Mixed Response form People to Nano

Simon Boxall, a UK expert on climate change and oceanography, has a mixed response to Nano, the recent addition to the Tatas’ stable of four-wheelers.

“[It is] good because it is a low-energy product and more economical. Shame is that it is not built with hydrogen-cell or electric technology,” he says.

In Hyderabad, to interact with media about ‘Communicating the Climate Change’, Dr. Boxall, the lead scientist of the ‘Cape Farewell’ initiative on global warming, feels that Nano, while being more fuel-efficient vis-À-vis a Ford, can be much more destructive due to its accessibility to millions.

He asserts that India, by pioneering a new industrial revolution, can guide others in finding better, alternative technologies. And nothing could work better than enforcement to promote such paradigm shift in use of technologies. Is not alternative technology expensive? Legislation can spiral the production which on a massive scale will reduce the costs.
No-fuel cars

“If you turn off fuel supply, Tata, Ford, and Chrysler will come out with no-fuel cars within two years,” he quips and refers to the failure and subsequent success of energy-efficient light bulbs in Britain. Initially, the response was not good. The bulbs were expensive, emitted nasty light and took time to illuminate. Pressure from government forced the industries to improve the technology and it worked.” Same was the case with products of low CFC emissions.

“People respond negatively to environmental issues because they think they will have to lose some of their luxuries. But being energy-efficient does not have to cost you your luxury, or the earth,” he says.

Cape Farewell, the project Dr. Boxall heads, aims to disseminate the concept of climate change by clubbing scientists with artists, educators, writers on cruise expeditions to High Arctic.