The three stories below were broadcast as one long-format show during Urdu TV's regular programming. I produced, reported and edited all of these.
The search for sustainable, alternative energy sources continues, even as our carbon footprint on the planet becomes increasingly indelible. Our cities grow ever-higher and denser, and so does our collective energy usage. And our reliance on fossil fuel remains our greatest challenge. I spoke to social scientists and new energy researchers to find out if alternative energy technologies really could solve our energy problems. Or are there lessons we could learn from the rise and fall of ancient 'mega' cities, like those of the Maya in South America, whose cities rose to great heights, yet became victims of their own unsustainable growth?
History is replete with conflicts over natural resources: Water, farmland... fossil fuel. Yet many of the economics researchers and social scientists I spoke with agreed that shortages of natural resources in our modern world are often related to resource mismanagement than natural shortfalls.
Is sustainable design the future of our cities? I spoke with researchers spearheading work into alternative energy generation, efficient use of wastes such as excess heat and used water, and sustainable building and city designs.
