ENVISIONING A SOLAR-POWERED FUTURE
The leaders of India and France recently launched an international solar alliance of over 120 countries at the Paris COP21 climate summit. This was really good news. Never before had so many countries pledged to make solar power a priority. Let’s try to imagine some of the changes that will take place over the next 50 years.
TEN YEARS: Many people have solar panels on their roofs, creating enough solar power to light up their homes. When children forget to turn lights off, their parents no longer have to shout, “Stop wasting electricity!” Instead, they shout, “Stop wasting solar energy!”
TWENTY YEARS: People walk around wearing special hats covered with tiny solar panels. They use the solar energy generated to charge their cellphones and Wifi-enabled watches, glasses, and earrings. In cooler parts of the world, the solar energy is used to generate heat to warm people’s bodies. A new word is added to the dictionary: “Solarified.”
THIRTY YEARS: Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, now 88, helps build the world’s first road that’s made almost entirely with solar panels. The panels generate enough energy for all the digital billboards advertising Reliance products along the road.
FIFTY YEARS: Solar-powered cars and planes are common. People plan long trips according to the weather. If it’s a sunny day, they can drive or fly for several hours. If it’s a rainy day, all travel plans are cancelled. People stay at home and listen to grandpa and grandma tell stories about the good old days when humans didn’t have to rely upon the sun for energy.
Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
[Comments? Contributions? Please email us at melvin@melvindurai.com. We welcome jokes, quotes, online clips, and more.]
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