBN. "Sundarbans disappearing fast."

At the end of the report I take control of the remote controller again and ask the Greenpeace activist about what his organization is doing to arrest this Global Warming.

"It is not just us sir. Everyone needs to cooperate. Otherwise we are doomed."

"But haven't we already reached the point of no return? Is there anything we can do to stop this?" I asked him.

"Perhaps it is too late already. But then, we should at least go down fighting."

That's when I realize that I am talking to probably a knowledgeable bloke and not just a PR activist.

He has a list.

1. Replace all incandescent bulbs with CFL.
   
2. Switch off all those CFLs when you don't need them.
   
3. Get a solar water heater.
   
4. Do you know that the standby mode of your TV consumes 20 watts? Please switch the main power supply to the television off when you are not using it.
   
5. Get an energy efficient refrigerator.
   
6. Use public transportation wherever possible. Walk more. And cut down on trips which are not required.
   
7. Upgrade your car to a more fuel efficient one.
   
8. Travel less.
   
9. Recycle, Recycle and Recycle.
   
10. Plant trees if possible and protect trees.
    

"How did you commute to my house?" I ask him point blankly.

He smiles – "Route 2 from Secunderabad."

The very next day, in an Operation Council meeting in my office, I advocate some steps to arrest global warming.

1. Don't allow any car inside the campus if it has only one occupant.
   
2. Have a preset limit for the number of cars that can enter the campus and stick to it.
   
3. Strengthen the bus service to the office. Encourage employees to use the bus service.
   
4. Wherever possible – explore the option of telecommuting.
   

All this requires a paradigm shift in the way we look at life. Global warming is no longer a matter of debate. It is going to strike us full force. We may not be affected much but our kids will surely be feeling the heat. My one year old son is going to face it all.

Yes. It is already too late. Our little blue green planet is losing its sheen. Maybe God is just rectifying a glorious mistake called Earth. However we should all join hands to delay the inevitable as much as possible.

The list I have mentioned above is something we all can do. It doesn't require a great effort on our part to – say change to a CFL bulb or get a solar water heater. It is the little things that matter.

Do everything in your capacity to arrest global warming. If it means walking more – please do that and while you are walking – walk briskly. You will do wonders to your body.

Yes, it is very difficult to catch a bus to office at 6:45am. Yes, the car is incredibly convenient and comfortable. However it just needs a bit of time management. Sleep early, wake up early – enjoy the early morning dew with a fuming cup of coffee and then enjoy the bus ride to office when pollution is at its lowest.

Try doing that. I am shunning my car from today onwards and pledging my support to this activity. This probably will help me take care of my high blood pressure as well.