The environment is a funny thing; it gives you a ’false’ sense of security. Yes I mean ‘false’. It pretends that no matter what you do, it would always protect you – but that isn’t the case. It pulls the rug from underneath your feet, right when you are extremely comfortable. So yes, it is a false sense of security and it is high time we do something about it!
In the name of development, we are torturing this world into an abyss, and this truth should make everyone think twice – but somehow it doesn’t. The first time I heard about the word Greenhouse Effect or Global warming, it was back in class 5th or 6th. I hated geography, which in turn gave me no interest in what was gradually happening to our world. Today it has been almost 18-20 years since that day, and I often wonder – What if I would have paid attention that day? Would the world be a little different today?
As the saying goes, it is never too late for a change. And I hope that the environment believes in the same. Even if not, we could try and make it!
Let me tell you how I made a difference to the environment (and how you could help too):
#1 Live Clean and Think Green
I always compare this point with Yoga. We all know how Yoga helps our body to be clean and healthy. Similarly, even your house needs some yoga. Don’t you wish for fresh air every time you step out in the balcony early morning?
Well, you can’t go planting greens everywhere but you can certainly put some in your house! Wherever I live, I make sure I have enough space for my plants – sometimes it is not even close to a full blown garden! And if you’re a little more enterprising, maybe you can convince those in the neighborhood to follow suit too.
A clean and green house with litter all around, does more harm than any good! Take the first step to Live Clean and Think Green.
#2 Digitize your Paper Work
We have reached a stage in our existence when we can truly do without paper. There is nothing that can’t be done in this digital era without a paper – you always have a phone or a laptop handy, and trust me, that’s all the ‘paper’ you need.
We all know paper comes from cutting down thousands of trees, but we tend to forget that more often than not. Be it the unnecessary printouts we take, or the scribblings we make, we tend to waste a lot of paper on inconsequential things.
Take a vow now – unless and until absolutely required, I am not going to waste a single sheet of paper on rough drafts and doodles.
#3 Conservation is the Key
We somehow always tend to forget that there is an end to everything – especially when it comes to natural resources. That’s because whether we would like to admit it or not, we are born selfish. All of us tend to overuse what is available and waste most of it without thinking twice. And we continue this practice, despite being aware of the fact that it might lead to a time where the world will have to live without these resources.
The first step to making a difference is starting to measure whatever we use. Use a bucket instead of a shower, switch of the lights whenever you leave the room and so on – after all, it is the simple things that make a big difference!
#4 Green Commute
To all those living in concrete jungles, polluted air is what we breathe. Believe it or not, we have forgotten what fresh air feels like!
Nowadays most homes have at least 2 cars. Imagine in a city of 10 homes, we have 20 cars on a road that is actually meant for 10 – what a chaos! Simple math: There have to be at least 2-3 people in your neighborhood who travel to the same area on a regular basis and if you could somehow coordinate this daily travel, wouldn’t you be facing a lot less traffic on your way?
Making carpooling a conscious decision will not just save you from the wrath of traffic, but also let you do your part in reducing the carbon footprint.
#5 Reduce, Recycle and Reuse
Today we stand on a bulk of garbage with absolutely no place to dispose it off, and what we do instead of trying to figure how to get rid of it is – add to it! It is high time you take a stand for the environment and make use of the 3Rs’ you learnt in school.
Reduce garbage by either making use of compostable materials or reusing things till they actually aren’t worth making use of. Discarding the non-discardable has never done anyone any good!
Today we are damaging the environment in worse ways than work stress ever does to anyone of us – all because we are far too busy ‘making a living’.
The carbon footprint that you’re actually leaving behind while you do your thing, is causing the world to tumble and fall – do you want to be a part of that section that did absolutely nothing to save the environment that gave us the resources to build on?
I am making a difference to the environment by making just small changes in my life. I’m not sure about you, but I would want my loved ones to experience fresh air at least once – or hope for that day to come!