Whether we agree with it or not, truth is that there is enough scientific evidence to prove existence of environmental distortions of the highest order.

Over decades as industrialization progressed and accessibility to almost everything became easier, we got so caught up in the rut of material consumerism that we started treating natural resources as infinite. As a result, rate of industrial production and resource extraction far exceeded the rate at which resources could replenish or regenerate, resulting in their depletion at an alarming rate.

In the process, we also committed two major misdeeds, besides exhausting natural resources. First, in the process of economic development, we ended up emitting unimaginable volumes of harmful gases, which over the years, led to global warming and climate change. Second, we generated incredible amounts of waste. You will not believe, but major metropolitan Indian cities generate up to 10,000 tonnes of solid waste per day. The waste problem is a menace to the extent we cannot even imagine – plastic waste, organic waste or electronic waste, you name it and we are generating it. While we see stockpiles of trash all around us, we can’t even imagine the extent to which it is impacting our health.

Overall, current state of environmental degradation has become potent, and is now a tangible threat to our everyday well-being. Right from the air we breathe, to the water we drink, and food we eat – we and our families are falling prey to the degraded ecosystem. Rivers that were once revered and the primary source of fresh clean water, have turned poisonous because of human and industrial waste, and irrigate the vegetables we eat. As wastes and sewer water mix up with ground water, it is fast turning carcinogenic (i.e. it can cause cancer). Thanks to climate change, we are witnessing new varieties of viral diseases and ever rising cases of malaria, dengue and chikungunya, which are, to make our problems worse, increasingly becoming immune to antibiotics.

In a nutshell, we are in a state of emergency. It’s high time that we get our act together and delve deeper into the issues of climate change and sustainability. First, we need to understand various dimensions of the problem and how they affect us. Then, we need to seek practical solutions to help us adapt to the changing ecosystem. Through our research, we are committed to helping you hedge against the biggest survival threat we are facing today.