Edex focuses on green zone

Sri Lanka constructors should introduce energy saving systems when constricting new homes and establishments. This is because energy is going to be a very costly substance in the future.

Chairman EXEX Expo 2009, Kamal Abesysinghe said that this is a practice that is being done in Europe and the Western countries and it is time Sri Lanka follow this. This will also create new employment opportunities as well, "he said.

According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the world population is expanding at a mind-boggling rate. The world reached 1 billion people in 1800;2 billion by 1922; and over 6 billion by 2000. It is estimated that the population will swell to over 9 billion by 2050. That means that if the world's natural resources were evenly distributed, people in 2050 will only have 25 per cent of the resources per capita that people in 1950 had.

"Some of the greatest threats to future resources come from things we throw away everyday. Household batteries and electronics often contain dangerous chemicals that may, if sent to a local landfill, leak through the bottom barrier and pollute the ground water.

This can contaminate everything from the soil in which our food grows, to the water which will eventually come out of aquifers and into our tap water. Many of these chemicals cannot be removed from the drinking water supply, nor from the crops that are harvested from contaminated fields.

The risks to human health are tremendous.

Throwing away items that could be recycled diminishes energy, water and natural resources that could be saved by recycling.

"For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.

You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can. By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours.

Thus, creating an awareness of the rising global demand for Green Education, Green Skills and a new generation of Green-collar workers among our youth, is important. According to researchers Green Collar workers will replace most of the white and blue-collar workers in the near future."

"Having realized these limitless prospects and growing demand for emerging Green education, Green skills and Green employment and its relevance to the progressive development of Sri Lankan youth, we - the Team EDEX have chosen to support 'GO GREEN' as a core value. Green highlighted, you received is a symbolic reminder to this effect.

Depending on the demand, plans are afoot to have an eco friendly 'Green Zone' on show at Edex 2009 Expo, to be held at BMICH Colombo from 23 to 25 January, attracting over 100,000 young minds.

Edex 2009 will have over 300 standard size stalls both in Colombo and Kandy. "We hope to have more than 250 foreign universities represented directly or through their agents and a host of other post secondary institutes present," he added.

Our aim is to attract the attention of all school leavers, senior high school students, aspiring youth, educators, researchers and entrepreneurs to take note of the emerging choices, options and opportunities arising from the evolving Green Revolution.

SS