When the discussion is about environmental issues, most of the people are very concerned about how as a society we are depleting our natural resources and destroying the environment in the name of unbridled development. People are prompt to point out global warming and its impact, deforestation, contamination of our water bodies and so on. Yet often we fail to steer this discussion towards what difference we individuals can make to change the situation rather than expecting UNO & governments to address these global issues.
Now we are getting into the zone which most people like to steer clear away from – making changes to the way we live. Who wants to take so much headache to identify environmental friendly options and replace our daily convenience. But let me tell you that I am not asking for any sacrifices from you. Contrary to this, I want to share a few things you can do without any inconvenience to your existing lifestyle. All it requires is a little awareness and your willingness.
Let’s jump straight into the few things we can do, which if done by every individual, can collectively make a big difference.
- Grow a plant in the house. Add one to your office desk too if possible. It will add a dash of green o your desk and make it a look more vibrant.
- Carry a grocery bag (preferably a cloth bag) when you are going for shopping. In fact I keep a bunch of them in my car so that even in case of any unplanned need I can quickly get one from my car in the parking.
- Switch off your laptop/desktop when not in use. Similarly after switching off the TV screen, also switch off the supply from the mains. Ditto for any other devices plugged in and not being used at night like Alexa. Collectively all these devices consume a little amount of energy continuously even when not in use.
- Turn off running water when brushing and/or shaving. It may seem trivial but it can save gallons of water every day and the energy required to pump the same to your water tank and so on. Let’s look at the water in our home as a resource rather than taking it for granted – not everyone has 24×7 running water in their homes.
- Few other things that you could do are –
- stop using plastic straws
- Switch to wooden toothbrushes
- add water saver nozzles to the taps in the house
- walk/cycle instead of taking a car/bike for shorter distances when possible
I am sure even you may be practicing some such good habits. I encourage you to share these little hacks with fellow humans so that together we can all encourage each other and adapt a more sustainable lifestyle.
to the point !