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170
THE FAMILY AND THE NATION
CREATION OF A CLEAN AND GREEN ENVIRONMENT Earth is experiencing both stratospheric cooling (due to ozone hole) and tropospheric warming (due to increased greenhouse gases). The energy production through fossil fuels leads to the generation of 30 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. We have the responsibility of protecting the Earth's environment, and creating affordable alternate sources of clean energy on a scale large enough to be a perennial substitute for fossil fuels.
Stephen Hawking visualized the need to spread the human race out into space if it is to survive. We agree with him. Fixing what we are doing to the environment is no guarantee that the Earth can support our massive numbers in the long run without interruption. The best hope for our survival is to inhabitat multiple planets. The best hope that we don't go through wild economic swings from sharp changes in the relationship between energy supply and demand is to test the new ideas that can diversify our supplies in an environmentally friendly way. We think that a significant investment to test the technical and economic feasibility of space-based solar power is wise.
The return to the moon should be seen as an economic investment in our long-term future. The technology spinoffs will probably not be as great, but the new industries that will emerge in the long-term and that will help support the coming generations will be significant. Space-based solar power may eventually be cheaper for building power satellites with materials from the moon. The moon may eventually supply us with clean power from its helium-3 reserves.
Besides the moon, Mars is another celestial body that has captured the human imagination. Mars is believed to represent self-esteem, respect, energy and ego. In Indian culture, people born with certain orbital positions of Mars are believed to have a volatile temper and have difficulty in
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