Tuesday, May 16, 2017

How to Take Green Steps!

You may often have wondered what going green means to you. Based on one's interest and dedication, the green living mantra can vary for individuals. For me, the journey started a few years back, but I know there is more to do before I can say that I live in complete alignment with Nature!
In this article, I have listed the steps that one can take at the individual level to reduce/minimize their carbon footprint. Let us not depend on community or official initiatives to do what we can and should!

  1. Stop subscription to newspaper. Switch to e-news. Or if required, encourage family members to visit the community library.
  2. Switch to e-bills. Say no to paper bills.
  3. Always carry cloth/jute bags in your hand bag or vehicle. Do not use plastic bags.
  4. When shopping in malls or other places, insist on carrying the purchased material in your own bags. This may involve a bit of coaxing or cajoling, but it is worth the effort to not accept the polythene that they want to pack you off with.
  5. SEGREGATE and RECYCLE WASTE AT HOME. You can use earthen pots and soil to compost kitchen waste. Pack off the dry waste for recycling by the municipal authorities. Save e-waste for collection drives in your housing society or work place.
  6. Always carry a water bottle with you. Do not buy mineral water bottles. Or at least, minimize!
  7. Buy vegetables from the vendors, not the supermarket. This way, you avoid plastic used for pre-packaging vegetables. And then you need to follow step 4 too here!
  8. Reuse water, wherever possible. For example, if you collect the water that you use to clean rice, pulses, or vegetables, you can use this to water your plants.
  9. Use cotton for clothes and accessories. Avoid synthetic material. Or at least, minimize!
  10. Use solar/wind energy to dry clothes/linen. Use the dryer in the washing machine only when urgent.
  11. Avoid packaging gifts. This helps preempt the use of paper, adhesive, and a lot of other glitzy non-biodegradable material. You would have realized this from your online shopping deliveries!
  12. For home decor, switch to natural artefacts. Ceramic pots, jute wall hangings, et al not only look aesthetic but are easier to recycle/decompose after use.
  13. Switch to cane for home furniture. A plush Italian leather sofa may reek of prosperity but spells doom for the environment.
  14. Switch to wooden and natural toys. The plastic ones are harmful for the child too!
  15. Avoid use-and-throw plastic/Styrofoam cutlery. When you do not want to carry steel cutlery, say on a picnic, a good alternative is to use plates made of banana leaves. The latest is EDIBLE CUTLERY. Try it out!
  16. Avoid lining cupboards with paper. You can replace this with cloth or other alternatives.
  17. Use good old steel stuff in the kitchen. Be it storage containers, lunch boxes, or water bottles - it is doable!
  18. Switch to (natural) perfumes, throw the deodorant away!

This is not an exhaustive list! Will keep adding more.