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Thursday, October 06, 2005
'Solar generation youth' urges for solar energy instead of fossil fuel
By Ritzy Robles Malo-oy
YOUNG environmentalists in Negros Occidental who call themselves 'Solar Generation Youth' is pushing for the use of solar energy instead of using fossil fuels.
Albert Lozada, Greenpeace Solar Generation Youth and Green Peace Independent Power Producer (GRIPP) representative, in a press conference held last Tuesday, said they are promoting clean and renewable ways such as the solar and wind energies to save the environment.
He added that climate change poses a greater threat to the environment.
"It increases the intensity of weather events such as typhoons and drought, rising sea levels, massive glacier loss and coral bleaching. It causes global warming which is due to the massive and increase in greenhouse gas emissions," said Lozada.
"The solutions are available, they are not just being used. In fact, energy from the wind, sun and modern biomass which is clean and renewable are abundant," Solar Generation-Negros convenor Marian Ledesma said.
Ledesma said developing countries like the Philippines are at risk to the effects of climate change, which also affects life and the economy.
"It will also increase differences in well-being between developed and developing countries. Increasing severity and frequency of extreme weather events are just among the other impacts of climate change," she added.
Lozada, on the other hand, cited that from a previous five-year interval, El Niño, which is a natural phenomenon, is now occurring within three years cycle.
"The global area affected by drought has also doubled due to climate change. There is a dramatic reduction in yield in jasmine rice and rice production in the country," Lozada said.
To answer to these problem, he added, that there is 70,000 megawatt wind potential in the country, in which 1,939 megawatts wind potential found in Negros, and 10,000 megawatt modern biomass potential.
"Wind viability is possible especially in areas of Pulupandan, Bago and Cauayan. Three of the anemometers are situated in Pulupandan town," said Lozada.
Ledesma explained that the Solar Generation of Greenpeace is an international organization composed by youth volunteers.
It focuses on climate change and is lobbying for the use of clean energy such as solar and wind powers against all fossil fuels.
The S/V Rainbow Warrior, which is one of the group's three ships or the Asian Energy Revolution Tour which led the campaign will visit Bacolod on November 18, and will conduct tour guides on board, logistics, cyberactivists and information dissemination about climate change, its causes and most importantly the solutions to the problem.
(October 6, 2005 issue)
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